Goalie Chest & Arm Fitting Guide

More than any other piece of goalie equipment, the chest & arm protector is solely for protection. When considering a new purchase, style, design or color should be low on the priority list as the unit is always covered by the jersey. Comfort is key. The perfect chest & arm protector provides maximum protection as well as the greatest mobility and flexibility, allowing the goalie to easily react to shots.

Highly skilled goalies should look for top-of-the-line chest & arm protection to ensure that the most innovative protective materials are used in its construction. This guarantees that the most technologically advanced materials are used in the protection aspect as well as in the weight of the pad. Lighter pads provide the goalie with more agility. However, a high-end chest & arm protector will not serve its purpose if it is not fitted properly. Chest & arm pads that are too small do not provide enough protection to the goalie’s body, while pads that are too large hinder the goalie’s movement and overall mobility. 

Sizing Guide

Sizing for chest & arm pads is determined using arm span (fingertip to fingertip) and height measurements.  To help determine your size, take a cloth tape measurer and hold the end of the tape in one hand.  Stretch your arms out to the side as far as you can, then grab the other end of the tape measurer between your thumb and forefinger at the farthest point that you can reach.  Next, determine the goalie’s height by having the goalie stand with his or her back against a wall.  Measure from the floor to the highest point of the head, and note this measurement. 

Once you have determined these two measurements, consult the sizing chart below to determine the proper size.  Though oftentimes the wing span and the height measurements are the same, it is important to confirm both measurements as different manufacturers use different sizing criteria when determining size.

NOTE: Use this chart as a guide only, as all brands are not sized alike. 

Ready to Buy?

Total Goalie carries chest & arm pads from:

• Bauer
• Reebok
• Vaughn
• Brians
• Warrior

Not Sure Which Brand Works Best for You?

• Senior
• Intermediate
• Junior
• Youth

Proper Fitting

For proper protection, please follow the guide below.

Shoulders & Neck:  the shoulders should fit comfortably under both shoulder caps, and the unit should sit squarely on the goalie’s shoulders.  There should be enough space around the neck to allow the unit to move somewhat, but not enough so that that the unit slips forward or to either side easily.

NOTE: All Chest & Arm protectors have a neck guard style pad that sits at the base of the neck.  This pad is meant to help protect the neck area, but it is not a neck guard.  A common misconception among new goalies (and their parents) is that this pad should sit against the goalie’s neck, which is not true.  This pad should actually sit a few inches below the neck, so that it rises up to the neck area as the goalie bends over in his “stance” position.  It is common, and recommended, that a separate, snug fitting neck guard is worn underneath the chest & arm pad to protect both the clavicle and the neck itself.

Elbows: should fit squarely into the elbow padding.  Most units feature adjustment lacing in the elbow pads which allow for micro-adjustments to be made for a proper fit.

Chest & Belly Pad: should extend to the waist or beltline. This will insure that the goalie has adequate coverage, and that the unit will allow the goalie to bend freely at the waist.

Arms:  The arm pad should terminate approximately 1 inch behind your wrist bone (around the area where a watch is worn).  Arm pads extending past your wrist will not allow your wrist to flex properly, and pads that are too short will open up gaps in protection between the arm and glove padding. In some units, the arms are laced into the chest pad of the unit, directly below the large shoulder floaters.  This lacing allows the goalie to extend or shorten the length of the arms somewhat to achieve a custom fit.

Wear Your Goalie Mask and Pants When Confirming the Fit

Goalie Mask:  due to the height and size variations of the shoulder floaters and neck protection on different units, it’s a good idea to wear your goalie mask or helmet when confirming your fit.  Turn your head from side to side and move your head up and down - while in a stance position - to make sure that the chin of the mask/helmet does not get hung up on the padding of the chest & arm protector.

Pants:  Chest & arm protectors are worn in one of two ways – inside of the pants, or outside of the pants. Regardless of how the goalie prefers to wear them, it is a good idea to try both pieces on together to make sure that the protection is adequate, that there are no mobility issues, etc.