The correct answer is on BOTH!
The features and benefits of traditional ice are known to everyone and are not subject to discussion.
However, it also has its limitations. The huge cost of construction, equipment, operation and maintenance, ice time deficit, the inaccessibility of training ice as happened during the current covid epidemic, require finding solutions to these and other problems.
Artificial ice rinks have been known for a long time. However, until recently, they could hardly be considered more than shooting pads. But with the development of technology, artificial ice, also known as synthetic ice, is increasingly used in hockey, including by professionals.
The main advantage of synthetic ice, in addition to almost zero operating costs, is the ability to build ice rinks of any size, practically anywhere, and operate at any time of the year, both indoor and outdoor. This provides a unique opportunity to organize full-fledged group and individual hockey training.
Super-Glide synthetic ice invented by Global Synthetic Ice in the 1990s is perfect for indoor and outdoor hockey skating practice and according to many professional coaches and players is often better for practicing than real ice in many aspects. Professional hockey players have been training on our Super-Glide ice rinks since 2000.
Super-Glide synthetic ice has been the benchmark for glide performance and assembly reliability from the very beginning. Continuous work to improve the quality of gliding for over 20 years, several patented technological solutions have led to a world record number of hockey training facilities equipped with Super-Glide synthetic ice that successfully operate for many years. And this is one of the main proofs of Super-Glide's superiority over all other synthetic ice surfaces.