Why Do Hockey Players Tape Their Sticks

Taping a hockey stick is just as much for tradition and personal preference as it is for function.  That being said, there are several valid and important reasons to tape a hockey stick.  Your playing style and needs will dictate what methods you use and how it looks when complete. 

Taping Your Hockey Stick- Protection

Hockey sticks were originally made entirely of wood.  Wrapping your stick with hockey tape was a way to help protect the stick.  Constant exposure to melting ice can warp a wooden bat.  If your hockey stick became warped, it would interfere with puck handling during a game. Wooden sticks are also prone to splintering and denting.  

Taping your hockey stick, especially the blade is a way to minimize warping and damage, and to improve your hockey stick grip.  As hockey sticks evolved to mainly be constructed from composite building materials, water damage is less of a concern.  Composite materials are still prone to damage, and taping helps to minimize that risk.

Taping Your Hockey Stick- Control

Hockey players also use hockey tape to help with stick and puck control.  As players sweat, and get wet from melting ice, their hockey sticks can start to feel slippery from a loss of friction.  Using hockey grip tape on the handle can help improve the player’s grip on the stick by adding friction. VukGripz hockey grip tape is thin, durable, and waterproof.  VukGripz tape is also reusable.

Typically players will create a knob at the end of the shaft. The knob serves as a barrier to prevent the stick from slipping out of the player’s hand.  Some players also wind tape around the shaft to create ridges that help with grip.  

Taping the blade in different styles changes the way the puck is received and passed.  The taped surface can make it easier to control the puck and make more accurate passes. Taping the blade helps to create a cushion that can make the puck easier to manipulate.  

Taping your Hockey Stick with VukGripz

VukGripz has developed a thin hockey tape with Award Winning Technology.  The bumps used provide gripping power in an unmatched way!  VukGripz hockey tape is reusable.  It uses strong adhesive that will stick, and re-stick when you need it.