Sports protective gear

Abstract

Protective gear is provided having a sliding surface with a relatively low coefficient of friction so that the sliding surface can slide readily over a dry playing surface. In one embodiment, an inner leg side of a roller hockey goalkeeper leg protection member includes the sliding surface which comprises a low friction surface treatment. As such, a goalkeeper can place the inner side of the leg protection member on a dry playing surface and can readily slide the member over the playing surface in order to shift position.

1 . A protective leg member for a hockey goalkeeper, comprising: 
 a front, a first side and a second side;    at least one padding segment disposed on the first side; and    a low friction surface treatment disposed on the first side padding segment, the surface treatment having relatively low friction when in contact with a dry playing surface;    wherein the first side of the leg member is readily slidable over a dry playing surface.    
   
   
       2 . The protective member of  claim 1 , wherein the low friction surface treatment comprises a layer portion attached to the leg member.  
   
   
       3 . The protective member of  claim 1 , wherein the low friction surface treatment comprises a plurality of layer portions.  
   
   
       4 . The protective member of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one padding segment comprises a cover, and the low friction surface treatment comprises a layer portion attached to the outer cover, the layer portion having a lower coefficient of friction than the cover.  
   
   
       5 . The protective member of  claim 1 , wherein the low friction surface treatment comprises a material chosen to slide readily over a high impact polypropylene surface.  
   
   
       6 . The protective member of  claim 1 , wherein a surface of the first side padding segment has a lower coefficient of friction than a surface of the front.  
   
   
       7 . The protective member of  claim 1 , wherein the first side is an inner leg side of the leg member.  
   
   
       8 . The protective member of  claim 7 , wherein the second side does not have a low friction surface treatment.  
   
   
       9 . The protective member of  claim 7 , wherein the first side is configured to lay substantially flat on a playing surface.  
   
   
       10 . The protective member of  claim 1 , wherein the low friction surface treatment is disposed along at least a portion of a knee area and lower leg area of the first side.  
   
   
       11 . The protective member of  claim 10 , wherein a knee layer portion is disposed in the knee area and a lower leg layer portion is disposed in the lower leg area, and the knee and lower leg layer portions are spaced from one another.  
   
   
       12 . The protective member of  claim 10 , wherein a single layer portion extends along at least a portion of both the knee area and the lower leg area.  
   
   
       13 . A leg protection system, comprising: 
 a leg portion adapted to fit about the wearer's leg, the leg portion having a front and a side; and    a low friction surface portion disposed on the side of the leg portion, the low friction surface adapted to readily slide over a dry playing surface.    
   
   
       14 . The protection system of  claim 13 , wherein the side of the leg portion comprises a padding segment, and the low friction surface portion is disposed on the padding segment.  
   
   
       15 . The protection system of  claim 13 , wherein a plurality of low friction surface portions are disposed on the side of the leg portion, and the low friction surface portions are spaced from one another and movable relative to one another.  
   
   
       16 . The protection system of  claim 13 , wherein the side of the leg portion corresponds to an inner leg of the wearer.  
   
   
       17 . The protection system of  claim 13 , wherein the side of the leg portion corresponds to an outer leg of the wearer.  
   
   
       18 . A protective member configured to be attached to a wearer's leg, the protective member comprising: 
 a front, a back, a first side and a second side, the first and second sides extending between the front and back;    wherein the first side comprises means for reducing friction between the first side and a dry playing surface so that the first side slides readily over the dry playing surface.    
   
   
       19 . The protective member of  claim 18 , wherein the first side is an inner leg side.  
   
   
       20 . The protective member of  claim 19 , wherein the first side has a lower coefficient of friction than the front.  
   
   
       21 . The protective member of  claim 19 , wherein the first side has a lower coefficient of friction than the second side.