Hockey Equipment Bags – The Last Piece of Hockey Equipment You Should Get
One of the most important pieces of hockey equipment and one of the most overlooked is your hockey equipment bag. It not only protects your equipment but can make life a lot easier as you carry take your hockey gear from the car to the rink but is usually the last piece of hockey equipment you even think about getting.
But that might be a good thing since after buying all your equipment you might have a better idea of how big your bag needs to be, how you are going to use it and ultimately help you pick the right one for you.
When you are looking for a good hockey equipment bag you should focus on three areas. What type of bag do you want, the features it has and how sturdy it is made.
Decide on what style of bag you want
As hockey gets more popular the types of bags are becoming more diverse. In the old days we only had carry bags with one large compartment for all your gear and the only choices where what color bags and straps. Even though this style bag is still available and still very popular and a great choice they have been updated with pockets, padded straps and better material.
The backpack bag is one of the more popular hockey equipment bags especially for the younger kids who seem to grow up with backpacks going to school. Although a little limited in size compared to the carry bags it still can carry most of your gear but you will need to be a little organized. One of the best innovations to come along is the wheeled hockey equipment bags.
Attaching wheels and a retractable handle has made it easier for the young and older players to carry all their gear. The bags can be a little larger since you don’t have to pick them up and they can have more features since weight isn’t that much of an issue. Even the more popular backpack hockey bags have wheels and have added more features since you have the choice of throwing it on your shoulder or pull it behind you after a tough game or practice.
Focus on the Features
Just as the options for bags has gotten more attention so has its features. When looking at features one of the most overlooked is the need for pockets and how accessible they are. Pockets are great for keeping items that you need to get quickly without rummaging through the entire bag. They are perfect for car keys, hockey tape, a dry clean shirt, an MP3 player.
Look for a bag with a vented pocket if you want to use it for dirty shirts or towel that you don’t want to throw in with all your other gear. Another feature that is becoming very popular is a pocket for your skates. This is a great idea since you don’t want your skates to be bouncing around in your bag and more importantly if you have a specific place for them it is easier to check if you have them and not leave them at the rink!
Some models also have a stick holder that you can attach you stick to the bag. This is a nice feature since you don’t have to carry your stick and have your hands free.
If you looking for a backpack style bag make sure that it has padded straps so you don’t kill your shoulders when you carry it. Even if you get a wheeled backpack bag, the shoulder straps should have good padding since you still might want to throw it over your shoulder once in a while
Check on the Construction
However nice your bag is new it will need to take a lot of abuse when you throw it in your trunk or drag it around the locker room. It should be made of heavy duty material, solid zippers and good stitching so the seams don’t tear. If you have one with wheels make sure that the wheels are high quality and won’t break.
Even though your hockey bag will take a lot of wear and tear it should last several seasons and hopefully the only reason to get a new one is that you want a new style or change of pace.
Don’t forget that a good hockey bag can be passed along to your kids or used as an extra bag for old equipment or a back up bag when you don’t want to use your regular bag. Michael Kors bucket bag