How To Maintain And Look After Your Field Hockey Equipment
Keeping your hockey gear in top condition is essential for performance, safety, longevity, and ensuring some of it doesn't stink!
Whether you play once a week or you train five times a week and play multiple matches, it's important to regularly take care of your hockey equipment to ensure your stick, shoes, and shin pads stay game-ready. We are ONE Sports Warehouse, and here is our guide to looking after and maintaining your hockey gear.
Stick Care: Protecting Your Most Vital Tool
Your hockey stick can endure a decent amount of wear and tear, but correct maintenance can increase the lifespan of your stick significantly. Here are some tips and tricks:
- Inspect after each use for any damage
- Ensure it is kept dry where possible after use to prevent mould from forming on the grips (we've seen some horrible ones!).
- Use new tape where possible on your grip to stop it slipping
- Replace your grip every 6-12 months
- Store in a cool, dry place (hot cars or super cold garages are not conducive to the carbon lifespan in a stick)
Some of our favourite tapes include:
Osaka Soft Grip Touch 2.0 Buffed Hockey Grip
Shoe Care: Keeping Your Footwear Fresh and Functional
Hockey shoes are subjected to intense activity in varying conditions; maintaining them ensures durability and comfort throughout their lifespan
- Air them out: after each session or game, remove the insoles where possible and let them dry out naturally (avoid radiators/ direct heat sources)
- Neutralise odours: we have a wide range of shoe inserts that help keep shoes smelling fresh!
- Clean Regularly: use a damp cloth and mild cleaning detergent to clean the surfaces (we'd avoid the washing machine wherever possible!)
- Monitor Wear: keep an eye on the wear to the grip on the bottom of the sole. We don't want any injuries!
Shin pad Care: Ensuring Protection and Hygiene
Shin pads are crucial for safety and so maintaining them well is vital for hygiene and effectiveness.
- Regular Cleaning: wash by hand where possible. Some shin pads have removable inner linings that is extra handy!
- Dry Thoroughly: after washing or after a particularly sweaty or rainy day make sure you let shin pads dry out
- Inspect for damage: check for any cracks or significant damage that is more than cosmetic bumps and scrapes
- Use Shin liners: wearing these keeps a natural barrier between the legs and shin pads, prolonging your shin pads' life and stopping them from smelling so bad!
Additional Gear Maintenance Tips
A lot players choose to wear protective or thermal hockey gloves. Ensure you machine wash on a gentle setting but ideally hand wash with a mild detergent, and then air dry thoroughly before subsequent use.
For your hockey bags, we recommend emptying and air out your stick bag/ backpack regularly to keep as fresh as possible (keep an eye out for rogue bananas at the bottom!)
General Maintenance Best Practices
By taking time each week/ month to look after your hockey equipment, you can extend the life and make sure you're in the best position to perform every time you walk out onto the pitch.
- Routine Checks: regular checks of your gear will help increase lifespan
- Proper Storage: keep gear in a dry and well ventilated area as much as possible
- Follow guidelines/ ask for help: make sure you take care when looking after your gear (the tumble dryer is NOT your friend here!)
