Detailed Compare & Contrast of Pro Stock Hockey Pants By Top Manufacturers

The equipment is an essential part of the game of hockey. Proper fitting and feeling equipment can make all the difference in your performance day in and day out, whether it be ultimately preventing an injury and allowing you to keep playing, or being just the right fit for you to gain an extra step or two in a game that continues to get faster and faster every year. Pro Stock hockey pants come in many, many options. There are multiple sizes, fits, styles, and modifications that can be found on any number of pants from all the top manufacturers you think of when considering what you’re favorite NHL players and teams are wearing.

The most common and top brands you’ll find in pro stock hockey pants are Easton, Bauer, CCM/Reebok, and Warrior. Each company offers different models with distinct fits and characteristics.

Easton hockey pants have been a staple in NHL locker rooms for years. Easton gained and maintained a following in the pros by offering a very comfortable and protective pant that featured a Bio-Dri liner, one of the first companies to ever do so. The older Easton pro models that are still seen around fit very generously through the hips and thighs, allowing for a very classic fit. Easton’s latest offering the PRO 15 is much upgraded from its former days and now offers a shorter segmented upper with a floating spinal protector that rests on your back as you move up and down in stride and coming in and out of turns. Another key benefit they offer is contoured hip paddings that fit snug to the body without shifting out of place to make sure you stay fully protected at all times. Most Stock pro 15’s will also come as 2 piece pants with 2 extra rows of holes for the uppers to attach to the lowers allowing you to adjust the height of the pant 1" or 2” longer for the optimal fit for you.

Easton Pro with Bio Pro Liner

Bauer Hockey offers 3 lines of pants just like all their equipment Vapor, Supreme, and Nexus. Bauer has recently gone through a little bit of an overhaul on branding, so some models have changed and are continuing to change. One of the most worn and sought after pants came previously from the Bauer Supreme line; the Supreme ONE95 pant, which has been a top end pant for years. It is highly recommend because of its very lightweight construction while maintaining solid hip and tailbone protection with its Max Sorb gel padding. They also feature very distinct sturdy vented kidney protection on the uppers of the pant. The lower half of the pant offers thin, but protective, foams under a mesh that stretches across the groin area into the thigh boards making them protective, mobile, and breathable in a relaxed straight fit that does not restrict your legs. The Supreme ONE95 pant is, however, on its way out after many years, now being very closely re-branded as the Bauer Nexus 1000. The new nexus 1000 offers the same primary fit and look of the ONE95 but has actually gotten even lighter than the previous without sacrificing any protection.

Bauer with Max-Sorb Liner

CCM hockey and all that is formerly Reebok offers the greatest assortment of pants. No matter your body type or preferences, there is a pant for you, which can be both good and bad when selecting your pant of choice, whether you want an extremely light weight and mobile pant that offers a little less protection like the 520ECHL models, or a more sturdy and very protective pant in a 7000p model pant. Each and every pant model CCM offers has one thing better and worse than the next but the seemingly most popular and well rounded offering from CCM is the new CL/RBZ pants. The Crazy Light pant is, in fact, crazy light and is also by far the lightest model produced by CCM and possibly at all. The pant features a very short upper that exposes the kidney and rib area a bit, but allows for greater mobility and saved weight. The pant has a very slick moisture wicking liner that helps the pants stay light and dry while in use. This pant does run small, because it fits close to the body, but does not bulk up in any way in your stride extension. They also run short and small around the waist. I would advise a size up in a CL model compared to most any other pant.

CCM Crazy Light

Warrior hockey had a large following with their classic fit and superior protection Hustler pants that featured a signature bright yellow silver shield liner. The Hustler pant has since been dissolved and re-branded as the Franchise pant, which is one of the 2 primary models warrior offers in the NHL. It features large and square thigh boards and elongated hip paddings extending from the uppers that provide a very nice full leg protection in an open and roomy pant. Warriors second offering is the Covert pant, which features a tighter all around fit compared to the Franchise, but still not quite as tight as other brands. The Covert has a short upper around the front belly for better comfort and mobility, but the upper rises as it wraps around the sides and back not sacrificing protection. The pant fits smaller around the waist and hips compared to the Franchise, but still has a pretty roomy leg opening with are thigh boards allowing your legs to mover very freely in all situations.

Warrior Franchise

Warrior Hustler

Every company and every model pant discussed above can come with slight modifications depending on that players' or teams' personal preference and likings. Modifications are normally slight and can be seen on the pant or marked in the pants sizing or model number. Common modifications include a +1 or -1 on the pants height to optimally fit a player for protection and comfort or even just whether the player would or would not like leg zippers on their pants. No matter the brand, model, or modification, Pro Stock Hockey pants are far superior in construction build quality and materials used compared to their retail counterparts. Pro pants are made to handle professional use and abuse and every one of these pants can do just that