Hockey Tape Widths and Roll Lengths Explained

There is no single standard size for hockey tape. Widths cluster around two sizes, but roll lengths change from brand to brand and even between products from the same brand. Read the label before you compare prices.

The two common widths

• About 1 inch. Sold as 1 in (25.4 mm) by US brands and as 24 mm by others. This is the everyday blade and knob tape. Narrow tape follows the curve of a blade more easily.
• About 1.5 inches. Sold as 1.5 in (38.1 mm) or 36 mm. Wide tape covers a blade in fewer passes, which helps on a longer, taller goalie blade.

You will also see in-between and specialty widths. Lowry lists a 30 mm cloth tape. Howies sells a 1/2 inch knob tape for building up the top of the shaft.

Real roll sizes, by brand

These are sizes published by makers or listed by retailers. Brands change their ranges, so treat this as a snapshot.

Product	Width	Length	Source
Howies black cloth	1 in	24 yd (about 21.9 m)	Howies
Howies black cloth, wide	1.5 in	15 yd (about 13.7 m)	Source For Sports listing
Lowry Pro Grade colour and printed cloth	30 mm	12 m (about 13.1 yd)	Lowry
Renfrew Pro custom-printed cloth	24 mm	18 m (about 19.7 yd)	Renfrew Pro
Lowry friction tape	19 mm	18 m	Lowry
Howies stretch grip	1.5 in	5 yd (about 4.6 m)	Howies
Lowry cohesive grip	36 mm	4.5 m	Lowry
CCM stick grip (polyurethane)	25 mm	140 cm	Sportimex listing
Howies shin pad tape	1 in	30 yd (about 27.4 m)	Team Town Sports listing

Two things stand out:

1. Wide rolls are shorter. The 1.5 inch Howies roll is 15 yd, against 24 yd for the 1 inch roll.
2. Grip rolls are short. A grip roll is a few metres, because one wrap of the handle uses most of it.

How to compare value

Price per roll can mislead. Compare price per metre, or better, price per tape job. A cheaper roll that is half the length is not a bargain. A wider roll covers the blade in fewer passes, so each tape job uses less of its length, but wide rolls are also shorter. The how much tape it takes article walks through the maths.

Which width should you buy?

• Forwards and defence: 1 inch is the usual choice. It is easy to control around the curve of the blade. The forward and defence tutorials use it.
• Goalies: 1 or 1.5 inch both work. Wide tape covers a goalie blade and paddle faster. See the goalie tutorial.
• Knobs: any cloth tape works. A narrow knob tape gives you finer control over the shape.

Why black rolls can look smaller

If a black roll looks slimmer than a white one of the same length, it may not be short. North American Tapes, the maker of Comp-o-stik, says dyeing makes black cloth a tiny bit thinner than white, so the finished roll has a slightly smaller diameter. The same company says it leaves weaving seams in some rolls and adds a few extra feet to make up for them.

Store rolls somewhere they will not get crushed. A squashed roll can squeeze adhesive between the layers and shred the edges as you unwind it.