The temperature is one of the first things you notice when entering a hockey arena. Ask anyone who has ever watched a hockey game, and they will tell you how cold it is inside the arena.
The main purpose is to keep the ice hard and ensure no melting takes place. This means you need to know what to wear to a hockey game.
While there are numerous options to consider, staying warm should be your main priority. People often wear numerous layers of clothing when visiting a hockey game. The average temperatures at a professional hockey game would fluctuate between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit for the most part, but amateur games could be even colder.
It is often best practice for fans to arrive with layers of clothing. Yes, you might be warm when you enter the arena, but the benefit of layers is that you can easily remove these layers if you are too warm.
Additionally, someone might need a jacket if they are underdressed, allowing you to share your layers if need be.
Is It Cold Inside a Hockey Game?
Inside a hockey game is cold and can be freezing because the ice needs to be kept frozen. It will be colder the closer to the ice you are seated. In general, the ice will be approximately 25 degrees, and the air, for an inside game, will temperature between 50 and 60 degrees.
If you plan to watch a professional game, the temperatures are relatively pleasant, at around 60-65°F (15-18°C), so you will need a sweater or light jacket is required. However, hockey games at a local recreational arena are much cooler at 55C (12C) or less, and you will need a heavy coat, gloves, and ski hat/toque.
You might ask, how cold is NHL ice? The NHL’s standard for the highest temperature after a game is between 18 to 24 degrees Fahrenheit (Source: National Hockey League (NHL))
What Should You Wear To A Hockey Game?
There are a few steps you can take to determine what you are going to wear to a hockey game. However, all of them will boil down to keeping you warm. Experienced hockey fans will already know which clothing items are the best.
Additionally, newer fans might need to hit the clothing store and ensure they have enough layers.
1- Preparing For The Temperature
Since hockey is generally played on ice, inside the arena typically includes frozen ice; otherwise, the players would be skating on slush.
The ice is kept frozen with internal underground pipes; however, smaller arenas use air conditioning to blow freezing air from above. Seats closer to the ice will be much colder than seats in the last row.
You first need to find out what the temperature would be at a hockey game. As we have already indicated, it could be around 65 degrees Fahrenheit or even lower in certain situations. Since you know your body and you know what temperature is too cold for you, you can use this as a reference point to keep you warm.
2- Supporting Bandwagon
Unless you are from a different country and want to experience what watching hockey is like, you have a team you will support. If you have a team in mind that you want to support, you should consider buying some of the representative clothing of this team.
While these jerseys might seem warm, they will not cover you completely. It is often best to wear clothing or layers underneath your favorite hockey jersey and wear it over these layers.
You can easily remove some of the layers and put your jersey back on to show that you are supporting the right team.
3- Comfort
While you could layer yourself up with numerous clothing items, it is often best to keep comfort in mind as well. You should wear comfortable clothing that enables you to move freely. Hockey is an active game; supporters would dance around and cheer their favorite players and teams.
For you to join in this action, you need some maneuverability. This would also dictate the type of clothing you should buy.
4- Wear Something You Like
Finally, you should not just buy clothing to keep you warm. Unless you are buying a specific set of clothing for hockey only, you want something functional that you can also wear throughout the rest of the year.
It is best to find clothing that you like and something that would match your current wardrobe.
Basic Clothing Items For Watching Hockey
Now that you know some principles that would dictate which clothing you choose, you will also need to understand some basics.
We have identified some of the basic clothing items that you should start with, and you can add or remove these. However, the new hockey fan would benefit from these items:
1- T-Shirt
You want to ensure that you start with a comfortable T-shirt for your hockey kit. If you find something with moisture-wicking materials, you can get rid of sweat if your clothing is too hot.
However, a traditional t-shirt would do the job, as sweating is highly unlikely when visiting a hockey game unless you are playing.
2- Jeans And Pants
When it comes to your underbody, wearing layers is often tricky. Unless you choose to wear a pair of long johns under your jean, you might not be able to wear numerous layers.
However, you can wear a pair of jeans, and if you can find jeans with cotton insulation on the inside, it would keep you warm, and it could often wick away some sweat.
3- Jerseys And Jackets
To wrap up the upper body, you will most likely feel the pinch of cold weather coming from the top. It is best to have some form of jersey that keeps you warm while watching the game.
You might choose to wear a thin jersey and supplement this with the jersey of your favorite team. The combination should keep you warm.
However, you might also want to look at a jacket that you can take off the moment the action starts, and you feel warmer.
4- Footwear
Another important consideration is the footwear your choose. Ideally, you want something with a closed toe, and if you can find some insulation, like certain boots, it would also keep your feet warm.
However, numerous types of socks would also allow you to remain warm, and you could stay warm as well.
5- Head Protection
Protecting your head is another problem people deal with, and studies have proven that most of the heat often escapes through your head. Wearing a beanie with your favorite team’s logo is one way to go. Most people who go to hockey games will have some form of a beanie that enables them to keep their heads protected.
On the other end of the spectrum, you can combine the layers of your upper body with head protection. Using a hoodie will allow you to keep your upper body in optimal condition.
You can also use the hood and throw it over your head. This would essentially give you all the upper body and head protection you might need.
6- Accessories
Staying warm does not only revolve around the clothing you wear. Nowadays, there are numerous accessories that you can also rely on to keep you warm at a hockey game.
You might want to look at earmuffs, which would protect your ear efficiently from the cold weather.
Gloves can be another great help, and since our hands are some of the first limbs to feel the pinch in cold weather, you might want to keep your hands warm.
The great thing about wearing gloves is that you can take them off at any point if you feel like your hands are overheating.
What Is The Difference Between Watching Hockey In The Winter Vs. Summer?
Hockey is played year-round, and with modern technology, arenas can also keep the ice frozen through the summer months. However, the temperature might be slightly higher. You might not need as many layers for watching hockey during the summer months as you would during the extremely cold temperatures of winter.
Additionally, many amateur games are often played outside, which might be a double-edged sword. When determining which clothing you need for an outdoor hockey game, you should look at the weather forecast. For an outdoor game, you might not need to deal with excruciating cold temperatures.
However, we have found that wearing multiple layers of clothing is often the best way forward, and you can rely on the layers to keep you warm.
Alternatively, you can remove some of the layers if you start feeling too warm. This gives you the ultimate opportunity to regulate your core body temperature.
What Could You Bring To A Hockey Game To Keep You Warm?
Unfortunately, many hockey arenas will not allow you to bring in any accessories, and when it comes to food and drinks, you are forced to buy them at the local shop. However, things like coffee and hot chocolate will be at the top of the menu.
You should consider bringing some extra cash to buy a few hot beverages and even hot meals. In some outdoor arenas, you will be permitted to bring coffee and other snacks.
On a side note, the addition of a blanket could be useful. You can cover your legs or drape the blanket across your shoulders if you feel the cold pinching. Blankets are often permitted for most hockey games.
Wrapping Up
In the US and Canada, hockey is one of the most watched sports, and die-hard fans visit hockey arenas almost weekly to watch their favorite teams.
Wearing the right clothing and staying sufficiently warm is mandatory, and you should ensure that you keep yourself as warm as possible. Let us know what you prefer wearing to hockey games to keep you warm.
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