What's the best tape for a tape glove?

[A_Little_Off_Route]

As a crack addict I used to tape knuckles when they bled but I recently read about the idea of a "tape glove." Might have to give that a try.

 

What's the best tape? I work in medicine and there a about a million types. What do you use?

 

Off_Route

[bstach]

The best tape is called "Technique".

[sobo]

Now that the obligatory "tape is aid" comment is out of the way, I used to do this:

 

Use the white medical adhesive tape that is sold to consumers in the grocery store OTC aisle or from any drug store. Nothing special, but make sure it's the cloth (not plastic) kind. Johnson & Johnson is fine.

 

Then, if you're a hirsute beast like me, get some disposable razors and before you tape up, shave the back of your hands and fingers (and in my case, the palms, too) to a point about at your wrist bone.

 

If you sweat a lot like I do, then use some spray-on "grip helper" that you can find at sports stores (think baseball, football, and golf type stores). I used Cramer's Firm Grip™. It sprays on wet and then dries quickly to a tacky surface to which the tape will stick extra tightly.

 

Lastly, carry a pair of your paramedic's shears with you for removal at the end of the day. Do not try to pull the tape off. You'll be sorry if you do... Trust me on this one...

[DPS]

I buy 'trainers' tape, the kind used to tape ankles from big box athletic stores. Stickiness and durability and general quality are variable.

 

In grad school a number of folks from school went down to J-Tree. At night the other folks would spend hours by headlamp making reusable tape gloves. I'm not sure they were any better than wrapping your mitts with a few passes of tape, but it was something to do at night while drinking beer. That and running laps on Headstone Arete by headlamp.

 

Lastly, carry a pair of your paramedic's shears with you for removal at the end of the day. Do not try to pull the tape off. You'll be sorry if you do... Trust me on this one...

 

That is f'ing brilliant. I carry a pair in my first aid kit and never thought of using them for this.

Edited June 6, 2012 by DPS

[billcoe]

The use of the Cramers as Sobo says, or a light coat of Benzoin, will help keep the tape from ripping your skin off when you pull the tape off and is highly recommended. Furthermore, you will start the day with some fingertip protectant. Even just a week of laps in Joshua Tree will give you bloody fingertips if you have been doing little over the winter.

 

As far as tape brands, Johnson and Johnson is great stuff, but I actually think that regardless of brand, new (not old) is as important. If you buy too much and break if out a couple years later, (insert sad face here).

 

As far as shaving your hands, use like a Nair cream to avoid the razor, and if you buy it in something which looks like a toothpaste tube, MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT PUT IT IN YOUR SHAVING KIT WITH THE TOOTHPASTE AND TOILETRIES OR YOUR TEETH WILL TASTE LIKE SHIT WHEN YOU BRUSH WITH IT. I still have a bad 25 year old memory of doing this exact thing in JT....22-23 hour drive straight through, wanted to brush my teeth, wasn't paying close attention: whammm. LOL! Hope someone learns form that:-0

[Drederek]

I wouldn't use a tape glove at JT. I like to protect my palms when boulder hopping and descending. I've never had a problem with the tape sold in climbing shops. I think the idea of a tape glove is more appealing than the actuality.

[mark1980]

Check the Metolius website; they have instructions on making tape gloves.

[Jim]

Used something called Mueller(sp?) Euro Tape when I was in Moab. It seemed to stay put better than the normal stuff I was using up here. Haven't seen it anywhere else.

[sobo]

The use of the Cramers as Sobo says, or a light coat of Benzoin, will help keep the tape from ripping your skin off when you pull the tape off and is highly recommended.

Not so, bill. Quite the opposite. The Cramer's will cause the tape to stick even better. Hence my preference for scissors at the end of the day instead of trying to peel/pull it off.

 

As far as shaving your hands, use like a Nair cream to avoid the razor, and if you buy it in something which looks like a toothpaste tube, MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT PUT IT IN YOUR SHAVING KIT WITH THE TOOTHPASTE AND TOILETRIES OR YOUR TEETH WILL TASTE LIKE SHIT WHEN YOU BRUSH WITH IT.

The mental image I have of this is making my sides hurt...

[montypiton]

check out Ocun's crack glove -- similar to hand-jammies, but paper thin - no thicker than a heavy tape job. I've been using them about a year now. yeah, at $30+ they initially seem spendy, but if you climb cracks daily, they end up being more economical.

may be hard to find -- I mail-ordered from a dealer in Vancouver, Canada

[Lukic]

I don't generally tape, but the best price I've seen on athletic tape is at Albertson's. You can buy a 4 pack for $8, or at least you could but it's been a long time since I've bought one.

[G-spotter]

The best tape is the one having the most fun

 

aka Technique

[Rad]

Taping article and video

[Ed_Hobbick]

I've never done this but John Long mentions using Tincture of benzoin on your hands prior to putting the tape on to make it stick better and longer. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tincture_of_benzoin

 

 

[burchey]

I manage on 5.7 - 5.8 hand cracks. I tear my hands up pretty well depending on the rock quality. In my circle of climbing acquaintances, there is a gent who's been climbing forever, used to solo in the .12s...really skilled and down-to-earth guy. His hands don't show any signs of crack-wear, and he doesn't tape up. He claims that with good technique you won't normally rip your skin up.

 

Is this something we have to deal with while learning crack technique, the whole tape thing...until we are good enough to not need it? I'm sure this has been beaten to death.

[Khoi]

check out Ocun's crack glove -- similar to hand-jammies, but paper thin - no thicker than a heavy tape job. I've been using them about a year now. yeah, at $30+ they initially seem spendy, but if you climb cracks daily, they end up being more economical.

may be hard to find -- I mail-ordered from a dealer in Vancouver, Canada

 

http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Climbing/Gloves/PRD~5025-158/ocun-crack-gloves-unisex.jsp

 

I've compared the Ocun Crack Gloves and the Hand Jammies side by side, and on my hands. I'd prefer the Ocun Crack Gloves since they have a noticeably thinner profile.

[MWH]

Here is more info about tape.

 

http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/how-to-tape-for-crack-climbing-101/

[Rad]

I manage on 5.7 - 5.8 hand cracks. I tear my hands up pretty well depending on the rock quality. In my circle of climbing acquaintances, there is a gent who's been climbing forever, used to solo in the .12s...really skilled and down-to-earth guy. His hands don't show any signs of crack-wear, and he doesn't tape up. He claims that with good technique you won't normally rip your skin up.

 

Is this something we have to deal with while learning crack technique, the whole tape thing...until we are good enough to not need it? I'm sure this has been beaten to death.

 

As with much of life, the truth lies in the middle. People learning to climb cracks often rattle their hands around, slide them up and down, and don't set them properly. This leads to scrapes and bleeding. With practice, you'll get better at setting hand/finger jams right the first time and greatly reduce abrasion in the process. So there is some truth to what you say.

 

However, even experts (witness the UKC video) tape under certain circumstances and for particularly abrasive rock because it can save your skin and reduce the pain factor. Different strokes for different folks: Dean Potter tapes. Alex Honnold (as far as I've seen) doesn't.

[burchey]

 

As with much of life, the truth lies in the middle. People learning to climb cracks often rattle their hands around, slide them up and down, and don't set them properly. This leads to scrapes and bleeding. With practice, you'll get better at setting hand/finger jams right the first time and greatly reduce abrasion in the process. So there is some truth to what you say.

 

However, even experts (witness the UKC video) tape under certain circumstances and for particularly abrasive rock because it can save your skin and reduce the pain factor. Different strokes for different folks: Dean Potter tapes. Alex Honnold (as far as I've seen) doesn't.

 

Thanks for the insight. I know some rock I just have to look at and my hands start bleeding. Most of J Tree for example

[Jens]

There is an article on how to properly tape in one of the latest mags by Pee Wee Oulet (mid 5.14 crack climber and one the best in world) on how he tapes up his hands for his crack climbs.

[layton]

the metolius website offers the best method for tape gloves, way better than the Freedom of the Hills version b/c you don't wind up with tape on your palm.

 

Metolius tape costs about as much as anything, and it's the best. Besides that, find something cheap online.

 

don't use tict of benzione. it takes forever to come off and will stain your hands. Instead use "Pre-Tape" spray my Mueller. You can get it in an aersol bottle or a liquid pump (epic mess if it spills).

 

shaving the hands/wrist is a good idea, but I just rip it off at the end of the day.

 

technique is better than tape, but it takes time to get good and it takes time to toughen up your hands. Even if I did or didn't have good technqiue, I'd still tape since a ruined hand will ruin the climb and your trip, plus if you have any sort of professional life, you won't want your hands to look like you have leaporsy. If your job invovles wearing surgical gloves then definately tape!

 

The Occun gloves are hands down the best "hand jammies" out there. I don't use them b/c I like to have more feeling and the harder the crack generally means the thinner the tape job. I only use 1 layer of tape with minimal overlap and one roll now lasts me a couple days in the desert.

[montypiton]

an opinion on the "tape = aid" controversy -- in ancient times (mid 1970s) I spent two climbing seasons at Devils Tower Wyoming. Dennis Horning and I established the Tower's first 5.11. In our transition to taping, we did a plethora of climbs both ways, and concluded that a good tape job was worth about a full number grade -- felt like a taped hand stayed in a marginal jam better than an untaped one. No doubt there are those who would disagree, but that's what it felt like to us. In those days, there were those who argued that CHALK = aid. There may still be a few of those around, but I haven't heard that argument for twenty years or so...

 

I began using the Ocun gloves last year, and yes, I did notice the reduction in "feel". The sticky rubber more than makes up for that, for me -- but then I'm old & weak & need all the help I can get. I wear shoes, too, and climb several grades harder in them than I've been able to climb barefoot. Used to see photos of East Germans climbing barefoot on limestone - so they could use pockets which would take a toe, but not a shoe -- HARDMEN!

 

everybody develops their own style, and mine is still evolving after forty years. All of this stuff works. Play around with it, spend LOTSA time in cracks. Compare different techniques and you'll settle into something that feels/works best for you. then don't get too attached to it, cuz down the road you're bound to see a better way sooner or later...

[markwebster]

tape is aid, no doubt about it. So are cams, and sticky shoes.

 

If you can free solo, a climbing rope is aid. Depends on your perspective.

 

With that out of the way, Yosemites climbing store used to sell some amazing tape. It had pinstripes running the long way that allowed it to be torn into one half inch strips very easily. And it was super sticky. I used to order it online after finding it in the valley.

 

but that company got bought out and it's not available anymore... that I've been able to find.

 

I tried hand jammies and loved them, except on 10b cracks where they are too thick. Plus, I ripped them out in 5 months. Kind of fragile.

 

I'm back to taping with cheap tape...Metolius tape is ok. That brown tape Physical Therapists use is good, but slippery.

[billcoe]

The jean-pierre ouellet taping instructions which Jens references above can be found here. http://megapeewee.blogspot.com/2010/11/tape-gloves.html

 

Love that Steph Davis quote from the link up thread too.

Dear Tina,

I think of tape as being kind of like climbing shoes. If it’s a pretty easy climb, you want your most comfy shoes. If it’s a pretty easy crack climb, I don’t bother to tape. If it’s a hard crack, and more technical, you have two choices: tape after you rip your skin, or tape before you rip your skin

[A_Little_Off_Route]

The best tape is called "Technique".

 

Searched the web everywhere and can't seem to find that brand! Got a link? Does "Technique tape" come in hot-pink? I want it to match my harness.

 

:-)

 

Thanks for all of the useful suggestions. Since I work in medicine and do wear surgical gloves at work AND wash my hands about 30 times a day they are not exactly leather-bound. Combine that with a skin condition that thins them further, and anyone following me up a crack climb should have a matching blood type to mine.

 

I've never seen those hand-jammies before but for my skin I might have to give them a try. I assume nobody makes/uses a glove for climbing that also covers the palm? Seems like it would be hard to make that work.

 

Off_Route