To play the sport of curling you will need a good broom. Sweeping or brushing may be done by any or all members of the team to try to make the curling stone go further and to usually keep it going straight. Sweeping the ice will slightly melt it and reduce the friction between the moving stone and the ice surface. This will cause the stone to curl less and slide farther. Most curling brooms now have fiberglass, carbon or aluminum handles which come in different thickness. Brooms used to be made with stiff corn fibers, however long handled brushes have generally replaced brooms as they sweep more effectively. The brush head is usually made of hog hair, horse hair, or a nylon synthetic material. You can buy straight curling broom heads and heads that are angled to the left or right. You can buy the broom handle and head separately. Curling brooms are available with several color pads and come in many different shapes, sizes and weights. Make sure your broom feels comfortable in your hands and isn’t too heavy for you.
