The hip pad, highlighted, should sit on the center of the hip bone. You want to make sure that the hip pad of your pants is in the center of your hip bone. The top of your pants should come up high enough to cover your rib area and your kidney area. We have extra pads made up to protect the lower extremities of the back, specifically for players that stand in front of the net, particularly the forwards. Equipment manufacturers are now starting to make the back piece longer on the shoulder pads to cover the lower back, so that is something to look for.
Many shoulder pads offer extra protection for the lower back.
There are many different ways to wear shin pads, but the key is to keep the center of the shin pad in the center of the knee. The overall length of the shin pad is a matter of preference of whether a player likes to wear the shin pad underneath the tongue of the skate or over top. Defensemen, for example, will often wear the the shin pads over top of the skate tongue so it gives them extra protection when blocking shots. Forwards want the shin pads a little shorter to increase flexibility in the ankle. The key to caring for your hockey equipment is not to leave it in your hockey bag when you get home.