Buying Tape in Bulk

Anyone got a good place to buy tape in bulk (preferably with a bulk discount)? I bought a 15 pack of Mueller tape off Amazon a few months ago, but regular training and supporting group climbing sessions on the crack machine has dwindled my supply.

I don't particularly like the Mueller tape. I bought an a roll of Metolius for some gym crack climbing when I was traveling for work and it was waaaaay stickier. So comments on the best tape are welcome, but FYI I can't afford to pay $15 a roll for that cross fit stuff.

I'm also interested in trying out some crack gloves (OR or Occun) for training on the crack machine. So if you have a s/m OR or Large Occun you want to get rid of PM me.

Cheers,

Phil

I know you just said you aren't interested in the crossfit tape, but what if you could get it for cheaper?

$6 / roll for 5

$4.60 / roll for 50

I have had terrible luck with mueller tape, and didn't find metolius tape to be any better (but my hands sweat a lot)

The scary sticky goat tape is CRAZY STICKY, so I don't hate my tape gloves and sweat right through them.

I understand being frugal, but when I buy cheap tape it doesn't stick and makes for a less enjoyable climbing experience, so for me its worth the extra coin

Mueller tape works fine for me, and I also have sweaty hands. I don't rely on the adhesive to hold the tape on my hand though; I wrap it in a way that it works like a crack glove (finish with the end wrapped underneath, sticky-to-sticky). Never had it come undone on me. Actually sweating enough that the tape stops sticking is a plus when I go to take it off later (won't rip off my hair!). Super-sticky tape just sounds painful to remove.

I buy Eurotape through Experticity at a pretty good discount but you have to be a govt employee or work in the outdoor industry to join. I believe the Trango stuff is 30-40% off on the site. 95$ for 32 rolls on Experticity

John Wilder wrote:Most retailers/gyms buy their tape in bulk- and will likely give you a discount for ordering a case through them (my gym will for sure- we sell both Trango's EuroTape and J&J Coach). You also get bonus points for supporting your local shop.

I'd love to do this, but unfortunately my gym isn't in the retail game beyond a few snacks and vending machines.

Thanks for the feedback everybody. I'll take a look at some of these options. Also, as an FYI, I found a retailer for the Euro version of Mueller tape that Steph Davis endorses on her blog. I guess it's stickier over there.

vivomed.com/en/Mueller-Euro…

I bought a big box of tape for about $1 a roll on ebay. Lots of options there. The stuff I got is thinner than eurotape but has super sticky latex adhesive and works well for me (much better than metolius or m-tape). A good deal but a waste of money because I started reusing tape gloves and don't need that much tape.

And fwiw apparently one should be careful exposing cuts to latex adhesive as this can trigger allergies. This probably includes eurotape.

Both the OR and Ocuun gloves rock. I will say though that the Ocuun adds enough extra material that you'll have to slightly readjust your mental standard for your hand size.

I go thru about 200 rolls of tape a year and I swear by metolius. Even if your gym doesn't do retail, they can still get an account thru them and maybe do you a solid with a % off? My local gym gave me 20% off a case, then I started just buying direct because I'm a special snowflake who uses lots of tape.

Momoface wrote:I go thru about 200 rolls of tape a year ...

Momo heading off to a climb:

Pretty much, yup. It's common for me to go through a roll+ per gym session, especially if I haven't used my dry spray.

NorCalNomad Blank wrote:Both the OR and Ocuun gloves rock. I will say though that the Ocuun adds enough extra material that you'll have to slightly readjust your mental standard for your hand size.

Yeah I'm definitely leaning more toward OR, but they seem to be sold out most places in the s/m size. The 2015 model is for sale on Amazon, but I'm wary of that since there were so many complains about durability with the first iteration.

Tape's still important to me though because I've been focusing a lot on ring locks lately. I climb better with no tape, but when I'm training and pushing my endurance limit it's only a matter of time before the gobies start to appear.

Momo, that's a good point. I'll talk to my gym and see if they will cut me a deal. I doubt I'll reach your 200+ status, but I still use a lot. I don't really like tape gloves that much because they have to be pretty thick to not fall apart after a few sessions. I use Steph Davis's method, and end up burning through rolls pretty quickly.

Momoface wrote:Pretty much, yup. It's common for me to go through a roll+ per gym session, especially if I haven't used my dry spray.

That's ridiculous

Eurotape is the standard. It's much better than the Metolius stuff for withstanding abuse at the Creek. I've a pair of Eurotape gloves that have seen 300 pitches and they are still okay. The Metolius stuff barely lasts 1/4th that.

NorCalNomad Blank wrote: That's ridiculous

If you've followed momoface's posts, you'll probably come to realize she really is a special snowflake and does some pretty creative things crack climbing. Maybe take a look at her photos and think about how she is crack climbing and a roll of tape per session doesn't seem so far off...

Here's a hint: Voo crack

I know this seems like white knighting but really I am just jealous...I can't climb for shit at the voo and basically she removed all my lame excuses.

Eurotape became the standard after Kendall Curity tape was discontinued; it couldn't hold a candle to those old KC tape. Leukotape is actually way stickier even than KC, but it's not a very good crack climbing tape as it doesn't stretch at all. I mostly use it for finger support and it's excellent for that purpose. I've also used it as the base layer on the back of my hand on long valley days. I can see sweat through the tape but it'd stay put (although I've since wised up and just use a pair of Ocun). Hikers used it on feet for blister prevention and it'd stay put for week-long hikes.

20 kN wrote:I've a pair of Eurotape gloves that have seen 300 pitches and they are still okay.

whaaaaaat....I will concede that I seem to be in the minority in my tape choice. I got a case of euro tape, use a few rolls, then went to give away the remainder to friends. I got mobbed.

Xam wrote: If you've followed momoface's posts, you'll probably come to realize she really is a special snowflake and does some pretty creative things crack climbing. Here's a hint: Voo crack

RESPECT

If this tape is like the similar stuff I bought from this seller (#85 with dry natural rubber "ungraded special adhesive") it should be ridiculously sticky and good for tape gloves,

ebay.com/itm/WHITE-ATHLETIC…

Even if it isn't it should still be more than sticky enough. I haven't used Eurotape but some of the stuff I got from this guy is much more sticky than necessary, enough so that tape gloves last forever and are still hard to remove after the third or forth day using them. Very cheap too, especially if you find some of their bulk auctions.

Eurotape rocks, just the right adhesion for even the sweatiest days, tough enough to only need one layer (never had it torn). Regular Mueller didn't stick. Metolius shredded on Leavenworth granite.

As norcalnomad mentioned the ocun gloves bump up your hand size. I use em for alpine and they take a medium #3 from cupped and scary to bomber. They make .75 downright impossible to jam.

Hockey tape at PlayitAgain sports if you have any of their stores around. They have giant rolls, two different widths, 5$ a roll.

Phil Sakievich wrote: RESPECT

It's a 5.8 hand crack, not exactly classic Voo, but thanks!