Should You Put a Band on a Hurley? Our Honest View on Bands, Braces and Hooping

A lot of players ask about putting a band, brace, hoop or metal strip on a hurley to try and protect it.

Our honest view at Martin Hurls is simple:

we do not strongly recommend banding a hurley.

We understand why some players ask for it. They hope it will strengthen the hurley or help it last longer. But from our own experience in the workshop, we believe banding can often do more harm than good over time.

We will fit a band if a customer specifically requests it, but it is not something we advise as standard on a Martin Hurl.

What is banding on a hurley?

Banding usually means fitting a strip of metal around part of the bas of the hurley.

Some players call it:

• a band
• a brace
• a hoop
• hooping

The idea is that the metal will help reinforce the hurley and stop it wearing or breaking as quickly.

That might sound sensible on paper, but in practice it is not always that straightforward.

Why we do not recommend banding a hurley

The biggest issue is the number of nails that have to be punched into the hurley to hold the band in place.

In many cases, that can mean 10 to 12 nails going into the bas area.

From our point of view, the more nails you put into a hurley, the more weakness you are introducing into the wood.

A hurley is a natural ash product. Once you start punching multiple holes into it, especially around an area that is already taking pressure and impact, you are creating extra stress points.

Nails can weaken the timber over time

One of our biggest concerns is that the nail holes can become weaker over time.

As the hurley is used, struck and exposed to conditions, those holes can begin to loosen and widen. That can then increase the chance of movement, weakness and cracking along the grain lines.

Instead of helping the hurley, the band can end up contributing to the very issue the player was trying to avoid.

That is one of the main reasons we are cautious about it.

Banding at the start can be even worse

We especially do not like the idea of putting a band on at the very start of a hurley’s life.

If the wood is being punched with nails from day one, you are immediately putting multiple holes into the bas before the hurley has even had proper use.

From our workshop experience, that is not something we believe improves the long-term strength of the hurley.

If anything, it can compromise it earlier.

Cracks can follow the grain lines

Because ash is a natural timber, cracks and stress can travel along the grain.

When multiple nails are punched into the bas area, especially in a concentrated section, there is more potential for weakness to develop along those grain lines over time.

That is one of the reasons why a banded hurley is not automatically a stronger hurley.

In some cases, it may actually become more vulnerable.

Our view from a health and safety point of view

We also think there is a fair health and safety point to this.

A hurley is designed to be played with at speed, in close contact, in training and matches. Adding metal to it is not something we think should be encouraged unless a player specifically wants it and understands the trade-off.

From our point of view, you are generally better off not having metal applied to your hurley.

The natural wooden bas is what the hurley is made for.

Why some players still ask for it

To be fair, some players simply prefer it because:

• they are used to it
• they believe it protects the bas
• they have always played with one
• they like the look or feel of it

And that is their choice.

At Martin Hurls, if a customer specifically asks for banding, we can do it. But we always want to be honest and say that we do not strongly recommend it.

What we recommend instead

Instead of adding metal to a hurley, we would much rather see players do the simple things properly:

• choose a well-made hurley to begin with
• look after it properly
• do not leave it in the boot of the car
• do not leave it beside a radiator or direct heat
• keep the timber in good condition
• use a proper care product like Hurley Essence
• replace worn grips regularly
• store the hurley in a dry, sensible place

In our experience, good care and good timber are a better route than punching metal into the bas.

Our honest workshop opinion

At Martin Hurls, we believe that once you start driving nails into the bas of a hurley, you are introducing weakness rather than removing it.

That may not be what every player wants to hear, but it is our genuine opinion based on working with hurleys and seeing what happens to them over time.

A band might look like extra protection, but the reality is that more holes and more nails can mean more weakness, especially as the hurley ages and those holes begin to open or shift.

That is why we do not recommend banding as standard.

Will we still do it if requested?

Yes — if a customer specifically asks for a band, brace or hoop, we can fit one.

But we do so on the basis that:

• it is the customer’s request
• it is not something we strongly advise
• it may weaken the hurley over time rather than strengthen it

We would always prefer to be honest about that rather than just fitting one without explanation.

Final thoughts

If you are thinking about putting a band, brace or hoop on your hurley, our honest advice is to think carefully first.

At Martin Hurls, we do not strongly recommend banding a hurl.

Our reason is simple:

the more nails punched into the wood, the more weakness you can create over time.

That can lead to enlarged holes, movement, and cracks following the grain lines. From both a durability and health and safety point of view, we believe you are generally better off keeping metal off the hurley.

We will fit one if required, but it is not something we recommend as standard on a Martin Hurl.

If you want a hurley that is made properly and looked after properly, browse our range of Standard Hurls and Premium Hurleys, and if you want to help protect the timber, take a look at Hurley Essence.