It’s not always easy being a hockey player. Between the physical demands of the sport and the irritating perspiration caused by repeated body contact, you’re bound to experience some degree of odor. It doesn’t matter if you play in the minors or the NHL – the feeling of embarrassment when your teammates and trainers comment on your odor is universal. You wear deodorizers on the bench to help, but unless you have a full-blown toiletry bag, you’ll still find yourself rifling through your equipment to rid yourself of the stench. It’s a constant battle even when you’re winning. When you’re losing, it’s almost impossible to focus. That’s why hockey deodorizers were invented. The good news is that once you figure out how to use them effectively, you’ll never want to go back to plain ol’ regular deodorizers.
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How Do Hockey Deodorizers Work?
Let’s take a minute and understand how standard deodorizers for hockey work. These products are designed to combat the body odor unique to hockey players by masking it with a fragrance that others don’t necessarily find pleasant. The main active ingredients in most of these products are aluminum chloride and calcium chloride. What these substances do is act as an antiperspirant and bactericide, respectively. Essentially, they prevent the body’s natural reaction to perspiration by killing the bacteria that cause it. It’s a two-pronged attack, and it makes a believer out of anyone who experiences frequent spasms of embarrassing wetness during play.
How Do You Use Them?
You’ll need to take a few minutes to get used to applying them. The first time you do so, use a bit more than necessary to get the job done, as it can be difficult to gauge how much you need. After that, it’s a simple process of making sure you’ve covered all your relevant areas before you head out for the next shift. When choosing which areas to focus on, bear in mind that your feet are a common place for bacteria to reside. It’s also advisable to get the underarm area covered as well, as you’re a magnet for seagulls and other pests.
Where Do You Apply Them?
You need to apply these products to the areas where you perspire the most. This means you’ll have to take a little bit of detective work to figure out where those areas are. Once you’ve determined that, you can choose the right product for the job. Some examples of where you might apply a hockey deodorizer include the armpit, groin, and inner thighs. When you put one of these products on, you’ll feel a slight tingling in the area for a few minutes before the pleasant fragrance starts lifting the hair and drying it.
How Effective Are They?
This is the million-dollar question, and the one that you need to be asking yourself. Do these products actually work? To answer that question, we need to take a step back and understand what our expectations are. Do we expect our equipment to stop smelling like we just had an orgy with David Blaine? Of course not. Do we expect our equipment to stop smelling like we just had a BBQ with the guys from Odds On? Probably not. What we want is for them to cover up our odor and give us a subtle hint of what we’re going to encounter when we lace up our skates for practice or a game. In this case, the answer is a resounding yes. Most products are more than adequate at reducing body odors caused by strenuous exercise. Some are even able to cover up the stench of fish and eggs that some individuals are born with and will have till the day they die.
Do They Have Any Side Effects?
The ingredients in hockey deodorizers are generally recognized as safe, but that doesn’t mean they’re without side effects. The most common side effect is irritation. This is particularly true for those individuals who are prone to skin ailments. For this reason, it’s best to use these products last, as a preventative measure. In the event of an irritant reaction, you’ll need to discontinue its use and look for other options. The other effect these products have is that they reduce the body’s ability to fight off infections. While it’s not likely that you’ll get sick from a simple cold or the flu, it’s always better to be on the safe side. When choosing which product to use, bear in mind the environment you’ll be working in. If you’re playing in an indoor rink, you’ll need something that’s more light-resistant to keep up with the bright sunshine. If you’re playing in an outdoor rink, you’ll need something that’s more resilient to the elements. Remember, safety first.
How Much Do They Cost?
The cost of these products is quite high. It would be best to buy them for the amount of time you’ll be using them. The cheaper the better, as you’ll only need to replace them when they wear out. The good thing about most of these products is that you don’t need to keep adding to your collection. When you do decide to replace them, it’s only a matter of finding the money. In some instances, this can be as easy as selling off some of your belongings.
Who’s Their Target Audience?
These products were originally designed for use by people who play ice hockey, so it’s no surprise that they have a strong presence in the arena. If you’re playing in an indoor rink, you’ll need to look for something that’s more light-resistant. If you’re playing in an outdoor rink, you’ll need something that’s more resilient to the elements. Regardless of the environment you’re working in, you’ll need to find the right fit for your body. There are tons of options out there and, for the most part, you don’t need to go over a pair of skates to find them. If you’re not sure what type of products are available for your needs, ask an employee at your local rink or hockey equipment store. They’ll be able to point you in the right direction.
In the end, being a hockey player can be pretty sweet. You get to meet some awesome people and make some great memories. Unfortunately, there is also a ton of tension and stress that comes with the game. Being able to eliminate some of that stress and tension by means of the proper use of deodorizers is invaluable. Once you’ve found a product that works well for you, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without them. It’s a constant battle, but one that you know you’ll always eventually win.