Have you ever fallen on the ice while skating and you weren't wearing elbow pads? Brutal, right? Elbow pads a small piece of protective equipment that can make a big difference when it comes to your safety and protection on the ice.
How To Fit
The biggest factor when fitting yourself for elbow pads is finding the best balance between the best protection and the best mobility. While a bigger elbow pad can offer increased coverage, it may be too big to the point where it doesn't stay in place. The opposite will be true for an elbow pad that is too small, it may offer decent mobility but you will sacrifice too much coverage.
When trying on elbow pads, we recommend also trying on gloves and shoulder pads, as the fit of those two pieces of equipment can have a huge influence on elbow pad works best for you. When you have all three pieces on, the bicep of the shoulder pad should just about meet the top of the elbow pad, while the cuff of the glove should also just about meet the bottom of the elbow pad. With this, you'll ideally find you've maximized your coverage and gave yourself excellent mobility to go out on the ice and do your thing.
Fit Styles
A traditional fitting elbow pad is on the bulkier side of the spectrum as it prioritizes maximum coverage. This fit is most popular with defensemen and grinding forwards, who are more concerned with protection than they are with mobility. If this sounds like the fit for you, consider Bauer's Supreme line or CCM's Tacks line.
The contoured and tapered fit of the Bauer Vapor series and the CCM Jetspeed series prioritizes maximum mobility for the best feel possible. This isn't to say you sacrifice any protection, but you prioritize mobility just as much. This fit is extremely popular with skilled and speedy forwards.
HockeyStickMan has an incredible range of top-end and cost effective options to suit any type of player. Our collection of STX Stallion elbow pads come in at just $29.99 and offer that popular contoured fit and feature a nylon sleeve to keep that elbow pad snug in place.
Shop our full selection of elbow pads here, or come by the Toronto Showroom or Belleville Warehouse if you're in the area!