Stones: Curling stones must weigh between 38 and 44 pounds. On average, stones weigh about 42 pounds (19.1 kg). In Olympic competition, one set of stones has red handles and the other has yellow handles. The stones themselves are gray and polished.

Shoes: Special curling shoes are common; shoes should grip the ice well. While shooting, extremely slippery surfaces such as Teflon are used on the sliding foot. Some are built into the shoes, while others are strapped on over the shoes.

Broom: Most brooms have synthetic bristles. Straw brooms were used in the past, but leave remnants of straw on the ice and thus are not commonly used in Olympic-level competition.

Gloves: Gloves are permitted in Olympic curling for grip comfort on a curling broom. Gloves may not be worn on the delivery hand when delivering a curling stone.

Competition clothing: Curlers wear jerseys and jackets that correspond with the country they are representing. Hats are permitted to be worn during competition.

Also known as rocks, curling stones are made of a rare, dense granite that is quarried on Scotland’s Ailsa Craig, an isle off the coast of Scotland. Ailsa Craig translates to 'fairy rock’ in Gaelic.

On average, a curling stone weighs 42 lbs., equivalent to the weight of approximately 131 baseballs or 101 softballs.

Curling brooms allow athletes to control the texture of the ice in front of a curling stone being delivered. By brushing the ice, curlers can influence the speed and direction of a curling stone, typically increasing the distance a rock travels on a curling sheet. Depending on the angle at which an athlete sweeps a rock, curlers can increase or decrease the amount of curl a stone has when traveling across the sheet of ice, allowing a precise delivery of stones in strategic positions around the house.

Olympic curlers wear specialized shoes that allow athletes to move with control throughout the sheet of ice, able to slide and stop at will. 

Curlers wear two types of shoes, one on each foot, while competing. The first shoe, known as the slider, has an underside made of Teflon or stainless steel that athletes put their weight on when delivering a stone from the hack. The second shoe, known as the gripper, has a thick, rubber sole giving athletes traction on the slippery surface.

When sweeping or moving throughout the sheet, curlers push off with the gripper shoe and balance on the slider shoe to glide across the ice during a match.

Proper curling gear is essential for success at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Without proper footwear, athletes would not be able to move on the ice properly during a match, which is essential for delivering a stone and sweeping. Professional curlers use the most up-to-date brooms, typically lightweight models, to ensure fast sweeping and control while attempting to score points in an end of curling.

Curling equipment is regulated by the International Olympic Committee following the World Curling Federation standards in the Statement of Principles for Competition Equipment. Standards for broom equipment in World Curling competition have been updated as recently as June 2025, which updated foam compression requirements for broom models.

Players must declare their sweeping devices before a match begins; if a curler uses another athlete's broom during a game, a team stone they swept would be removed from play, or an opponent's stone will return to its original position before sweeping occurred. Athletes are not permitted to switch their brush head throughout a curling match (unless special permission is given by an umpire), and an alternate player swapped into a match must use the brush head of the player they replaced. If either rules are broken, the team will forfeit the game.

If a player violates the Statement of Principles for Competition Equipment, penalties include:

• First team offense in competition: the player is disqualified from the competition and the team forfeits the game.
• Second team offense in a competition: The team is disqualified from competition and all players are not permitted to play in World Curling competitions for 12 months.