What to Wear for Roller Hockey: Apparel Guide for Players and Teams

What to wear for roller hockey depends on whether you're asking about the protective gear underneath or the visible team apparel on top. For most players in recreational and club leagues, the kit is: a moisture-wicking jersey or team shirt, athletic shorts or roller hockey pants, and a warm-up hoodie for the bench. The protective layer, helmet, gloves, pads, and skates, is sourced from a hockey equipment supplier. Here is the full breakdown of roller hockey apparel from the jersey outward, and how to get custom team gear ordered for a full roster.

The Visible Apparel Layer: What Players Actually Wear

The apparel that other players, fans, and cameras see during a roller hockey game or practice is distinct from the protective equipment underneath. Here is the visible layer from top to bottom:

Jersey (the primary visible piece): In competitive and semi-competitive leagues, the jersey is typically a sublimated cut-and-sew hockey shell in the team color. In recreational and house leagues, a custom moisture-wicking performance tee serves the same function at a fraction of the cost. The performance tee printed with the team name, number, and logo is the standard for beer-league and adult rec roller hockey programs across the country.

Shorts or hockey pants: Recreational players often wear athletic mesh shorts over their protective gear. Competitive players wear roller hockey pants with integrated hip, tailbone, and thigh protection. The pants are the protective layer; the shorts are the aesthetic layer. Many rec players wear athletic shorts alone without underneath padding at lower-competition levels.

Warm-up layer: A pullover hoodie or crewneck sweatshirt worn at the bench, in the locker room, and going to and from the rink. Custom printed with the team logo and name, this is the piece that carries the team identity beyond the rink. Hoodies are the highest-selling item in roller hockey team apparel programs because they are worn off the ice constantly.

The Protective Layer: What Goes Underneath

The protective gear for roller hockey is not apparel in the custom team sense, but it is what players wear underneath the visible layer, so it is worth understanding for a complete picture:

• Helmet: Required for all sanctioned roller hockey. Full cage or visor depending on the league. Not customizable through apparel providers.
• Gloves: Hockey-specific gloves with padded fingers and palm reinforcement. Players source these from dedicated hockey equipment retailers.
• Elbow pads: Required protection for falls and stick checks. Worn under the jersey sleeve.
• Shin guards: Protect the shins and knees. Worn under pants or hockey socks.
• Hockey socks or knee socks: Worn over shin guards to complete the lower-body protection stack. Some leagues require specific sock colors as part of the uniform.
• Inline skates: Roller hockey-specific skates with hard boots and 4-wheel inline configurations. Sourced from hockey equipment retailers.
• Jock or jill protective gear: Standard protective equipment for contact and puck impact.

For all protective equipment, the recommended retailers are dedicated hockey equipment shops: Pure Hockey, Hockey Monkey, Total Hockey, or your regional sporting goods chain. Bear Grips Pro Shops covers the apparel layer only.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

Roller Hockey Outfits by League Level

What players wear varies significantly by league level and competitive context. Here is a realistic breakdown by tier:

Recreational / Beer League: The most common setup in adult rec roller hockey. A custom performance tee (the jersey), athletic shorts or basic roller hockey pants, minimal protective gear (gloves and helmet at minimum), and inline skates. The apparel is casual, the equipment is functional but not comprehensive, and the experience is social. Custom team shirts from Bear Grips Pro Shops are the standard jersey for this level because the cost and minimum flexibility works for teams that turn over players every season.

Club / Intermediate League: More investment in protective equipment, often requiring full pads including elbow, shin, and hip protection. Jerseys may be sublimated hockey shells for a more professional look, or high-quality custom performance shirts for teams that cannot justify the sublimated jersey cost for a recreational program. Warm-up gear (hoodie, crewneck) is standard at the bench.

Competitive / AAA / National Programs: Full sublimated cut-and-sew jerseys, roller hockey pants with full integrated protection, and comprehensive protective equipment. Apparel is sourced from hockey-specific jersey suppliers. Bear Grips Pro Shops products serve this level primarily as warm-up gear, fan gear, and off-rink team apparel.

What to Wear to Your First Roller Hockey Game

If you are new to roller hockey and trying to figure out what to wear before you have all the gear sorted out, here is the practical starting point:

1. A moisture-wicking performance shirt. Not a cotton tee. Roller hockey generates significant heat and sweat. A polyester or poly-blend performance shirt stays light and breathable through a full game. If your league has team jerseys, wear the team jersey. If not, any moisture-wicking athletic top works until you have the official kit.
2. Athletic shorts or joggers. Mesh athletic shorts or performance joggers work fine for first sessions if you do not have roller hockey pants yet. They allow the range of motion for skating and do not create the restriction problems that jeans or heavy cotton pants do.
3. Your protective gear. At a minimum: a helmet and gloves. Elbow pads, shin guards, and hip protection are strongly recommended for any league with physical play. The equipment is the part that gets you to the next session; the apparel is the part that makes you look like you belong.
4. Inline skates. Roller hockey-specific skates. Fitness or recreation inline skates are not suitable for the quick stops and direction changes of hockey play.

Once you have committed to a league or team, the custom jersey and warm-up gear from Bear Grips Pro Shops are the next purchase. The performance tee serves as the practice and game jersey at the recreational level, and the hoodie completes the team look at the rink.

Custom Roller Hockey Apparel for the Full Team Look

Once the protective equipment is sorted, the team apparel layer is what creates the visual identity of the program. A roller hockey team that shows up in matching jerseys and warm-up hoodies looks like a team. A group of players in random shirts looks like a pickup game.

The custom apparel kit for a roller hockey team from Bear Grips Pro Shops:

• Custom performance tee in team color (the jersey): available with team name, logo, and number
• Matching athletic mesh shorts in the team secondary color or black
• Warm-up hoodie in team primary color with the team name on the front and back

All three items are available with no minimum order, printed in the US, and shipped in about a week. A team of six players can order six jerseys, six shorts, and six hoodies without hitting a minimum order quantity. For small teams, traveling teams, or teams that rotate players seasonally, this flexibility eliminates the biggest obstacle to looking professional on the rink.

Start building your team kit at the Pro Shops signup page, or check the roller hockey jerseys guide for more detail on the jersey options specifically.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you wear for roller hockey as a beginner?

A moisture-wicking athletic shirt, athletic shorts or joggers, a helmet, gloves, and inline hockey skates are the minimum setup for a first roller hockey session. As you commit to a league or team, add elbow pads, shin guards, hip protection, and eventually the team jersey and warm-up hoodie.

What is the standard roller hockey team outfit?

In recreational leagues, the standard team outfit is a custom performance tee (jersey) with the team name and logo, athletic shorts or roller hockey pants, and a warm-up hoodie at the bench. Competitive leagues use sublimated jerseys and full roller hockey pants with built-in padding.

Do you need special shorts for roller hockey?

For recreational and rec-league roller hockey, athletic mesh shorts work well. For more competitive play or leagues that require hip and tailbone protection, roller hockey-specific pants with integrated padding are recommended. Athletic shorts from Bear Grips Pro Shops are appropriate for the recreational level.

Can I get a custom roller hockey jersey and warm-up hoodie together?

Yes. Bear Grips Pro Shops carries both custom performance tees (the jersey equivalent for rec leagues) and pullover hoodies, both printable with your team logo and available in coordinating colors. Both items are available in a single shop with no minimum order.