Sweaty Hockey Equipment

Wet hockey equipment. Everybody hates it; yet, it’s 2022 and we still haven’t really come up with a way to combat the situation. Sure, you have the classic overnight, air-dry method or the last-ditch, down-and-dirty hand dryer technique that is applied in grimy hockey rink bathrooms everywhere. But during tournament time there is just nothing you can do besides accept defeat. These 5 pieces of wet, smelly, damp equipment will haunt you forever.

1. Under Armor: No arguments here. This may be a new item in the hockey paraphernalia family, but it sure has made its impact. Some people decide not to wear Under Armor at all if it's wet. This means they would rather have their sweaty elbows and chest protector on their cold body than slip on the small shirt. That says a lot.

2. Shins: This would be the undoubted #1 twenty years ago. To be honest, who knew shins sweat so much? The padding is extra thick in there and the sweat just compiles. It also doesn’t help that the shins are the second piece of equipment you have to put on. What a brutal way to start things off.

3. Skates: This is very hit or miss. I personally wear socks and occasionally welcome wet skates. They just seem to tie better. But the boys who wear no socks hate the idea of putting their bare feet inside a dark and wet cauldron. I knew a kid who legitimately didn’t lace them up at a stick time because his skates were too wet. That’s a testament if I’ve ever heard one.

4. Helmet: Sweaty helmets aren’t that bad to put on but I would guarantee that nobody gets a sick satisfaction out of it. Frequency is the reason why it’s slated as #4. Between every period of hockey, tournament time or not, you gotta slide this thing back onto your wet head. Not ideal.

5. Gloves: This one is different because too much air is actually a bad thing. Everyone hates crusty gloves. The boys sometimes use water to loosen them up, or purposely leave them inside their bag during drying hours. No matter what the method, I think we can all agree that there is a fine line between having perfectly flexible gloves and having a damp, slimy mess.

Stay dry,
Alex