Hockey Gear Review: A New Kind Of Blade Tape, and a Contest For B/R Hockey Fans!

Taping up has long been a part of the pre-game ritual in hockey.  Ostensibly intended to grip the puck, deaden the impact of passes, and possibly even help protect the stick, it’s a small but integral part of game preparation.  Blade Pro president and BladeTape inventor Richard Findlay believes he has improved on virtually all aspects of traditional cloth tape with a rubber-based replacement.  

What is it, who uses it?

The tape alternative is comprised of two cross-hatched thermoplastic rubber stick-ons, one for each face of the blade.  Peel-and-paste forms are applied to each side, leaving a small gap along the bottom edge.  The exposed blade edge creates less friction along most playing surfaces.  The raised texture grips the puck, it’s quick to attach, and the rubbery material helps cushion impact while being waterproof, “self-healing”, lightweight, and durable.  The maker stands behind the durability of the tape and states on the labelling that it lasts up to fifteen games, often more, producing less waste and reducing frequency of application.

It’s an interesting list of properties which might sound like hype if it weren’t for the impressive list of supporters the product has already gained.  Toronto Maple Leafs President and GM Brian Burke is a minority partner.  Vancouver Canucks defenseman Willie Mitchell and St Louis Blues goalie Chris Mason are faces of the product, while the company website lists a raft of pro players and teams from the NHL, AHL, WHL, QMJHL, Varsity, etc. who use (or have used) BladeTape.

Canada took gold at the 2008 IIHF Division 1 inline Championships.  BladeTape would have been used at the game.

BladeTape is applicable to ice, floor, roller, and road hockey and is used by a wide range of players and leagues.  It apparently doesn’t mark up floors or walls, and the lack of tape on the bottom edge means the stick moves more smoothly along most surfaces.  It is popular among the indoor hockey community and is affiliated with a number of related professionals and organisations, including Peter Dale of USA Clinics and IamAHockeyPlayer.com, the Canadian National Inline Hockey Association, rollerhockeymonkey.com, North American Roller Hockey Championships, and the OMRHA.

How did it measure up?

When I began my own limited testing in October, I found the tape easy to apply, and personally liked the way I was able to lift and manage the puck with the rubber grip.  The difference of the exposed blade on the ice took a moment to get used to, but gave a smoother feel.  On lacquered surfaces (floor hockey) it mimicked the glossy feel one normally has on the ice, rather than the friction which can occur with cloth.  I haven’t had to change it yet, and my stick blade is still in good condition.  A small slash to the tape was mended easily when I smoothed it back into position with my hand, and looks solid, almost new.   My experiences confirmed BladeTape’s claims.

As with any new product, there are questions and concerns.  In the course of my research and review, many people asked about various elements of the tape, so I turned around and asked more questions.

The biggest worry I heard from people was in regard to the exposed bottom edge of the blade.  With traditional hockey tape, the blade is covered in overlapping layers top to bottom, heel to toe, and it is often thought that cloth tape helps protect the blade.

 
In street hockey there is no doubt that the bottom of a blade will be eaten away by gravel and asphalt. On the ice, skate blades make nicks and slush eats at materials.  Since BladeTape’s design features a 3mm gap along the bottom edge of the blade, some wonder how this affects the life of the stick.  As the pile of worn-out sticks in my garage can attest, there’s not much that will stop a wood or plastic blade from being torn to shreds on the tarmac; when I play street hockey I usually use an old stick with duct tape on the bottom (replacing it every ten minutes), or simply leave it alone (it’s that futile).  

However, in ice, floor, and indoor roller hockey, with composite or wooden sticks, evidence has been gathered which suggests there may be benefits to keeping the bottom of blade exposed.  

Anecdotal evidence gathered suggests conventional tape may actually cause damage to wooden blades over time, since the fabric holds moisture close to the blade for prolonged periods unless constantly changed.  A third-party control group using wooden and other two-piece sticks confirmed this; wet tape led to softened lacquer, swelling and cracks, etc.  Empirical evidence has also been cited which evidently shows that “the absence of tape on the bottom the blade does not significantly alter stability of the blade.”  The company recommends wiping the stick blade dry along with your skate blades after a game, or for dedicated folks two coats of marine lacquer on the bottom edge of will fully protect wooden blades.

The bottom of the blade on most synthetics should be able to stand normal wear and tear without any extra protection during its product life-expectancy.  Indeed, Findlay reports that his company hasn’t received a single email complaint about composite bottom-edge failure, and says that it simply hasn’t come up as an issue.

People I spoke to who had used the tape and the testimonials I read generally gave positive reviews of BladeTape.  I was so inundated with good feedback that I was almost concerned I wasn’t getting all sides of the picture.  A few remained unconvinced; some didn’t want to mess with their life-long hockey kit, others simply relished the ritual of the twenty-minute stick waxing.  This is the usual pattern when new things hit the stage, but as team-mates start using different gear, developments progress, and more independent reviews appear, it seems a greater number of players are giving new technologies a try.

Another hockey tradition, jury-rigging will always have a place in how players adapt their gear, but that’s how rubber hockey tape came to be in the first place: a bicycle tube slapped on a stick.  Finding the best personal fit is the most important thing, and so testing lots of options usually helps.  Many people like to keep BladeTape and traditional tape on hand for different uses.

 

Pittsburgh Penguin Matt Cooke says he likes the feel of the new tape: "I find I can control spinning pucks a lot easier with BladeTape over conventional tape...[it] makes my composite blade more like a wood stick because it softens the feel."  Photo: Getty Images

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