What are smelling salts?
Ever wondered what hockey players are sniffing on the bench before they hop over the boards? That's smelling salts. They're an ammonia inhalant that's long been common in hockey — and in plenty of other short-burst sports — and players often reach for a quick sniff as part of their bench routine.
How do smelling salts work?
Smelling salts release ammonia gas. When you hold the bottle near your nose and take a short sniff, that sharp, pungent scent produces an intense sensory reaction — it's a lot to take in at once. That intense hit is exactly why players keep them on the bench and reach for one before a shift.
What's special about Ward Hockey Smelling Salts?
Traditionally, hockey players used single-use snap ampules. Athletes in other sports had long since moved to "bottle-style" smelling salts, which are far stronger than ampules, more cost-effective, last for months, and can be passed down a whole bench. The catch: standard bottle-style salts tend to weaken in the cold of an ice rink.
Ward Hockey Smelling Salts are the first bottle-style smelling salts formulated for cold conditions. They hold their sharp, potent scent in a freezing rink, so hockey players finally get a bottle that keeps up with the same insanely potent formula athletes in other sports have used for years.
- Far stronger than ampules
- Formulated for cold conditions
- Very cost-effective
- A single bottle can last months
- Can be passed around the whole bench
Want a bottle built for the rink? Check out our Hockey Smelling Salts, available as single bottles and team packs — with free shipping on orders over $25.
