Most people have seen hockey shooting pads before, but did you know what they are made of? Here’s a quick breakdown of some of the most popular materials used in the manufacture of hockey shooting pads.
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Plastic
Plastic is a material that is both flexible and durable. It is light in weight and easy to mold into almost any shape. These are great properties for a hockey shooting pad as you can mold it to fit any player’s needs and requirements. It also helps keep the temperature cool which is great for ice hockey players who are always on the move. Finally, you can get a custom-made plastic hockey pad with your team’s logo on it!
Foam
Foam is a synthetic material that is used in a variety of applications ranging from industrial products to athletic equipment. One of its more prominent uses is in the manufacture of hockey shooting pads. Its primary purpose is to cushion the blow when a puck is shot at high speeds. It doesn’t sound like much, but when you are shooting pucks at up to ninety miles per hour, the cushioning effect is noticeable. Many people confuse foam with soft plastic, but they are two very different materials. You don’t want to be using foam if speed is of the essence, as it can eventually melt when exposed to heat. Moreover, the durability of foam is not great and it deteriorates quickly when hit by a puck or ball at high speeds. This makes it a less than ideal choice for making hockey shooting pads.
Metal
Metal is a natural material that is both strong and light. It is great for making durable sporting goods such as golf clubs and racket sports equipment. This is also why most hockey pads are constructed out of metal. You can get your hands on some great materials for making hockey pads, like aluminum, steel, and wood. These are all strong materials that are also easy to work with. Just take care not to use too much heat when cutting or forming metal because you don’t want to ruin the fabric of your gloves.
Fibers
Fibers are small strands of material that are used to create something new. In the case of hockey shooting pads, the small strands are blended together to form a strong, lightweight sheet. The sheet is then cut into pads of the desired shape and size. You can get fibers in a variety of materials like nylon, polyester, and cotton. You can use these materials to make different textures and levels of thickness for your hockey pads. Some manufacturers add latex to the blend so that the fiber sheet has more bounce when struck by a puck or ball. This increases the durability of your rubber gloves while playing hockey!
Clay
Clay is a mixture of sand and water that is used to create a durable, flexible material. Like plastic, clay is lightweight and can be molded into almost any shape. This makes it ideal for use in making hockey shooting pads. Moreover, its durability makes it ideal for use in sports where balls and pucks are tossed around frequently.
Clay also helps with strength and rigidity which is great for hockey players who want their gloves to stay put during play. The water in the mixture acts as a lubricant which allows you to work faster and smoother during the manufacturing process. A lot of times you don’t need to use much pressure when handling clay because it will naturally conform to your shape without any external help. This makes it an easy and common material used in hockey pad manufacturing.
Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is a mixture of magnesium sulfate and sodium sulfate that is used to make cleaning products more effective. However, it also has some great uses in the manufacturing process of sports equipment. One of its more prominent applications is in the formation of a surface lubricant for use in metalworking and machining. It is also used in the formation of concrete which adds great strength to this material. This is why you often see concrete hockey pads around these parts.
When used in combination with metal and fiberglass, epsom salt is great for lowering surface friction and temperature during use. This makes it ideal for use in metal working and grinding as well as in the manufacture of hockey pads and helmets!
Hopefully, this article will help you better understand what are hockey shooting pads made of. If this is something new to you, be sure to check out the rest of our content on the topic!