What Should I Wear to a Hockey Game
Layers that come off, long pants, closed shoes: what to wear to a hockey game, part by part.
All 50 things to wear
Layers on top
Legs and feet
Hats, gloves and what to carry
For a baby or a small child
For a college, youth or community rink
For an outdoor game
Leave at home
Layers on top 10
Heavier jacket, for seats by the glass The lower rows sit a few feet from the ice and feel colder, a youth sports association says. Hoodie alone, for the upper rows Warm air rises, so high seats feel milder, a youth sports association’s guide says. Hoodie or lightweight jacket to bring along For anyone who doubts three layers will last a couple of hours, a minor league team says. Loose long-sleeved shirt over the T-shirt The second layer in a minor league team’s guide to dressing for its arena. Sweater as the middle layer A youth sports association’s second layer, for warmth without bulk. T-shirt as the first layer Where a minor league team’s own guide starts. Every layer after it can come off. Team jersey as the top layer Wear it over everything, a minor league team tells its fans, even after a layer comes off. Thermal or moisture-wicking long-sleeved top A youth sports association’s base layer. It rates cotton lower because it holds moisture. Vintage-style hockey sweater A minor league team suggests one for fans who like to dress up for the game. Zip-up jacket Unzip it when you warm up, a youth sports association says. It suggests one for seats near the ice.
Legs and feet 5
Casual boots The other shoe a youth sports association recommends for the cooler air. Closed-toe sneakers A youth sports association calls closed toes essential this near the ice. Jeans or other long pants A youth sports association and an Australian rink both say long pants. Legs chill when you sit. Thick socks, for a cold rink Highly recommended by an Australian rink, most of all for people who only watch. Warm trousers or leggings Named with jeans on a youth sports association’s list of full-length pants.
For a baby or a small child 4
Baby carrier, in place of a stroller Keeps you both cozy and saves hauling a stroller, a ticket seller’s family guide says. Ear protection for a baby Games get loud, a ticket seller’s family guide says. It suggests noise-canceling headphones. Earplugs for an older child A ticket seller’s family guide suggests plugs once a child is older. Hat and mittens for a small child First among the warm clothes a ticket seller’s family guide packs for little ones.
For a college, youth or community rink 3
Blanket kept packed in a rink bag From tips for new parents that the national hockey body publishes: some rinks are colder than expected. Extra layer for a college rink One university recommends layers in its stands and says to expect about 50 degrees inside. Your warmest layers, for aluminum bleachers Bundle up, a state hockey association tells parents: its state has plenty of drafty old rinks.
For an outdoor game 7
Hot seat cushion, for metal seating A minor league team brings one to outdoor rinks with metal seats. Loose pants over long johns A minor league team finds loose pants warmer than skinny jeans, more so over long johns. Mittens, at an outdoor game Warmer than gloves, a minor league team says. Winter boots A minor league team’s test: dress as you would to clear the driveway on a dark winter morning. Winter coat with a shirt or two beneath For a game played outdoors, a minor league team’s guide says. Winter hat and scarf, at an outdoor game First on a minor league team’s list for a game under the sky. Wool socks, at an outdoor game A minor league team says not to forget them, or the boots.
Leave at home 12
No backpack Three arenas ban backpacks outright. A fourth bans them on Saturdays. No bare chest or bare feet Three arenas’ rules require a shirt and shoes at all times. No battery-heated jacket or blanket One arena’s prohibited list names battery-operated clothing and blankets. No big purse or tote One arena admits only a small clutch. A university arena bans tote bags and oversized purses. No clothing with obscene words or pictures One arena bans obscene or indecent clothing. A university arena may ask you to cover it. No sandals at the rink No open toes either: the chill off the ice reaches your feet, a youth sports association says. No shoes with wheels On a university ice arena’s prohibited list, with skateboards and roller blades. No shorts in the stands Not ideal even in an arena that is not freezing, a youth sports association says. A team agrees. No studded belt or bracelet A university ice arena bans belts with spikes or studs. Another arena bans studded bracelets. No T-shirt on its own Not recommended without a jacket or sweater over it, a youth sports association says. No umbrella inside the arena A university ice arena does not allow umbrellas inside. Wear a hood on a wet night. No wallet chain Three arenas list chains as prohibited. One of them draws the line at six inches.
How this list was compiled
The 50 things to wear or to leave at home, and the line under each, were written for this page on 2026-10-15; no list was copied. Each row follows a page read on 2026-10-15, published by people who run hockey games or the buildings they are played in, or by a seller of their tickets: a minor league hockey team’s own blog, What to wear to a game (https://www.wbspenguins.com/blog/what-to-wear-to-a-wilkes-barre-scranton-penguins-game/ ); Cheltenham Sports, a community youth sports association that runs ball hockey programs, How cold is it at a hockey game (https://www.cheltenhamsports.org/content/35071/How-Cold-Is-It-at-a-Hockey-Game-What-You-Should-Wear ); Ticketmaster, a ticket seller, its guide to taking children to professional games (https://blog.ticketmaster.com/nhl-games-for-kids/ ); Ohio University’s page for its Bird Ice Arena (https://www.ohio.edu/recreation/bird ); USA Hockey, Welcome new parents, eight useful tips, an article by a hockey parent (https://www.usahockey.com/news_article/show/1330830 ); Minnesota Hockey, Unwritten rules of hockey parenting (https://www.minnesotahockey.org/news_article/show/863427 ); Ice Arena Adelaide, an Australian rink, its answers for visitors (https://icearena.com.au/ ); and the printed rules of four arenas that host hockey: an arena that is home to a hockey team, its code of conduct, prohibited items and clear bag policy (https://www.accessoshowarecenter.com/p/plan-your-visit/guest-services/code-of-conduct ); the Rochester Institute of Technology’s Gene Polisseni Center (https://www.rit.edu/venues/gene-polisseni-center-policies ); Bowling Green State University’s ice arena, its A to Z policy guide (https://www.bgsu.edu/ice-arena/about/policies/bgsu-ice-arena-a-z-policy-guide.html ); and Total Mortgage Arena (https://www.totalmortgagearena.com/policies ). The custom of throwing hats after a third goal is from Wikipedia, Hat-trick (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hat-trick ), read on 2026-10-15. Temperatures are in degrees Fahrenheit and are each publisher’s own figure for its own building or guide. Rules differ from arena to arena and change: read your own arena’s page before you go. Teams and arenas appear here only as the publishers of their own pages. Left out on purpose: brand and shop names, prices, and advice on health. Licence: own work
How it works What should I wear to a hockey game? Layers: a T-shirt, a long-sleeved shirt and a jersey or hoodie, with long pants and closed shoes. These 50 things follow a team’s guide, four arenas’ rules and rinks’ own pages.
Read the full guide
How cold a hockey arena is, and for how long
A minor league team says the ice is kept at about 25 degrees Fahrenheit and the air in an indoor arena somewhere between 50 and 60, cooler the closer you sit to the ice. A small rink can be colder: one university tells visitors to expect about 50 degrees inside its rink, where heaters hang over the bleachers. The team adds that an empty arena is cooler than a full one, so it warms as the seats fill, and that its games last about two and a half hours: three 20-minute periods and two 18-minute intermissions, plus any overtime.
Check the bag rule before you leave home: two of the four arenas say they have nowhere to keep a bag that breaks it.
Questions and answers
Is it cold at a hockey game?
Indoors it is cool, not freezing, a youth sports association says. Outdoors, a minor league team warns, it is as cold at the end as at the start, or colder, and you sit still throughout.
Can you wear shorts to a hockey game?
No rule read here stops you: three arenas require a shirt and shoes, and a fourth has no dress code. But a minor league team expects the arena to be too cold for shorts, and a youth sports association recommends full-length pants.
Do you have to wear a jersey to a hockey game?
No. One university ice arena states that it has no dress code and only asks that inappropriate clothing be covered. A minor league team suggests a jersey or a team hat to show support, worn over layers you can take off.