Curling employs the use of some special equipment. Essentially, a personal
curler's equipment includes: gripper, slider, shoes, broom, stabilizer
(optional), warm clothes. New curlers can use their own shoes and borrow club
brooms. They only need to purchase grippers at first. As a new curler gains more
experience and finds out more about their curling style, they may purchase
shoes, a broom, stabilizer, and much more.
Gripper
A gripper is a soft-rubber shoe cover (slips over the bottom of
your shoe) that increases your grip while on the ice. It is essential for safely
walking on the ice. You primarily use a gripper to cover your curling shoes that
has a slider attached to it. Some beginner curlers who do not own curling
shoes may "double-grip", meaning they use a gripper on both their right and left
feet. Not only is it safer, it also allows you to be a better sweeper.
Slider
While a gripper allows you have better "grip" on the ice, a slider is a shoe
cover that allows you to "slide" better on the ice, which is essential to
delivering the stone. The slider has a thick teflon bottom that is
very slick when used on ice (and carpet). You will first have to determine if
you will curl left- or right-handed. Curlers usually curl with the same hand
they write with. You will need a slider for the opposite side foot that you curl
with (i.e. right-handed curlers need a left-foot slider, and vice versa).
Sliders are available in various sizes for
approximately $15 each. More expensive sliders have thicker teflon soles (more
stable).
Shoes
Slip-on grippers and sliders are good for beginning curlers. However,
as you gain experience you will want to upgrade to curling shoes. Curling shoes
have grippers and sliders built directly into the sole of the shoe and offer
increased stability and controllability while sliding over a slip-on gripper or
slider.
Shoes come in a variety of configurations, brands, and sizes. Talk with other
curlers to discuss which they prefer and may work best for you. Shoes cost
anywhere from $75 to $300 a pair. Good, middle of the line shoes cost
approximately $120.
Broom
A broom is used for sweeping the ice to change the 'curl' of a stone,
increase its running distance, and clear the stone's path of debris.
Furthermore, traditional curling style uses the broom for stability while
delivering (throwing) the stone. Brooms used to be made of corn straw, and then
later horse hair was used. Both methods had the bad tendency to leave debris on
the ice which would greatly affect the stone's delivery and slide. Modern brooms
use a nylon head with a plastic, fiberglass, or carbon fiber handles.
The club has brooms that new curlers can borrow while learning. Eventually
you will want to get your own broom.
Brooms come in several different styles. They typically cost anywhere
from $40 to $190.
Stabilizer
A new technique for stone delivery has developed that has useful to many
curlers in increasing their stone delivery accuracy and consistency. This is by
using a stabilizer rather than a broom for balance when delivering the stone.
Stabilizers cost approximately $70.