17 Aug Climbing tape… why and how to use it!
Have you ever noticed climbers using tape on their fingers or hands, and wondered what it’s used for or how to apply it? We are here to explain everything that you need to know about climbing tape!
Why are we using tape?
One of the reasons why climbers use tape is for finger support. We all love climbing but can find ourselves having so many sessions in a week that our fingers are sorry for it!
If you’re in the same boat, or if you have some cuts and blisters that you don’t want to aggravate, it’s time to learn how to use tape!
The climbing holds have a sand-paper texture which helps you stay on the wall but can be harsh on your skin. If you notice cuts or blisters in the middle of your session but you want to continue climbing, taping can be a very good way to protect your fingers and allow you to continue climbing for a little bit longer. Alternatively, if your fingers need a little bit of support or your knuckles feel sore, that’s the time to tape for support.
How do we tape?
For knuckle support:
- You need around 15-20cm of tape.
- Start taping above the knuckle, on the edge of the finger. Create a figure of 8, always taping down and avoiding taping over your knuckle as it will restrict movement.
- Start and finish on the edge of your finger. This will ensure your tape won’t move as much when climbing.
Taping for lack of skin or blisters:
If we have one to many climbing sessions in a week, we might find ourselves losing skin on the tips of our fingers. It can be a difficult place to tape as the tape might be moving a lot due to the contact with the wall.
We could also lose some of the sense of touch and friction when climbing, so only do this as a last resort.
- Place a 5-10 cm tape over the tip of your finger and over your nail.
- Wrap another piece of tape around your finger, starting high on the edge of your finger and taping down.
Key points to remember:
- Tape can be an amazing tool when used in the right way
- Don’t tape too hard! You don’t want it to hurt or to have a purple finger.
- Always tape down.
- Remove the loose ends of the tape.
- Sometimes the best way to “tape” is to have a day off from climbing. Allow your fingers and skin to recover to be able to continue to climb hard.
Indirock is Essex’s biggest bouldering wall, offering top quality indoor rock climbing for all ages. We also have a great coffee shop!