Goaltender Equipment Fitting

The following are guidelines to follow on how to fit a goaltender for equipment. Due to different heights, weights, playing sizes and brands of equipment, goaltenders should see a local expert equipment dealer for proper equipment fitting. Selecting the proper size of equipment is important. Proper development requires that a goaltender play in the correct size gear.

Blocker

Proper blocker sizing will allow a goaltender to control the face of the blocker. This will lead to better rebound control and protection. Similar to fitting for a glove, from the end of the finger channels to the tips of a goaltender's fingers there should be no more than 1/4 of an inch of space.

Leg Pads

The following is a four-step guide to determine the size of a goaltender’s pads:
Step 1 – Goaltender's skate size
Step 2 – Measure from the floor to the middle of the kneecap.
Step 3 – Measure from the middle of the kneecap to desired height on thigh.
Step 4 – Add steps 1, 2 and 3 for estimated size of leg pad.

Chest Protector

The size of a goaltender's chest protector should be determined by the goaltender's height. After gathering a goaltender's height, the next step is to match the height with the selected company's size chart to determine the appropriate size.

Catch Glove

In today's game, many believe that bigger is always better when it comes to a goaltender's glove. This is not true. Having a glove that is too big will limit a goaltender's ability to catch and control the puck. Here are two tips to follow when fitting a glove. First, from the end of the finger channels to the tips of a goaltender's fingers there should be no more than 1/4 of an inch of space. Second, the heel of the goaltender's hand and the heel/cuff of the glove should line up.

Illustration by Mike Curti