How We Score Hockey Gear

BestHockeyGear scores are designed for parents whose kids are just starting hockey. We never invent scores — every number is stored in our database and reviewed by our editorial team before it goes public.

Our principles

Honest:If we don't have enough data, we leave a score blank or mark it as needs review. We never fake certainty.

Category-specific: Skates, helmets, sticks, and pads are scored differently. A great beginner skate is not the same as a great beginner helmet.

Parent-first: We prioritize comfort, fit, value, and safety over elite-level performance — unless you tell us your player is advanced.

Reviewed: Automated scoring proposes numbers from product data. An admin approves every public score.

Universal scores (every product)

All scores use a 1.0–10.0 scale. Overall scores blend universal and category-specific criteria.

beginner friendly — How appropriate for a first-time or early-stage youth hockey player.
value — Practical value for the price within the age group.
durability — Likelihood to hold up under normal youth hockey use.
availability — How easy to find new or used.
parent confidence — How likely a parent feels this was a smart, safe, reasonable purchase.
used market — How suitable this product is to buy used.
first year value — How good specifically for a child's first year of organized hockey.

Category-specific scores

Skates are scored on fit, comfort, ankle support, ease of learning, and more. Helmets emphasize protection and certification. Sticks focus on flex and length. Each category has its own rubric stored in our database.

New vs. used guidance

Every product gets a used market score. Bags, sticks, and most protective gear are often reasonable used purchases. Be cautious with used skates (check boot structure and runners), helmets (unknown history), and neck guards (certification and wear).

What you see publicly

We show a simple overall score and a few parent-friendly highlights. Full technical breakdowns are available when you expand the score section on a product page. Products without approved scores show "Score pending review."

Try the skate finder to see scores in action.