Ice hockey stick blade wrap

[hockeyblood 11]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Brand-NEW-Ice-Hockey-S...1QQcmdZViewItem

any thoughts?

[tbintexas 0]

I wonder if it's any different than regular shrink-tubing that you can heat with a hair drier or heat gun?

[Project_2501 0]

Looks like a simple rubber compound. Don't know how well it would stand up to the temps of ice if such is the case.

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

I've used it before. I'd have to go back to see if it's the same guy or not (but presume it is). It's industrial wrap of some sort. Of the top of my head (and it's been a year or so since I used it) it's wrap for telephone/electrical wire or something.

I did work pretty well. I did over shrink it once and melted part of it away. But.... it lasted a long time (at least significantly longer than tape), etc. However, those who use friction tape (as opposed to cloth tape) won't like it as it's a somewhat a slick surface. On the other hand, due to it's thickness (compared to tape at least), made for a nice little "bumper" for the puck on composite blades.

I'd buy it again if it were, say, $3 a wrap. However, at $9 you can buy about 3 rolls of tape. Will it last as long as 3 rolls of tape? No. Will it offer more protection (for wood blades)? Perhaps, but I don't use wood blades and if one were to change tape out frequently and use tape wax to repel moisture you'd come close to the same level of protection anyway.

[fastmiele 59]

great review, you pretty much covered all the bases.

I thought that maybe it wasn't those electrical heat shrink wrappings, but you describe it as the same thing.

the one thing that I won't like is a slick surface.

my only other concern is weight ? how thick or heavy is this wrap ?

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

I didn't notice any extra weight. It's not super thick stuff.

[lee92 2]

it looks like just normal shrink wrap to me. my dad had a bunch kicking around one day and i toyed with it on my sticks. i didn't like it. found it too slick, and in the colder rinks, it seemed to become brittle. i wouldn't invest any money in it.

[Ogie Oglethorpe 14]

I used it, and it was never brittle (so might be different stuff). If it is the stuff used for telephone wires and such, then it's designed to withstand the changes in the seasons. However, while there is a very slight texture to the stuff, I didn't find it quite as grippy as friction tape (although, I no longer use friction tape as it always rots too easily).