After fighting hard on the ice to win a game, your equipment needs just as much of a break as you do!
Don’t throw it on the ground or leave it in your bag, where you can never be sure it fully dries out. Only trust a real hockey equipment dryer to keep your pads feeling and smelling fresh.
And only trust the best ones to keep them performing at their max.
So read on for descriptions of the top four hockey equipment dryers on the market and to learn all the ways your game will improve when you buy one!
What is a Hockey Equipment Dryer?
The hockey world has only recently started to understand the negative impacts of wet and neglected hockey equipment.
Lingering smells that only get worse over time are not a surprise and are definitely not something to overlook. But what’s really problematic is the effects of sweat-induced corrosion on the protective foams in your pads.
As the salt from your sweat sits in the materials, it slowly starts to break down the composite plastics and foams in your equipment. It may not happen right away, but it can quickly happen without you noticing.
The pads won’t usually feel any different. Or the difference is so slight it’s easy to overlook. But even the smallest changes to your pads can greatly impact your safety on the ice. And when you’re playing a fast-paced sport like hockey, you have to know that your gear has your back.
Why Are Specific Hockey Equipment Dryers Necessary?
When you lay your equipment out on the floor, there will always be parts that aren’t fully exposed to fresh air. It’s also more likely for the equipment to bend and fold weirdly. Creating lines and indents where moisture can accumulate.
And if you throw your gear into a normal clothing dryer, it can cause even more damage to the materials. The extreme heat achieved inside a dryer can melt the plastic in your gear and turn the foams brittle.
By setting up your gear on a hockey equipment dryer, you ensure that it has the space to hang freely. Providing each and every part of your padding access to warmer, circulating air that helps it to dry faster than if it were on cold ground.
Hockey equipment dryers also allow you to organize your equipment better in your home. Instead of tripping over errant gloves and elbow pads, all your gear will be neatly set up on the racks or hooks. Out of the way and ready for your next game whenever you are!
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Rocket Sport Equipment Dryer
Budget Option
Cosmos Portable Hockey Hanger
Best for Portability
Wraparound Portable Hockey Equipment Drying
Best Overall
Rocket Sport Equipment Dryer
When it comes to true innovation in the realm of hockey equipment dryers, there’s no better product than the Rocket Sport Equipment Dryer.
Hooks along the six hangers at the top leave more than enough room for a full set of adult equipment. While the electronic heater built into the sturdy tripod stand efficiently circulates warm air throughout the space.
Unlike a dryer, the temperature control dial on this heater ensures that your pads will never get damaged. But it will stay warm enough to dry your pads faster than any other product on this list. In 60 minutes or less, you’ll be ready to get back on the ice!
Plus, the constant stream of vented air pumped into this dryer’s sleek polyurethane-lined cover guarantees that your pads will come out feeling fresher than ever! Even a long and sweaty training session on Polyglide synthetic ice won’t stop your pads from smelling as good as new.
Pros
- Electronic heater
- Good air circulation
- Sleek design
Cons
- Pricey
Best Budget
Cosmos Portable Hockey Hanger
If you’re looking for something simple that’s a little more affordable, the Cosmos Portable Hockey Hanger is the product for you!
Designed with six adjustable hooks that can be removed at will, this customizable hockey equipment dryer can easily hold all your gear. A quick flip of the hook from left to right or pulling it horizontally while attaching your gear might seem like small changes. But done right, it can work wonders.
In the off-season, this hockey equipment dryer also works great as an organizer! Or use it to dry equipment from other sports that you might be playing, like Lacrosse or Football.
Finding the perfect hook to hang the Cosmos Portable Hockey Hanger can be a bit of a challenge. But this lightweight product is quick and easy to use once you’ve set up a designated spot in your home!
Pros
- Multi-purpose use
- Adjustable hooks
- Lightweight
Cons
- Hard to find the perfect hooking point
Best for Portability
Wraparound Hockey Portable Equipment Drying Rack
For players who frequent tournaments and need something that can be set up anywhere, the Wraparound Hockey Portable Equipment Drying Rack is what you want.
Stick-shaped plastic hangers can be fitted onto your hockey stick to turn any area into the ideal spot for drying your hockey equipment. The setup only takes seconds. And when your stuff is dry, the four stick racks can easily tuck back into your bag for after the next game!
Though each purchase only comes with four racks, with a little bit of innovation, you’ll easily be able to fit all your gear. Simply stick a few hangers into the holes built along the body of the sticks to carry whatever doesn’t fit on the racks themselves.
Despite their small size, the Wraparound Hockey Portable Drying Racks can easily handle the weight of your equipment. Once fastened, these racks won’t budge in each from the tight hold they have on your stick.
Pros
- Extremely portable
- Easy to store
- Sturdy
Cons
- Only comes with four
Wet Gear Metal Equipment Rack
Last on this list of the best hockey equipment dryers is the Wet Gear Metal Equipment Rack.
A central post is equipped with poles of different lengths, pointing in different directions. Providing a compact and efficient racking system for you to hang all your gear! Two of the posts are even equipped with clips at the end to hang your socks.
Some of the posts spin, so be careful when placing your pads to ensure that they don’t fall. But the sturdiness and ease of organizing your equipment with this product is more than worth a few extra seconds to properly hook your gear.
Now all you need is a reason to use it! And if you’re looking for more opportunities to get on your equipment and practice your skills, check out this amazing Online Hockey Training School! No matter where you are, this program will keep you on top of your game.
Pros
- Lots of racks
- Comes with clips
- Sturdy
Cons
- Poles spin
Hockey Equipment Dryer Buyer’s Guide
Styles
Under the umbrella term of hockey equipment dryers, there are lots of different styles to choose from. Some are simpler than others, but each style has its definite pros and cons!
If you’re looking for something that’s easy to set up, a hockey equipment dryer that’s made up of racks or hooks is the best style option for you. It might take a little longer to dry your stuff than something like the Rocket that has a heater built into it, but the weight of the Rocket dryer makes it harder to carry around with you during away games.
To choose between the hook or rack style of dryers, consider how big your equipment is. It will be a lot easier to fit a full set of kid’s equipment on the hook-style hockey equipment dryers than the rack style.
Unless your kid is a goalie. In that case, the rack style will do a much better job of carrying the extra pads and the extra weight of the equipment.
Space
When choosing your hockey equipment dryer, always consider where you want to set it up before making your purchase.
No matter how good the rack-style dryer you buy is, without the space to fully set it up, it won’t be able to do its job. Shoving it into a corner with your pads pushed up against the wall will cause the same damage to the materials as laying them out on the floor.
The same goes for the height of the ceiling. Hook-style dryers are only as effective as the hook they have to hang from. Too low, and your equipment will end up on the floor again. Even worse, your pads will be piled up on top of each other.
Portability is another big consideration. If you want a hockey equipment dryer that you can take with you to tournaments, you don’t want something big and heavy. The best product would be something that can easily fit into your bag and that you can set up anywhere.
Materials
The best materials for your hockey equipment dryer are sturdy metals like steel that can hold the weight of your gear. Certain hard plastics will also work, but metals are definitely the better option for dryers that you want to last a long time.
If your dryer is made with fibrous materials, always make sure that they are composite fibers like polyurethane that won’t end up smelling just as bad as your equipment. Nylon or something that has been given a Polygiene treatment are also good options.
Since hooks and clips are so thin, the materials used to make them should always be metal. Anything else will likely bend and break over time from the weight of your equipment.
The spring mechanism used inside the clips should also be tested before buying. If it’s not strong enough to stay closed while holding your socks or some of your smaller pieces of equipment, the dryer isn’t worth getting.
Why Every Hockey Player Needs a Hockey Equipment Dryer Summed Up
Don’t let sweat-soaked hockey equipment be the reason you injure yourself in your next game. Or smelly pads mess up your concentration on the ice.
With one of these top picks of the best hockey equipment dryers, your gear will always feel as good as new!
And check out our Hockey page for more information on the sport!
- About the Author
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Liv covers everything hockey for Life in Minnesota (the State of Hockey!)
With a childhood filled with hockey at various levels – in nearly every position – she has a deep passion for the sport.
Liv has a Bachelor’s of Communication Studies, loves to travel, and of course… hockey.
Liv can be reached at livheadleyfreelance@gmail.com