How to Size Hockey Pants | Fit Guide That Works

Getting hockey pants right comes down to two measurements and one honest fit check. Measure the player’s waist where the pants will actually sit, cross-reference height on the brand’s chart, then squat into a skating stance with shin guards on. Pants that fit correctly protect the kidneys and lower ribs, overlap the kneecap area, and never bind during a stride. The right size beats the expensive brand every time.

What Measurements Do You Need?

You need two numbers: waist circumference and height. Run a soft measuring tape around the waist where the pants will sit — just above the hips, or at the natural waist, depending on what the brand’s chart expects. Stand tall for the height measurement. No tape? A piece of string works fine; mark it, then measure it against a ruler.

Then compare both numbers against the brand-specific size chart. There is no universal standard across manufacturers — CCM, Bauer, and retailer charts all differ slightly. The exact chart from the brand you’re buying is the one that matters.

How Should Hockey Pants Fit in the Store?

Try the pants on with shin guards already in place. That’s non-negotiable — the overlap between pant and shin guard changes everything about fit, and checking without them sets you up for a bad buy. Then run through these checks:

• Waist: snug but not tight. The pants should not slide down when you move, and should not pinch when you bend.
• Kidney coverage: the pants should ride high enough to cover your kidneys and lower ribs. Exposed kidney area means the pants are too short.
• Shin overlap: the pant leg should overlap the top of your shin guards by about 1–2 inches, or reach the top or center of the kneecap.
• Mobility: bend, squat, and simulate skating. If the pants bunch at the thighs or pull at the waist, they’re too long or too tight.

Suspenders, belts, or laces can fine-tune a slightly loose waist, but the pants still need to fit correctly on their own. Don’t rely on accessories to fix a bad size.

Hockey Pants Size Charts: What the Numbers Mean

Retailer charts give you concrete ranges to work from. Here’s a quick look at how the sizes break down across three common chart sources — note how they differ slightly, which is exactly why the brand-specific chart wins:

CCM’s own charts land in a similar range, with Youth Small at 20–22 in / 3’4″–3’7″, Junior Small at 22–24 in / 4’0″–4’6″, and Senior Small at 30–34 in / 5’0″–5’8″. If you’re shopping for a young player, our tested roundup of the best youth hockey pants can help you narrow the options before you measure.

Common Sizing Mistakes to Skip

Most bad fits come from four avoidable errors. Measuring your jeans size instead of the actual waist circumference tops the list. So does measuring at the hips or belly button when the brand’s chart expects the natural waist or just above the hips. The other two: buying without trying pants on with shin guards, and choosing pants too long because they “feel protective” — that extra length bunches at the thighs and limits your stride.