Required gear, in the order parents usually get confused about it.
Helmet with cage. Buy new. Never buy a used hockey helmet. Helmets degrade after impact even when there is no visible damage, and a seven-dollar savings is not worth the risk. HECC certification is required in USA Hockey leagues. The cage must be attached and rated to match the helmet. Full cages for youth players, no exceptions.
Skates. Fit matters more than brand. The skate should be snug at the heel with about a quarter-inch of toe room. Skates that are too big are genuinely dangerous. Buy in person at a hockey shop if you can. Many shops will bake new skates to speed the break-in. Used skates are fine if they have not been re-sharpened down past the tube.
Shoulder pads. Used is fine. They should cover the collarbone to the bottom rib with no gaps at the shoulder cap.
Elbow pads. Used is fine. Check that the elbow cap is still intact and the straps hold.
Gloves. Used is fine. Look for intact palms, since worn-through palms offer no protection on the boards.
Shin guards. Fit matters. They should run from the top of the skate boot to just below the kneecap with the knee cap centered. Wrong-size shin guards shift on every stride. Tape the top of the sock over the shin guard to keep them in place.
Pants (hockey pants or breezers). Used is fine. They should cover from the waist to the top of the knee.
Jock/Jill. Required. Buy new.
Neck guard. Required in most USA Hockey youth divisions. Buy new. Under $20.
Mouthguard. Required. Buy a pack of three.
Stick. Buy a junior composite appropriate for the kid’s height. Cut it so the blade reaches the chin when the kid is in skates. Used composite sticks crack and delaminate, so inspect carefully. A basic Bauer or CCM house stick around $30-40 is fine for the first season.
Bag. You need something that fits all of it. A dedicated hockey bag runs $30-60 used. Something with ventilation pockets saves you from the smell problem, which is real.
Gear rentals are available at most rinks for the first season if you want to test the commitment before spending. Worth considering for kids under eight.