Grip Endurance
Protect the fingers. Keep the grips.
Guard-Tex on grip-fighting fingers absorbs gi fabric friction and cushions the joint compression of collar, sleeve, and spider guard grips.
BJJ Finger Protection
Guard-Tex wraps the fingers that grip, pull, and fight for collar and sleeve control — blocking gi friction, cushioning joint impact, and supporting the digits that jiu-jitsu systematically breaks down. No adhesive on mats or training partners.
Gi jiu-jitsu loads the fingers with extraordinary force. Spider guard wraps fabric around fingers and pulls with full body weight. Collar grips compress fingertips against dense collar material under combat force. Sleeve grips torque fingers laterally as opponents strip grips. Every roll is hundreds of these high-force grip events — each one stressing the flexor tendons, joint capsules, and finger pulleys that keep digits functional.
The damage is cumulative and career-defining. Swollen knuckles. Trigger finger. Permanently enlarged DIP joints. Reduced grip strength. Every serious BJJ practitioner's hands tell the story of years of grip fighting. The question isn't whether finger damage occurs — it's how much can be managed.
Spider guard player — my index fingers were sausages after every session. Guard-Tex cushions the gi fabric compression. Still swollen, but manageable.— Purple Belt, Gi Competitor
Guard-Tex wraps training fingers with cotton that absorbs gi friction, cushions joint compression, and supports tendons during grip loads. The self-adhering bond holds through the sweat, mat contact, and explosive grip fighting of live rolling. Zero adhesive means nothing transfers to training partners or mat surfaces — and tape removes painlessly from fingers that are already swollen and tender.
Grip Endurance
Guard-Tex on grip-fighting fingers absorbs gi fabric friction and cushions the joint compression of collar, sleeve, and spider guard grips.
Spider guard fingers. Spider guard wraps gi fabric around the index and middle fingers under full body weight. Guard-Tex on these fingers cushions the fabric compression and absorbs the friction that creates blisters and joint inflammation.
Collar grip protection. Collar grips compress fingertips against dense gi material. Guard-Tex on the gripping fingertips cushions the compression contact that causes DIP joint swelling and fingertip callus cracking.
Sleeve grip support. Sleeve grips load lateral torque on fingers during grip breaks. Guard-Tex adds cotton support around the finger circumference, providing light resistance to the lateral forces that stress joint capsules.
Post-injury training. Swollen, jammed, or healing fingers need protection to continue training. Guard-Tex wraps injured fingers without adhesive bonding to tender, swollen tissue — and removes painlessly after rolling.
Buddy taping for joint support. Pair injured fingers with adjacent fingers using Guard-Tex for grip-fighting support. The paired fingers share grip loads, reducing stress on the injured joint.
| Feature | Guard-Tex | Athletic Tape | Bare Hands | N/A |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mat/partner contamination | ✓ Zero — no adhesive transfer | ✗ Adhesive on mats and gi | N/A | N/A |
| Grip maintenance | ✓ Cotton grips gi fabric | ✗ Adhesive slips on gi | ✓ Maximum | N/A |
| Removal on swollen fingers | ✓ Painless — no adhesive | ✗ Painful on swollen joints | N/A | N/A |
| Sweat durability | ✓ Bonds tighter in sweat | ✗ Loosens in moisture | N/A | N/A |
| Joint support | Moderate — cotton support | Moderate — rigid support | ✗ None | N/A |
Index and middle fingers on both hands — the primary gi grip fingers. Two passes each around the proximal phalanx (closest to the knuckle).
Pro tip: Tape the joints that are already swollen or tender from previous training. Prevention on healthy fingers; support on damaged ones.For injured fingers, buddy-tape to an adjacent finger with Guard-Tex above and below the affected joint. The paired fingers share grip loads during rolling.
Pro tip: Buddy tape allows continued training with reduced load on the injured joint. Not a substitute for rest on serious injuries.Guard-Tex holds through live rolling — sweat, mat contact, explosive grip breaks, and sustained grip fighting. Cotton grips gi fabric effectively.
Pro tip: Check tape between rolls. Add passes if high-friction grip fighting has worn through the cotton.Peel off swollen, tender fingers painlessly. Zero adhesive bonded to joint tissue. Apply ice and recovery.
Pro tip: Guard-Tex removal doesn't compound the training damage. Athletic tape removal on swollen BJJ fingers is a second injury.
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Self-adhering cotton gauze. No adhesive on skin. Zero residue. One roll lasts weeks. Made in Elk Grove Village, IL since 1935.
Shop Now"Spider guard player — my index fingers were sausages after every session. Guard-Tex cushions the gi fabric compression. Still swollen, but manageable."— Purple Belt, Gi Competitor
"10 years of BJJ — my fingers are permanently enlarged. Guard-Tex is the only tape that comes off swollen knuckles without wanting to scream."— Black Belt, Instructor
"Athletic tape on the mats — leaving adhesive residue on my training partners' gis. Switched to Guard-Tex. Zero transfer. Training partners are happier."— Blue Belt, Academy Member
"Jammed my ring finger in grip fighting. Buddy-taped with Guard-Tex and trained through the week. Painless tape changes on a swollen finger — that's what matters."— Brown Belt, Competition Team
Self-adhering tape like Guard-Tex is increasingly preferred over athletic tape because it removes painlessly from swollen joints and leaves zero adhesive on mats or training partners.
Guard-Tex cushions gi fabric compression on grip-fighting fingers, reducing the friction and impact damage from spider guard, collar grips, and sleeve fighting.
Zero adhesive. Nothing transfers to training partners, gis, or mat surfaces.
Yes. Cotton tape grips gi fabric effectively. Many practitioners report that Guard-Tex provides consistent gi grip.
Wrap index and middle fingers on both hands with two passes of Guard-Tex around the proximal phalanx. This cushions the gi fabric compression of spider guard grips.
Self-adhering tape on fingers is generally permitted in IBJJF and most competition rulesets. Check specific event rules for confirmation.
Self-adhering tape. No adhesive. No residue. Made in Elk Grove Village, IL since 1935.
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