The start of hockey season has a way of sneaking up on you. One week your gear is drying in the garage after summer hockey, and the next you’re trying to remember whether you have enough stick tape five minutes before leaving for the rink.

A preseason hockey gear checklist can prevent a lot of those last-minute problems.

Before the first practice, take some time to inspect everything you plan to use this season. Gear that fit properly last year may not fit anymore, especially for younger players, while skates, sticks, gloves, and protective equipment can develop wear that isn’t obvious until you look closely.

Here’s what to check before you hit the ice.

Inspect Your Hockey Sticks

Start with one of the most important pieces of equipment in your bag.

Look over the shaft and blade of each stick for cracks, chips, splits, or other visible damage. Pay particular attention to the blade and lower portion of the shaft, where sticks regularly take abuse from shots, slashes, boards, and skate blades.

Remove old tape if necessary so you can get a better look at the blade.

This is also a good time to make sure your stick still suits you. Younger players may have grown enough during the offseason that their stick length or flex needs have changed.

And don’t forget the backup.

Having a second stick ready to play is much better than discovering your only stick has broken halfway through a game. Your backup doesn’t necessarily need to be identical, but it should be a stick you’re comfortable using if your primary one suddenly becomes a two-piece model.

Before the season starts:

• Inspect the shaft for cracks or damage

• Check the blade for cracks, chips, splits, or unusual flex or damage

• Confirm the stick length and flex still feel appropriate

• Replace worn blade and grip tape

• Prepare a playable backup stick

If your preseason inspection shows it’s time for a replacement, or you simply need a dependable backup for the season, All Black Hockey Sticks offers high-performance composite hockey sticks at an affordable price, with options for different flexes, curves, and player preferences.

Give Your Skates a Thorough Inspection

Skates deserve more than a quick glance before opening day.

Check the boot for damage and inspect the holders and steel. Look for loose or missing rivets, damaged eyelets, cracked holders, heavily worn runners, or anything else that doesn’t look right.

Take a close look at the runners for rust, nicks, or other damage. Check the edges as well and have your skates sharpened if needed before returning to the ice.

Check your laces while you’re at it. A lace that is badly frayed in August isn’t likely to become stronger by October.

If your skates have replaceable steel, make sure the runners are properly seated and secure. Players who keep spare steel should inspect that too.

Your skate check should include:

• Inspect boots for unusual damage or separation

• Check rivets, eyelets, holders, and runners

• Look for rust, nicks, or damage on the steel

• Replace badly worn or frayed laces

• Inspect insoles and footbeds

• Make sure replaceable steel is secure

• Check your edges and sharpen the skates if needed

Check Helmet Fit and Condition

Your helmet is one piece of equipment you don’t want to treat casually.

Inspect the shell, padding, adjustment system, chin strap, cage or visor, and all screws and fasteners. Make sure nothing is cracked, loose, missing, or noticeably damaged. Check screws and other hardware for corrosion as well.

Then put the helmet on.

It should fit securely without excessive movement and should be adjusted according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For youth players who have grown during the offseason, don’t assume last year’s adjustment still works.

Also check any certification or league requirements that apply to your level of play. Requirements can vary by league, governing body, age group, and location.

Before the season:

• Inspect the helmet shell and interior padding

• Check screws and fasteners for looseness, damage, or corrosion

• Inspect the cage or visor

• Check the chin strap

• Adjust the helmet for a secure fit

• Confirm it meets applicable league requirements

Check the Fit of Your Hockey Protective Gear

This step is particularly important for growing players.

Put on your shoulder pads, elbow pads, hockey pants, shin guards, and other protective equipment rather than simply looking at it in the bag.

Check that each piece still fits comfortably and stays in the correct position when you move. Equipment that has become too small can leave gaps in protection, while oversized equipment may shift around during play.

Look for cracked plastic, torn straps, stretched elastic, broken buckles, loose stitching, or padding that has deteriorated. Pay particular attention to the Velcro straps on elbow and shin pads. Worn straps that no longer stay secure can allow protective equipment to move out of position.

Check the closure system on your hockey pants as well, including the belt, laces, suspenders, buttons, or other components your particular pants use.

Pay attention to how different pieces overlap. Your elbow pads and gloves, for example, shouldn’t leave an unintended gap around the forearm, while your hockey pants and shoulder pads should provide appropriate coverage around the torso.

Inspect Your Hockey Gloves

Gloves can accumulate a surprising amount of wear over a season.

Check the palms carefully for thinning or hardened material, tears, and holes. Small worn areas can become much larger once practices and games begin.

Inspect the fingers, thumb, protective padding, stitching, and cuff as well.

Then grab your stick.

Your gloves should allow you to comfortably grip and control it without excessive movement inside the glove. If your hands have grown or the gloves have become badly worn, preseason is a much better time to discover it than during your first game.

Check Your Base Layers, Hockey Socks, and Jerseys

Soft goods are easy to overlook until you’re packing for practice.

Go through your base layers, hockey socks, jerseys, neck protection where required, and any other clothing you normally wear on the ice.

Look for holes, damaged Velcro, worn elastic, broken fasteners, and anything that no longer fits comfortably.

For youth players, this is another area where an offseason growth spurt can quietly retire half the equipment drawer.

Wash everything before the season begins so you’re starting with clean gear instead of reopening last season’s aroma archive.

Restock the Small Stuff

A hockey bag contains plenty of inexpensive items that can create surprisingly large problems when they’re missing.

Take inventory of the consumables and accessories you normally use.

A basic preseason restock might include:

• Black and white stick tape

• Clear shin tape

• Spare skate laces

• Stick wax, if you use it

• Mouthguard, if required

• Water bottle

• Spare helmet hardware

• Towel

• Extra base layer or socks

If you use a mouthguard, make sure it’s still in good condition and fits properly. That’s especially important for younger players whose mouths and teeth may have changed since the previous season.

Give your water bottle a proper cleaning too, including the cap and nozzle. It’s one of those pieces of hockey equipment that can spend an entire season being refilled without getting nearly as much attention as it deserves.

You don’t need to carry a sporting goods store in your hockey bag. The goal is simply to have replacements for the small items most likely to fail or disappear.

Clean Your Gear and Hockey Bag

Before loading everything back into your bag, give your equipment a proper cleaning.

Wash machine-safe items according to their care instructions and clean or wipe down equipment that can’t go into the washing machine. Make sure everything is completely dry before packing it away.

Don’t forget the hockey bag itself.

Months of sweat and moisture can turn a neglected bag into its own ecosystem. Starting the season with clean, dry equipment won’t make hockey gear smell like roses, but at least you’ll be resetting the clock.

Once the season begins, get back into the habit of taking equipment out of the bag and allowing it to dry after practices and games.

Do a Full Gear Dress Rehearsal

A few days before your first practice, put everything on.

All of it.

Helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, pants, shin guards, socks, skates, gloves, and anything else you normally wear.

Move around. Bend your knees. Rotate your shoulders. Grip your stick. Check whether anything feels too tight, too loose, or noticeably different from last season.

This is especially useful for younger players, but adults can benefit too. Equipment changes, body changes, and months away from the rink can all affect how gear fits.

Most importantly, doing this several days early gives you time to solve a problem.

Don’t Wait Until the Night Before

The purpose of a preseason hockey gear checklist isn’t simply to make sure everything is still in the bag. It’s to make sure everything is ready to play.

Inspect your sticks. Check your skate edges. Make sure your protective equipment still fits. Replace worn accessories. Clean the bag. Make sure your backup equipment is ready.

Then pack everything before the first practice arrives.

Hockey season will provide plenty of surprises on its own. Finding out your skates don’t fit anymore doesn’t need to be one of them.