| Shoes | | | | front edge of the rock is turning, especially |
| Curling shoes: The slider shoe (center), with its | | | | toward the end of its delivery. The degree of curl |
| thin Teflon surface, is worn during delivery to slide | | | | depends on several factors, including the |
| on the ice; a slip-on gripper (left) is worn over the | | | | preparation of the ice and the flattening of |
| slider at other times; the other shoe (right) has a | | | | common paths to the house during the game. Ice |
| rough surface to give traction on the ice.When | | | | on which the rocks curl well is said to be swingy. |
| curling, players need to wear specially designed | | | | The Scots in particular believe that the best |
| shoes. The sole of one shoe has a thin strip of | | | | quality curling stones are made from a specific |
| Teflon or another type of smooth surface, called | | | | type of granite called "Ailsite", found on the Ailsa |
| a slider. Inexpensive sliders can be purchased and | | | | Craig, an island off the Ayrshire coast. According |
| attached to any shoes by means of an elastic | | | | to the Scottish Curling Stone Company, Ailsite has |
| strap. This enables curlers to slide out of the hack | | | | very low water absorption which prevents the |
| when delivering a rock. Left-handed curlers wear | | | | action of freezing and melting water from eroding |
| this shoe on their right foot, while right-handed | | | | the stone. [4] In the past, most curling stones |
| curlers wear it on their left. The other shoe has a | | | | were made from this granite. However, the island |
| thin layer of rubber to maximize traction on the | | | | is now a wildlife reserve, and is no longer used for |
| ice. Another piece of footwear is the gripper, | | | | quarrying. Because of the particular rarity of |
| which can slide on and off the shoe with the | | | | Ailsite, costs for curling stones can reach as much |
| slippery surface. This is also usually made of | | | | as $1500 (USD) for Olympic grade stones. Many |
| rubber. This piece of equipment is needed when a | | | | curling clubs use a lower grade stone that can be |
| player is sweeping, and needs traction with both | | | | upwards of $500. There are also stones which |
| feet. | | | | use a disc of ailsite attached to another type of |
| The curling broom is used to sweep the ice | | | | granite to provide the running surface. Very |
| surface in front of the rock. | | | | informal neighbourhood curling clubs with limited |
| Brooms (or brushes) | | | | resources may make cylindrical "curling stones" |
| The curling broom is used to sweep the ice | | | | out of concrete-filled cans. |
| surface in front of the rock. Aggressive sweeping | | | | The curling stones used at the 2006 Winter |
| momentarily melts the ice, which lessens friction, | | | | Olympics in Torino were provided by the Garn |
| thereby lessening the deceleration of the rock, | | | | For granite quarry at the Yr Eifl mountain on the |
| while straightening the trajectory of the rock. The | | | | Llyn Peninsula in North-West Wales. |
| broom can also be used to clean debris off the | | | | Specialized equipment |
| ice, although this is often done in vain. The skip will | | | | A special handle for stones, called "Eye On The |
| also hold a broom at the opposite end of the rink | | | | Hog", has recently been developed, which |
| from the delivering player to show the deliverer | | | | integrates electronics to ensure the stone is |
| where to aim the rock. | | | | released before it crosses the hog line. The handle |
| In earlier days, brooms were made of corn | | | | is coated in metallic paint; the circuitry detects the |
| strands and were similar to household brooms. | | | | relative charge of the thrower's hand contact to |
| Brushes were used primarily by elderly curlers as | | | | determine if they are still in contact, and a linear |
| a substitute for corn brooms. Today, brushes | | | | field is established at the hog line to indicate its |
| have replaced traditional corn brooms at every | | | | location to the internal sensor. Lights at the base |
| level of curling, but are universally referred to as | | | | of the handle indicate whether contact was |
| brooms. Brooms are also used by some curlers | | | | sustained past the line or not. Not only does this |
| as a balancing aid during delivery of the stone. | | | | remove the chance for human error (eliminating |
| Curling stone (or rock) | | | | the game's most frequent cause of controversy), |
| The curling stone or rock is made out of | | | | but it means there is no need for hogline officials |
| granite.The curling stone, or rock, weighs a | | | | as well. The downside for the technology is that |
| maximum of 44 lbs. (19.96 kg) and is fitted with a | | | | the equipment currently costs around $650 a |
| handle on top allowing it to be rotated as it is | | | | piece which multiplies quickly with the amount of |
| released. If the handle is rotated across the body | | | | rocks and sheets of ice in a tournament. |
| (clockwise for a right-handed thrower, | | | | Therefore its use is found mostly in high-level |
| counter-clockwise for a leftie), the shot is said to | | | | national and international competitions such as the |
| be an in-turn, and if rotated away from the body | | | | Winter Olympics. |
| (counter-clockwise for a right-handed thrower, | | | | Although the rock is designed to be delivered by |
| clockwise for a leftie), it is an out-turn. The | | | | players grasping the handle as they slide down the |
| handles are colour-coded to differentiate one | | | | ice, a special "delivery stick" may be used by |
| team's rocks from the other's (usually, one team's | | | | players incapable of delivering the rock in this |
| rocks are red and the other's are yellow). The | | | | fashion. Such a stick is designed to attach to the |
| handle may also contain circuitry for detecting hog | | | | handle so that it can be released without requiring |
| line violations. | | | | the player to place a hand on the handle in a |
| The bottom of the rock is not flat, however, but | | | | crouched position. This allows the game to be |
| concave with the actual surface in contact with | | | | played by players with disabilities, as well as those |
| the ice ("running surface") being only 1 to 1 inch (6 | | | | unable to crouch comfortably. According to the |
| to 12 mm) wide along the rim of the concave | | | | Canadian Curling Association Rules of Curling, "The |
| bottom. This narrow running surface allows the | | | | use of a curling aid commonly referred to as a |
| pebble applied to the ice to have an effect on the | | | | 'delivery stick' which enables the player to deliver |
| action of the rock. On properly prepared ice, the | | | | a stone without placing a hand on the handle is |
| rock's path will bend (curl) in the direction the | | | | considered acceptable." |