How To Store Hockey Equipment In The Garage? (Best Ways!)
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How To Store Hockey Equipment In The Garage?
Is hockey your passion? And your kids are crazy about it too? Fantastic! You have a lot in common with a lot of proud parents, including the headache of “How To Store Hockey Equipment In The Garage?”
It sure can be overwhelming, but the answer is in keeping your cool and getting organized. Set some ground rules:
- Location: All hockey equipment shall stay confined to the garage. It will not enter the house.
- Cleanliness: No equipment will be stored dirty. Clean it first. Store it later.
- Keep Dry: No piece of hockey gear will remain damp or wet for longer than absolutely necessary.
- Use the 5S Principle: A place for every item of hockey gear and every item in it’s place.
- Player Specific: Every hockey playing family member will have their own storage space.
- Purge Regularly: Be inspired by Marie Kondo. “Discard everything that does not spark joy!”
This has to be a team effort with each family member putting in their bit to keeping the hockey equipment clean and neatly organized.
The list of hockey equipment is long because hockey is a ferocious contact sport. You just need a hockey stick, a pair of skates and a puck to play hockey. But you need a lot of protective gear to stay in one piece.
Multiply this by 4 or 5 hockey playing family members and you have a mountain of hockey gear. It can be overwhelming.
In this post I will go through the key items in the equipment list and explain how you can protect, clean and store hockey equipment in the garage in the right way.
How Do You Store Hockey Sticks?
Of course you got to start with the hockey sticks!
The first hockey sticks were one piece, carved out of solid wood. You still get wood hockey sticks. These are heavy but cheap. Fiberglass hockey sticks are a bit lighter.
But for the most part almost every one seems to be using hockey sticks made from composites from carbon fiber (graphite). Depending on their weight & quality they will be priced between 100$ and 200$.
And if you have got money to spend then you are probably going for Kevlar or some advanced material and production technology.
When your kids are just starting out they will be OK with 2 sticks. But this number keeps going up as they get better.
They also outgrow their earlier hockey sticks. So if you are not purging old unused sticks perpetually, your home may end up with a lot of hockey sticks!
Show some TLC for the Hockey Sticks
Hockey sticks break all the time. Hockey is a ferocious sport and the stick is at the forefront of the battle. It is being impacted all the time during the game.
Give it a break (not literally please!) after the game. Show some TLC and teach your kids the same from the very beginning. Don’t take out your frustration on the stick, don’t throw it around and don’t throw heavy stuff on it.
Every few games (or whenever the tape is showing signs wear & tear) re-tape the blade and apply wax. It will protect the blade and also improve your game.
Re-tape the butt end maybe every two months. Old tape begins to smell & look grimy. So a fresh tape will boost your spirits (and hopefully your game too!).
Always Use Hockey Stick Bags
Carry your hockey sticks individually in hockey bags for protection.
If you use Amazon USA, check out
Bauer Hockey Individual Stick Bag, BlackIf you prefer Amazon Canada, then check out
EALER HB200 Adult One Shoulder Hockey Stick Bag Black Light Waterproof for Hockey Stick Adjustable Ice Hockey Equipment for Men SeniorStack the Hockey Sticks on Storage Racks
Do not stack all your hockey sticks up against the wall. They will keep falling, creating a mess. They may get damaged too.
Instead get this simple and effective hockey stick rack, from StoreYourBoard, to store all your sticks in one compact place.
Click on the link StoreYourBoard Hockey Stick Rack to order from Amazon USA.
As you can see in the picture you can also hang your skates from the bottom rung to keep even more of your hockey gear stored out of the way. Get one set for each hockey player in your family following the GRID system of organizing.
How do you take Care of Hockey Skates?
You can not play hockey without hockey sticks, but you also can not play ice hockey without ice hockey skates. Hockey Skates are not the same as Figure Skates. The blades are shorter and more curved for increased power and quicker turns.
Quick maintenance tips
- Ensure skate blades are sharpened regularly by a professional
- Skate blade curvature depends on the position you play in.
- Use skates only on ice. Else use plastic or rubber skate guards.
- Wipe blades dry after each game or practice session.
Use dry cloth skate blade covers, before putting the skates in the boot bags. Boot bags are great for carrying but not for storage. Check out Athletico Hockey Backpack to Carry Hockey Equipment Including Skates at Amazon USA.
Once back home, take out the skates, recheck for dryness and hang them from a rack. Loosen out the laces so that the insides can get dry too. Use of GEARHALO Sports Deodorizer Pods will help.
You should never store hockey equipment in your garage if it has high humidity. However, if your garage is climate controlled the skates will remain dry and there will be no rusting or mildew growth.
How to Store Helmets with Full Cage?
Helmets are essential in any sport or activity that has high risk of head injury. Hockey is pretty high on the risk list. Make sure you and your child have the best protection. You also need to take care of the helmet, inspect it regularly and replace it in case of any damage.
If you are looking to buy a real good helmet for yourself or your child you must seriously consider Bauer Re-Akt 200. It is highly rated in several reviews.
Always carry your helmet in a helmet bag while carrying it around. Before you store your ski helmet inspect and make sure there are no cracks or missing parts.
Clean the helmet inside and out with warm water and mild detergent. Never soak your helmet in water or use strong cleaners. Wipe dry and use a spray-on disinfectant or freshener for the inner lining.
Store your helmet in the garage from hooks (not in the helmet bag or backpack) so that it airs out.
A useful resource to check out regarding hockey helmets is Hockey Helmet Fact Sheet from CDC.
How do you Store Goalie Gear?
The gear a skater carries is already a lot (around 18 lbs / 8 kg), but goaltenders need even more. Their gear weighs much more (around 44 lbs / 20 kg).
This extra weight comes from all the extra padding the goalie needs, such as leg padding, chest protectors, blockers etc.
These are quite thick & heavy. You can’t put them in a washing machine or fully soak them in water in any way. They will never fully dry.
The best way to clean them is to use a sponge dipped in mild detergent and water. Remove the detergent residue by sponging with clean water. Let everything air-dry.
Once dry, spray them with a fragrant disinfectant. This will help remove any leftover stink and bacteria. Store them by hanging them or in airtight plastic containers.
How do you Store your Skates?
Irrespective of the cold outside, hockey players sweat. The hockey gear does not stink but the sweat on the hockey gear does. Now as always, prevention is better than cure!
Always wear a base layer between your skin and your hockey equipment. The base layer will absorb most of the sweat and the odor. It is a lot easier to clean the base layer than clean the outer gear,
Try and dry out everything as much as possible before stuffing all your hockey gear in your hockey bag. Damp gear, wet with sweat in a dark warm hockey bag is heaven for bacteria. They love it and they multiply.
Bacteria are the reason for the obnoxious odor. Moreover they are disease carriers. They also degrade the life & quality of your hockey equipment.
Though a bit expensive this HOCKEY DRYING RACK TREE lets you dry out all your hockey gear using forced ventilation that penetrates deep into each piece.
- Comes with an electric fan that blows air thru the pipes.
- Comes in easy to assemble pieces
- Engineered and constructed of sturdy PVC
- Breaks down / assembles quickly for travel and tournament trips
- NO tools required
Most of the hockey gear can, thankfully, be washed in the washing machine. Pretty much like regular clothes. So do that as soon as you can when you get home.
Store either hanging on hooks, hangers or neatly folded in plastic bins or totes. You can check out Sterilite 26 Gallon Stackable Storage Totes.
Bottom Line
Watching your kids play hockey is exhilarating, watching the dirty hockey equipment after the game, can be super depressing.
Stay calm. You know you can store hockey equipment in the garage. But you got to do it the right way!
The key is:
- Location: All hockey equipment shall stay confined to the garage. It will not enter the house.
- Cleanliness: No equipment will be stored dirty. Clean it first. Store it later.
- Keep Dry: No piece of hockey gear will remain damp or wet for longer than absolutely necessary.
- Use the 5S Principle: A place for every item of hockey gear and every item in it’s place.
- Player Specific: Every hockey playing family member will have their own storage space.
- Purge Regularly: Be inspired by Marie Kondo. “Discard everything that does not spark joy!”
And it is very important that for you to store hockey equipment in the garage, the garage should be climate controlled.
Thank you very much for reading the post. I do hope you found it informative and useful.
