Whether you are practicing on synthetic ice, or dryland slick tiles a hockey shooting tarp is the best way for a player to get the most out of any practice session. Hockey tarps are made in order to protect walls and appliances from flying hockey pucks while providing a lifelike goalie and shooting experience. One of the best ways to practice impossible shots and train for shooting strength is to use a high-grade hockey shooting tarp. However, if you want it to work right you need to make sure that you install it properly. It’s not that complicated, but it does take a little bit of work.
Please keep in mind that there are several ways you could successfully install a shooting tarp, based on the area that you are planning to work with. This is merely a simple, possible way that can be done within a half-hour.
Getting Started
The first thing you need to do is to determine where you are going to install the tarp. The Sniper’s Edge Hockey shooting tarp comes 16 feet wide by either eight feet or seven feet tall. Depending on the height of the area that you are installing it in. If you don’t have a 16-foot wide space available, you can tuck the sides in so that it fits the area that you have room for. There are several grommeted areas at the top of the tarp so that it can be hung from the ceiling. You can use strong sturdy hooks that screw into the ceiling, or cross beam in order to place the tarp grommets onto the hooks for a solid hang.
Placing the Hooks
Determine the amount of space that you will be installing the tarp across. Sine the goaltender is in the center of the tarp, for best results fold in the opposite ends of the tarp to shorten the width so that you keep the goalie where it is supposed to be. Take note of the spaces between the grommets at the top of the tarp. Find the crossbeam of the area and install your hooks on the crossbeam or studs in the same measurements as the spaces of your grommets. Be sure that you install the tarp with at least 12 inches of space from the wall so that there will be a space for the pucks to hit that won’t damage the wall behind it.
Hanging the Tarp
If you had to shorten the width of your tarp because of space, find the grommets where the tarp protection will start on the edges. Carefully climb a ladder and place the first grommet over the hook that is in the beam. Always think about safety first when you climb a ladder. Never reach so far over in one place that you will fall off balance. Go from one grommet to the next and place each hole over each hook until you have the whole tarp hanging from end to end. If you placed the hooks exactly where the grommets were supposed to go, your installation will be perfect.
Finishing Touches
For the best results, you will want your hockey tarp to reach from the top of the grommets to the floor, where there will be a couple of inches with the curl at the bottom facing towards you. This will help to keep the pucks on this side of the tarp without flying underneath and hitting whatever is behind. Depending on the way that you fastened your grommets at the top, you may be able to adjust them by backing the screw hooks out until there is enough overlap. Once this is all in place, go ahead and start practicing. Just as easy as 1 2 3, you have your fully functioning shooting tarp ready to go.