While there are a wealth of options an athlete can choose their equipment from, the process typically gets easier the longer they participate in that sport. In general, the hardest time to pick and choose equipment is when they are young and just starting out – the athlete has nothing to compare or contrast, so choosing equipment is kind of like taking a shot in the dark. But as they settle into the given sport, or better yet a particular position in that given sport, the athlete will come to know the different nuance’s in the equipment and what they like or dislike; whether to opt for a bulkier set of pads for more protection or a leaner set for more mobility; the particular length and compostition of a stick/bat/racket; the size and make and model of a shoe.
Occasionally, when there is more than one manufacturer of a piece of equipment that are strikingly similar, the choice of the athlete can be made for them simply by the price of the product.
Conversely, however, sometimes there is only one manufacturer of a certain piece of equipment; this too can make the athletes choice easy by the lack of options.