Cloth hockey tape for stick blades
Cloth stick tape uses a woven cotton or synthetic backing that takes the wear from the ice, the puck and opposing sticks instead of the blade itself. Narrower rolls wrap tighter around the curve of the blade, while wider rolls cover the same blade in fewer turns. Colour is a matter of preference: black and white blade tape differ in how the puck shows up against the blade, not in how the tape wraps or wears. Wrapping from heel to toe leaves the overlapping edges facing backwards, so they are less likely to catch on the ice.
Stretch poly tape for pads and socks
Clear polyethylene shin pad tape is elastic, so unlike rigid cloth tape it stretches and contracts with the calf as you skate. Wrapped around the sock over the shin guard, it holds the guard and the sock together.
Cohesive grip tape for stick handles
The knob at the top of the shaft is what your top hand catches on a one-handed poke check or when you pick the stick up. Players often spin a thin strand of tape underneath the top wrap to create tactile finger ridges. While standard cloth tape creates a firm knob, its exposed adhesive and rough weave can wear down glove palms. Self-adhering cohesive grip tape sticks only to itself, so it leaves no adhesive on the shaft or your glove palms.
Blade maintenance and tape care
Fresh tape gives the puck a cloth surface to sit against. How often to re-tape depends on how frayed the wrap looks and how far the bottom edge has worn through. Once a cut or tear reaches the blade underneath, the tape is no longer covering it, which is the point to strip the tape off and re-wrap.