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Curling Equipment for Beginners
What you actually need, what the club provides, and when it's worth buying your own gear.
Start by Borrowing, Not Buying
For your first season, your club will provide almost everything: a slider, a broom, and sometimes even gloves. The only things you need to bring are yourself and appropriate clothing. Wait until you've played several games before investing in your own equipment — you'll have a much better sense of what you want.
Curling Shoes
Curling shoes are the most important piece of personal equipment. They have two different soles:
The Slider (one foot)
A slippery Teflon or stainless steel sole that lets you glide out of the hack when you deliver a stone. Worn on your dominant foot (the foot you lead with).
The Gripper (other foot)
A rubber sole for traction. Your trailing foot when you slide. Keeps you from slipping uncontrollably.
As a beginner: clubs provide strap-on sliders that fit over your regular shoes. Good enough to start. Entry-level dedicated curling shoes run $80–$150 CAD, mid-range $200–$350.
The Curling Broom
A curling broom (or brush) consists of a long handle and a fabric pad head. You use it to sweep the ice in front of a moving stone to control its speed and direction.
Modern brooms use synthetic fabric heads (previously it was actual horse hair or corn straw). The head fabric type — and how you press it — affects how much friction is generated.
Gloves & Grippers
Throwing glove
A light glove worn on your throwing hand. Keeps your hand warm on the stone and gives a consistent grip on the handle. Some curlers prefer fingerless gloves or no glove at all — personal preference.
Gripper (sole)
A slip-on rubber sole worn over your non-sliding foot, used in addition to your regular shoe when delivering. Most clubs loan these out. If you buy dedicated curling shoes, they come built in.
The Curling Stone
Curling stones are made from a specific type of granite found primarily in Ailsa Craig, Scotland, and Trefor, Wales. They weigh 17–20 kg (38–44 lbs) and are highly polished to slide smoothly on ice.
A set of 16 stones for a sheet costs $5,000–$10,000+ CAD. Clubs own their own stones — you'll never need to buy one.
What to Wear
- ✓Stretch pants or athletic pants — you'll be lunging into a delivery stance; avoid jeans or stiff trousers
- ✓Layered top — the ice surface is around 0°C; you'll warm up when sweeping but cool down fast when standing
- ✓Hat optional — not required but appreciated on cold rinks
- ✗No street boots or heels — any clean flat-soled shoe works for your first visit
Find a Club to Try It Out
The club provides the gear — you just show up and give it a shot.