How to tape a hockey stick

Updated October 17, 2026

Tape does three jobs on a hockey stick. It protects the blade, it gives the puck something to grip, and it gives your hands a handle that feels right. Here's how to tape the blade, build a knob and add a grip, step by step, plus which tape to buy, black or white, and how often to redo it.

Why you tape a hockey stick

• Puck feel. Hockey Canada's equipment guide says blade tape adds friction that helps you handle the puck.
• Protection. Tape takes the wear instead of the blade.
• A dry blade. Tape and wax keep water, snow and ice from building up, so the puck stays on your blade instead of skidding off.
• A better handle. A knob and a grip let you hold the stick the way you like, and help keep it from sliding out of your top hand.
• The rules. USA Hockey and Hockey Canada both require the end of a hollow shaft to be covered, with a plug or tape. Both allow tape of any color.

What you need

You also need sharp scissors, a puck and a bar of hockey stick wax. Pure Hockey warns to use hockey wax only, since other waxes can gum up the stick.

How to tape the blade, step by step

1. Take off the old tape. Peel it all off. Pure Hockey suggests warm water and a little mild dish soap for sticky leftovers. Let the blade dry.
2. Cover the toe edge (optional). Run one strip around the toe and along the bottom so the whole toe edge is covered. Press it flat.
3. Start at the heel. Begin right where the blade meets the shaft. Hold the stick with the blade facing up and the roll in your other hand.
4. Wrap around the blade. Pull the tape snug, not stretched, and wrap all the way around. Hockey Canada's guide says to tape from heel to toe, covering the entire blade.
5. Overlap every wrap. Each new wrap should cover the edge of the last one, with no blade showing between them. Keep the overlap the same all the way down.
6. Keep it flat. Smooth out each wrap as you go. Wrinkles and bunches make the puck come off the blade unpredictably.
7. Finish at the toe. Tear or cut the tape and press the end down on the back of the blade.
8. Trim. Cut off any wrinkles or flaps hanging over the edge or the toe with sharp scissors.
9. Rub it down. Rub a puck back and forth along both sides. It presses the tape down and helps keep water and ice from sticking.
10. Wax it. Make 4 to 6 passes of wax along the front of the blade, then a few along the back.

Heel to toe or toe to heel? Both work. Pure Hockey calls it personal preference. What matters more is smooth, even overlap. Pick one direction and do it the same way every time, so your blade always feels the same.

Black or white tape?

Any color is legal. Some players choose black because they believe it makes the puck harder for a goalie to see. White is popular too. It shows wear, so you can see when the tape is wearing through. Rubbing a puck on white tape leaves black marks, which Pure Hockey says may help hide the puck too. Pick the one you like.

Blade tape patterns

• The classic: heel to toe, leaving a little of the heel and toe bare.
• The sock: heel to toe, covering the whole blade.
• Toe tape: from the middle of the blade out to the toe only.
• Five strand: five wraps from just past the middle toward the toe. A quick job.

If you're not sure, use the sock. It covers the whole blade.

How to build a knob

The knob is the bump of tape at the top of the stick. It gives your top hand something to hold, and it covers the open end of the shaft.

1. Check the plug. If your stick is hollow and came with a plug, push it in first. Hockey Canada's guide says it must go in and then be taped.
2. Use half-width tape. Use knob tape, or tear a strip of cloth tape in half lengthwise.
3. Cover the end. Wrap over the top so the end of the shaft is fully covered.
4. Build it up. Wrap round and round at the very top. Make it as big or as small as you like. Add a few wraps at a time and test it with your glove on.
5. Press it down. Squeeze the knob firmly with your hand so it's tight and smooth.
6. Add the handle. Wrap full-width tape down the shaft about 10 to 12 inches below the knob, overlapping evenly. That's the area your top hand holds.

Your top hand should still close comfortably around the stick. If the knob feels too big, unwrap a few layers.

Grip patterns: spiral, candy cane and rib

• Full spiral: overlapping wraps down the top 10 to 12 inches. The simplest grip.
• Candy cane: a spiral that starts under the handle tape and runs down the shaft as far as you like, with about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of gap between strips.
• Rib grip: twist about a foot of tape into a thin rope, wind it in a spiral down the top 8 to 12 inches of the shaft, then cover it with tape. The raised spiral gives your hand ridges to hold.
• Grip or friction tape: use either on the handle instead of cloth tape if you want a stickier or softer feel.

Pure Hockey notes some players finish a taped grip with clear tape so it's easier on the palms of their gloves. Most new sticks already have a grip coating, so try yours before you add a lot of tape. More on that in choosing a hockey stick.

Goalie sticks

Goalies tape the same three places: the blade, the paddle and the knob. Pure Hockey recommends taping a goalie blade from toe to heel. Taping the paddle is optional, but many goalies do it. A big knob helps a goalie keep the stick in hand, especially when poke checking. Some goalies build a knob lower down the shaft, and USA Hockey's casebook says a knob doesn't have to be at the very end. For the rest of the position, see how to play goalie.

Street hockey sticks

Pavement chews through blade tape fast. For street hockey, Pure Hockey suggests taping just the top of the stick for grip.

How often to retape

Retape when any part of the blade, knob or shaft starts to show through. Also retape if the tape is torn, peeling or waterlogged and heavy. Some players retape before every game, which is a personal choice. Always take the old tape off first and clean the blade before the new tape goes on.

Common mistakes

• Taping over old tape. Layers get thick, heavy and lumpy. Strip it first.
• Gaps between wraps. Overlap every wrap so no blade shows.
• Wrinkles and bunches. The puck won't come off the blade the same way twice.
• Leaving flaps. Loose ends peel and snag. Trim them.
• An open end. A hollow shaft without a plug or tape over the end isn't legal.
• A knob so big your hand can't close. Build it up a few wraps at a time and test it with gloves on.
• Household wax. Use hockey stick wax only.

Want to put the new tape job to work? Try the stickhandling drills at home. And if you'd like a hockey game you can play on a phone between practices, Brudvig Hockey 2027 is free in a web browser, with no download or account.