Hockey Tape and Handles - Pics

[Paul Taylor]

Both of my boys use to play hockey. There was not much hocky playing here in the south when I was a kid, so I had to learn fast. One thing I learned was how to wrap a hockey stick with "hockey tape". It has a nice feel to it. I found a small roll some time back and wrapped Ryan control line handle like his old hockey stick. I like the way it felt so I did the same to my new handles.

You guys up north might have played hockey and know how this goes. For those that have not seen it you might want to give it a try. If you do not like it you can take it off and it will not leave your handle real sticky. The tape feels like cloth but very grippy. A roll is about 3 bucks. It takes about a half a roll to do a goalie hocky stick, but a roll will do a lot of control line handles.
First you twirl the tape on itself to make like a cord.
Next you wrap the cord around the handle with about 1 in between each wrap. Do not cut the tape until you are done.
Next you wrap back over the cord up to the other end making sure you over lap and cover the cord.
Your done.
Here are a few pics.

Paul 

[Jim Treace]

Paul,
Neat. Question? If you have to take it off, any sticky residue left on? Will it take off the finish?
Jim

[Bill Little]

Great idea, Paul. 

I believe the tape you are referring to is called *friction tape* in a lot of places.  That's what we use to buy it as.

[Paul Taylor]

Paul,
Neat. Question? If you have to take it off, any sticky residue left on? Will it take off the finish?
Jim

Hey Jim,
There is a little but not like you would think. It sticks good to itself so when you finish it off you can not feel then end. It should last all season.

On a side note Hope you are doing well. Flying season is almost here, hope you will be able to fly with us this year.

Paul 

[wmiii]

 Tennis stores sell almost the same stuff, it works really well.

 Walter

[Bill Little]

Tennis stores sell almost the same stuff, it works really well.

 Walter

Thanks Walter  It is actually called GRIP TAPE!!!!!  Aaron wraps his handles (though not with the ribbing like Paul) using different colors.  Last we got was in a three pack from Wilson.

Better than the old *friction tape*, for sure.  Sorry I had forgot that! LOL!!!!

[Jim Treace]

Hey Jim,
There is a little but not like you would think. It sticks good to itself so when you finish it off you can not feel then end. It should last all season.

On a side note Hope you are doing well. Flying season is almost here, hope you will be able to fly with us this year.

Paul 

Paul:
Thanks for the info.
Side note; Yup, all is well. My hanger is getting full. Need to use some of them. Keep in touch. Flying time is approaching (I think).
Jim

[Mike Ferguson]

Drumstick tape works extremely well as well ... and as a benefit, it's narrower and not as thick as hockey stick or tennis racket tape.  Wraps around the handle much more easily, and without any bulk.

http://www.vicfirth.com/products/accessories.html

[Randy Powell]

Yea, I get similar stuff from my wife horse supply place. Designed to wrap the front legs for competition, it's basically the same stuff as what is shown. Also called grip tape. Sticks to itself on both side, but not horribly. I like the way Paul wraps it. Used to do a similar thing with pole vault poles.

[Harleyman]

Great Idea.
I've noticed after a few times launching an unmuffled Fox my hands get pretty slick.

I WILL be stealing this idea.   

[Mike Ferguson]

Used to do a similar thing with pole vault poles.

You pole vaulted as well?

Awesome.  My best height was 13' 9".

I knew there was a reason I liked your planes .... 

[Peter Ferguson]

See Randy our whole family likes your planes!

[Randy Powell]

Pete and Mike,

One ill-fated year in decathelon. Best PV was 15'1". I was primarily a High Jumper and later a Triple Jumper. But my room mate was a 17'5" pole vaulter. Short, wide and muscular.

We used both the white (what we used to call "ankle tape") tape and near the end of my college career used grip tape.

If you've every been around pole vaulters, one thing you learn early is don't get into a handshake grip contest with them. Most of those guys can crush walnuts between their thumb and first finger. And they have hands that are one, big callous. They used to use the white tape wrapped as Paul describes then soak the tape in naptha so the glue would melt a bit. Then wrap their top hand around the softened glue as tightly as possible. Kept the top hand from slipping on the pole when they hit the plant box and bent the pole. Those Pacer poles were pretty tough to bend. Problem was, when the completed the vault and were over the bar, they had to let go of the pole. Not so easy when your hand is glued to it. So they used a sort of pitching motion to snap the pole out of their hand. Ouch! It would often take a piece of their palm with it. Not uncommon to see pole vaulters with chunks of meat torn from their top hand palms. Tough guys with the upper body strength of a tank.

Us high jump types were tall, skinny with a ridiculous ability to concentrate. Made for kinda weird guys.

[Allen Goff]

My wife and one of my daughters plays serious tennis, I like the tape they used on their rackets, so I tyred it. So for the past 6 or 7 years I have been using it. Handles the sweat, and the pink looks "today". There are many colors and different textures. Like a tennis racket, when it gets worn, re-wrap it. And to get in on the track stars, I pole vaulted for four years in high school. They had just came out with the fiberglass pole in my senior year. I used the Swedish aluminum tapered pole. Best hight,11'10". So much for the trip down memory lane.

Blessings
Allen

[Bill Little]

You guys ain't gonna believe it, but I cleared 11' with a steel pole.  I soon out grew the poles....................  We had a 14' pole vaulter when he was a Sophomore in HS, but his step mom ran him off to the Marines when he turned 16.  Him or me she told the Daddy.  He could walk down a football field and BACK on his hands.  He would bet the guys in boot camp that he could do it.  I was happy to just do a hand stand.....   I only see him once in a while anymore.

Our HS Coach built an indoor pit and runway along with hanging a *trainer* from the gym rafters.  This was the mid '60s.  Eddie left before the end of the 1967 school year.  We had a full indoor set up, shot putt, high jump, etc.,

[Peter Ferguson]

Us high jump types were tall, skinny with a ridiculous ability to concentrate. Made for kinda weird guys.

Not weird, just spatially challanged.

[Elwyn Aud]

I remember using some of his stuff one summer about 6 years ago. Don't know why I quit. Probably ran out of tape and    never bought any more at the start of the next flying season. Think I'll give it a shot again this year. Thanks for the post.