Okay, so years ago I wrote an article about taping hockey sticks and when to do it. Apply one to the forehand and backhand side of your blade roughly 1/2 inch from the bottom. This is just to keep your top hand from sliding off and to make your stick easier to pick up should you drop it. This will help you stick handle better because of the color contrast to the puck. Adding a squared knob, a rounded knob, ribs or candy cane tape job are great ways to keep a firm handle on your stick. This Hockey Blade curve is a great option for players who play the game with the puck on the toe of their stick, due to the toe curve with an open face. I can skate okay but my shot is weak and my stickhandling is sub-par. Shop Now CCM Jetspeed FT5 Pro White North Edition Grip Ice Hockey Stick - Senior $339.99 ADD TO CART Bauer E5 Nexus Pro Grip Ice Hockey Stick - Senior $219.99 ADD TO CART Actual sales may not . Some of the most popular patterns include the spiral, the figure-eight, and the snake. It is our mission at Honest Hockey to provide comprehensive, accurate, and unbiased reviews of the latest hockey gear. When determining which Hockey Stick Curve would be best for you, it is important to keep in mind what position you play, what type of shots you primarily take, and which one plays the best to the strengths of your game. Yeah, I was an engineering major. Ensure there is no debris on the stick and clean off any residue tape from the previous tape job. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. I know, it's tough to see -- we'll get to that. It's a cool idea for adding a custom grip. 4.5 (2) 4.5 out of 5 stars. The red arrow indicates how the puck should be moving from the heel of the stick towards the toe during the shooting or passing motion. It's made with good quality materials, has great performance and the best price point for a 6 pack. View The ridges of the tape will help keep the puck from sliding off the toe. It's is measured as a number between 4 and 8 and printed in front of the shaft (most curves for senior sticks are between 5-6 lie). Yes, you tape a hockey stick heel to toe. I also think it's important to mention that the tape job on a hockey stick will NOT increase the velocity of your shot. Pinch the top and bottom and cut them off with scissors. How a player tapes a hockey stick varies depending on personal preference. Stand a quarter up and see if it fits inside the curve of the blade. View my: Bio & LinkedIn. Most major Hockey Stick brands have a variety of different Hockey Stick Curves, with many of them having both strengths and weaknesses. It comes in several different colors and designs and is just 0.5 millimeters thick. Defense should use white tape to "hide" their poke checks and forwards should use black so the goalie can't get a good read on where the puck's release point is. For a two-strand, pick a spot on the blade and wrap it twice with cloth or friction tape. Get all the latest information on Events, Sales and Offers. Shipping: US $32.05 Expedited Shipping. FIND NOW >>, America's Largest Hockey Retailer! Ive always had a passion for games and hobbies since I was a little kid growing up in the country. Comp O Stik hockey tape is popular for taping the blades and handles of ice hockey sticks as it's made of cloth and helps improve your puck control. The two biggest factors are playing frequency, and the level of play at which you are playing at. With an exposed heel, you can get more feel when youre stickhandling. For goalies, the recommended tape pattern is toe-to-heel so that the puck rolls off the blade, especially during passing and shooting. Spin the tape roll until you have a nice solid rolled segment to wrap around your butt end. Moreso, it comes down to comfort working your way from one end of the blade to the other given the shape and lie of your hockey stick. The Going To Boston Dice Game: Step By Step Breakdown & Tips, Our Guide To Mounting A Dartboard Correctly. Shop & Save on Bulk Tape, Pucks, Bottles & More! You can go from the heel to the toe, or toe to the heel. It generates friction that allows the put to stick to and "roll" down the blade of the stick like a car's tires do on the road. The soft-grip tape is very conformable and lightweight and adheres to itself instead of coming with a strong adhesive coating. After the blade is taped, we recommend applying wax so the puck bites on the blade as you play. For that reason, weve built a buying guide of the best hockey stick tapes for you. Grab it from here between your thumb and index finger and peel it off one side at a time. The friction tape comes with an additional grip for better puck handling and vibration absorption and enables you to get an excellent grip on your stick. Lots of players also rub a hockey puck back and forth along the blade, which keeps water and ice from sticking to the tape; the black scuff marks may also help hide the puck from the goalie, if you're using white tape. Use hockey stick wax for this step. Up to 50% less than retail! Hold the end of the tape with one hand up in the air so the roll is dangling, then spin it. And then there are guys who use no or minimal tape on their butt ends like Jason Woolley and Brad Marchand. White-colored tape also helps your teammates see a pass coming from you more clearly. A deep curve depth will provide the most control thanks to the blade being able to really cup the puck. That's bad. You just taped your stick blade like one of the greatest of all time. The application is simple; put 5-strands of tape right in the middle of your blade. All rights reserved. The tape is made of thick woven-cotton with a consistent coating of tacky adhesive and is designed to form a moisture barrier between your blade and the ice. Some players prefer to have small tight spaces between wraps, resulting in a slightly thicker tape job and different feel. Not just any tape will do; more on this later. They slow that directional force down, actually, since they're pointing in opposite directions (the red vs. the green arrows). Taping your hockey stick will also increase its durability and thus quality stick tape should be seen as an investment that will save you money rather than an expense. +1 colors/patterns Hockey Tape | Multipurpose Cloth Tape Roll for Ice & Roller Hockey Stick, Blade & Handle Protector | Strong Over Grip for Lacrosse Baseball Bat | Sports Gifts, Accessories, Equipment, Gear $2588 Save $8.00 with coupon (some sizes/colors) FREE delivery Fri, May 5 Or fastest delivery Wed, May 3 The best way to tape the top of your stick is to build a butt end knob perfectly suited to your grip and style of play. Athletic tape is used to wrap injuries to fingers or ankles, for example, or to create stability for injured joints, ligaments, or tendons. Anyone else over 40 notice that? In an interview with Sportsnet, Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin said: I change it. Total hack. Hockey tape is now considered to be essential hockey equipment for NHL players and there are several different types on the market including cloth and grip tapes to suit your personal preference. Comp O Stik. Grip tape The grip tape is made with a cohesive material. Considering he has 3 Stanley Cups, an Art Ross Trophy, Hart Trophy, and Conn Smythe to his name, no one is arguing with the method to his madness. The tape I was using in the 1980's, and tearing with ease, was nearly frozen. Heel Curves are blades that have more of a curve near the base (or Heel) of the blade. Sports Tape Hockey Stick Tape typically comes in rolls that are an inch wide and 20 yards long and money can be saved when buying multi-packs of tape. This basically means that it sticks to. Use a napkin or paper towel to add volume to your knob, so you avoid hundreds of revolutions with your roll of hockey tape. Choose which color you want to use or any combination of more than one. A roll of the tacky adhesive stick tape is typically an inch wide by 20 yards long and is quite durable. Regardless, pick a starting point your heel or your toe and begin working your way to the other end of the blade. Find the best hockey puck here. A good grip doesnt mean it has to be large; those are reserved for goalie sticks. Its quite durable and remains in place while wet. 7) TRUE Catalyst 9X Grip Hockey Stick. NEW Stick Finder: Renfrew Cloth Hockey Tape - 1-inch - Solid Colors, Renfrew Polyflex Sock Tape Clear 1.5 Inch, Rezztek Hockey Stick Blade Grip - Double Pack - Senior, Rezztek Hockey Stick Blade Grip - Double Pack - Junior, Rezztek Hockey Stick Blade Grip - Sling Double Pack - Junior, Renfrew Bulk 1 Inch White Cloth Tape 36-Pack, Renfrew Bulk 1 Inch Black Cloth Tape 36-Pack, Howies Hockey Stretch Grip Hockey Tape 1.5in. By pulling tight to the curve of the blades toe, you can typically avoid bunching the tape or leaving any spots untaped. This makes it very easy for players to get the puck off their blade and into the top corner quickly. and even though some of them are made of materials such as Polyethylene, they do not pose a risk for our health and can be used frequently. Howies stick tape is available in several colors such as white, black, red and blue. It also helps your shots to have more zip on them because it creates more spin. The cloth tapes are made of tightly-woven poly-cotton cloth material which makes it a natural rubber adhesive. Is an explanation really necessary? Even better, though, remind your kids not to drag their stick blade on the ground through the parking lot. If you like, you can stop reading herecause we're about to get geeky explaining the reasons why this is the correct way. www.honesthockey.com, Sparx Skate Sharpener Review & Discount Code. Speaking from pure experience, weve noticed little to no difference in on-ice feel and performance. We discuss all of this in more detail below. This cloth tape is ideal for taping the grips, blades, and handles of all hockey sticks. With a proper lie, the bottom of the blade is flat against the ice when the player is holding the stick normally. We have even heard of people using both black and white tape so that you can get the best of both worlds. While taping a stick may not be as complicated as remodeling your kitchen, it still pays to set up your workstation. This design allows for players to be provided with better energy transfer from the stick to take shots with higher velocity. Each roll is 39 inches long and contains a top cap for the end of the shaft as well as finishing tape. Also, its easily the most customizable as it can be of any length, thickness, design, or type of tape (cloth or grip) that feels most comfortable in your top hand. Along with your rolls of tape, a tube or disk of hockey stick wax belongs in your kit bag or the accessories pocket of your gear bag. I'd bet some out there reading this have been doing it the correct way, if accidentally, all along! Comp O Stik Pride. Over the past few years, something as simple as hockey tape has gotten really convoluted. A 1-inch high and 3-inch wide block is way harder to track. For example, length, weight, and flex, but perhaps the most important quality of an Ice Hockey Stick will be the Hockey Stick Curve or Hockey Stick Pattern. It's just increasing the velocity of the spin -- which is the yellow arrow. Safe buy - Nothing to crazy, prototypical curve, the (Blade 2) is probably best. Teaching the Little Ones to Skate Then again, who am I to question a guy who played wing on a line with Wayne Gretzky? The blue arrows, again, indicate the direction the shot or pass is being directed. Ideally, you always want it "on" the tape. Wellmaybe we could use the slight advantage a correct tape job can offer. See details Always use black tape to disguise the puck and make it harder for goalies to track. At the very bottom, wrap cloth tape around the shaft to ensure the grip tape doesnt unravel during play. The best way to tape a hockey stick is by using whichever patterns and methods enhance your skills on the ice. As a hockey player, learning how to tape a hockey stick is a rite of passage. Bauer introduced a cutout blade in the revolutionary Sling hockey stick, leaving players wondering how to tape it. A physics nerd. Supreme; Vapor; Nexus; CCM / Reebok. If this happens, removing the tape and any tape residue is easy because you can easily tear it off from that point. The tape can be found in an assortment of widths, lengths, colors, and patterns and can also be bought in bulk in multi-pack bundles and cases. Should You Use White Or Black Stick Tape? You wont find many players taping their blades from toe to heel unless they use the toe tape job. Start by identifying the very center and then imagine two strands to the heel side. A few seasons later, he tallied 50 goals in a single season for the Hartford Wolf Pack. There are two schools of thought when it comes to whether you should use white or black stick tape: If youre a beginner, then I would suggest #1. This tape can be used for: taping the stick handle to allow for a better grip taping the stick blade to protect it from wearing and provide a grip on the puck But, again, there are always exceptions as some players like to further customize their stick with a candy cane of cloth tape down the shaft or by adding tackiness with a sticky-stick.. Others use white tape because their stick blends with the ice better. Again, this is diagram showing a right-handed shot where the toe is on the right. This will make it easy to get a good grip and tear the previous wrap off. Start by making your knob at the top, and then tear off about a foot or more of tape and twist it into a skinny rope. Find A Store Near You>>. $4.97. Reply HELP for help and STOP to cancel. Taping from heel to toe, that's what. If you're taping the toe, you're drifting in to the latter category. Copyright 1999 - 2023 MonkeySports, Inc. All Rights Reserved. This is especially true if this is your first time taping. You tape hockey sticks for two reasons control and grip. Pattern Database - The Stick Guru; Leave a Reply Cancel reply. You may think this is a heated debate, but in my eyes and those of many hockey players, there is only one direction to tape your stick; heel to toe. Most of the time, the tape will become damaged toward the heel first. Monday-Friday: 8am-8pm ET | Saturday: 9am-6pm ET | Sunday: 9am-6pm ET. Due to most of the curve being in the middle of the blade, Hockey Sticks with these Blade Patterns are great for stickhandlers, passers, and accuracy on all types of shots, including backhand shots. One time at the pro shop, the woman at the counter handed me tape that had a serrated edge rather than a straight edge. For a toe-covered blade, tape your stick as usual, then once you reach the toe, wrap it as if it's square to create a squared-off flap, then use scissors to trim around the toe. Let us help you find your next hockey stick in 4 steps! By having the tape end short of the toe, your bottom hand should be able to feel that the puck is beyond the tape -- if you haven't released it already, NOW is the time to do it cause you're already late. Regarding the unusual tape job, he did it originally for the added weight that it gave the stick and then he grew accustomed to the added grip it provided too. If youre just learning to tape your stick, you may experience a few rounds of trial and error before you figure it out. In that orientation, you're creating notches on the blade of the stick that the edge of the puck grabs on toincreasing the spin rate as it travels towards the toe. Wrapping hockey tape on the blade also prevents moisture and ice buildup, so the puck tracks with your blade instead of slipping out of control. A puck flipping around like that looks like a beachball to even the youngest goaltender. Renfrew Stick Tape is quite popular due to the wide assortment of colors and designs offered. And EVERY goalie knows a good shot is coming off the stick just shy of the toe. The Bauer PM9 features a Mid-Heel Curve with a closed face. Another option is grip tape, which is often used for other sports like tennis and baseball. Find the best cloth hockey tape at Pure Hockey. Or, it should be. *Veteran tip: if your blade has tape residue leftover from your previous tape job, slide it across rubber locker room floors to collect and remove theresidue from the bottom edges of the blade. Honest Hockey is a website dedicated to bringing you the best information and resources to improve your hockey game. That said, rather than continue to poke fun at the guys who re-tape their kid's stick before every game this around, I thought it might be a better idea to explain that there is a 'correct' way to tape your stick. Mid Curves are a balance of the two. Wrapping your blade, butt end, or shaft with hockey tape protects your equipment and adds grip, giving you advantages on the ice. Need Help? That said, this guide will dive into what some of the different types of curves, how they affect the puck, Hockey Stick Curves from the major stick brands, some NHL player curves, along with some popular commonly asked questions about Hockey Stick Blade Curves. Would You Rather Have Patrick Kanes Hands or Alexander Ovechkins Shot? This is an updated version of Bobby Orrs famous 2-strand tape job. We are dedicated to bringing you the highest quality hockey gear reviews and industry news so that youre up to date and know which equipment is best for your goals. If creases or wrinkles develop as you wrap the tape around the blade, simply trim off this extra with sharp scissors. We wouldnt be able to dangle, sauce, and snipe without our beloved twigs. Youll also be able to find clear shinguard tape and cohesive soft-grip tape by Comp O Stik. Certain content that appears on gamequarium.com comes from Amazon Services LLC. A single roll of black or white thick friction tape is an inch wide and 20 yards in length and can be bought in bulk with cases of 36 rolls available. As a downside of the very open face, backhand shooting and passing accuracy will be negatively affected. The puck can and will spin right off the end of your stick. But were here to provide some clarity. If you prefer cloth tape, its your call if you prefer to start from the top or bottom. The best hockey tape to use depends on your personal preference. Dont try to unravel, as this will only lead to small chunks being removed at a time. Gather all the accessories you need to tape your hockey stick, which may or may not include: A post shared by Hockey Players Club (@hockeyplayersclub) on Sep 9, 2019 at 2:57pm PDT. When you make pass or shoot a puck, if done correctly, the puck contact should start near the heel of the blade and make its way towards the toe before firing off in the direction you're sending it. Apply nothing if you like the natural feel of cloth hockey tape. The fact is, the tape on your hockey stick is NOT going to make your child a better hockey player. "sticky-stick" - typically an old piece of a stick wrapped in hockey tape with the adhesive side facing out to be rubbed on a non-grip shaft to apply tackiness, as seen below being used by Patrick Kane stick wax- reduces your blade tape job from getting waterlogged (prolonging your tape job) and adds some grip to the puck 3. This is a durable, tough tape that is made from tightly woven poly-cotton fabric and comes with a plastic grip coating which makes it ideal for taping the blades and handles of sticks. For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. Many players start by covering the edge of the toe with a single strip of hockey tape. Also good for backhand shots. Players enhance the butt end with tape, building a knob that conforms to their specific grip. Skating into the Sunset: When Youth Hockey Ends This classic mid-curve blade is a great all-around blade, excelling in puck control, stick handling, hard wrist shots, and quick releases! Plus, over time, the grip will slightly mold to your hand and become more comfortable. This usually happens on the bottom edge of the blade first since that is what makes the most contact. When you make a pass or take a shot, you're not just pushing your stick towards your target -- you're also pulling the heel of the blade in towards your body as you make your way towards your follow through. Yeah, he had some decent hands. There can be a lot to learn when it comes to Hockey Stick Curves, so stop in to any one of our MonkeySports stores across the United States, where you can try out various curves in the shooting rooms! You know, where I've said your tape job should end. There are a variety of hockey stick taping patterns that can be used to improve the grip and feel of the stick. Jul 24, 2006 #4 . You should use white hockey tape if you want to enhance the visibility of the puck for yourself. The water-resistant tape stays secure even in moist conditions and offers a strong, long-lasting bond. The only thing the tape does is enhance your ability to feel where the puck is on your blade and help generate for rotation on the puck for better control and accuracy. By having more friction at the release point, you can add some power to all your shots. You can use any number of combinations or add in your own creations. Whatever gives you the most accurate passes and dirtiest dangles is the best tape job for you. But if that is your reality, many players prefer avoiding tape along the bottom edge of their blades to reduce scuffing and friction of their blade to the playing surface. It's hard to tell, but the puck really does grab on to the blade of the stick. Coloured and graphic-design rolls can be found in a variety of lengths. This is a comfort and feel area and each player can get a little creative as long as it does not hinder your play. Weve built HockeyMonkey.ca specifically for our Canadian Customers. Other players dont have any official gap between their butt end and candy by continuing to tape down the shaft while taping their butt end, simply adding some gap between spirals once theyre onto the candy cane section of the tape job. As you have probably heard many times already, keep your head up. Heel Curves are predominantly used by defensemen as they help improve slap shot power and accuracy. That's what Renfrew, the manufacturer, claims in addition to saying that it lasts longer, is stickier, and is just better overall. Essentially, you're giving the puck a push to spin faster. As you progress, you can then experiment with other methods. Super easy to track and super easy to stop. You need to tape your stick with the best hockey tape you can find! You see it in professional hockey all the time -- guys "whiff" on a shot. Some players also tape their fingers or wrists for added support, or use hockey tape to secure their shin guards. Hockey Stick Patterns that are listed as having Toe Curves are often preferred by forwards as they will allow them to lift the puck quicker and easier during shooting in tight spaces. The stretchy grip tape has a spongy feel with a soft abrasive grip and comes in rolls that are five yards long and 1.5 inches wide. Youll need hockey tape for your pre-game stick wrapping, whether you wrap the handle, create a rib, or prefer a particular taping pattern for the blade. Now cover the spiral wind with tape, and there you have it: a basic do-it-yourself grip with a rib. The 5-strand technique is not common but can help you feel the puck better when handling. Open faced blade types are, as the name states, the most open of the three. Like Kevin Fialas tape job, pictured below, cut two strips of tape the length of your blade. Many players prefer a fresh tape job on their blade every time they skate, which is a lot easier if you have endless team tape or never run out due to your hockey tape subscription. 11) Bauer Vapor Hyperlite Hockey Stick. Also, many players will begin the candy cane down their shaft, beginning a few inches below the bottom or end of their butt end. never run out due to your hockey tape subscription, interview with Sportsnet, Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin, A post shared by Hockey Players Club (@hockeyplayersclub), although Patrick Sharp breaks this rule a little bit, friction tape relatively uncommon nowadays but has adhesive on both sides for added grip on the puck, sticky-stick typically an old piece of a stick wrapped in hockey tape with the adhesive side facing out to be rubbed on a non-grip shaft to apply tackiness, as seen below being used by Patrick Kane. You want smooth, symmetrical wraps over the blade so the tape job helps your shooting and passing instead of leaving you with an unpredictable blade surface. Gravity isn't really in play here -- besides keeping everything on the ice. Even when aided by my teeth, it still folds over and sticks to itself creating a ton of wasted tape each time I try it. It protects the shaft and blade and since it's water resistant it stays attached when wet meaning there's no need for stick wax. There's a stamped diamond pattern and it's not aesthetic. Some players do this because the tape on their blade gets torn throughout each game, but in . Trim any flaps hanging off the toe with scissors as well. The vulcanized rubber helps repel water and flatten your tape job. Some players, like Sidney Crosby, prefer to add some extra grip to their butt end by adding a candy cane of rolled tape underneath their grip or cloth tape. It doesn't. As for the rest of us? This is a big reason why players at this level will have numerous backup sticks. Other players prefer the thinnest tape job possible by barely overlapping the wraps of the tape around the blade. Some players and goalies remove the tape and retape the stick before each game, but ultimately thats personal preference. Some players tape from the butt end to the tip of the blade, and others tape specific areas, like just one section of the blade. Perhaps the fastest growing Hockey Blade right now is the P28 McDavid curve. Here you can see how the overlapping tape job creates notches on the face of the stick blade. There are two types of hockey tape: cloth and adhesive. Connor McDavid uses white tape and so does Auston Matthews. Okay, so now we've covered how to tape, why to tape, and which colour you should use. 0 In Stock. Regarding the Humboldt Broncos Tragedy Hockey Stick Tape - 1.5" Wide Black. Now, when I try that, even as an adult, the tape just folds over and sticks to itself. Once youve finished your tape job, use the side of a puck to flatten all creases and edges.

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