The equipment worn by a goalkeeper plays a huge part in their performance and also injury prevention. Over the next twelve months ill be sharing with you various updates and reviews on all the gear that I wear. In this post I will be looking at arm guards and why they are so important.
Arm guards are similar to the neck guard. They protect an area that is often only hit on deflections but one that if badly injured, could end your career. The elbow protection is important for diving and pcs but the front protection is what will save you when stopping deflections and also general blocks.
I choose to wear the Robo Arm Guards as they give me the full coverage and protection I need. Getting hit in the arm will always hurt a fair bit but I find it just results in a light bruise. Without the full protection you can get very nasty bruises and soreness that can inhibit your training. The coverage protects your wrist a bit better and also the top of the arm, unlike the shorter options. These also integrate with the open back of the Hi Control Right Hand Protector to give you total coverage.
If you are a goalkeeper who prefers to have more freedom of movement through the arms then you could use a smaller arm guard such as an Elbow Guard or a lighter weight arm guard.
So it really is a personal choice. What you have in protection you give up in agility and what you have in agility you give up in protection. Id love to hear your thoughts as I know arm protection certainly varies. Do you wear them? What do you wear? And why?
Thanks Rach for this it is really help full as I’m wearing the OBO cloud chest and arm guards and they are really good for what I’m doing. But is there anything else that i could substitute the wrap around neck guard for?
Thanks
Hey Callum, I’m glad you found it helpful! The neck guards are a pretty important item to wear. The only other option is the plastic protectors that hang from your helmet. Many gks wear them and seem to find them very safe and comfortable.
Hi Rachel,
Thank you for your blogs, I have been finding them extremely helpful as I just started playing hockey last year on my clubs grass team but trained with the turf teams. This year I’ve been asked to join their turf team!!
I’m currently using the OBO Robo cloud body armour. I got the cloud armour was it was in my price range and I didn’t have to go looking specifically for arm guards. I couldn’t live without my arm guards. The cloud armour is lightweight so the down side is there is not as much protection. However as its lightweight I have more maneuverability and agility on the field which is important to me.
What I also like about this armour is that it’s easy to get on and off and breathable for hotter days and comfy. Unlike the body armour in the clubs kit, the cloud armour just seemed to mold perfectly to my body, shape and size.
It took me ages to decided on it as I tried basically everything in my size and price range. I couldn’t be happier with my choice. I also have to thank you for this, as it was your blogs that helped me decide what was going to work for me and what should should be worn for maximum protection and safety.