With so many characteristics to consider and so many makes and models to choose from, selecting the ultimate pair of hockey gloves is largely determined by the player's personal preferences.
The protection level of gloves should coincide with the player's style and level of play.
More often than not, it's recommend that when it comes to gloves, players should be wearing those with the highest level of protection that they can afford.
High density foams and plastic inserts are ideal attributes, but those features are usually found only on top notch models.
Some gloves come with wrist guards built right in. This is a good way to ensure maximum wrist protection, but mobility is slightly compromised as a result.
Generally, gloves should be somewhat loose to allow for freedom of movement, but should still provide protection from slashes. Additionally, the gap that occurs between the glove and the elbow pad should be minimal.
The feel of the glove is also very important.
Today, most companies put together gloves with a soft, Clarino Nash palm to enhance feel and stick control. Traditional leather palms are no longer commonly manufactured, however used gloves that require re-palming can be outfitted with the classic texture if so desired.
For an older player, whose hands are finished growing, the end his or her fingers should come just barely to the end of the fingers slots in the gloves. The player's fingers should not feel like they are pushing through the end of the glove. On the flip side, there should not be too much of a gap between the player's fingers and the end of the finger slots either. Roughly one quarter of an inch is the maximum amount of room there should ever be.
For younger players, whose hands are still growing, leaving a little bit of extra (growing) room in the finger slot is acceptable. However, it should not be so much room that the player's hand is "swimming" in the glove.
A quick way to test gloves for a proper fit is to try and pick up a stick lying on the ice (or ground) by the shaft while wearing the gloves. If this can not be done easily, the glove is more than likely too big.
