Kawartha Lakes Minor Hockey: Your Equipment Checklist Before Tryouts

Tryout season sneaks up fast. One week you're enjoying the last long weekend of summer, and the next you're digging through the basement trying to figure out if your kid's skates from last year still fit. If you've got a Kawartha Lakes Minor Hockey player gearing up for evaluations this fall, here's your no-panic guide to getting equipped — without overspending before the season has even started.

Start With the Skates

Skates are the single most important piece of equipment on this list, and they're also the one kids outgrow the fastest. A skate that's too tight will hold your player back before they've even hit the ice; one that's too loose won't give them the support they need to push off, stop, and stride properly.

Quick fit check:

• Standing up with socks on (thin socks, not thick hockey socks), toes should just graze the front of the boot
• Heel should be locked in place with no lift when they flex forward
• No pinching across the widest part of the foot

If last year's skates are close but not quite right, don't assume new is the only option. A pair of lightly used, properly fitted skates almost always outperforms a cheap new pair — the boot support and blade quality matter more than the "new" tag.

The Full Checklist

Here's what evaluators and coaches expect kids to show up with, head to toe:

• Helmet with cage or visor (check your player's age division for CSA certification requirements)
• Skates — properly fitted, blades sharpened
• Shoulder pads
• Elbow pads
• Hockey pants
• Shin guards
• Gloves
• Neck guard (mandatory in most Kawartha Lakes Minor Hockey divisions)
• Jock or jill
• Hockey socks
• Stick — right length, right flex, right curve for their position
• Mouthguard
• Practice jersey (check with your specific team/division on colour requirements)

If you're outfitting a goalie, tack on leg pads, blocker, catcher, chest protector, goalie skates, and a goalie-specific mask — easily the priciest position to gear up, and one of the best places to save by buying used.

Get the Timing Right

Tryouts in Kawartha Lakes typically run in late August through early-to-mid September, which means the window to sort out gear is narrower than it feels in July. A few timing tips:

• Get skates sharpened at least a few days before tryouts, not the morning of — a freshly hollowed edge feels different underfoot and kids need a skate or two to adjust
• Try everything on together, not piece by piece — shoulder pads that fit fine alone can suddenly feel tight once shin guards and pants are on too
• Don't wait until the week of to discover the skates from May don't fit anymore — growth spurts over a summer are no joke

Buying Used: What to Check

Used equipment is the norm in minor hockey, not the exception — most kids are moving up a size every season or two, which means there's a steady supply of gently used gear in great shape. Here's what to look at before you buy:

• Helmets: Check the manufacture date sticker inside — most manufacturers recommend replacing helmets after 5-10 years regardless of visible damage, since the foam degrades over time. Avoid anything with visible cracks.
• Skates: Look at the boot structure, not just the blade — a soft or broken-down ankle area won't give proper support even if the steel is in good shape. Blades can always be replaced or sharpened.
• Pads (shoulder, elbow, shin): Check that the foam still has bounce and the straps/buckles aren't cracked or brittle.
• Sticks: For used sticks, check for cracks near the blade and along the shaft — a stick that's taken a lot of slap shots may be more worn than it looks.

The Budget-Friendly Approach

Outfitting one kid for hockey season can easily run $500-$800+ if you're buying everything new — and if you've got more than one player in the house, that adds up in a hurry. A mixed approach works well for most Kawartha Lakes families:

• Buy new for anything safety-critical that shows real wear (helmets past their recommended lifespan, cracked mouthguards)
• Buy used for anything a kid will outgrow in a season anyway (skates, pants, shoulder pads, gloves)
• Trade in what they've outgrown rather than letting it sit in the basement — it covers part of the cost of the next size up

Trade In, Save, Repeat

If you've got a bin of gear in the garage from last season that no longer fits, bring it in. We buy and trade used hockey equipment year-round at Rebound, and trade-in credit toward this year's gear is one of the easiest ways to keep hockey costs in check as your player grows. Whether you need a full head-to-toe setup before tryouts or just want to fill a gap or two, stop by and we'll help get your player ice-ready.

See you at the rink.