There are two kinds of Hockey tape used by ice hockey players: Stick/Blade tape and shin tape. Stick tape comes in two forms. The first is a cloth-based, self adhesive that 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
- taping the lower part of the stick shaft to prevent damage from another player hacking at the stick
The cloth-based tape is a self adhesive, non-elastic and made of cloth or synthetic fibers. The majority of cloth-based tapes are manufactured by Renfrew Hockey Tape ([1]). The second form of stick/blade tape is a rubber-based, thermosensitive self-adhesive tape sold under the Trade Name BladeTape [(www.bladetape.ca)]. This rubber-based tape is used for:
- Protecting the stick blade
- Providing a better grip on the puck.
Shin tape is used on:
- the shin pads to keep them in position
- the socks over the shin pads to keep them in position
The tape is self adhesive and water resistant. It is also elastic so that there is no risk of cutting off circulation to the legs. Other sports using this kind of tape include Field hockey.
