How To Wrap A Hockey Stick With Tape

The style of wrapping your hockey stick with tape is mostly personal preference, but the method is basically the same, no matter how you prefer your tape. Tape is wound around the top of the stick to give you superior grip when handling the stick with large, slippery gloves on, then wound around the blade of the stick to give you better grip when handling the puck. Tape also helps protect the blade from ice and snow, extending the life of your hockey stick.

Step 1

Start from the top of the stick and wind five or six times straight around the very end. This creates what is known as the "knob," which helps you keep your stick from slipping out of your gloves. How large the knob is dependent upon how many times you wind the tape around the end of the stick, and it will take trial and error for you to find what size works best for you.

Step 2

Pull the tape diagonally away from the stick while still attached to the knob. Twist the tape around until you create a foot-long rope. Wrap the twisted rope diagonally around the shaft of the stick for a textured ridge effect that will make the stick grip even better.

Step 3

Cut the tape where the rope ends and bring the tape back to the top. Wrap the tape flat over the knob and continue down diagonally to cover the twisted rope tape to secure it to the stick. Overlap your tape about 1/2 inch with every pass, and cover at least a foot of stick before cutting the tape and smoothing to secure to the stick.

Step 4

Wrap the hockey stock blade by laying the stick on the floor and bracing between your knees. Beginning at the heel of the stick, lay the tape flat against the blade and smooth out to rid the tape of any bubbles. Keep the tape tight as you wrap it around the shaft, smoothing as you go. Stop an inch from the tip of the blade and cut, smoothing down for a secure hold.

Step 5

Wax your stick over the tape for better protection by rubbing stick wax over the blade to form an even coat. Retape as needed when the tape begins to wear away, or you're no longer getting the traction that you want.