Roller hockey goalie equipment is similar to the newer type of street hockey goalie equipment. If the roller hockey game is played with a ball, ice hockey goalie equipment is really unnecessary to afford protection that is needed for goalies. Roller hockey or even floor hockey equipment will suffice. Of course, if a puck of any sort is used, a goalie is best suited to use more protective equipment such as that of an ice hockey goalie or roller hockey goalie equipment. For purposes of this website, recommended roller (when available) and floor hockey equipment consisting of goalie helmet/cage, chest protector, blocker, catching glove, throat/neck protector, athletic cup, hockey goalie pants and goalie pads are noted below. As with all equipment, you can get Youth, Minors and Adult sizes.
Lets start with goalie pads. The old school goalie pad is still being made by Mylec but unless you are playing with a ball, where it can still get the job done, although one looks like Ken Dryden, you shouldn’t use this type of pad anymore. The old school “mylec” pads are made of hard yet flexible black plastic covering a thick foam. They basically look like blocks on your legs. They are hard on the knees and offer no protection to the sides of the knee or leg. These type of goalie pads are great for sliding on any surface and, if playing indoors, will last a long time.
Next up are type of goalie pads that look like an ice hockey goalie pad but with much less weight and bulk. These are excellent for roller hockey (and Floor) in terms of protection for the goalie and wear and tear. These type of goalie pads strap around the leg offering protection to the inside and outside of the leg and move a lot less than the black “old school” mylec goalie pad. Manufacturers have designed these goalie pads for not only safety and protection but for the sleek look that they offer. For the cost, a much better option. Take a look at these products by Mission, Tour EVO, CCM, Reebok, Mylec, Franklin, Bauer, Sherwood, Tour, Vaughn, Warrior and Koho. Some manufacturers and now selling Goalie Kits which include the Pads, chest protector, catching glove, blocker and/or helmet.
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Ice hockey goalie pads are completely unnecessary for roller hockey and are going to be too heavy for the goalie. Further, they will get destroyed on the street or driveway and will not slide well on synthetic floors.
Goalies must have a blocker and catching glove and for aesthetics, most goalies like to have a matching pair. Good news, most companies sell a combo especially for roller hockey. A roller hockey blocker and catching glove will suffice for a plastic ball as they are much, much lighter than an ice hockey blocker. The blocker of course is held in the hand that the goalie uses to hold the goalie stick while the catching glove goes on the other hand. If one is looking for a bit more help at the position, ice hockey blockers and catching gloves are usually much bigger in length and width than the standard floor hockey ones. Don’t forget to make sure you get a catching glove with cheater located at the inner wrist. This will give the goalie just a little more edge over the shooter. Once again, the ice hockey blocker and catching glove is going to be heavier and you will be chasing a ball not a puck so quickness is needed. If playing with a puck, insure that the type of blocker and catching glove you use offer enough support and protection.
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Mylec, Franklin and Tour EVO, Koho, Itech, Warrior, Vaughn, Sherwood, Bauer, Koho, TPS and Reebok (RBK) are all putting out quality products with a sleek design.
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Chest protectors should be worn by all goalies. A standard roller hockey goalie chest protector with arm protection, will provide enough protection and safety. An ice hockey chest protector will work just as well. Reebok, Franklin, Mylec, Vaughn, Warrior, Koho, Bauer and Tour all sell a chest protector with arm protection at reasonable prices.
Some manufacturers sell a nice combo set with the chest protector, blocker, catching glove and/or goalie mask. Koho, Warrior, Bauer, Vaughn and Reebok both have nice looking combo sets.
Some manufacturers sell a nice combo set with the chest protector, blocker, catching glove and/or goalie mask. Koho, Warrior, Bauer, Vaughn and Reebok both have nice looking combo sets.
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Goalie roller hockey goalie pants (or even ice hockey goalie pants) offer great protection at an affordable price. You don’t want to be hit in the thigh with a hard plastic puck. Goalie pants are made by a number of companies such as Reebok, Vaughn, Sherwood, Koho, Bauer and Warrior.
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One or the other should be worn by a goalie. The throat protector usually attaches to the bottom of the goalie mask or goalie cage and dangles like a catcher’s throat guard. It is made of hard plastic and will provide the maximum protection. Just keep it tight without a lot of slack so that it doesn’t sway too much to be out of position when needed. An alternative to this is a neck protector. This is made of strong material and wraps around the neck, under the chest protector. It will protect the neck and throat to a certain extent merely by blunting the force of the shot but will not prevent the shot from hitting the goalie in the throat. I Tech is the company of choice for these products. By the way, there is nothing wrong with wearing the neck protector AND the throat protector.
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From an evolutionary standpoint, the street hockey mask really mirrored the development of masks in the NHL. Roller hockey masks have just evolved from there as the manufacturers have made a more solid mask for roller hockey goalies.
The traditional Hockey Cage is the minimum mask to be used by a roller hockey goalie. This was no different in look than the hockey cage worn by all players in college. It offered a full view of the play, maximum protection for the goalie but the drawback was looking through a cage or wire mesh. Goalies often painted the helmet portion of the goalie mask.
More recently, many companies have been putting out Replica Goalie masks of NHL players. You can find goalie masks that are pre-painted like the masks of NHL goalies. These types of masks are a combination of hard plastic and wire mesh and provide excellent protection for a roller hockey goalie with the look of an NHL goalie. Franklin, Mylec, Koho, Reebok and I Tech are making goalie masks that make you at least look like a goalie even if you can’t stop a shot. Some companies are putting out goalie masks of NHL teams while others are replicating specific goalie helmets.
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What goalie would be complete without a goalie stick. A goalie stick is made of wood or composite material but please don’t use plastic. The plastic blades are not strong enough to play the ball effectively as a goalie. Sherwood, Reebok, Dom, Bauer, CCM, I-Tech, Christian, Torpso, TPS and Warrior are all putting out goalie sticks. Make sure you get a blade that is curved in the same direction that you shoot.
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The question is the type of goalie net needed. Lightweight, heavyweight,collapsible,metal, plastic tubing etc. The mesh of the hockey net also varies by weight.
EZ Goal and Mylec provide a number of different types of goalie nets including folding nets for easy storage. Pro Guard, Franklin and Practice Partner also manufacture hockey nets for use in roller hockey.
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