A hockey goalie mask offers critical protection against season-ending or life-altering impacts from flying pucks or wicked high sticks. When it comes to hockey, protecting the brain is priority number one—that's why headgear is THE most important piece of protective equipment in any kit. Specialized goalie helmets help prevent players from sustaining severe injuries, including facial lacerations, concussions, and acute brain trauma. Outfitted in a properly fitted mask, a goalie can keep their head in the game even in the face of danger. If you’re new to the crease or you’re shopping for a child, we’ve got all the details you need to buy and fit the best helmet possible.
All About Hockey Goalie Masks
Here’s what our goalie mask buying and fitting guide covers:
Goalie Mask Certification
If you play in any official USA hockey league or event and you’re under the age of 21, you must wear a certified helmet on the ice. Players in high school leagues and the NCAA are also required to gear up in certified headgear. Even though certification isn’t necessary for everyone, many players choose board-tested helmets regardless. It simply isn’t worth risking a concussion or worse to save a few bucks.
Player and goalie helmets undergo different types of testing to earn certification. A goalie mask goes through a rigorous trial to ensure that the headgear can properly protect the wearer. These masks are examined in hot and cold temperatures, and come stick- and puck-tested at the eye area, the mouth, and the sides. Each certified helmet withstands 80-mile-per-hour pucks, prevents sticks from reaching the player's face, and offers impact resistance to collisions with the ice.
Anatomy of a Goalie Mask
Made using reinforced PE plastics, high-density foams, and sturdy aluminum bars, a goalie mask absorbs and redistributes force away from the point of contact and keeps debris from reaching the player’s face. Each part of a hockey goalie mask offers essential coverage for the player’s head, face, and brain. Here’s a brief overview of the anatomy of a goalie helmet:
- Shell: A goalie mask’s shell is the hard exterior that surrounds the front and sides of a player’s head. It’s made in robust PE plastic that redistributes force away from the point of contact.
- Liner: The liner makes up the interior layer of the shell. This portion features HD foams to absorb impacts and a breathable liner for hours of cool, dry wear.
- Back Plate: A back plate attaches to the mask with adjustable straps, securing the shell to the player’s face. This contoured piece of padded shell offers essential protection to the back of a player’s head.
- Cage: The cage shields the face from sticks, pucks, and debris. There are two types of cages a goalie can choose from: certified and cateye. A mask with a certified cage features a standard metal grid design for ultimate protection. A cateye cage offers superior visibility with larger openings at the eyes, but doesn’t come certified; the cateye cage is common among pro leagues where certification isn’t required.
- Chin Strap: A chin strap is an adjustable band that wraps around the sides of the player’s face, securing the mask. The goalie’s chin fits within a padded cup for added comfort and protection.
- Dangler: A dangler is an optional curved PE plastic shield that hangs, or dangles, from the face for extra coverage at the throat.
How To Choose a Hockey Goalie Mask
Understanding goalie mask anatomy will help you choose the best option for yourself or your child. One of the major variables to consider when you’re browsing is the mask’s cage type. Each style offers different benefits a player can use to their advantage in the crease. You’ll also want to be sure you’re ordering the right size mask to avoid potentially life-threatening injuries. Before we discuss the importance of proper sizing in choosing a helmet, let’s go into more detail about mask styles.
Certified vs. Cateye Goalie Masks
Certified and cateye masks come in different constructions to suit varying preferences. A certified goalie cage features a tight grid pattern to prevent sticks and pucks from reaching the face, earning its certification. This structure offers the top-notch coverage a goalie needs when facing high-speed flying pucks. Metal bars crowding the player’s line of vision serve as the only downside of a regular mask.
That’s where cateye goalie masks come into play. This type of cage features a large opening at the eyes for a clearer line of sight, but lacks the certification many leagues require. Metal bars still shield the face from pucks, but the wide gap in coverage could result in the narrow butt-end of a stick reaching the player. Few junior and intermediate models achieve certification and come in a cateye shape with reduced space between the bars. While these options make it possible for young performance players to test out different cage styles, they aren’t popular among leagues for children or casual players.
We recommend verifying your league’s cage requirements before choosing a style. Cateye cages are illegal at all USA Hockey-sanctioned games and in every amateur league. At the professional level, goalies can choose which style they prefer. Most pro goalies above the age of 21 gear up in a non-certified cateye cage for an unobstructed view of the rink, taking the risk for a potential reward.
Goalie Mask Sizes
The most important factor in choosing a goalie mask is size. Since each part of a helmet is engineered to protect a different portion of the player’s head, achieving a proper fit is essential. Parents should never order a larger size anticipating their child will grow into it. A loose mask could shift during play, creating vulnerabilities at the sides of the face or the back of the skull. If your child goes through a growth spurt, it's time to re-measure. Tight masks create painful pressure points that can take the goalie's mind off the game.
Goalie masks come in youth, junior, and senior categories organized by age, hat size, and head circumference. Youth and junior sizes offer one fit, but the senior category features small, medium, and large options. Mask measurements vary slightly among brands, so we recommend consulting the Pure Goalie gear sizing charts to determine an exact match. Since Bauer serves as a popular reference point, we’ve included their measurements below as an example:
- Bauer Youth Hockey Goalie Masks:
- Ages:5 to 7
- Hat Size:6 to 65⁄8
- Head Circumference:19" to 20.9"
- Bauer Junior Hockey Goalie Masks:
- Ages: 8 to 12
- Hat Size: 6½ to 71⁄8
- Head Circumference: 20.8" to 22.4"
- Bauer Senior Hockey Goalie Masks:
- Ages: 13 and up
- Small (Fit 1): hat size of 6¾ to 71⁄8; head circumference of 20.8" to 22.4"
- Medium (Fit 2): hat size of 7 to 73⁄8; head circumference of 21.6" to 22.8"
- Large (Fit 3): hat size of 7¼ to 75⁄8; head circumference of 22.4" to 24"
This scale makes it easy to identify which size a goalie should wear based on their age, but it isn’t exact. Use the goalie’s age as a starting point when shopping but always verify the match using their hat size or a simple measurement. Some players won’t fit perfectly within a category. In these instances, you should always use a player’s hat size or measurement rather than age.
How Do I Size a Hockey Goalie Mask?
To size a goalie mask, wrap a cloth tape measure along the hat line of the player’s head, just over their brows. You’ll want to begin and end at the center of the forehead. The number at the tip of the tape measure equals the circumference of the goalie's head. This measurement will fall into one of the three categories listed above.
How a Goalie Mask Fits
Now that you know what goalie mask style and size suits you best, it’s time to make sure you know how to fit a goalie mask:
- Place the helmet on the head so the top edge of the face opening is approximately ½ inch above the eyebrows.
- Adjust the chin cup so the helmet doesn't move on the head or allow the mask to be pushed toward the jaw.
- Adjust the rear back plate and straps for a secure fit.
Once you have a snug fit, make sure the mask fits close to the face in the forehead, cheeks, and chin. There should be no visible gaps between the mask padding and the face or forehead. To ensure a secure fit, nod your head up and down and turn it side to side—there should be no slippage with a proper fit.
You’ll know you’ve got the right fit when there’s just enough tension in the straps to hold the headgear steady, even in motion. There should be no gaps between the forehead, cheeks, or chin and the interior edge padding. You’ve got the chin cup adjusted correctly if the shell can’t make contact with the chin.
Once you have a snug fit, make sure the mask fits close to the face in the forehead, cheeks, and chin. There should be no visible gaps between the mask padding and the face or forehead. To ensure a secure fit, nod your head up and down and turn it side to side—there should be no slippage with a proper fit.
You’ll know you’ve got the right fit when there’s just enough tension in the straps to hold the headgear steady, even in motion. There should be no gaps between the forehead, cheeks, or chin and the interior edge padding. You’ve got the chin cup adjusted correctly if the shell can’t make contact with the chin.
Try on the headgear wearing your hockey goalie chest and arm protectors. Look up, down, left, and right in a few stances to make sure the helmet doesn't bump into the shoulder or chest pads. This confirms you’ve got a mask that complements your current protective gear before you hit the ice.
Goalie Mask Care
Wash your goalie mask after each training session and game. Wipe the interior and exterior of the mask with a soft, damp cloth and allow it to air dry. All face masks feature sweatbands that can be removed and machine washed gently using a mild detergent. Frequently cleaning gear reduces the buildup of harmful bacteria, preventing odor and skin rashes.
Routinely wiping down your gear also makes it easy to spot signs of wear and tear. Some parts of a goalie’s headgear can be easily repaired or replaced using mask accessories, such as new harness straps or a spare cage. If you notice cracks or dents in the shell or cage, it’s time for a new mask. Once damage is done to the helmet or cage, the structural integrity is compromised and should be replaced immediately. Goalie helmets also feature expiration dates located on a sticker inside the shell. The materials that make up a helmet last only so long; after the printed date has passed, it's no longer safe to wear the mask.
Stop by your neighborhood’s Pure Goalie store for expert, in-person advice on a new goalie mask. Then, check out our other equipment guides for more information about all the gear in your kit. Whether you’re buying your child’s first mask or replacing your expired helmet, we’ve got you covered with the best prices on headgear, thanks to our Low-Price Guarantee.