Ice Hockey Goalie Bags

Ice hockey goalies are different from skaters in nearly every way with unique skates, pads, helmets, sticks, and even gear bags. Goalies have gear that is much larger to protect them from the high-speed pucks being fired at them, which in turn means they need larger, specialized bags.

What are goalie bags used for?

All hockey players, goalies especially, wear a lot of protective gear on the ice, and that gear must be transported to and from the arena. Goalies usually put their chest protector, pants, blocker, glove, helmet, skates, jock, socks, and underlayers in their bags. These bags need to be large enough to contain most of or all their gear but not oversized to the point that it’s impossible to transport the bag. The entire point of the bag is to allow goalies to transport their equipment in the easiest and most efficient manner possible without putting it at risk of damage. The goalies’ leg pads and sticks tend to be too big to fit in standard hockey bags, so this equipment is typically carried separately.

Things To Consider

When looking for an Ice Hockey Goalie Bag, you'll want to consider the following:

• What will you be using the bag for?
• How much money do you have to spend on a goalie bag?
• How much storage space do you need?
• Do you prefer to wheel or carry your equipment?
• Do you have a favorite brand or color?

Types

In the same way, there’s different styles of luggage or suitcases; there are different styles of goalie bags to allow each goalie to travel in the manner they prefer. Let’s look at the wheeled, carry, and backpack goalie bags, as well as the goalie stick bag.

Wheeled Goalie Bag

The purpose of goalie bags is to travel in the most efficient manner possible, and wheels are an excellent way to achieve that. Given that goalie gear is large and heavy, it is easier and less exhausting to wheel around a bag as opposed to carrying it. This is especially convenient for kids, but it is beneficial for players of all levels. This convenience comes with a greater price tag than most other style bags.

Carry Goalie Bag

The carry bag is the classic style goalie bag. This bag is typically carried over one shoulder. This puts a lot of stress on one side of the body, especially for smaller goalies, but it is still a very useful means of equipment transportation. These can be big enough to even fit the goalie’s leg pads, so they don’t have to be separately carried.

Backpacks

The backpack goalie bag is just like a normal backpack, but instead of school supplies, it carries massive amounts of protective gear. This bag distributes the weight of the gear across both shoulders, but it doesn’t lessen the total weight. These bags typically have to be packed very neatly in order to ensure that all the gear can fit inside. They sometimes can also come with wheels making them easily wheeled or carried. These bags are quite versatile and efficient, which typically results in a pricier product.

Goalie Stick Bag

Goalie sticks are heavier than skater sticks, and the goaltender must bring multiple sticks to each game in case one breaks. This makes goalie sticks harder to transport with all of their other gear. Stick bags allow players to carry multiple sticks at once and rest the bag over their shoulder, which keeps their hands free. These are much smaller than equipment bags, and so they cost less.

Materials

There are a number of different materials that goalie bags can be made out of in order to provide players with different features.

• Polyester: Polyester is a strong, lightweight plastic that is made by weaving together artificial fibers. Polyester is water-resistant, which is useful for hockey bags because they typically contain gear wet with sweat and water. It is a very common material, so it is not expensive to produce either.
• Leather: Leather is typically made from cowhide, which makes it expensive. It can also be covered in chemicals to give it special properties like water resistance. Leather is a heavier material, so bags made out of this material sacrifice some mobility for greater protection.
• Nylon: Nylon is a polymer that is created by heating and reacting large molecules together. Nylon is effective at resisting mold, and it is water-resistant, although it doesn’t dry as quickly as polyester. It is also very commonly used, reasonably cheap to manufacture, and can even be combined with polyester in goalie bag production.

Brands

There are many brands that produce hockey equipment, and bags are no different. So let's break down three of the most popular producers of goalie bags: CCM, Bauer, and GRIT.

• CCM: CCM produces both wheeled and carry goalie bags at a moderate price. CCM bags come with a lot of pockets to keep gear organized. Their bags are made from polyester, so they are lightweight and durable.
• Bauer: Bauer produces premier stick, carry, and wheeled bags. Bauer bags are extremely durable, flexible, and come with special ventilation systems to help keep equipment dry. The bags are also on the larger side, making it easy to fit all your gear inside.
• GRIT: GRIT exclusively produces bags when it comes to hockey gear. They make durable, lightweight bags that are partially mesh in order to keep gear dry inside. However, these bags aren’t the largest on the market. They produce some bags with stick straps, but this convenience comes with a higher price tag.

Considerations

The most important things to consider before purchasing a goalie bag are durability, cost, and size.

Durability

The two primary reasons that you would need to replace a goalie bag are that the bag is too small or it has ripped. Given the high-quality materials used in the production of modern bags, it is much more likely that goalies and their gear outgrow the bag. You’ll know it’s time to buy a new goalie bag when your gear is difficult to fit into the bag.

Cost

The cost of goalie bags varies greatly depending on the type of bag, brand, and size. Adult bags are larger than youth bags, so they will cost more. Certain brands also use more expensive materials. The cost of carry, wheeled, and backpack bags range from about $75-$370, with most stick bags being in the $30-$50 range.

Sizes

Goalie bags primarily come in two different sizes, youth and adult, but they can vary in regard to their actual dimensions. The varying dimensions allow players to choose exactly how much space they want from their bags. Adult goalie equipment is not going to fit into a youth goalie bag, but a youth player would struggle to carry around the adult goalie bags. 

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