Elbow Pads

An elbow pad has one job: keep the point of the elbow in the cup. If the cup sits above or below the joint, a fall on the ice lands on bare bone. The pad should reach from the bottom of the shoulder pad's bicep guard to the top of the glove cuff.

Cheaper pads are simple foam and a plastic cap. Better pads add a floating cup, better straps and longer forearm protection, which matters most in contact hockey.