Non-Tape Stick Grips

[VegasHockey 1280]

Skated with a younger player the other day and he didn't use any tape on his stick. Not on the blade or the handle.

Maybe we dont need to use tape anymore? Deep thoughts. 

[Gswift 33]

3 hours ago, PBH said:

Skated with a younger player the other day and he didn't use any tape on his stick. Not on the blade or the handle.

Maybe we dont need to use tape anymore? Deep thoughts. 

I enjoyed the puck feel on sharkskin blades, so I used to just tape up to 3" from the toe...

[BenBreeg 493]

4 hours ago, PBH said:

Skated with a younger player the other day and he didn't use any tape on his stick. Not on the blade or the handle.

Maybe we dont need to use tape anymore? Deep thoughts. 

Count me in, I would have a built-in excuse every time I fumbled a puck! 😄

[Miller55 333]

I grew up not using tape on my blade actually. I hated it. I use on the handle only because if the texture (Kane style handle) but don't really need the grip from it. But I use a wooden plug so my hand isn't on an area of the shaft that already has a grip coating

Edited March 23, 2022 by Miller55

[krisdrum 233]

Resurrecting this for a related question... my biggest reason for using non-tape is to save glove palms, with the main offender being the top edge of the stick/buttcap digging into the palm and wearing a hole.  My son usually gets 6 months if he is lucky out of his palms before he has worn a hole through 2 layers of nash on his top hand, even with the "won't wear your palm" materials like Lizardskinz.  Anyone find a solution for this?  Is there one?  I've tried taping the edge and then covering it with a non-abrasive grip material.  Eventually it wears through and exposes rougher materials or sharp edges.    

[BenBreeg 493]

3 hours ago, krisdrum said:

Resurrecting this for a related question... my biggest reason for using non-tape is to save glove palms, with the main offender being the top edge of the stick/buttcap digging into the palm and wearing a hole.  My son usually gets 6 months if he is lucky out of his palms before he has worn a hole through 2 layers of nash on his top hand, even with the "won't wear your palm" materials like Lizardskinz.  Anyone find a solution for this?  Is there one?  I've tried taping the edge and then covering it with a non-abrasive grip material.  Eventually it wears through and exposes rougher materials or sharp edges.    

Ease the edges with some sandpaper before taping?  

[puckpilot 312]

On 3/29/2022 at 2:36 PM, krisdrum said:

Anyone find a solution for this?  Is there one?  I've tried taping the edge and then covering it with a non-abrasive grip material. 

I've found using sock tape to make the knob and making the knob really large, 1.75" wide, helped in a lot of different areas. One being palm wear. The large knob lets you get a better grip with your top hand when pulling on it to shoot, so the end doesn't slip or move as much, which I found reduces the wear on the palm. The larger knob also distributes the pressure of the butt end over a larger area, also helping to reduce wear. And then there's the fact that sock tape is a lot smoother. Of course YMMV.

[shoot_the_goalie 281]

On 3/29/2022 at 2:36 PM, krisdrum said:

Resurrecting this for a related question... my biggest reason for using non-tape is to save glove palms, with the main offender being the top edge of the stick/buttcap digging into the palm and wearing a hole.  My son usually gets 6 months if he is lucky out of his palms before he has worn a hole through 2 layers of nash on his top hand, even with the "won't wear your palm" materials like Lizardskinz.  Anyone find a solution for this?  Is there one?  I've tried taping the edge and then covering it with a non-abrasive grip material.  Eventually it wears through and exposes rougher materials or sharp edges.    

Like someone else said, after I cut my stick, I sand the edges down and then put the butt cap back in.  Then when I put a Tacki-Mac on, I make sure there is a little overhang from the end of the stick (maybe 1/4") so that there's no way I would ever touch the cut part of the shaft.

Edited April 2, 2022 by shoot_the_goalie

[VegasHockey 1280]

On 4/1/2022 at 1:57 PM, puckpilot said:

I've found using sock tape to make the knob and making the knob really large, 1.75" wide, helped in a lot of different areas. One being palm wear. The large knob lets you get a better grip with your top hand when pulling on it to shoot, so the end doesn't slip or move as much, which I found reduces the wear on the palm. The larger knob also distributes the pressure of the butt end over a larger area, also helping to reduce wear. And then there's the fact that sock tape is a lot smoother. Of course YMMV.

Is this your knob?

[thorbs 2]

FWIW I swear by electrical tape. I divide stick tape into half, so the knob is maybe 2cm, then just keep adding tape until it's the right thickness, then put some electrical over it and have had no palm wear problems skating at least once a week.

[puckpilot 312]

16 hours ago, PBH said:

Is this your knob?

Just the top inch and a quarter. I make three steps, first step is 1.25 inches wide. Second is 1 inch wide, and the third is .5 inch wide.

[marka 526]

Howdy,

20 hours ago, puckpilot said:

Just the top inch and a quarter. I make three steps, first step is 1.25 inches wide. Second is 1 inch wide, and the third is .5 inch wide.

I do something quite similar.  First step is 1.5" for 10 wraps, 2nd step is 1" for ~20 wraps.  Makes a knob about 1.75" on the long side.  I used to use a pro/kane tacki-mac, but after I hurt my wrist I tried a bigger knob and that helped a lot with the pain I was getting.  I've always been bummed that I can't use Tacki-Macs any more, since I really liked the grip / glove wear.  And I have probably 10 of the stupid things laying around new in the package because I got in the habit of just buying a couple every time I went into the store... 🙂

Anyway... I've been trying the VukGripz for the past few games.  Reduced my tape job above by 3 or so wraps and put the VukGripz over the top.

In general I'm pretty happy with it so far.  The provided grip is pretty interesting.  It almost feels like your hand is locked onto the grip, but there's no stickyness at all.  So when you release pressure a little bit, these no "residual grip" or whatever.  Looking at the grip tape, it looks like up close its a bunch of very short 'hairs", each maybe .5mm or so.  I haven't noticed any change in grip due to wetness.  It has gotten a bit dirty, but again, nothing like tape does in terms of the adhesive pulling off tiny bits of the glove or getting dirt / whatever ground in.

No issues so far with the adhesive failing and the grip peeling away either, which I was worried about.

Applying it was a little weird.  It doesn't stretch very much at all, so when I went over my stepped grip I got wrinkles, etc. etc.  I also use a twisted up section of tape down about 6" or so from the knob to provide a rib.  If / when I do it again, I don't think I'll do that... Laying the VukGripz over the lump the twisted up tape does made it a decent bit harder to apply and I'm guessing with the increased grip that I won't miss having it.  I did an overlapping method vs. the edge to edge method as well, and the edges of the overlap also provide a bit of a ribbed texture.

Anyway, its working well so far.  Not that excited about $15 per grip, but it is what it is I guess.  If it lasts without the adhesive getting loose / whatever then the $$ isn't quite as bad.  I think next time I might try cutting it in half as well and only going down the shaft maybe 3" or so.

Thanks to @PBH for the recommendation!

Mark

[Gswift 33]

6 hours ago, marka said:

And I have probably 10 of the stupid things laying around new in the package because I got in the habit of just buying a couple every time I went into the store... 🙂

 

Ship to Canada??