New science streamlines hockey uniforms

NEW YORK – Wind-tunnel tests are a long-established part of developing new gear and outfits for speed-seeking athletes, but the quest for an aerodynamic edge rarely extended to hockey uniforms – until now.

U.S. hockey players at next month’s Winter Olympics in Turin, and some of their rivals, will be outfitted in streamlined uniforms developed by the same high-tech Nike team that designs apparel for runners, cyclists and speedskaters. Skintight they’re not, but Nike said the new Swift Hockey outfits are 13 ounces lighter than traditional uniforms, as well as cooler and more mobile.

The outfits got their first competitive test a few weeks ago at the World Junior Championships in Vancouver, British Columbia. At Turin, the U.S. men’s and women’s teams will be among those wearing them.

Angela Ruggiero, who plays defense on the women’s team, has tested the uniform in practice and gives it a positive review.

“I noticed the difference the first day,” she said. “They give you so much extra ventilation – you don’t have as much sweat, you feel a lot cooler at the end of the game.”

The midsection is tighter than traditional jerseys, but Ruggiero thinks players will adapt quickly.

“It fits a little more snug – that’s the biggest adjustment,” she said. “At first you’re like, ‘Whoa, it’s a little tighter.’ But it’s definitely worth the change. I think hockey players across the board, once they get over the initial shock, will catch on.”

Jordan Wand, director of Nike’s Advanced Innovation Team, said the development project included the first wind-tunnel tests of hockey uniforms, as well as research that determined hockey was lagging behind other major sports in terms of sleek apparel.

His goal was to make the uniforms more comfortable and efficient – not to revolutionize the look.