Hockey Pants vs Girdle

As new-style hockey protective gear continues to emerge, you may be struggling to decide whether to buy hockey pants or girdles. This article will help you clear the difference between hockey pants and girdles by providing a comprehensive comparison. Here you can find your preferred and suitable equipment. Let’s dive into it now!

What are Hockey Pants and Girdles?

Hockey pants, as a traditional and classic one-piece protective gear for the lower body, consist of an outer shell and an inner layer that is sewn or adhered with plastic padding. Featuring its integrated design and loose fit, you can easily put on and take off hockey pants. So, since the 1980s, hockey pants have become the standard equipment for players and have remained popular so far.

With the rapid evolution of ice hockey and the increasing demand for high speed, hockey girdles prevail in the twenty-first century. The composition of a girdle includes a core protective liner and an independent, durable shell. Due to the close-fitting cut and high performance of free, flexible motion, girdles are widely popular among professional players.

What are Hockey Pants and Girdles Made Of?

Commonly, both hockey pants and girdles use nylon or polyester fibre to make the outer layer, while the lining is made from mesh or breathable nylon. Meanwhile, the protective padding material is filled with high-density foam, EVA and thermoplastics.

• Nylon or polyester: The most common outer materials that can resist exceptional tear and damage, effectively withstanding cuts from ice blades and friction against the ice surface.
• Mesh or breathable nylon: Used on the inner side to promote air circulation, help you sweat out and keep your body dry and comfortable.
• High-density closed-cell foam: The core protective material that can absorb and disperse the hitting force to prevent injuries. Also, the closed-cell structure reduces your sweat from immersing into the fabric.
• EVA: A lighter, more resilient foam, frequently employed in areas requiring greater flexibility.
• Thermoplastics: These hard yet lightweight materials, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, carbon fabric composites, are moulded into ergonomic shapes to protect your key body parts(coccyx, upper thighs, hip bones, and kidney regions).

In particular, the outer shells of hockey pants typically apply thicker, more supportive nylon to cover the buffer extensively. And hook-and-loop fasteners as well as buckles are used to adjust waist size and attach leg guards. But hockey girdles use a large amount of highly elastic materials, like spandex, lycra or elastane, to enhance fit and flexibility.

What’s the Main Difference Between Hockey Pants and Girdles?

Style and Fit

The dominant difference between hockey pants and girdles lies in the fit. Traditional hockey pants are relatively loose and rectangular in shape. In contrast, girdles are more slimming, aligning with the body’s curves.

Function

While both hockey pants and girdles have the main purpose of protecting the hip, buttocks, coccyx, thighs, and kidneys, they differ significantly in terms of buffer protection, stability, and freedom of movement.

What’s the Sizing Rule Of Hockey Pants and Girdles?

The sizing standard varies by different brands(Bauer, CCM, and Warrior), age and player level. Therefore, if you want to select well-fitted hockey pants or girdles, you will pay more attention to the official sizing chart according to the brand. A general sizing standard is as follows.

How to Wear Hockey Pants and Girdles?

Before you wear hockey pants, put on leg guards beneath, and then tighten the waistband and leg straps securely because of the loose cut and the tightening only at the waist. You need to fasten the belt at the waist rather than the hips to ensure effective protection for the kidneys and lower ribs. When standing, the leg guard should cover approximately half the height of the knee pad.

Instead, leg guards are worn over the close-fitting hockey girdles, and then you need to tie the straps of the guards to the rings or straps on the outside of the girdles, and finally put on the shell. In that hockey girdle features built-in padding that bulges outward due to its snug design, they are typically covered with an outer shell – a layer of thin nylon shorts. Additionally, the groin guard should be worn above the knee pad, with the remaining covered by the knee pad shell.

How Much Do Hockey Pants and Girdles Cost?

The price of hockey pants and girdles is closely related to the level of the product. Usually, at the same level, the initial purchase cost of girdles(involving protective underpants and a shell) is higher than that of hockey pants.

However, from the long-term value, hockey girdles reverse as a result of partial wear. Once the outer shell of hockey pants is severely scratched or the lining is torn, the entire pair must be replaced, even if the internal padding remains intact. But for girdles, only the independent shell is directly exposed to wear and cuts. So the protective inner pants covered with the shell have a longer service life.

How to Select Hockey Pants and Girdles?

Based On Playstyle

While hockey pants are suitable for all levels of competition, girdles are typically designed for junior and senior players. Considering playing styles and on-ice positions, some leading ice hockey equipment manufacturers, such as Bauer, CCM, and Warrior, offer a variety of hockey pants and girdles in multiple fits and sizes.

If you prioritize speed and agility, you can select girdles that balance flexibility with protection. For example, Bauer’s Vapor or CCM’s Jetspeed lines, whose lightweight design and ergonomic cut facilitate fluid skating.

For defensive players or matches requiring intense physical confrontation, hockey girdles provide more comprehensive coverage and protective stability, effectively withstanding crashes and blocking shots. Bauer’s Supreme or CCM’s Tacks series are the optimal brands.

Based On Personal Preference

In fact, choosing hockey pants or girdles depends to a large extent on your preference. As long as they are well-fitting and high-quality, both of them provide reliable protection and excellent performance.

About the fit and cut, some prefer the snug fit of girdles that makes them feel lighter and more natural as the padding moves in sync with the legs. In contrast, if you favour the loose fit without restriction, hockey pants are the best option. Also, some players dislike girdles because the overall fit is difficult to gauge and requires constant adjustment.

Furthermore, convenience is one of the main causes when selecting hockey pants or girdles. A single girdle can be worn with any outer protective gear. Thus, if you play for two or more teams, you simply change the shell rather than the entire hockey pants.

Many players prefer traditional-style ice hockey pants that predate the appearance of girdles. However, with the prevalence of girdles, a growing number of professional hockey players and elite athletes are switching to their use designed for speed and agility.

FAQ

Do NHL Players wear Hockey Pants or Girdles?

NHL players use both hockey pants and girdles, mainly based on personal preference for fit and feel.

Which One is More Protective – Hockey Pants or Girdles?

Both offer comparable levels of impact protection for hips, thighs, and kidneys. You need to consider personal preference, the intensity of the activity, and the combination with other protective gear to select a more suitable one. Whether hockey pants or girdles, quality and padding density play a decisive role in protective performance.

Are Hockey Pants Comfortable?

Yes. Hockey pants are generally more comfortable than girdles. Designed with a loose fit that only tightens at the waist, their integrated padding moves freely with the body, minimising the restrictive feeling.

What are Roller Hockey Pants?

Compared with ice hockey pants, roller hockey pants are thinner and lighter. They are designed to protect you against friction and impact when falling on concrete or sports court surfaces. In addition, their breathability and moisture wicking are more effective since rollerball is typically played in warm or even hot environments, which places the emphasis on ventilation. Hockey pants cannot be substituted for them.

What are Care Tips and Upkeep Of Hockey Pants and Girdles?

Unlike hockey pants, the key to girdle maintenance lies in removing protective shells and handling them separately. You should wipe the plastic shells clean with mild soapy water,  avoiding machine washing or soaking.

The liners of girdles are treated as hockey pants.

• Cold water and a gentle cycle, without heat or high-temperature dry, which will permanently damage the elasticity of the foam padding
• Use mild detergents instead of bleach and fabric softeners that will corrode fabricsand protective gear, and influence moisture-wicking performance
• Turn inside out for washing and fasten all straps securely
• Air the garment promptly after using and spray with disinfectant deodoriser(like Febreze Sport, Lysol Neutra Air) to kill bacteria and eliminate odours

Final Thoughts

Goaluniform is proficient in manufacturing hockey pants and girdles with 10 years of production experience, state-of-the-art technologies and considerate customized service. Through this article, you can learn more about how to select hockey pants and girdles based on product quality, personal preference, and specific application. Now click on our website, where you can find diverse options for hockey pants and girdles.