Field Hockey Equipment List: Everything You Need to Get Started

• Field Hockey Equipment Checklist
• Required Field Hockey Equipment Every Player Needs
• Position-Specific Field Hockey Gear
• Field Hockey Accessories and Supporting Gear
• Get Everything You Need at Sports Unlimited

Getting started in field hockey does not require an overwhelming amount of equipment, but having the right gear is important for safety, comfort, and learning the game.

Every field hockey player needs a field hockey stick, shin guards, mouth guard, and sport-appropriate turf shoes or cleats. Depending on league and program requirements, players may also use protective goggles. Defensive players should consider a penalty corner face mask, while goalkeepers require an entirely different collection of specialized protective equipment.

Once the essentials are covered, a stick bag, protective glove, extra field hockey balls, and replacement grips can round out a complete setup.

Field Hockey Equipment Checklist

For a new field player, start with:

• Field hockey stick
• Field hockey shin guards
• Mouth guard
• Turf shoes or cleats
• Protective eyewear if required or preferred
• Left-hand field hockey glove
• Penalty corner mask for applicable defensive players
• Stick or equipment bag
• Field hockey balls for practice
• Replacement grip or grip tape
• Appropriate field hockey apparel

Field hockey equipment generally falls into three categories: required protective gear, position-specific equipment, and supporting accessories. Goalies require substantially more protective equipment than field players, so your position is an important consideration when building a complete equipment list.

Required Field Hockey Equipment Every Player Needs

1. Field Hockey Stick

Your field hockey stick is the most important piece of equipment you'll buy. Unlike an ice hockey stick, a field hockey stick has a distinctive curved head and a flat playing surface. Sticks are available in different lengths, materials, bow profiles, weights, and carbon percentages to accommodate players of different ages and skill levels.

Sports Unlimited carries field hockey sticks from leading brands including Grays, adidas, Dita, STX, Gryphon, and TK, with options ranging from beginner youth sticks to high-performance composite sticks for experienced players.

Wood vs. Composite Field Hockey Sticks

A wooden stick is typically an affordable and forgiving option for a new player. Wood provides a softer feel and can be useful when learning basic stick handling, receiving, passing, and shooting fundamentals.

A composite stick incorporates materials such as carbon, fiberglass, and aramid. Increasing the percentage of carbon generally creates a stiffer stick capable of producing more power, while fiberglass and other materials can add flexibility and improve feel. That doesn't mean every player should immediately choose the highest-carbon stick available. A developing player may benefit from a more forgiving composite construction that prioritizes control.

For example, the Gryphon Flow carried by Sports Unlimited uses 10% carbon and a flexible construction designed to help developing players build control and confidence. TK's P5 Control Bow moves up to a 20% carbon composite and is aimed at advanced youth, high school, and club players developing more technical skills.

Choosing a Bow Profile

The bow refers to the curve running along the length of the hockey stick. A more traditional or moderate bow provides an all-around profile suitable for basic stick skills. Low bows move the maximum point of the curve farther down the stick, helping experienced players execute skills such as aerials, lifts, advanced dribbling, and drag flicks. A new player should generally prioritize the correct stick length, comfortable feel, and manageable construction before worrying about specialized bow profiles.

2. Field Hockey Shin Guards

Shin guards are essential protective equipment in field hockey. The ball is hard, sticks are constantly moving near players' lower legs, and shin protection is an important part of every player's setup. Field hockey shin guards are larger and provide more coverage than many soccer shin guards. They should protect the front and sides of the lower leg while remaining comfortable enough to run and change direction.

How Should Field Hockey Shin Guards Fit?

Shin guards should:

• Cover the vulnerable portion of the shin
• Sit securely without excessive movement
• Allow comfortable ankle and knee movement
• Fit underneath field hockey socks
• Avoid creating painful pressure points

Sizing varies by manufacturer, so use the specific size chart for the model you are buying rather than choosing solely by age group or grade level. As an example, Sports Unlimited's adidas Field Hockey Shinguards are offered in multiple lengths and use a TPU shell with interior foam padding, ventilation, adjustable elastic straps, and a removable washable liner. TK also offers youth and adult options with hard protective shells and foam lining.

3. Field Hockey Mouth Guard

A properly fitted mouth guard is another fundamental piece of field hockey protection. For high school players competing under NFHS rules, tooth and mouth protectors must be properly designed and worn as intended. The 2026 rules also clarify that mouth protectors cannot include non-functional or unsafe attachments.

When shopping for a mouth guard, look for:

• A secure fit
• Comfortable breathing
• Adequate coverage of the teeth and mouth
• A design that stays in place during play
• Proper molding according to manufacturer instructions

A poorly fitted mouth guard that constantly needs to be adjusted is distracting during training sessions and games. Players should replace a mouth guard when it becomes damaged, distorted, or no longer fits correctly.

4. Eye Protection and Penalty Corner Masks

Eye and face protection deserves some explanation because the rules have changed over time. Under national NFHS high school rules, standard field hockey goggles are optional rather than universally required. However, state associations, schools, parents, and individual programs can still require them, so players should always check their local rules before the season.

Penalty corner masks are a different type of protection. Defenders face particularly high ball speeds during penalty corners, and specialized face masks provide additional protection during these situations. NFHS rules permit a smooth, rounded wire-caged face mask when defending penalty corners. Players generally must remove the mask after the corner is completed and cannot continue beyond the 25-yard area while wearing it.

Sports Unlimited carries specialized field hockey face protection, including options from goalie and protective-equipment specialist OBO.

5. Field Hockey Turf Shoes or Cleats

Footwear matters more in field hockey than many new players initially realize. The sport involves sprinting, rapid changes of direction, stopping, and maintaining a low athletic position. The correct turf shoes or cleats provide traction appropriate to the playing surface.

For an artificial turf field, field hockey turf shoes generally use numerous smaller rubber studs to provide grip without the aggressive penetration of traditional molded cleats. On a grass field, players may need a different outsole that provides more traction on natural ground. Proper footwear can help with traction, acceleration, lateral movement, stability, and comfort during games and practices. Before buying, consider where your field hockey team practices and plays most of its game schedule.

Position-Specific Field Hockey Gear

Field Players

For most field players, the standard equipment list above covers the essentials. However, one additional piece of sport-specific gear is worth adding: the field hockey glove. Unlike many sports where gloves are worn as a pair, field hockey players commonly wear a single padded glove on the left hand.

The left hand is positioned higher on the hockey stick and is particularly exposed during low defensive play and block tackles. A padded glove can protect the hand and knuckles from contact with the turf, ball, and opposing sticks without unnecessarily restricting stick control. Thermal glove pairs are also available for cold-weather practices and games, but these serve a different purpose from the padded left-hand protective glove.

Field Hockey Goalies

Goalkeeper is completely different. A field hockey goalie needs substantially more equipment because they regularly face direct shots from a hard ball traveling at high speed. A complete goalie setup typically includes:

• Goalie helmet with full face protection
• Throat protector
• Chest protector
• Pelvic or groin protector
• Leg guards
• Kickers
• Hand protectors
• Goalie stick

NFHS guidance requires goalkeepers to wear appropriate protective equipment, including the required throat protector.

Leg Guards and Kickers

Goalie leg guards cover the lower legs and provide a large blocking surface. Kickers fit over the player's shoes and protect the feet while also creating a surface designed to stop and redirect the ball. For example, OBO's ROBO Mini kickers available through Sports Unlimited use specialized foam intended to help control ball direction and rebound while providing an adjustable fit for smaller goalkeepers.

Goalie Hand Protectors

Field hockey goalie gloves are asymmetrical because each hand performs a different job. The left-hand protector provides a larger blocking surface, while the right-hand protector is designed around holding and controlling the goalie stick.

Goalie Sticks

Goalkeepers can also use sticks designed specifically for their position. These prioritize attributes such as maneuverability, durability, balance, and clearing the ball. Sports Unlimited carries goalie-specific sticks from brands including Grays and OBO. The Grays GK2K Elite, for example, uses a high balance point to improve agility along with a reinforced midsection designed to withstand impacts.

A full goalie setup represents a significant additional investment compared with equipment for a field player. For that reason, many school and youth programs purchase and maintain goalie equipment for their team rather than expecting every new goalkeeper to immediately purchase a complete personal set.

Field Hockey Accessories and Supporting Gear

Stick Bag or Equipment Bag

A field hockey stick bag protects your stick during transportation and makes it much easier to keep your equipment organized between home, practices, and games. Sports Unlimited carries field hockey-specific stick bags and backpacks from brands including STX and Grays, as well as larger equipment bags and goalie bags. For a new player, look for enough space for your stick plus smaller essentials such as a mouth guard, ball, glove, and accessories. Players carrying multiple sticks may prefer a larger stick bag.

Field Hockey Balls

Having at least one personal field hockey ball is useful for individual training. Players can practice dribbling, receiving, passing against a rebound surface, and basic stick skills outside formal team training sessions. Field hockey balls are made from hard plastic and are available in practice and game-oriented designs. Some training balls may be engineered for specific surfaces or training purposes, so check the intended use when buying. For official high school competition, game balls must meet applicable NFHS requirements and carry the required NFHS Authenticating Mark.

Grip Tape and Stick Accessories

The grip is one of the most frequently worn parts of a field hockey stick. Sweat, rain, repeated practices, and normal use gradually reduce grip performance. A worn grip can make the stick feel slippery or uncomfortable, so replacement grips and overgrips are inexpensive accessories worth keeping in your bag. Players should inspect their stick regularly and replace the grip when it becomes smooth, torn, loose, or difficult to hold securely.

Field Hockey Apparel

The final part of a complete setup is clothing designed for unrestricted movement. Field hockey apparel commonly includes:

• Field hockey skirts or kilts
• Athletic shorts
• Jerseys and tops
• Knee-length socks
• Training apparel
• Cold-weather layers

Comfort and mobility are the priorities. Players spend much of the game running and working from a low body position, so apparel should allow free movement without interfering with the stick or protective equipment.

Get Everything You Need at Sports Unlimited

Start With the Essentials

Building your first field hockey equipment setup is easier when you shop in the right order. Start with the essentials: choose the correct field hockey stick, shin guards, mouth guard, and footwear. Confirm whether your state, school, club, or youth program requires additional eye protection.

Next, consider your position. Field players can add a protective left-hand glove and penalty corner mask where appropriate. Goalkeepers need an entirely separate protective equipment package and goalie-specific stick.

Finally, add supporting gear based on your budget and commitment level. A stick bag keeps everything organized, a personal ball makes individual practice easier, and replacement grips keep your stick comfortable throughout the season.

Why Shop at Sports Unlimited

Sports Unlimited offers field hockey equipment for new players, youth athletes, high school competitors, and experienced club players, with sticks and equipment from leading brands including Grays, adidas, Dita, STX, Gryphon, and TK. Specialized goalkeeper equipment is also available from brands such as OBO.

With youth and adult sizes, equipment for multiple skill levels, competitive pricing, and a wide range of sporting goods in one place, players can build their setup as their game develops. Sports Unlimited also offers same-day shipping on eligible in-stock items ordered before 3 PM ET, helping players and parents get equipment quickly when a new season, training session, or spring program is approaching.

A new player doesn't need the most expensive equipment available. Start with a properly sized basic stick and the essential protective equipment, then upgrade as your skill level, position, and commitment to the sport develop.

Start with the right stick. Protect your shins and mouth. Choose footwear for your playing surface. Add position-specific protection. Then get on the turf and start playing.

Shop Field Hockey Equipment at Sports Unlimited