Hockey Goalie Bags

Goalie Bags

With likely the most equipment in team sports, a good goalie bag is as valuable off the ice as your glove and blocker are on the ice. Whether you’re hauling gear to practice or between road games, you want to be able to not only fit your entire kit in a single bag, but organize it and have it ready to go as well. When shopping for a new goalie bag, the lineup of mostly black bags may seem all the same. But a few important characteristics can really make a bag stand out from the rest.

Goalie Bag Size

Bigger is better, right? Of course, you want to be able to hold all of your gear without worrying if stuff will fit, but if you’ve ever had a goalie bag that’s too big, you’d know it’s not worth oversizing. Hockey bags that are too big make you unnecessarily lug around extra bag volume, which allows your gear to slide around, shifting the weight within the bag. Chances are that you already have a goalie bag. Is it too small for your current or new gear? Measure the dimensions and lay out any gear that doesn’t fit inside, next to the bag to get an idea of the dimensions you’ll need in your new bag. From there, you should be able to choose the right size goalie bag for your needs.

How to Pack a Hockey Goalie Bag

Every goalie has their own preferred way to pack their bag, but many follow a similar organizational process. If you’re looking for an efficient way to pack your goalie bag, try these steps in order:

1. Pack your skates, one on either end (the short sides) of the bag
2. Place your jersey on the bottom of the bag in the middle
3. Put your helmet in one corner of the bag, next to a skate
4. Lay both leg pads along the opposite side of the bag from the helmet
5. Place your pants on the same side, in the opposite corner as your helmet
6. Put your jock and knee pads inside the pants to use up the empty space
7. Fit your chest protector between the pants and the helmet
8. And finally, put your blocker and glove on top of the leg pads if there’s room
9. You can fill in any gaps with small or soft gear you may need like a water bottle, socks, or alternate street clothes