Even one of the best NHL players of all time loses his grip on his stick sometimes, even when it means the Stanley Cup is on the line.
When you're on the ice there's a lot to think about. You've got the puck and you're breaking through the neutral zone, a defender is approaching fast and you've got a narrow window between him and the boards to get through.
The last thing you need at this moment is to have to worry about your grip on your hockey stick.
Hockey stick tape is used by every hockey player out there, but how much thought do you really put into it? The difference between amateur and professional is putting thought into every move you make. There are several accessories that are important when playing hockey. Check out what the pros use when it comes to hockey stick tape and hockey grip tape.
Best Hockey Stick Tape
You have plenty of options out there, so what do you pick? Everyone has their own preference, pros included, so why not start with them and see where it takes you? If it's good enough for a hall-of-fame player, it will probably work for you.
T.J. Oshie Hockey Stick Tape
Like many hockey players, Oshie tried everything to get himself out of a goalless streak. One of those things was changing up his hockey stick tape job to see if that helped.
While he fluctuates, Oshie is best known for his candy cane style of taping his stick. Anyone who played hockey in the nineties will definitely remember this.
Wrapping tape around your hockey stick like the red stripe in a candy cane provides a little extra grip. You can also twirl the tape into a string, wrap that around the stick, and then cover it with more tape.
This isn't needed anymore due to the grip on new sticks, but many do it out of a sense of nostalgia.
Patrick Sharp Hockey Stick Tape
Sharp must love hockey tape since he covers the entire blade in it.
Many will cover from the middle to the toe, some even just the toe, but Patrick Sharp goes the whole nine yards and covers the tip, the middle, the hill, and even up the shaft a bit.
While this must give some extra grip, it may be hard to replicate unless you've got a professional team buying you all your hockey stick tape.
Bobby Orr Hockey Stick Tape
Orr gets away with a lot because, let's face it, he's Bobby Orr. Some say it's because he just wasn't good at taping it, but regardless of the reason, he used little to no hockey grip tape.
If you play as well as the legendary Bobby Orr did, then don't worry about it, you do whatever you want. However, if you're like most players, wrap your stick just like the best players in the league do.
The Hockey Tape Method
It's not just about the hockey stick tape, it's about how to tape a hockey stick. Wrapping the handle will give your hands a better grip. Your gloves will definitely get sweaty and the hockey grip tape helps keep gloves on your stick.
Wrapping the blade allows the puck to stick to your blade a little better. If you need to drag the puck across the crease or grab a cross-ice pass, then make sure you give good tape coverage to your blade.
Even if you buy the best hockey stick tape out there, just blindly wrapping it around your stick and blade isn't the way to go.
Let's look at how some of the pros use their hockey stick tape.
Renfrew Ice Hockey Stick Blade Handle Tape
Renfrew's hockey stick tape is known for lasting quite a while, and is good for multiple uses before you have to replace it. This is great for the player on a budget.
When Renfrew says stick handle tape, they mean it. The problem with this tape is that the adhesive isn't meant to stick to blades. This means that you'll need to buy separate tape for your stick and blade.
This is great for those that don't want to retape their sticks every game, but won't take care of your blade.
Consider this when purchasing.
Howies Hockey Tape
Howie's hockey stick tape has a huge following, and it's clear why. The tape holds up well and is good for multiple uses. Some even use it to tape up their equipment like their shin pads.
You also have almost every color imaginable available for you. The tape is high quality, especially if you use wax to seal it.
Tape Brothers Cloth Tape
Tape brothers have gotten some notice for making a very sticky blade tape. If you're looking for stick tape that will have no problem clinging to the wood or synthetic material, this may be the tape for you.
If you're concerned about style, this may not be the best choice. Many complain about the colors being too dark and just not good looking.
VukGripz Hockey Tape
VukGripz is all about your grip. VukGripz hockey grip tape is not just for hockey sticks, but works for other sports as well.
VukGripz makes some of the most advanced tapes on the market. You'll find yourself not having to replace it as much due to its resistance to sweat and moisture.
Several colors of hockey tape, including neon, are available. Check them out if the grip is your number one priority for your hockey stick tape.
Jaybird Hockey Tape
You've probably heard of Jaybird hockey grip tape, since you can find it almost everywhere. It's readily available on Amazon and pretty much every hockey equipment store out there.
The tape is high quality and is known for being great for your equipment too, not just your sticks. If you want tape that's easy to find and comes in a variety of color and patterns, look for Jaybird.
Hockey Tape Superstitions
Some players swear by the ritual of taping their hockey stick before every single game. It is a form of meditation and superstition that will probably last as long as the great game of hockey exists. Need some help learning how to tape up your hockey stick? Find a detailed description of how to do it like a pro here.
If you're going to take part in this ritual you might as well use good tape. Next time you watch a professional hockey game, look at the blade tape and type of stick taping the players do and you'll see that finding your style is important.
Get The Best Hockey Grip Tape
If you want to up your hockey game, look for the best and most advanced hockey stick tape on the market. Control over your hockey stick is extremely important, so improving this with the use of hockey stick tape is useful. Vukgripz hockey stick tape is made for your hands and not the blade. This hockey tape is resistant to slippage by wicking away moisture with the thousands of little fingerlike grips on the tape. Vukgripz is by far the leader in the hockey grip tape industry and works on baseball and softball bats as well. They also offer some awesome hockey stick tape colors so that you can stand out!