By Washed Up Goalie on November 29, 2020 • ( Leave a comment )

2020 Christmas Shopping Ideas

2020 has been a difficult year for most, so why not treat the goalie in your life to some fun gifts this Christmas season. I’ve compiled a list of great gift ideas, but by no means is this a complete loss. I know I have forgotten some great products from great companies, but this is a pretty good list to get you started. Oh, and this list is in no particular order.

Washed Up Goalie Merch

I’ll start off with the shameless plug for Washed Up Goalie and Tendy Talk merchandise. Get shirts, sweatshirts, leggings, and some cool goalie silhouette pillows and prints for yourself or the goalie in your life.

SotaStick

My friends over at SotaStick have some great Minnesota sports-themed apparel. This time of year they have some fun ugly sweater look sweatshirts. I have several of their shirts and sweatshirts, as well as a few pairs of socks. If your team is looking for jerseys, hit them up too. SotaStick did the jerseys for my beer league team. I have a few from playing in their annual SotaStick Hockey Classic as well.

Bone Jack Designs

If you’re looking for some unique goalie themed art, Charles at Bone Jack Designs is your guy. He has some awesome original prints, buttons, hats, shirts, stickers, and even a coloring book for the goalie in your life. You can also commission him to draw any goalie (yourself, your kid, etc.). I’ve been lucky enough to have Charles take some of my Instagram posts and add his artistic touch to them.

Hockey by Design

Hockey by Design has some awesome hockey-themed products. I have several of their goalie mask stickers, phone cases, prints, and other awesome products that routinely change. They’re also having a Cyber Monday sale. My favorite product (that I don’t already have) is a 31 mask grid print that would look awesome in a home office in video call backgrounds.

Beauty Staus

These fellas have some awesome collections. My favorite is the Triple Deke (Mighty Ducks) collection where they have hats, shirts, and banners that would look great hanging by an outdoor rink that will make you look like you were an extra in any of the three Mighty Ducks movies. I already have the District 5, 92-93 State Championship shirt. The Beer League All-Star Collection is another must-see.

Second String Leather Company

Second String Leather Company has created some incredible wallets, Apple Watch bands, totes, and toiletry bags out of old hockey equipment. They started repurposing goalie equipment, but are now using player gloves as well. Their next collection promises to be their best yet. They have some nice shirts and hats as well.

Blade Shades

When I first saw Blade Shades I knew I wanted a pair, but questioned how comfortable they’d be. I meet Ken, Jordie, and Landon at the Let’s Play Hockey Expo when I bought my first pair. I was pleasantly surprised that these are some of the most comfortable sunglasses I have ever owned. The next year I bought another pair so I had both goalie themed options. If you need sunglasses, do yourself a favor and get a pair of Blade Shades. You’ll look cool, and support two families in the process.

The Goalie Guild

The Goalie Guild founder Justin Goldman has created an incredible support system for goalies needing someone to talk to. On top of that, he has written some great books on goaltending (I’m told, but still need to order myself and read) as well. He put incredible effort into creating the Periodic Table of Goaltending poster, book, and flashcards. Let’s not forget the great EBUG hats as well. You can also order some Lift the Mask stickers to let other goalies know you are there to listen if they need somebody to talk to.

Goalie Gear Nerd

Goalie Gear Nerd has made a name for himself by knowing every little detail about goalie equipment old and new. He also has some apparel through Glass Bangers Hockey. Keep an eye on his social media too if you’re looking for a goalie-themed mask to wear during the COIVD times. The Geery Cheevers stitch mark mask has been very popular. GGN is also a pretty cool fella. I recently talked to him for an episode of Tendy Talk

TN Hockey Co.

I first learned of the TN Hockey Co. when Dustin “Bones” Smith shared a post wearing one of their shirts. We’re starting the process of a move to Nashville ourselves, so I had to check out their offerings. I’m a big fan of the Tri-Blend Logo tee. They have awesome designs, and options for men, women, and kids. I have a feeling I’ll be acquiring a few of their products once we move. As a Blackhawks fan I’ll have to be selective as to the products I do purchase.

Vintage Goalie Brand

Vintage Goalie Brand creator Matt has created a logo that speaks to the beer league goalies. I’ve even run into another goalie in a hamburger joint in White Bear Lake, MN. The Two Pad Stack Union shirt is one I may have to splurge on soon as I already have Tribute Trucker hat and one of his original logoed shirts. I recently talked to Matt for an episode of Tendy Talk as well.

Terrence Fogarty Art

Terrence Fogarty is an amazing artist based out of Minnesota that has found a way to capture the essence of the game of hockey, and what it means to Minnesotians. His work isn’t just something you put in a man cave or the home office. They are true masterpieces that you’d want to showcase anywhere in your home.

The Goalie Guru

Have you considered cutting a trigger finger into your goalie stick? I know I was, then I was given a Goalie Guru. This little device attaches easily to the paddle of a goalie stick with some supplied super glue and a band to hold it in place until the glue sets. My advice is to use some sandpaper to lightly rough up the area to give the glue something to adhere to.

InGoal Premium

Give the goalie in your life the gift of knowledge with inGoal Magazine’s premium membership for less than $5 a month. Their pro reads section is worth it. As a beer leaguer, I love these videos. It gives me something to think about when reviewing my game tapes.

Sense Arena

I haven’t tried one of these things, but want to. I’ve heard the fellas on inGoal talk about the product. I forgot to ask Justin Goldman of The Goalie Guild about it when we spoke for episode 2 of Tendy Talk about how he likes his, but when I talked to Maria Mountain for episode 6 she had nothing but good things to say about it. If you purchase today, you can save $650! Beware, if you purchase the product, you also need to pay a monthly subscription as well.

The Minnesotan

I can not go to downtown White Bear Lake without stopping into The Minnesotan. I’ve known Corey for a number of years, back to my coaching days when he’d ask me to play goalie for some of his pick-up skates. Their Minnesotan branded apparel is awesome, but they carry some great collections. Their Old School and Hockey collections are my favorites. They also have a MN Highschool Hockey Tournament collection. If you are local and can shop in-store you’d be doing yourself a favor. You can even stop across the street at the 617 for a drink afterward.

S. Preston Art and Designs

Is an artist I first discovered because of his Ballpark Princesses where he goes to MLB games across the country, starts drawing a Disney princess wearing one of the teams playing jersey, and gives it to a fan who finds his seat after sharing it on Twitter. He has some great minimalist logo and mascot prints. If I had an unlimited budget, and wall space I’d have so many of his pieces.

Toe Drag Apparel

So the owner of this company may have gone to a rival high school of mine, but I don’t hold that against him because his Shinny socks are awesome. They look like hockey socks with a hockey skate. If you look at the bottom of the foot there is even the look of a skate blade. They also have a pretty sweet Celly Golf Shirt line that looks like NHL hockey jerseys.

Beauty Unis

It cannot be Christmas unless you quote Clark W. Griswold at least 1,000 times. The folks over at Beauty Unis know this, so they’ve created a jersey to honor Clark. They have some other pretty sweet beer league apparel worth checking out. They have a number of pretty sweet jerseys worth checking out too.

Catch Ball

This is a pretty cool training aid that goalies will love, but can be used for other sports as well. With this training aid, you can do away with throwing a tennis ball at the wall and watching it into your glove – knowing the path it’ll take every time. With Catch Ball you can work on your glove hand, but without the understanding where the ball will go.

Kane Van Gate’s Hockey Journey

There are some great hockey movies, then there is Kane Van Gate’s Hockey Journey Movie. The movie is full of emotion, hockey action, and has some impressive cameos. I do believe Kane was robbed by all of the award committees by not nominating him for even one category. I’ve watched the movie and can say it is well worth the price. If your team is looking at a long bus ride, somebody better hook their computer up to the TVs and get this movie playing. In a decade or two hockey players will talk about watching Slap Shot, Youngblood, Miracle, and Kane Van Gate’s Hockey Journey on those long bus rides.

BHLPA

All roads lead to the beer league. It’s because of that we have the BHLPA where they have plenty of apparel options to let your team and the general public where your game stands. I think I need the Franchise Goalie shirt to remind my beer league team of my true value.

Beer League Players Association

Following in the steps of the BHLPA is the Beer League Players Association (BLPA). The BLPA has some sweet apparel. Their BLPA Tendy shirt is their best shirt in my opinion. They’re also part of The Tourney Co. that puts on draft experience weekends across North America, primarily for hockey, but venturing into other sports like softball, volleyball, and soccer.

RVHS Hockey

RVHS Hockey is a bit newer to the scene of hockey apparel, but their retro-inspired designs. If you’re on Instagram you’ve probably seen their shirts on quite a few goalies.

Hockey Arsenal

So I’m including the Hockey Arsenal on my list even though Andy hasn’t added a goalie stick to the brand’s lineup of top of the line composite sticks at a fraction of the cost. These are the perfect sticks for beer league players or someone who wants a stick for the outdoor rink. They have three different models to choose from; Jealousy, Covet, and Envy. They also have a pretty sweet jersey you can buy too.

M-Graphix

You’ve probably seen M-Graphix and didn’t even notice. He has designed pad graphics for True/Lefevre and custom designs. He has also launched a shop with apparel and stickers. The Three-Cage Design is probably my favorite

Hockey Sauce Kit

Goalies are supposed to be the best skaters on the ice, but they’re spending more time working on their stickhandling these days. Before you know it they’ll probably have the best hands on the ice too. A little time with a Hockey Sauce Kit should improve any goalie’s hands.

Summer Skates

Sure Summer Skates look cool with their skate lace tops, but they’re insanely comfortable too. My son had a pair with his school’s logo on them as they do custom logos, numbers, or names on them. I may have borrowed his Summer Skates a time or two to run the garbage out the curb. They expanded their offering to include a skate lace can coozie.

Good Wood Hockey

Good Wood’s signature products are their intertwined stick hats and shirts, but they have some other designs like their fishbowl shirt, Happy Hockey Days shirt, or happy place shirt. They have a few of the interlocking stick designs though, and they’re all pretty awesome.

Hockey Wrap Around

We all want to use our regular sticks we use on ice when playing in the street like Wayne and Garth, but that ruins the blade. Not anymore with the Hockey Wrap Around which protects your blade. Many people use a piece of tape or two to hold the device on their stick so that it doesn’t fall off mid-shot or when you’re dangling the neighbor kid.

Pacific Rink

Pacific Rink has some cool apparel, but their coolest product has to be The Pond Pack which makes carrying your skates and gloves down to the pond a lot easier than throwing your skates on your stick and wearing your gloves. I could have used one of these in high school when I rollerbladed home most days. The pouches for the skates would have been helpful.

Maria Mountain

Maria Mountain’s Goalie Training Lab has a great free butterfly challenge program, but she also offers other premium programs that will no doubtly help the goalie in your life fell better on and off the ice.

4 The Love of Puck

My friends over at 4 The Love of Puck are working on a documentary chronicling what we love about hockey – the community. They also have some sweet apparel for sale to help fund their project. They just updated their logo, and have some hats with it on there. You can still get their old logo on some shirts and hats.