The list of basic equipment to play hockey is as follows:
Personal gear
Mask (gotta be able to see whatcha doing)
Fins (can't go anywhere without these)
Snorkel (so you can keep watching play while resting)
Bathing suit (would be more fun without, but.....)
Towel (so that you can dry off before hitting the pub)
There are several criteria that you should use to select the above mentioned gear, and they include the following:
Mask should be of a low volume type, to enable a wider field of view, so that you can see all around you during play. Ever try to play with binders on? That's what it's like, especially if you have a wide face, and a narrow mask. The low volume mask also minimizes the water drag equated to enabling you to swim faster. Preferably without sharp edges or corners that could injure others. Lens usually comes as tempered glass, which can break should a puck hit it, but can be replaced with polycarbonate to provide the ultimate visual safety by being unbreakable, and making you fearless also. The favorite mask of most average hockey player's happens to be the Cressi-sub Super Ochio, although there are other masks that are out there. My personal favorite is a Tekna, which has a wider lens opening, for a wider field of view, but to each his/her own. If you take a puck in the mask, the inside of the mask has a sharp edge, which could cut you in the forehead. David Andrews of Florida told me to take hot melt glue and put it on the inside of the mask to round the edges, voila', safer for your head. Be careful not to touch the tip of the hot melt glue gun with the rubber or silicone mask skirt, or you will be taking a trip down to the local dive store soon.
Fins should be only as long and as stiff as the person wearing them can wield (We were talking about fins weren't we?.........). Anyway, there is a plethora of fins on the market, and the first rule is to wear fins that are comfortable, both in fit as well as resistance to kick with. If they are not, they will cause blisters or result in repeated calf cramps. The fin should be of the full foot variety, since it will completely support your foot. Duckfeet and Churchills impose excess forces on your foot arches, causing much discomfort (been there, done that). Scuba diving fins with the rubber straps usually have buckles on the sides, which add drag to the kicking motion, but these fins also require the wearer to wear neoprene booties. The booties are great for preventing chafing of your foot with the fin, but I personally don't like them because they provide too soft of a cushion between your foot and the fin, which I have found slows the response of the kick. It's sort of like having an automatic transmission in your car, as compared to having your foot directly in the fin being like a manual transmission. The energy of the kick is transmitted directly to the fin better and quicker without the soft booties.
Now that you have your foot properly fitted to the full foot fin, you can wrap the hockey player's indispensable all purpose duct tape to your foot to keep it from chafing and blistering, because without it, your foot will be very raw and tender. I don't like duct tape because it causes my foot to slip within the fin. I ended up with regular cottom socks, of the short variety, known as "Peds" by women users. I buy them from a women's shoe store, and alwys say that they are a gift. They require replacement periodically, but provide virtually instantaneous kick response, and doesn't chafe or slip. Try what works best for yourself, it is all very subjective.
BTW, if you ever experience toe cramps, you should look for wider foot pocket fins. I also have found that the pressure of the kicking action tends to widen your foot during the kick, so make sure the fin is either wide enough to accommodate the kick or that it is flexible enough to "give" when your foot widens.
When you first start playing, you should use a shorter fin than you are used to. The most common ailment of new players is a calf cramp. If you don't get them, consider youself in good shape, and then go to a longer fin. The longer the fin, the better the speed, but too long, and you won't be able to turn worth a darn, not to mention the cramps that I feel coming on.
The fins that you use shouldn't have any sharp edges that could cut or injure other players. The hard plastic fins that you use to go scuba diving and climb over the rocks when entering the ocean are not suitable since they are usually jagged and rough. The prefered fins are of the soft rubber variety, but these are rapidly disappearing from availability, so most people compromise with combination fins. Two of the most popular are the Mares Plana Avanti, and the Technisub Alas. There are many styles and colors for those of you so inclined.
The snorkel that you use serves two purposes. First, it allows you to breathe and second, it allows you to continue watching the action when you are breathing. The diameter of a snorkel needs to be large enough to permit sufficient airflow so that you can catch your breath. Most snorkels are designed for the ocean, so you can cut the length of the snorkel that extends above the water, usually about 2 to 3 inches, and the shorter the snorkel, the easier it is to breathe. There isn't really a need for the additional length as you are playing in a pool, and rarely are there high seas that would require a full length snorkel. I like the Scubapro shotgun style snorkels. It has a purge valve, which aids in clearing, has a oval shaped cross section, which reduces water drag and that annoying thrumming that the snorkel can do, when swimming at high speed. Wear your mask and stand in front of a mirror and put your snorkel in your mouth. Try placing it in different positions to see what feels the best and provides the smallest frontal drag. I wear my snorkel so that it is behind my left ear, and curves up along the back side of my head, with the curve of the snorkel, the actual air inlet is approximately above the crown of my head, enabling me to look in all directions, especially down and back without the snorkel, being submerged.
We all must wear bathing suits, and although this discussion is primarily for men, women can also benefit. Most new players will wear baggy shorts, and they are slow in the water. If you want to swim faster, get nylon or lycra suits. The nylon is much more durable, but the lycra is by far, more comfortable. Lycra is usually more expensive too. The one problem with suits is that they tend to wear on the posterior cheeks, usually near the hip, where players will curl around and scrape their suits on the pool bottom. Ladies should stay away from the frilly types though.
Towels, stolen from hotels is best. Use your best judgement.
