Built for Water
Bonds tighter when you need it most.
Guard-Tex cohesive bond strengthens in water. Every other tape option dissolves, peels, or fails during the constant submersion that kayaking guarantees.
Protect — Kayaking
Guard-Tex wraps the hands that grip the paddle shaft — blocking the wet friction that creates blisters, cushioning the repetitive contact of thousands of strokes, and protecting against the cold-water conditions that make skin fragile.
Kayaking generates blisters through a mechanism no other sport replicates — wet friction under sustained load, thousands of times per paddle. The shaft rotates against wet palm skin on every stroke. The thumb web absorbs torque on every correction. Hot spots develop within the first mile and escalate to open blisters by mile five. Whitewater adds explosive grip loads during braces and rolls. Sea kayaking adds salt that cracks skin. Cold water makes skin fragile and blister-prone.
Paddling gloves and pogies help but many kayakers find they reduce paddle feel — the feedback that tells you blade angle, catch depth, and stroke efficiency. Adhesive tape dissolves in the first rapid. Band-Aids don't survive submersion.
10-mile sea kayak paddle — blisters by mile 3 every time. Guard-Tex on my thumb web and palm zones — finished the full paddle with clean skin.— Sea Kayaker, Coastal Touring
Guard-Tex bonds tighter when wet. It wraps the blister-prone zones of paddling hands with cotton that absorbs wet friction before it reaches skin. The tape holds through complete submersion, saltwater, and the explosive grip loads of whitewater. Thin enough to maintain full paddle feel.
Built for Water
Guard-Tex cohesive bond strengthens in water. Every other tape option dissolves, peels, or fails during the constant submersion that kayaking guarantees.
Touring and flatwater. Long-distance paddling loads repetitive friction on thumb web and palm shaft-contact zones. Guard-Tex on these areas prevents the hot spots that develop into blisters during multi-hour paddles.
Whitewater. Braces, rolls, and aggressive strokes create explosive grip forces in fully submerged conditions. Guard-Tex holds through rolls and submersion while cushioning the high-force contacts that cause whitewater blisters.
Sea and ocean paddling. Salt water cracks skin and amplifies friction damage. Guard-Tex blocks salt contact on blister-prone areas and protects existing cracks from salt infiltration.
Cold-water paddling. Cold water makes skin fragile, thin, and blister-prone. Guard-Tex adds a cotton barrier and thermal buffer between cold water and vulnerable hand skin.
| Feature | Guard-Tex | Adhesive Tape | Bare Hands | Paddling Gloves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wet durability | ✓ Bonds tighter submerged | ✗ Dissolves in water | N/A | Varies — many fail |
| Paddle feel | ✓ Full shaft feedback | ✗ Adhesive sticks to shaft | ✓ Maximum | ✗ Muffled |
| Blister prevention | ✓ Cotton absorbs friction | ✗ Minimal wet | ✗ Direct friction | ✓ Full coverage |
| Salt protection | ✓ Blocks salt on cracks | ✗ Salt degrades adhesive | ✗ Direct salt contact | Varies |
| Cold insulation | ✓ Cotton buffers cold | ✗ No insulation | ✗ Bare to cold water | ✓ Neoprene insulates |
Thumb web, palm shaft-contact, and any existing hot spots on both hands. Two passes each. Apply on dry hands at the put-in.
Pro tip: Know your blister zones from previous paddles. Tape those specific areas rather than wrapping entire hands.Guard-Tex holds through full-day paddles including complete submersion. For whitewater, the tape survives rolls and swims.
Pro tip: For multi-day expeditions, rewrap each morning. Salt and grit can stiffen cotton overnight.Cotton maintains protection in rain, spray, submersion, and cold. Add passes in extreme cold for insulation.
Pro tip: Under pogies, Guard-Tex adds blister protection at the shaft contact points where pogies can't help.Peel off — hands underneath are blister-free. Salt and grit stay on the tape, not embedded in your skin.
Pro tip: Compare hand condition on taped versus untaped multi-day trips. The difference is dramatic.
Most Popular
Self-adhering, non-stretch cotton. Zero adhesive on skin or equipment. One roll lasts weeks.
Shop Now"10-mile sea kayak paddle — blisters by mile 3 every time. Guard-Tex on my thumb web and palm zones — finished the full paddle with clean skin."— Sea Kayaker, Coastal Touring
"Whitewater — rolls, braces, swims. Every other tape fell off by the first rapid. Guard-Tex held through the entire run including two rolls."— Whitewater Kayaker, Class IV
"Cold water spring paddling. My skin was fragile and blistering immediately. Guard-Tex insulates enough to prevent the cold-water skin damage."— River Kayaker, Spring Season
"Multi-day expedition — 5 days, 30+ miles per day. Guard-Tex every morning. Zero blisters. Previous trips without it, my hands were destroyed by day 2."— Expedition Paddler, Wilderness
Guard-Tex bonds tighter when wet. It holds through complete submersion, rapids, rolls, and full days on the water.
Wrap blister-prone zones (thumb web, palm shaft-contact) with Guard-Tex before paddling. Cotton absorbs shaft friction before it reaches skin.
Yes. Guard-Tex is thin enough for full shaft feedback — blade angle, catch depth, and stroke efficiency.
Yes. Guard-Tex blocks salt contact on blister-prone skin and protects existing cracks from salt infiltration that causes splitting.
One application lasts a full day including submersion. For multi-day trips, rewrap each morning.
Guard-Tex provides blister protection at specific zones while maintaining full paddle feel. Many kayakers prefer it over gloves for the tactile feedback.
Self-adhering tape made in Elk Grove Village, IL since 1935.
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