How to Size a Hockey Shoulder Pad

Use a soft measuring tape and measure the circumference of the chest roughly 1” below the armpit. Cross-reference this measurement with your height in the general sizing chart below or on the specific product page.

Personal preference may come into consideration in case there is an overlap between two shoulder pad sizes. For more coverage, go with the larger size. Choose the smaller size for a lower-profile fit and better responsiveness.

Put on your selected shoulder pads and Velcro up the torso and bicep straps. If you have elbow pads and hockey pants, it's a good idea to have these on too when fitting.

The shoulder caps should be square on top of the shoulders and the bottom of the torso protection should meet with the top of the hockey pants. The bicep protection should seal any gap between the elbow pads. Most shoulder pads have length-adjustable bicep guards, so simply move them up or down to obtain the correct coverage.

If the shoulder pads are too big, the shoulder caps will hang below the shoulder and not provide appropriate protection. The rest of the protection will overlap with the elbow pads and hockey pants, thus inhibiting your range of motion.

If they are too small, there will be exposed gaps in protection between the elbow pads and hockey pants. The shoulder caps will be resting too high up on the shoulders which disrupts the protection and may even cause the shoulder pad to put unnecessary pressure into the neck.

The information below is a general sizing guideline and DOES NOT guarantee fit. The chart is not specific to any item or brand so if a product does have specific sizing guidelines on the product page, DO NOT reference the general sizing guidelines below.

Now that you have found out what size you should wear, check out our quick buying guide below that will help you figure out what level of play and what shoulder pad fit profile best suits your needs!