So you want new goalie gear, but you don't want to pay the price of "new" goalie gear. On eBay, you can actually find great deals on goalie pads. I just recently bought new pads, but the ones I used before that I got on eBay. And they were the best I've ever had. What you have to be careful about is how much wear and tear is on the pads. If the toe area, where the buckles or the strings are, is really worn out, then those pads aren't going to be very reliable. If the face of the pad is worn out, that's not too big of a deal, but the padding underneath might be thinner and you could injure yourself. The buckles on most pads are replaceable, so don't worry too much about those. If it's an older style pad, like over 6 years old, they will be heavier than the new lighter pads of today. The heavier they are, the harder they are to play with. Some might even use leather which can wear down and hold water, which makes the pad even heavier. I know some of the old Cooper pads did this. You want a pad made out of some sort of synthetic material. It's also important to know what style goalie you are. If you go down into the butterfly or are on your knees alot, you want to go with a pad that is more square faced. That way you are blocking the most area. If you stand up and don't go down often, a square pad will work, but a thinner, more ergonomically shaped one will help with your footwork, but also cover area when you do go down to your knees. Brand name is important too. The more known the brand, the better made the pads will be. Some of the best companies are Vaughn, Itech, Bauer/Nike, CCM/Heaton, Sherwood, RBK, Louisville, Brian's, and Koho. Those companies use the best materials and have a lot of NHL goalies input. I'm not saying the other companies aren't good, they just aren't the best. Sizing is the most important thing. If the pad doesn't fit right on your leg, you will have trouble playing to your best ability. If you are unsure if a pad fits, measure from your ankle bone to the middle of your kneecap. Then have the seller measure from the inside knee to the inside boot break, the part where the flat face of the pad bends to form the part that covers the foot over the skate. If they match or are close, the pad should fit you. Remember if you are a kid, you are going to grow so if it's a little big, you should grow into it. Better if the pads are just a little big than too small. If they are too small, you could get injured more easily. Of course, the design and colors are a big part of pads. Most pads these days have unique designs and colors. Just pick some that you like. You can't go wrong there really. A good thing to do if you can, is take your skates and pants to a hockey store that has goalie pads. Try to find a pad close to the one you want on eBay, and try all three on together. It's important that the pants work with pads and don't bunch up. Skates generally work with any pad, but you need them when trying on pads.
I hope this helps every goalie trying to save some money by buying gear on eBay. I've purchased used gear on eBay to great effect. I shutout those darn Michigan Wolverines. GO BUCKEYES!!! :)