Clear hockey tape can be used for a few things, let’s talk about how to use it.
Clear hockey tape, also called sock tape or poly tape, is used for taping your hockey socks and shin pads in place. Typically you will see players wrap clear tape around their shins 2-5 times to keep socks and shin pads from jostling around. Some hockey players even use clear tape to wrap around their ankles for added support.
There is always that guy that asks for sock tape week after week in the locker room. Don’t be that guy. Clear tape is cheap and useful. Continue reading to learn how to best use clear hockey tape.
What Is Clear Hockey Tape Made Of?
Clear hockey tape is made of a stretchy plastic called polyethylene. Polyethylene is a tough, light, flexible synthetic resin that is also used in making plastic bags and food containers.
For the purpose of hockey, this stretchy plastic is also coated with an adhesive on the back of it that does not leave any residue on your socks after removing the tape.
Here is a “how it’s made” video from one of the largest suppliers of clear hockey tape in the world.
They make 3,500 rolls an hour and 3 million rolls a year.
That makes it even crazier that there is always at least one person in the locker room that doesn’t have it.
Does It Matter What Brand Of Clear Tape I Use?
If all clear tape is essentially made the same, does it really matter what brand I use?
From my personal experience, as well as many others I have talked to is that they do not find a difference between the most expensive brands of clear sock tape to the cheaper ones.
It’s usually a lot cheaper to buy clear tape online than it is to buy it at your local rink. Online you can oftentimes find bulk deals that drastically reduce the cost.
| Brand | Package/Cost | Reviews |
| SportsTape | 6 rolls/ $17 | 5 stars 900+ reviews |
| The Eagles | 6 rolls / $16.99 | 4 stars 100+ reviews |
| Howies | 30 rolls / $85 | 5 stars 20+ reviews |
| Celly Tape | 4 rolls / $13.99 | 4.5 stars 40+ reviews |
| Renfrew | 3 rolls / $8..99 | 5 stars 10+ reviews |
In the above chart, Howies and Renfrew are the most well-known popular brands of clear tap. If you are able to buy Howies tape in bulk of 30 rolls at a time you can get the cost down to $2.83 a roll. Which is on par with some of the lesser known brands like Sports Tape and The Eagle.
However, Renfrew is often considered one of the better brands of clear hockey tape and it averages $2.99 a roll when bought in a 3 pack.
So really we are talking about a savings of cents on the dollar when you buy off-brand tape.
I personally use the Sports Tape brand and I have no problem with the quality. It is tacky, stretchy, and holds all my gear in place as I need it to.
Why Should I Use Clear Tape On My Socks?
Clear hockey tape is not the only thing that you can use to tape your socks and shin pads in place but in most people’s opinion, it is the best.
Clear hockey tape is a better option than stick tape for taping your socks and shin pads because of it’s flexible nature. The flexibility makes it a great option for keeping things like socks and shin pads in place and snug to your body without cutting off circulation.
I often put a strip of clear tape above my shin pads to help prevent my socks from falling below my pads. Even though my socks have a velcro strip, they often fail mid-game.
If you have ever tried to use hockey stick tape in place of clear tape, especially in that area (your mid-thigh) you have probably noticed that it is not forgiving at all and become pretty uncomfortable.
Clear hockey tape also has a certain memory to it that helps it hold its shape a bit. If it gets stretched out it will bounce back a tad.
Sock tape is also tough enough to not completely rip if hit by a stick or gets caught by a skate. That bit of elasticity helps with durability in these situations.
How Do I Tape My Hockey Socks With Clear Tape?
It’s really simple to use clear tape on your socks. Most players will start at either the mid-shin or the ankle and wind up or down their leg a few times.
Other players prefer a more clean look. They will do two or three wraps mid-shin, move down a few inches and repeat.
As I mentioned above, I like to add a few wraps just above my shin pads to try and prevent my hockey socks from falling.
You really can’t mess this up. There is no right or wrong way to apply hockey tape. You need to find out how tight you would like it and go from there.
Some players like their shin pads extremely tight to their legs while some players don’t mind a little wiggle room.
If you don’t know what you prefer yet, try both ways and find out.
Other Uses For Clear Hockey Tape
There are a few other uses that clear hockey tape is beneficial for. Some players will add a few rolls of clear tape around their ankles to give them a little bit of added support.
Generally, this practice is sued by players who have had a previous ankle injury. Taping your ankles definitely reduces mobility in the ankle which I have found is not always a great thing to do in hockey but honestly, it is a personal preference, just how tying your skates is.
Another uncommon use for clear hockey tape is to tape the handle of your hockey stick with it. When creating the handle of your hockey stick it is common to use stick tape, which is a cloth-based tape that has a rough texture to it.
This texture will eventually wear a hole into your gloves. By laying down a base layer of hockey stick tape and then finishing it with clear tape you can extend the life of your gloves.
Why Do Hockey Players Use Clear Tape?
Hockey players use clear tape to secure their shin pads and socks in place. Clear tape is a Polyethylene based tape that is elastic, easy to tear with the hands, yet tough. Clear hockey tape is backed with an adhesive that will not leave a residue on your socks after being removed.
Other uses for clear hockey tape are taping your ankles for added support and a finishing layer around the handle of your stick to extend the life of your gloves.