The best hockey tape grips typically fall into very specific categories for players old and new. For many players, taping their hockey stick is a pre-game ritual and is an important learning experience in becoming a hockey player. Some of the most popular, custom hockey tape grips consist of the following styles: 

• Spiral
• Knob
• Blade (Up and Down)
• Rings
• Blade (Left and Right) 

Today we will be highlighting the first 3 taping methods, which are some of the most common methods for new and experienced players. Let's get started!

 

The Spiral 

1. Tape the top of the hockey stick once and keep the tape together.
2. Unroll a piece of hockey tape by roughly 1 to 2 feet and let the tape roll dangle, and begin twisting the tape onto itself.
3. Once the tape has formed a tight rope, begin placing the tape from the knob on a downward 45 degree angle and carefully wrap it around the stick to create the spiral for the hockey grip. Typically, the spiral should travel down around 6 inches of the stick, but make it longer or shorter to get the best fit for your hand.
4. Once the spiral is placed around the shaft of the stick, start taping your way back up to the top of the stick using the unrolled tape, leaving as little space as possible between layers so the tape is not raised in places which may be uncomfortable for you. The best hockey tape grips are custom fit for your hand, so feel free to change the angle or spacing of the spiral to best fit your hand and playing preference. 

 

The Knob 

1. Taking the hockey tape, rip the tape halfway lengthwise so that you have two thinner rolls of tape.
2. Attach one half of the tape to the top of the stick and begin wrapping it around to start creating a custom hockey tape knob for your stick. The knob can be as large or small as you like, depending on where your hand grips the hockey stick and what is comfortable for you.
3. When the knob is a comfortable size for you, use the entire size of the tape to add one more tape layer from the knob to the bottom of the stick so that no rough edges are showing. 

 

The Blade

1. When taping the hockey blade, the first decision you should make is whether or not you wish to start from the heel or the toe of the blade. If you start from the heel, it will be easier to let the puck travel from the inside to the outside of your stick while toe to heel will do the opposite. Next, decide whether you want to cover the toe or leave the toe exposed.
2. Starting from the desired end of the blade, wrap the tape around the blade and work your way towards the other side, covering half of the tape on the blade as you wrap around the next section.
3. Depending on your preference, you can cover the entire blade from toe to heel, or stop earlier along the blade, covering a smaller section.
4. When you're finished taping, end the tape and tear it so that the end of the roll is along the top of the blade, rather than the bottom.
5. Using the remaining roll of tape, press it along the newly taped blade in order to smooth out any bubbles or inconsistencies.  

 

There's An Easier Solution

Properly taping your hockey stick can be a hassle to many players - even the experienced ones. Some of the biggest issues we hear from players include:

• Taking too long to apply
• Only lasting a few games (sometimes less!)
• Adhesive damaging expensive hockey equipment
• Snow and ice buildup on the stick

Hockey tape can be tough to deal with, especially when learning how to work it properly and the different techniques in order to best fit your play style. It's difficult to use and isn't always the easiest product to work with, and this is where Sniper Skin hockey grips come in. Sniper Skin offers all the perks of any custom hockey tape grip while also providing many solutions to the issues that players may find in hockey tape. Sniper Skin installs in seconds, uses no adhesive that can damage your equipment, and a grip can last you the lifetime of your stick. To learn more, you can share your email with us, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to learn more about Sniper Skin and hear about the benefits of saying goodbye to hockey tape! In the meantime, click here to find out more and watch the application in action!

Got a Wild Idea that you'd love to see on your grip? Design your own custom grip using Sniper Skin's Griptomizer Tool.