Between the knuckles.
Wrap the middle segment of the finger and stay off the joint. The ¾-inch roll covers that segment without crossing the knuckle, so the finger still bends and the wrap does not bunch when you crimp.
Climbing · Finger and hand wraps
Climbing tape that sticks to itself.
Not to your skin. Not to the holds.
Non-stretch woven cotton. Wrap a finger, a tip, or the back of a hand and it bonds only to its own layers. No adhesive on the skin, nothing left on the rock, and it tears by hand at the base of the route.
Made with natural rubber latex. Do not use if you have a latex allergy.
Self-adheringBonds only to itself
Non-stretchWoven cotton
Two widths¾ inch and 1½ inch
30 yards90 feet per roll
Where climbers tape
Three places. One roll.
Climbing wears skin in predictable spots. Tape the spot, not the whole hand, and your fingers keep their feel on the hold.
Fingertips on sharp rock.
Lock a loop over the pad, then wrap twice. On gritty sandstone or a glassy gym crimp, the cotton takes the abrasion instead of your skin. Chalk up as usual.
Back of the hand, for cracks.
Jamming chews the backs of your hands. Run the 1½-inch roll across the back of the hand, through the palm and around again, two layers, and press it to itself. That is your tape glove. Taking it off is unwinding it.
Why climbers switch
No adhesive. That changes three things.
Nothing on the holds.
Adhesive tape leaves adhesive behind. Guard-Tex has none, so there is nothing to transfer to the rock, the plastic, or your rope.
Tear it by hand.
No scissors in the chalk bag. Tear the length you need, press the end down, and climb.
Off without the peel.
There is no adhesive on your skin, so there is nothing to pull off at the end of the day. Unwind it.
The method
Lock it. Wrap it. Keep the edge.
Guard-Tex holds by bonding to its own layers, so every wrap starts with a lock and overlaps itself. Follow the directions on your package.
1 · Lock it.
Make a loop around the finger or hand and press the ends together. The tape bonds to itself and to nothing else. Lay it on without tension; it does not stretch.
2 · Wrap it.
Overlap each pass by about half. Two layers is the working thickness for fingers and tips. Three for a crack glove. Tear by hand and press the end down.
3 · Don't lose the edge.
Before the roll goes back in the chalk bag, fold the tape end back over the roll so it stands off the surface. Guard-Tex bonds to itself, so a flat end disappears into the roll and is hard to find with chalky fingers.
| Width | Where it goes | Layers |
|---|---|---|
| ¾ inch | Middle segment of the finger, fingertips, thumb | Two |
| 1½ inch | Back of the hand, palm, wrist. Crack gloves. | Two to three |
For the chalk bag
A roll. A tin.
Ready for the next session.
Start with a roll and the storage tin, or compare the 3-roll and 6-roll packs. Blue is shown here; pick your color in the shop. The tin is yours for good. Refill it with any color.
Choose width and color →Current prices and availability are shown in the shop. Store the roll in its package, out of sunlight, in a cool dry place.
★★★★★
“This stuff is great! … Very durable just wish there were better color options”
Solid Climbing Tape · Landon Lupfer · Amazon Verified Purchase · 6-roll pack, ¾-inch, Cobalt Blue
Before you choose
Questions, answered.
Is Guard-Tex the same as climbing finger tape?
It does the same job in a different way. Most climbing tape is adhesive: it sticks to skin and to the rock. Guard-Tex is a non-stretch woven cotton wrap that bonds only to its own overlapping layers. There is no adhesive on your skin and none to leave behind on the holds.
Does Guard-Tex stretch?
No. Unroll the length you need and lay it on without tension. Overlap each pass by about half its width and press the layers together. Follow the directions on your package.
Will it stay on through a session?
The wrap holds by bonding to itself, so the overlap is what matters. A single pass with nothing under it has nothing to bond to. Two overlapped layers is the working thickness; three for crack gloves and heavy contact.
Can I use it to tape a pulley injury?
This page is about protecting skin. If you are taping an injured finger, follow the protocol your clinician or physio gave you.
Does it leave anything on the holds?
No. There is no adhesive on Guard-Tex, so there is nothing to transfer to the rock or the plastic.
Does Guard-Tex contain latex?
Yes. Guard-Tex is made with natural rubber latex. Do not use it if you have a latex allergy.
How long is a roll?
Each roll is 30 yards, or 90 feet. A finger wrap uses a few inches, so one roll covers a lot of sessions.
Put a roll in the chalk bag.
Compare colors, widths and packs in the consumer shop. Made in the USA since 1935.
Shop Guard-Tex →