If you are a CrossFitter or Olympic weightlifter, then you know athletic tape can be your best friend or your biggest nightmare. As athletes we use sports tape in a variety of ways, typically for support and comfort, and also to prevent tearing. But how many times have you taped properly (or so you thought) and then during the workout the tape came off and became a bigger nuisance than if it wasn’t there to begin with? Now your workout worries have gone from ‘Am I going to rip?’ to ‘How can I fix this thing?’ At the end of the day the goal of the workout should really be focusing on performing the task prescribed.
When I started CrossFit there was no workout I wouldn’t do with athletic tape. Not only did I use it for everything, but it seemed like I had to use copious amounts of tape to make it stay in place, and only remedially. But soon the headache (and cost) became bigger than the benefits and I stopped using tape with the exception of taping my thumb for hook grip. While not as bad as other applications, I still found myself constantly fixing and re-taping my thumb between lifts.
Fast forward about a year and I was at the Outlaw Open competition in Palm Springs when I was given a sample of Goat Tape, which claimed to be the stickiest tape in the world. I took the sample, put it in my bag and forgot about it. In my mind, it was just another brand of athletic tape. Big deal! When it came time for the Olympic lifting total part of the competition, I rummaged through my bag to grab my usual roll of sports tape, but it was nowhere to be found. The light bulb went off in my head and I remembered the sample I had been given earlier. I thought, “It can’t be that bad, I will use that.”
Little did I know my life was about to change. I taped my thumbs and for the first time ever I went through all six lifts of the lifting competition without having to re-tape. Not only that, but my thumbs moved well and were protected. It almost felt like a second skin. I’m not sure if it’s the stickiest tape in the world, but it is definitely the stickiest tape I have ever used.
Unfortunately the sticky factor works against you when it’s time to remove the tape. It feels like your skin and nails are being pulled – and they are, in fact. Nothing dangerous, but it was definitely a strange experience the first few times I used it. In some cases a pair of scissors may come in handy to aid the removal of the tape. The remaining glue residue on the skin and nails can also be a little bit of a pain, but in my opinion the benefits majorly outweigh it.
The benefit isn’t limited to weightlifting and the hook grip thumb, either. Let’s talk about protecting hands from rips and tears during pull ups, toes to bar, or any other exercise that uses the bar. In the past when I used conventional sports tape, after a few repetitions I was already getting upset at how the tape kept moving. I would waste time fixing it and ultimately I would remove the whole thing mid-workout and go without. That’s not the case with Goat Tape. Basically once it’s on, it is on until you want it off (and you may need someone to help you take it off too!). It is my hand saver.
So what makes Goat Tape so different? The tape is made from soft non-stretch cotton and features high tensile strength, in addition to signature Malaysian-grade adhesive. It is really easy to use and rips lengthwise and width-wise, making application straightforward and hassle-free.
There are also a couple of cool features about the company that makes Goat Tape. A portion of each purchase is donated to the organization Mercy Corps. You can also customize the tape with a gym logo or motto. All in all, Goat Tape is a far superior athletic tape on the market, with successful multiple uses, and from a company that gives back to the community. My bag will never go without a few rolls of this tape!
Goat Tape standard roll (1.5″ wide x 10 yards long) is available for $4.99 and a sample roll (1.5″ wide X 2 yards long) is available for $0.99 at WODSuperstore.com.
