Howies Hockey Tape

What Howies Hockey Tape does

Howies Hockey Tape is a privately held, US-based sporting goods company founded in 2002 and headquartered in Caledonia, Michigan, that designs, sources, and sells hockey equipment and accessories under the Howies brand. Its core product is hockey tape — spanning cloth, shin pad, friction, knob, patterned, stretch grip, Pro Grip, and APEX Grip variants — sold in a wide color palette and pack sizes, alongside waxed and cloth skate laces, hockey pucks, stick wax, skate guards, skate socks, sharpening supplies, and water bottles. A second product pillar is hockey apparel (tees, hoodies, joggers, hats, jerseys, jackets, polos, youth and baby items) and a recently expanded safety equipment line (cut-resistant socks, wrist guards, neck guards). A third pillar is customization: the Build-A-Box and Build-A-Lace-Box configurators allow customers to compose personalized bundles with billions of combinations, and a custom-products service delivers branded pucks, skate guards, accessory bags, blade cases, team wear, and hats for hockey organizations.

The company operates an omnichannel go-to-market. Direct-to-consumer e-commerce through howieshockeytape.com (with US, Canadian, and international shipping, and free shipping above $99 domestically) is the primary motion, complemented by a brand-ambassador program, social and email marketing, event sponsorship (Howies Hometown Cup, Free Sticker Week), and how-to video content. Wholesale distribution to retail stores, direct team sales to hockey organizations (including custom-branded goods), and vending-machine placements at rinks provide parallel B2B and venue-based channels. Pricing is unit-based across pack sizes with volume discounts, and the product mix spans price points from ~$2 pucks to ~$72 hoodies.

In 2023 Howies announced a $6 million capital investment in a new warehouse and distribution center in Gaines Charter Township, Michigan — supported by a $270,000 Michigan Strategic Fund grant and tied to a 45-job hiring commitment — explicitly aimed at scaling capacity to meet rising demand from NHL, NFL, and NCAA customers. The business is independently owned (founder Howard Max Sieplinga), with no disclosed institutional equity backing, parent company, or acquisitions to date.

Name

Howies Hockey Tape

Legal name

Howies Hockey Tape

Website

https://howieshockeytape.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Howies Hockey Tape is a US-based, privately held sporting goods company (founded 2002, Caledonia/Grand Rapids, MI) that designs, manufactures, and sells hockey tape, skate laces, apparel, accessories, and custom team products direct-to-consumer online, via wholesale, and to pro and collegiate teams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Direct E-commerce Sales: Direct-to-consumer online sales through howieshockeytape.com. One-time purchase model with products shipped directly to customers in the US and internationally.
2. Wholesale/Retail Distribution: B2B wholesale sales to retail stores and retailers who resell Howies products. Includes retail account partnerships.
3. Team Sales: Sales to hockey teams, leagues, and organizations including custom branded products. Serves NHL, NFL, and NCAA customers.
4. Vending Machine Sales: Automated sales through vending machines positioned at venues and rinks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Howies Hockey Tape manufactures and sells branded hockey tape (cloth, shin pad, APEX grip, stretch grip, pro grip, patterned, friction, and knob tape), waxed and cloth skate laces, hockey pucks, stick wax, skate guards, apparel, water bottles, accessory bags, cut-resistant products, neck guards, and sharpening supplies. Its flagship differentiator is the Build-A-Box and Build-A-Lace-Box customization offering, which lets customers assemble personalized combinations of tape rolls and laces in any color and quantity, alongside custom team branding services for pucks, skate guards, bags, apparel, and hats.

Product overview

Howies Hockey Tape is a sporting goods provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of hockey equipment and accessories. The core product line centers around hockey tape variants including Cloth Tape, Shin Pad Tape, Patterned Tape, Stretch Grip Tape, Pro Grip Tape, APEX Grip Tape, Friction Tape, and Knob Tape - all available in numerous colors and pack sizes. Complementing the tape offerings is an extensive selection of skate laces (waxed and cloth) in many colors, along with hockey pucks, stick wax, skate guards, and sharpening supplies. The company also provides a full range of hockey apparel including t-shirts, hats, hoodies, jerseys, and custom team wear, plus protective gear such as cut-resistant products and neck guards. Key differentiators include custom Build-A-Box and Build-A-Lace-Box services allowing customers to create personalized combinations, custom team branding services, and a wholesale program. The product portfolio is distributed through the company's e-commerce platform and includes options for retail accounts, team sales, and vending machines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cloth Hockey Tape Traditional cloth-based hockey tape for taping hockey sticks, available in a wide variety of colors including black, white, red, blue, yellow, green, purple, navy, orange, pink, maroon, teal, and gray. Targeted at individual hockey players seeking grip and control on their sticks.
• Shin Pad Tape Clear and colored tape specifically designed for wrapping hockey shin pads, available in multiple colors including clear, black, white, red, blue, yellow, green, navy, orange, pink, and teal.
• APEX Grip Tape Premium grip tape for hockey sticks offered in multiple colors including white, black, sky blue, gray, pink, purple, red, royal blue, and yellow, positioned as a new premium grip offering for enhanced on-stick performance.
• Stretch Grip Tape Elastic grip tape that stretches for easy application on hockey sticks, available in numerous colors including black, white, red, blue, yellow, green, purple, navy, orange, pink, sky blue, maroon, and gray.
• Pro Grip Tape Professional-grade grip tape for hockey sticks offered in a wide range of colors and designed for durability and control during gameplay.
• Patterned Hockey Tape Decorative hockey tape featuring patterns such as USA Flag, Canada Flag, and various camo designs for players seeking personalization beyond solid colors.
• Waxed Hockey Skate Laces Durable waxed laces for hockey skates available in numerous colors including white, black, yellow, red, neon green, royal blue, hot pink, sky blue, purple, orange, and green; designed for secure tying and moisture resistance.
• Cloth Hockey Skate Laces Cloth-based laces for hockey skates offered in various colors, providing a traditional feel and good durability.
• Hockey Pucks Official 6oz hockey pucks and practice pucks available in pack sizes from single pucks to 100-packs, including both official-grade and practice-grade options.
• Hockey Stick Wax (Tacky Wax) Wax applied to hockey stick blades to improve puck control and sliding, available in various pack sizes.
• Skate Guards Protective guards for hockey skate blades available in multiple colors including red and other options, designed to protect blades when not in use.
• Hockey Apparel Hockey-themed clothing line including t-shirts, hats, hoodies, shorts, beanies, joggers, jackets, jerseys, and polos featuring hockey-themed designs and Howies branding.
• Howies Pro Accessory Bag Premium accessory bag with a tarpaulin shell for protecting hockey gear, marketed as an upgraded, durable bag option.
• Custom Team Products Custom branding service for teams offering custom printed pucks, custom skate guards, custom accessory bags, custom skate blade cases, custom team wear, and custom hats for team identity and branding.
• Cut-Resistant Products Protective cut-resistant gear including skate socks and wrist guard combos designed to prevent injuries from skate blade cuts.
• Neck Guards Protective neck guards including FlexProtect Pro Neck Guard and Howies Pro Compression Jock designed to protect players from skate blade injuries.
• Hockey Water Bottles Hockey-themed water bottles including 1L bottles and Pro Jet bottles available in multiple colors and combo packs.
• Build-A-Box / Build-A-Lace-Box Customization Service Customization service allowing customers to build their own tape boxes (up to 30 rolls) or lace boxes with their choice of colors, types, and quantities, offering billions of unique combinations for personalized purchases.
• Mixed Tape Cases Pre-configured mixed cases that combine different tape types (e.g., black cloth with clear shin pad tape) in various ratio combinations for convenience buyers.
• Knob Tape Narrow 1/2-inch tape designed specifically for taping hockey stick blades near the knob/handle, available in white and black.
• Hockey Socks and Skate Socks Specialized hockey socks and skate socks designed for use with hockey equipment, available in various sizes and colors.
• Sharpening Supplies Products for maintaining hockey skate blades including skate stones and other sharpening accessories.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards available for purchase that allow recipients to choose their own Howies Hockey Tape products.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free shipping on orders over $99
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Tape Kings: Tape Kings is a hockey-focused tape and accessories brand selling cloth and grip tape to amateur and pro players. Overlaps Howies on product assortment, target customer (hockey players and teams), and customization messaging.
• Vegum: Vegum is a Czech manufacturer of hockey tape widely used across European leagues and increasingly distributed in North America. Directly comparable to Howies on core product (grip and cloth tape), color range, and team-channel go-to-market.
• Renfrew Hockey Tape: Renfrew is a long-standing direct competitor to Howies in cloth hockey tape, offering similar single-roll and team-pack products. Closest 1:1 comparison because both compete in the same core category with comparable price points and channel mix.

Broad incumbents

• Bauer Hockey: Bauer is the dominant global ice hockey equipment brand (sticks, skates, helmets, apparel), part of Peak Achievement Athletics. Overlaps Howies on hockey tape, laces, and accessories sold alongside core equipment, and competes for the same NHL/NCAA retail and team accounts.
• CCM Hockey: CCM is a leading global hockey equipment manufacturer with sticks, skates, helmets, and apparel, owned by Topgolf Callaway. Sells hockey tape and accessories and competes for the same pro, collegiate, and amateur team customers as Howies.
• Lizard Skins: Lizard Skins is a sports-grip and accessory manufacturer strong in baseball, hockey, and cycling grips/tape. Comparable to Howies on grip-tape product technology, color and customization-led branding, and team-sport distribution.
• Shock Doctor: Shock Doctor is a sports protection and accessories brand with strong hockey presence (mouthguards, cups, compression, neck protection). Compares to Howies' cut-resistant socks and neck-guard categories and shares the same team and league sales channels.
• Warrior Sports: Warrior (a New Balance brand) is a major hockey equipment maker covering sticks, gloves, bags, and protective gear. Comparable to Howies on the equipment-accessory side and on team-channel B2B sales, though far broader in assortment.

Regional players

• Pure Hockey: Pure Hockey is the largest hockey-specialty retail chain in the US with extensive pro-shop inventory of tape, laces, and accessories. Comparable to Howies on customer base and product range but operates primarily physical retail across North America rather than manufacturing.

Emerging players

• SISU Guard: SISU makes thin, custom-fit mouthguards and protective gear marketed to hockey and other contact-sport athletes. Overlaps Howies on the hockey protective-equipment category and shares the team-and-tournament go-to-market motion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/howieshockeytape
• Facebookfacebook.com/HowiesHockey
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/howies-hockey-tape
• Xx.com/hockeytape

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Howies Hockey Tape