Let me tell you about must-have gear for hockey players and how it can possibly help you!
This blog is especially for defensemen, but certainly can be helpful for any hockey players who prefer to protect themselves well.
I’m a defenseman and I try to get hit by the puck! There’s nothing more rewarding than blocking a shot and saving a goal. However, it sometimes comes with agony & pain depending on where you get hit!
One big problem I’ve experienced in my years of playing hockey has been getting hit in the feet and ankles by hockey pucks. Usually, it’s just bruises and swelling, but have had times where I’ve been knocked out of action for several weeks! Especially when you get hit in the same spot twice…it never fails!!
So, to solve this problem…I started looking for solutions and found a few options.
I ended-up purchasing Skate Fender Pro Protectors since they were one of the least expensive options and thought I’d try those first…they were about $65 bucks for the pair.
These things just go over your skate, just like putting on another piece of equipment. And, help protect your ankles, top and sides of your feet.
Some may not like the look of these, covering their nice-looking skates, but that really wasn’t a concern for me. I just wanted them to protect my feet and ankles. When you’re playing, does anyone really look at your skates?
Now, I’ve had a bit of a unique experience with my Skate Fender Pros!
Mine went from this:
To this!
How did that happen???
So, with my first pair, I did take a slapshot off the foot and one of the protectors cracked. This happened about 4 months after my original purchase.
The warranty on these is 60 days. But I emailed the company and they cheerfully sent me a new pair free of charge which I appreciated.
And, while waiting for the new pair to arrive, I thought I’d try to glue the cracked protector together and see what happened. It actually worked ok in that it protected me from another shot, but cracked again and again…and I had fun gluing them back together each time!
I continued to glue and reuse even after I got the new pair. Then, the other protector cracked…and I continued my gluing. I was like Forrest Gump but instead of running…I just kept on gluing and gluing and gluing… I must have spent $30-$40 on glue, but was having fun with it!😂
Eventually, they got so bad, that I had to part with them and put the new ones on.
I’ve been using the replacements for several months and have been hit many times and they’ve held-up great. So, I’m thinking maybe the first pair was defective.
I’d recommend these if you’re like me and want to protect your feet and ankles on a budget. I got mine on Amazon. Here’s a link if you’d like to check them out – Skate Fender Pro Protectors.
They’re not a lot of reviews, just over 200 as of this writing, but for the most part, these have some pretty high ratings.
I bought the full size…there’s also a compact size that appear to only protect mostly the ankles, but I prefer full protection. I don’t notice them at all while skating.
The website for the product is https://www.skatefenders.com/ if you need more info or want to read some testimonials. I know these are sold on other major online hockey sites as well.
I’d like to try some of the other options to see how they work…most specifically the Nash Ice Hockey Skate Wraps. They’re a bit more expensive at around $95 on Amazon, but do come with 3 wraps in case one breaks. Check them out on Amazon!
If any of you have experience with these or other protectors, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Thank you!
Stay junky my friends!😎🏒🍺
Beer League Hockey Guy
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Check out the “How to PREVENT a BROKEN FOOT Playing Hockey YouTube Video!“