How to Retape a Hockey Stick

Properly taping a hockey stick is one of the old rituals of the game. If you want to be taken seriously at the rink, you'd better know how to do it right. Follow these steps and your stick will be faultless. As for your skating skills, that's up to you.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Black cloth tape, 1 or 1 1/4 inches (2.5 or 3 cm) wide

1. Remove any old tape. Apply a strip of black cloth tape along the bottom edge of the blade, then fold the excess up each side of the blade.

2. Wrap tape around the blade, beginning at the end. After the first wrap, run the tape at a slight angle to create an overlap of about 1/4 inch (6 mm).

3. Keep the tape flat across the inside of the curved blade. Press the tape as flat as possible across the outside of the blade.

4. Continue wrapping until the blade begins to angle into the handle.

5. Wrap tape around the handle, beginning about 6 inches (15 cm) below the top and continuing up to the top.

6. Build up a knob of tape at the end about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick to keep your hand from slipping off.

Tips & Warnings

• Black cloth tape is available at sporting-goods stores.

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[TopShelf]

on 1/10/2007 There are better ways out there to make a knob on the end of your stick besides tape alone.

1. There is a product called Oggie Sticky Grip Foam which replaces how a person would twist his/her tape into a piping to make a grip with cool soft foam shapes to provide a “squishy” grip. You will still have to tape over this grip with white tape.

2. There is a product called Grip-it which is a slide on type grip which again you will have to tape over with white tape, but you don’t have to twist your tape. It’s like a pre-coiled wire that you slide down onto the stick and then tape over. Again you get a more uniform grip.


3. There is a grip that slides over your stick called Tacki-Mac which provides you with a more uniform grip than any tape could provide. The wetter it gets the better it feels. This grip has been around for quite some time and many NHLers are using them.

4. Last there is another product from Oggie which are composite insert style grips that have enhanced flex built into the grips to compensate for cutting your hollow composite stick. They have the Classic Grip which is more of a traditional grip to how many players tape their sticks. They also have a curved one called the Ergo Grip to fit your hand better and provide you with better control. And again you’ll always have the same consistent grip. These grips can also be used as extensions for short or broken sticks.

As you can see, there are many other choices to make a hockey stick grip than tape alone. It’s up to your individual feel to see what will work best for you. Any of these grips may give you the edge you are looking for to get that next goal.

[Ovechken8]

on 1/2/2007 Hey im just tapping my stick right now here are some instructions 1st you tape the bottom of the curve then the top 2nd you must wrap the tape around the blade I prefer you do it all the way last but not least wax your stick very good

on 8/8/2006 There are new high-tech hockey stick grips that fit into the new style hollow composite sticks only. You no longer have to tape your stick. There are many benefits to using these new grips instead of tape :
1. Same consistent grip every time.
2. The new grips have a soft comfortable rubber outer.
3. Easier to pick up off the ice if stick is dropped.
4. If you cut your stick, the grips have enhanced flex built-in to compensate for cutting your stick.
5. Curved to fit your hand and are much more comfortable than tape.

on 6/30/2006 You should use white tape to tape the top of your stick, it won't ruin your gloves.

on 6/30/2006 Use black stick tape on the blade of your stick. It camouflages the puck from the goalie when you are about to shoot.