HockeySize Hockey pants are sized by waist, but the way each brand states the waist differs, and length matters as much as width.
Measure
Measure around the waist where the pants will sit. Bauer’s chart expects you to subtract 7.5 cm (3 inches) for men and 10 cm (4 inches) for women before reading the chart; CCM uses the actual measurement. The finder makes the adjustment for you, so always enter what the tape says.
How they should fit
- The waist holds the pants up on its own; suspenders are for comfort, not for holding up a size that is too big.
- The thigh pads cover the thigh to the top of the shin guard when you are in a skating stance. About 2 cm of overlap with the shin guard is ideal.
- The hip and kidney pads sit on the hips, not above them.
Length
Pants come in regular and, in some lines, long or short versions at the same waist. If the thigh pad leaves the knee exposed in a stance, you need a longer pant, not a bigger one. CCM’s Tacks line offers a senior S-Long for exactly this case.
Fit styles
Tighter, mobile fits and traditional looser fits exist at each size. Loose is more protective and cooler; tight feels more connected. Recreational players usually prefer the traditional fit.
Common mistakes
- Entering the adjusted waist into a chart that already expects it, or the reverse.
- Buying a bigger waist to get more length.