What To Put In Your Hockey Bag - Hockey Bag Essentials

Ah, the hockey bag. That magical, mysterious, and often terrifying place where gear goes to disappear, marinate in sweat, and occasionally reappear just in time for game day. Ever get to the rink, open your bag and think "Where the $%#& is that thing I needed"? Never happens, right? Wrong. There are always things you need pre-game, post-game, mid-game that are absolute essentials to get through that ice time.

So what to put in your hockey bag, anyways?

What are those key things that you absolutely need to throw in your hockey bag so that you are ready for action? What are those essentials that you need to survive - and smell semi-decent? We've got you covered.

The "Oh You Came Prepared" Stuff

• Extra Tape Well d'uh. Not sure if you're the "tape once first practice, good for the year" type, or the "minor scuff, must need a fresh tape job" kind of player, but you absolutely need to have enough tape to get through a couple tape jobs without breaking a sweat. Also great for emergency equipment repairs or taping your teammates gear to the ceiling.
  

• Scissors For cutting tape, laces, or rogue threads on your jersey that's been dangling all season long
  

• Training Ball Pre-game rituals - an entirely different topic - are very personal and specific to the player. But who doesn't want to sharpen their stick handling mastery pre-game with a weighted ball. Also great for throwing at that guy in the corner that won't shut up.

  
  

• Stick Wax Nothing quite like a fresh tape job. Even nothing-er quite like a fresh tape job with stick wax coating that smooth pro feel on your blade, making your puck control slick and your shot deadly accurate. Bonus for the sweet smelling waxes out there - doubles as a bag freshener.

  
  

• Skate Laces It's amazing how many times laces get cut during games, or wear so hard on your skate eyelets that they start shredding. Also another tool that can come in handy for emergency equipment repairs, or lacing up the top of your hockey bag when your zipper breaks.

  
  

• Deodorant Enough said. Don't be "That Guy". You know what I mean.

• Sports Drink Shameless plug time! Why not make sure you're never dehydrated by keeping a fresh Biosteel drink handy any time, anywhere. Pro-tip: the hydration mix packets are awesome because not only do they taste great and do the trick, but they don't weigh a ton and fit in a side pocket in your bag. Genius or what?? (don't forget to use our promo code for 10% off)

The "Unspoken Essentials" (Pro Level Veteran Moves)

• Pliers In a pinch (pun intended)? Need help threading those leather straps through your goalie pads? Need extra grip getting those skate blades out of your skates? A thousand uses here. Don't be left wishing you had some needle noses nearby.

  
  

• Helmet Repair Kit These things are always falling apart. Should they? No. But how many times have we lost a screw, or needed that bracket that holds the cage on because someone laid a big hit and smashed our head into the glass.

  
  

• Skate Stone or Magic Stick For those last-minute tweaks and quick edge fixes. You don't want to be flopping all over the ice because you stepped on exposed concrete and don't want to tell anybody, do you?

  
  

• Good Luck Charm Superstitions are real. If you need that lucky sock, that old puck in your bag, or a pre-game ritual involving three jumps and a spin, go for it. No judgment.

  
  

• First Aid Kit Band-aids, ibuprofen, maybe even a pack of tissues for when you realize your slap shot is still garbage.

Final thoughts? What are we missing? Let us know!

Knowing what to put in your hockey bag isn’t just about being prepared—it’s about not being that guy who has to borrow stuff every game. (We all know that guy. Don’t be him.) A well-stocked bag means fewer emergencies, fewer weird smells (hopefully), and more time focusing on what really matters: dangling, scoring, and celebrating the big win.