A List of Essential Speed Skating Equipment

Safety Headgear (Helmet)
  • Headgear must be certified to meet ASTM F 1849 standards.
  • Must be securely fastened under the chin.
  • Speed skating-approved helmets, hockey helmets or skateboard/ski helmets are acceptable.
  • Bike helmets are NOT acceptable.
Gloves
  • Fully cut-resistant gloves with a min. 1" cuff must be worn at all times while skating.
    • All surfaces of the glove must be made from cut-resistant material: palms, sides, tops, fingers and cuffs.
  • Acceptable cut-resistant materials include:
    • Medium to thick leather.
    • Kevlar-mixed (min. 12%) Nylon and/or spandex or similar material. Kevlar-lined leather gloves provide the most protection.
    • Dyneema-mixed Nylon and/or spandex or similar.
    • Other cut-resistant material approved by the Canadian Speed Skating Association.
  • Examples of gloves that are NOT acceptable:
    • wool, cotton, or nylon-only gloves.
    • golf, baseball batting gloves; thin, or non-leather, ski/winter gloves; ​non-leather soccer goalie gloves.
Neck Protection
  • All skaters must wear neck protection that has a bib.
  • Must be made of ballistic nylon, or other cut-resistant material, to meet the level of protection required when tested by a recognized protocol.
  • Neck protectors must be securely fastened and tucked into the athlete's skin suit or top-wear.
Eye Protection
  • Shatter-resistant sport glasses (clear or yellow), or visor, are required for all skaters.
  • Glasses must be held in place by an elastic strap.
  • Prescription glasses or hockey helmets with cages are NOT acceptable.
Shin Guards
  • Must be made of hard plastic or a similarly puncture-resistant material: e.g. soccer shin guards.

Knee Pads
  • Knee pads must be worn either in addition to other clothing or be integrated in a skin suit.
  • Pads must be made of high density foam, such as volleyball knee pads. 
  • Knee pads made of only hard plastic are NOT acceptable.

Full-Cover Clothing
  • Clothing must cover the skater’s entire torso and arms.
  • Long-sleeved tops, long pants, warm-up type jackets that can be removed easily are acceptable.
  • Active wear must not be rolled up or otherwise expose bare skin skin. Jeans are NOT acceptable.

Ankle Protection
  • Puncture-resistant anklets made of Kevlar or Dyneema must be worn on both legs.
  • Legs must be covered from the tops of the boots to 10 cm above the tops of the boots.
  • It is not permitted to have any skin visible between the skater’s boot and skin suit or leg-wear.

Skate Blades
  • The rear and front tips of all skate blades shall be rounded to a minimum radius of 1cm.
  • Skate blades must be sharp and well-maintained. 

Cut Resistant Clothing
  • Skaters participating in events sanctioned as SSC Championships and/or as Selection/International competitions must wear cut-resistant clothing meeting the minimum standards established by the International Skating Union.
  • For more information see the BCSSA and SSC websites.