How to tape your stick for better puck control (2026)

Summary: Blade taping directly affects how the puck behaves when receiving, passing, and shooting. This guide covers how to properly tape the blade with CCM Cloth Tape and Howies Cloth Tape, how to build the knob, and what grip tape does for the feel in your hand – with practical application tips that last the whole game.

It's something most people notice but rarely analyze. A freshly taped stick feels different against the puck – it receives better, the puck stays on the blade a little longer, and the shot feels more controlled. Then, after a couple of practices or a game, the tape starts to fray along the edges and the feel deteriorates. You re-tape, and the feel returns.

It's not imagination. The tape on the blade affects friction against the puck, dampening upon reception, and how the puck behaves during flips and passes. Intact taping with the correct surface texture provides more control. Frayed or faulty taping makes it harder to keep the puck on the blade, especially during quick receptions on the move.

What varies most between players is not whether they tape – most do – but how carefully they do it and how often they change it. Carefully applied tape lasts longer than quickly done tape, and tape changed when it starts to fray consistently provides a better feel than tape left on for too long. It's about understanding what the tape actually does, and then applying it in a way that lasts.

Blade Taping with Cloth Tape – Application That Actually Lasts

The blade is the part of the stick that experiences the most wear. Contact with the ice during skating and stopping, direct contact with the puck, and in some situations, contact with other sticks and edges. Tape on the blade needs to withstand all of that without fraying along the edges during the game.

CCM Cloth Tape in white or black is a fabric-based tape with a robust surface and strong adhesive. It's water-repellent and withstands the cold of the ice without the adhesive losing strength. Use CCM Cloth Tape to wrap the blade from the bottom edge of the heel upwards along the entire blade surface. Start with an anchor layer along the bottom edge of the blade – half a turn covering the edge that makes the most direct contact with the ice – and then continue upwards with an even spiral pattern with approximately 50% overlap per wrap.

The most important thing to avoid: air bubbles under the tape. An air bubble is a starting point for lifting, and when the tape starts to lift in one corner, it quickly spreads to the rest of the blade. Press the tape firmly with your thumb along each wrap as you apply it. If a bubble appears – lift the tape, smooth it out, and re-apply that wrap. It takes five seconds and saves early re-taping.

Howies Cloth Tape is an alternative with similar function and known for high durability. It is used by players who want taping that lasts for more practice sessions without needing to be changed. Use Howies Cloth Tape on practice sticks or for players who want to reduce the frequency of re-taping – the adhesive quality provides a stronger initial bond that lasts longer with intensive use.

Always finish blade taping with a pressure layer along the top edge – an extra half turn covering the seam where the tape ends. This is the edge that otherwise starts to lift first when the ice and movement stress the taping.

The Knob – How to Build It and Why It Stays On for So Long

The knob at the top end of the stick looks small, but it practically affects how secure the grip feels. A well-built knob provides a clear stop for the top hand and reduces the risk of the stick slipping out of your hand during checks and battles.

Use CCM Cloth Tape or Howies Cloth Tape to build the knob. Start with a couple of wraps directly along the top of the shaft and gradually build up the volume. How big you want the knob is a personal preference – most experienced players have used the same size for a long time and rarely change it. A larger knob provides more of a stop for the hand but also a slightly bulkier grip; a smaller knob provides a straighter grip but less security during powerful movements.

What happens if the knob is poorly built: the tape on the knob starts to slip and rotate around the top of the shaft, causing the knob to lose its position and the feel to change mid-game. Build the knob with proper overlap between wraps and press the tape firmly along the entire knob when you're done. A knob that is securely taped from the start will not move during the game.

The knob is re-taped less frequently than the blade. Many players re-tape the blade every third practice but leave the knob on for the entire season. This is reasonable as long as the knob is stable – but if the tape starts to fray or the knob starts to rotate, it's time to redo it, not just add an extra layer on top.

Grip Tape and LizardSkins – Feel and Grip Along the Shaft Zone

The shaft's grip zone is the area that the hand holds throughout the game, and the choice of tape here directly affects how comfortable and controlled the grip feels. It's also the area that wears out fastest – glove friction and sweat break down the tape surface relatively quickly.

Grip tape is slightly stretchy and molds around the shaft without giving a thick or stiff feel. Apply in a spiral pattern upwards along the grip zone with approximately 50% overlap per wrap. The tension should be moderate – do not stretch the tape to its maximum. Overstretched grip tape rolls up faster at the edges and loses its natural feel after a couple of periods. Start directly under the knob and cover down to the point where the glove stops covering the shaft.

LizardSkins is the alternative for players who want a grip that lasts longer without being changed during the game. The material construction absorbs sweat better and retains its surface texture longer under mechanical stress from the glove. Apply LizardSkins in the exact same spiral pattern as grip tape. It's an option many players stick with once they've tried it, primarily because it eliminates the need to change grips between periods.

One thing to keep in mind with grip tape: it should not cover the knob. The knob is built with cloth tape, and the grip tape starts just below it. Putting grip tape on top of the knob creates too thick a base and causes the knob to lose its shape and stability.

The Taping Routine That Provides Consistent Feel Game After Game

What separates a taping routine that provides consistent feel from one that varies is not the products themselves – it's that the routine is the same every time. If you tape the blade one way one time and differently the next, the feel changes, and you are constantly adapting to a new feel rather than refining a feel you recognize.

Start with the blade. Clean blade without old tape and ice residue. CCM Cloth Tape from the bottom edge of the heel upwards in even wraps with 50% overlap. Press each wrap firmly along the entire blade. Finish with a pressure layer along the top edge.

Then the knob. A few wraps of CCM Cloth Tape or Howies Cloth Tape along the top of the shaft, build up the desired volume, and press firmly.

Last, the grip zone. Grip tape or LizardSkins in a spiral pattern directly below the knob and downwards along the grip zone. Moderate tension, 50% overlap.

Total time: 5–8 minutes if you do it properly. That's time repaid in consistent feel and in not having to re-tape the blade during intermissions. Change the blade tape when it starts to fray along the edges – not when it's absolutely necessary. Tape that's half-worn is worse than new tape.

FAQ

1. Should the blade be taped in white or black?

It's a matter of preference and style rather than performance. White cloth tape on the blade is a classic choice that provides a clear contrasting surface against the dark puck – some players find it facilitates visual control of the puck on the blade. Black tape is more common among forward players who prefer a more discreet look. CCM Cloth Tape is available in both colors and performs similarly regardless. Choose what you like – the color does not affect the tape's durability or feel against the puck.

2. How often should blade tape be changed?

It depends on play intensity and surface, but a practical guideline: change when the tape starts to fray along the edges or when you notice a significant deterioration in puck feel. Many players at the team level re-tape before every game, sometimes more often. In practice, taping can last two to three sessions depending on how heavily the blade is stressed. Howies Cloth Tape generally lasts a bit longer per taping compared to standard options. Always tape on a clean blade – old tape and ice residue provide a poorer base for new tape.

3. Can new tape be applied over old blade tape?

It's possible, but the result will be worse. New tape on old tape adheres less well than new tape on a clean blade, and air bubbles form more easily along the edges of the old tape layer. If you apply new tape over old, you shorten the durability of the new layer. Remove all old tape, clean the blade, and re-tape from scratch. It takes about an extra minute but gives a significantly better result.

4. How do you build a knob that lasts all season?

Start with a clean shaft free of old tape residue. Apply the first few wraps of CCM Cloth Tape tightly together along the top of the shaft – not in a spiral pattern but straight wraps that build volume. Press firmly along the entire knob when you are satisfied with the size. A well-built knob will not rotate and will stay securely in place without needing to be re-done during the season. If the knob starts to move or slip, it's a sign that the tape wasn't properly applied from the start – redo the entire knob rather than adding a new layer on top.

5. Is LizardSkins worth the price difference over regular grip tape?

It depends on how often you change your grip. Grip tape is a cost-effective choice for players who change frequently and are not sensitive to the grip varying slightly during the game. LizardSkins lasts longer and provides a more consistent feel – the cost per game is comparable to grip tape if you factor in that it lasts the entire game without being changed. Players who have tried LizardSkins and prioritize not having to change grips during intermissions almost always stick with it.

6. Should grip tape cover the entire shaft?

No. Grip tape covers the grip zone – the surface covered by your glove when you hold the stick. Start directly below the knob and cover downwards as far as your glove extends. Taping further than that serves no purpose for the grip and makes the stick heavier in the wrong place. Grip tape and LizardSkins are designed to be in that specific zone – outside of it, there is no hand contact and no reason to tape.

7. Why does blade tape lose its feel quickly even though it's still attached?

The tape's surface texture gradually breaks down due to ice contact and puck friction, even if the tape still adheres to the blade. Tape that is firmly attached but whose surface is worn provides less friction against the puck and a poorer feel when receiving. This is one of the most common reasons players feel that the "feel has disappeared" without the tape visibly coming loose. Solution: change CCM Cloth Tape or Howies Cloth Tape when the feel deteriorates, not when the tape actually comes off.

8. What happens if the blade is taped too tightly or with too much tension?

Blade tape applied with too much tension is stretched to its maximum and has no movement margins left. When the ice and movement stress the tape, it tears faster along the points where the tension is greatest. Air bubbles also form more easily when the tape is maximally stretched because it cannot adapt to the blade's surface texture. Apply CCM Cloth Tape with moderate tension – enough for the tape to sit tightly, but not stretched to its breaking point. This results in taping that lasts longer and has a better surface texture against the puck.