Buttendz Stick Grips vs. Hockey Tape - Pure Hockey (2024)

FAQs

Should you tape or grip hockey sticks? ›

Taping the handle can improve the player's grip on the stick. Often a player will use tape to create a knob at the end of the shaft. This knob helps to prevent the stick from slipping out of the player's hand and makes the stick handier to pick up when dropped.

Renfrew Pro is top quality hockey tape to give you control and confidence for your best performance on the ice.

THERE'S TAPE.

Renfrew Pro is the official tape for the majority of professional hockey teams in North America. We have been in the dressing room of every Stanley Cup championship team for over 20 consecutive years. Our tape offers unrivalled quality for ice hockey players all over the world.

In general, athletic tape is used for treating or managing joint of soft tissue injuries. Hockey tape, on the other hand, is generally used to enhance player performance or to keep his/her apparel (such as shin pads or socks) in position during play.

Similar to skate hollows and curves, grip is preferential, but its advantages can be experienced by players of all skill levels. Nearly half of the NHL chooses to play with one of the grip options. The idea of placing grip on a hockey stick started as placing tape all the way along the shaft.

The Tacki-Mac was installed with an adhesive tape applied onto the stick, with the grip sliding on once the tape glue is activated with water. The Buttendz involved the use of an adhesive spray applied to the inside of the grip, and onto your stick, with the grip sliding on with very little difficulty.

Ovechkin almost always goes with the same handle: white tape with red grip tape over top, about 8 inches down.

NHL – link

A player may apply tape anywhere on his stick for reinforcement or to enhance control of the puck. He may use any color tape that he prefers. Goalies must use a knob of white tape or some other protective material approved by the league on the top of the stick that is a minimum of ½” thick.

How often should you be retaping your stick really? Well, for some players, they wait until the tape is about to fall off and is in NEED of a retape. On the other hand, there are some players that use taping up their twig as part of their pregame ritual and need a fresh one before every game.

So using black tape really isn't much better than white. White tape allows you to see the puck on your stick better plus it looks cooler all marked up. Pro tip: Most goalies say they have a harder time focusing on the puck when the stick is white because they cant see when the shot is released.

Does tape on hockey stick matter? ›

The reasons are obvious: Tape makes a stick easier to hold. Tape “softens” the blade, making it easier to corral a pass, lets the puck linger in your cagey control, or allows you to snap a precise wrister through the five-hole. Tape protects the blade, helping it survive the brunt of your cannonading slap shots.

Renfrew, Cloth Hockey Tape – Runner Up

Renfrew hockey tape is preferred by beginners and professionals alike. It's a durable cotton cloth tape that can be used for taping just about any part of your hockey stick or other equipment.

With that all said, the majority of NHL players use a stick with flex in the 85-100 range. Forwards tend to use a lower flex. Some players with a notable low flex are Johnny Gaudreau with a 55 flex and Phil Kessel with a 65 flex. You can see just how much bend these players get out of their stick when they shoot.

From beer leagues to the NHL, taping the stick is often considered to be a holy pre-game ritual for almost every player. The tape job (or "TJ" for short) needs to be perfect, done the same way, to the same length, with the same amount of overlap, and with the perfect amount of wax, no exceptions.

Rezztek | Blade Grips | Enhanced Hockey Stick Tape | Developed, Tested, and Used by NHL Players | 2 Pack.

Yes. A player is permitted to carry two sticks, provided he doesn't attempt to take part in the play.

Sidney Crosby uses a unique two-piece hockey stick with a blade that's nearly straight. There's no wicked curve on the blade – it bends only slightly near the toe.

Direct access to Pro hockey player and founder of Buttendz, Rob LaLonde.

Every Buttendz Grip is reusable if your stick breaks or changes. Take care of your grip like any other equipment, and keep your Buttendz grip KNOB UP & out of puddles on the bench!

Connor McDavid uses white tape and so does Auston Matthews.

Why do hockey players only tape the toe of their stick? ›

Taping the Blade

Heel to toe is the most commonly used, especially by professional players. It allows the tape to grip the puck more effectively for better control while stick handling and shooting.

The NHL used to permit the number on the ice, but it banned the number starting with the 1996-97 season since Nos. 0 and 00 confused the league's digital database.

Every player in the NHL tapes the blade of their stick. Tape comes in many different sizes and colors, so there are a lot of options available. For the most part, players will either use black or white tape, and once they make the choice it tends to become habitual.

One of the rarest plays in hockey is the penalty shot. A penalty shot awarded in overtime is even rarer. Scoring on an overtime penalty shot is even rarer.

A bonus tip is to rub a puck hard against the finished tape job. This is a great way of creating a smooth finish and adding some durability. The vulcanized rubber of the puck helps to repel water and flatten up any lines or air bubbles in your tape job. Once you're done taping, you're ready to play.

For optimal performance in terms of feel, your stick should get new tape for every game. Many pros re-tape for every practice. But, for most amateurs, protection is the primary goal and, therefore, tape needs to be replaced only when it is showing wear (fraying and the like) along the bottom edge.

Ovechkin usually takes a puck, rubs it against his white stick tape, and colors the tape entirely black.

Many believe that using black tape is what hides the puck from the goalie, but many goalies actually mentioned that white makes it harder to see when they are shooting the puck because the tape blends into the color of the ice.

This tape is also called turf tape, which extends from the triceps down to the back of the wrist. Football players wear white tape on the back of their arms to prevent burns and abrasions caused by the field turf. The Kinesio tape helps prevent minor cuts when tackled to the ground.

Ammonia salts directly irritate the nasal mucosa and elicit a noxious reflex. This causes the heart to beat faster and hopefully counteract the vagal response. Approximately 50 years ago, they became popular in sports to supposedly counteract the effects of head trauma.

Why do hockey players wax their sticks? ›

By reducing friction between the puck and the stick's blade, wax gives players more control over their shots and makes for a tackier feel when handling the puck on the ice. In addition, stick wax acts as a protective coating on the stick's tape job and blade.

While the majority of NHL goalies do not use a flat tape layer as it “adds weight”, it's one of the easiest ways to increase the life of your goalie stick. Nearly every time a puck is shot along the ice and the goalie uses their stick to make a save, it's done with the very bottom of the goalie stick.

Today, five NHL goalies still use a wooden stick. "Once you switch, it's amazing to hold a wood stick and wonder how you played with it," Buffalo Sabres goalie Carter Hutton said. "I switched two summers ago mainly because lots of guys were, so I knew I needed to get up to date. It's a huge difference, I think."

Sticks get considerably stiffer as you cut length from them. Taking a senior player's stick and cutting it down for a junior will likely leave that player with a stick that is far too stiff to be effective. It's OK to trim an inch or two from a stick.

Adding some hockey tape to your stick helps add a bit of grip to the puck so you have more control on where you're shooting and not slipping up when you're trying to do a cross ice pass to a teammate.

How Often? For optimal performance in terms of feel, your stick should get new tape for every game. Many pros re-tape for every practice. But, for most amateurs, protection is the primary goal and, therefore, tape needs to be replaced only when it is showing wear (fraying and the like) along the bottom edge.

NHL – link

A player may apply tape anywhere on his stick for reinforcement or to enhance control of the puck. He may use any color tape that he prefers. Goalies must use a knob of white tape or some other protective material approved by the league on the top of the stick that is a minimum of ½” thick.

This is usually due to the continued beating the blade takes on the ice. The constant force on the blade during a game, whether it is slap shots, stick pounding or just maneuvering the puck across the ice, weakens the blade through constant contact with the ice.

With that all said, the majority of NHL players use a stick with flex in the 85-100 range. Forwards tend to use a lower flex.

What happens if you dont tape a hockey stick? ›

Taping protects the blade from wear and tear, provides a better grip on the stick shaft, and allows you to customize the knob size to fit your hand. Wrapping hockey tape on the blade also prevents moisture and ice buildup, so the puck tracks with your blade instead of slipping out of control.

So, the tradition in hockey is that to applaud, hockey players will tap their sticks on the ice (or against the boards if they're on the bench) to signify approval.