When it comes to synthetic ice hockey shooting tiles the last thing you want to do is use the kind that will let you down. Hockey is a very competitive sport and in order to be good at it, you need to continually practice and push yourself so that you get to a point where you are unstoppable. You won’t get to that point if you use inferior products to get you there.
Hockey Ice Flooring
There are several types of hockey flooring. The most obvious one is the traditional ice flooring that comes with ice rinks. In order to have this type of flooring, you need a place that is at least 32 degrees at all times so the ice stays frozen. There are ice rinks that are built to handle ice flooring and are kept at a constantly frozen temperature so that the floor doesn’t melt. This takes quite a bit of money and energy to maintain so it is not an ideal strategy for year-round ice skating.
Dryland Hockey Flooring
Another type of hockey flooring that is similar to synthetic ice is dryland flooring, also known as slick tiles. Although these are made out of the same kind of polymer that synthetic ice is made from, they are not the same. Dryland hockey flooring is designed more with the shooter in mind, than the skater. The flooring is very slick, like ice, but not engineered for ice skates. The puck will glide across the flooring a lot like it would as if it were on an ice rink, but ice skates, on the other hand, will not only cause damage to the flooring, they will be almost impossible for the skater to move on. They are strong, durable and last many years, but only if you use shoes or rollerblades to practice on them.
Synthetic Ice Panels
Synthetic ice panels and synthetic ice tiles are available when you purchase your hockey flooring. Panels are a bit larger, most are two feet by four feet. They have interlocking sides that allow for the installer to simply place them together and put them into place so that they form strong flooring with no gaps or seams. The best place to get synthetic ice panels is Sniper’s Edge Hockey. The reason for this is because Sniper’s Edge uses its own special ingredient that allows for the flooring to be self-lubricating. This means that you will never have to add any additives or extra oils to the flooring in order to keep it slick enough for skaters to skate on. You can just install the panels, and start skating.
Skating Tips
If you install synthetic ice to practice or play on, remember that it is specifically engineered for ice skates only. If you try to play or practice on synthetic ice flooring with rollerblades you will quickly learn that it is not a good idea. Artificial ice flooring is made to be extremely slick, just like ice. If you ever try to rollerblade on ice you will understand why rollerblading on it is a problem. Dryland flooring is best for rollerblades because it was created for rollerblading friendly environments. Both of the flooring solutions are great ways to practice hockey and shooting, but you have to choose which one is best for your needs. If you need to practice ice skating, your best bet will by the synthetic ice panels, but if you would rather rollerblade, then you should go with the dryland tiles. However, if you have enough room, you could build flooring for both. It is super easy to install both types of flooring, and they both last for eons.
