Best Hockey Shin Guards

We recommend CCM NEXT shin guards to our players looking for shin guards that offer a balance of protection and lightweight material. Weighing in at only 481 grams (119 grams less than FT6 PRO shin guards) the CCM NEXT shin guards allow you to move about the ice with speed without worrying about getting hit with a puck in the shins. These shin guards also offer flexibility giving players a wide range of motion and comfort while playing.

If you’re looking for slightly more protection, we recommend the CCM FT6 Pro shin guards. If your a physical player who likes to battle and block shots while staying cool this is the shin guard for you. The CCM FT6 Pro shin guards provide top to bottom protection while also providing breathability with CCM’s Aer-Tec thermoregulation system. These shin guards also have the perfect fit to allow you to reach maximum mobility to move about the ice.

Best Hockey Stick Tape

We believe Renfrew and Howies are the two best brands in the business when it comes to hockey tape. We’ve used both brands over the past several years, and we give the edge to Renfrew. You’ll be happy with either product, however we recommend Renfrew black cloth hockey tape due to its slightly better feel and performance.

Best Hockey Stick Wax

Howies is the best in the business when it comes to hockey stick wax. Howies is easy to apply, creates a strong barrier against ice build-up on your tape and smells great. Click the link below to learn more about Howies Hockey Stick Wax.

Best Hockey Stick Grip Tape

Howies is the newcomer in our book when trying to decide which tape is best for the handle of your hockey stick. Once again, we favor the incumbent and recommend Renfrew hockey stick grip tape. Renfrew offers two models of grip tape. One is slightly thicker than the other and we prefer the thinner version for better feel.

Best Hockey Sock Clear Tape

While we recognize it’s a close race between Renfrew and Howies when evaluating which brand offers the best cloth tape, we believe Renfrew is the clear winner when choosing a clear tape for your shin guards. Howies feels too thick, doesn’t adhere well to the sock and is difficult to tear for youth players. We recommend Renfrew clear hockey tape to all our players.

Best Hockey Skate Laces

Let’s start by saying we prefer waxed laces for our players. Waxed laces are much easier to tie for youth players due to better grip and their ability to stay in place once pulled tight. We’ve tried multiple brands including Howies, A&R and Elite Hockey. We recommend Elite Hockey Prolace waxed hockey skate laces to our players. A&R applies too much wax. We like the performance and simple black & white color scheme from Elite Hockey.

 

BEST STICKS

MID KICK

Although there are many good mid-kick hockey sticks we believe that the Bauer PROTO R is the best mid kick stick in the game. Providing players with smooth stickhandling and powerful shots the PROTO R is the perfect stick for those who use mid kicks. Weighing in at 345 grams, the PROTO R is one of the lightest mid kick sticks. It’s rounded square shaft allows players to control and release the puck quickly and with ease.

LOW KICK

We believe the best low kick hockey stick is the Bauer HYPERLITE 2. Giving players lightweight stick without giving up durability allowing players to win battles without fearing a broken stick. Players looking for a quick release with quick stickhandling will really enjoy this stick. Weighing in at 360 grams this stick is for fast quick players who want a pop in their shot.