Goalie pads are generally associated with Ice hockey. The goal keeper wears them to protect himself from the 'puck', which is a hard black disc of vulcanized rubber. The goalie pads help him in the successful blocking of a shot. A standard puck is one inch thick, and three inches in diameter. It weighs around 5.5 to 6 ounces, and marked with the team or league logos on one or both sides of the disc. Ice hockey developed from 'Bandy' and is also a winter sport played mainly in Scotland or Ireland.

The modern goaltending equipments are usually made with materials such as hydrophobic synthetic leather, and nylon on the outside, dense close-cell foams and plastic inside, which is softer, lighter, and less absorbent. Previously pads were made of leather and hair stuffed inside. The lighter the material of the pads the more easily the goalie can rebound the puck. The leg pads descend from cricket pads and are 10 to 12 inches wide, and extend about 4 to 8 inches above the knees.

The styles of pads have changed over the years and are designed as per the style of playing goal. The newer design of the goalie pads is more flexible and shorter than the traditional ones, whereas the traditional pads would overlap and restrict movement. Interestingly the goalies equipment weighs about one-fourth of his body weight, and give the goalie excellent protection. He requires extra shield on the arms, thighs, and the tailbone. The leg pads give the goalie protection, and additional blocking surface.