Remember: all information, content, and material of this website is just for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or your healthcare provider/personal fitness trainer.
LAVERA STEWART
Editor-in-Chief of the Gym Expert
Most Effective KT Tape Kinesiology Therapeutic Athletic Tape
Easiest to Use Hampton Adams Black Athletic Tape
LYFT-RX Weightlifting Hook Grip Tape
Cramer Team Color Athletic Tape
Most Effective
KT Tape Kinesiology Therapeutic Athletic Tape
Easiest to Use
Hampton Adams Black Athletic Tape
LYFT-RX Weightlifting Hook Grip Tape
Cramer Team Color Athletic Tape
Mighty-X White Athletic Tape + PreWrap
Mighty-X White Athletic Tape + PreWrap
Best Overall: KT Tape Kinesiology Therapeutic Athletic Tape Review
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KT Tape
- WHAT IS KT TAPE? – Elastic sports tape used by pro and serious athletes to support muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments. It’s drug-free, latex-free, hypoallergenic, lightweight, breathable, comfortable, HSA/FSA approved, and easy to use.
- HOW DOES IT WORK? – It helps reduce tissue pressure and support muscles and joints. Studies show it helps you recover faster from pain. Used for knee pain, shoulder pain, shin splints, back pain, plantar fasciitis, tennis elbow, and much more.
- EASY TO USE – Easy to self-apply using our free application videos (see our site) for common injury areas. Our Taping Basics video teaches you how to help the tape stick properly, and our 60+ videos help you apply it for your area of pain.
- TRUSTED BY PROFESSIONALS – Relied on by professional and Olympic athletes, athletic trainers, and medical professionals to train longer and finish stronger. Used heavily by Team USA, NBA Trainers Association, US Soccer, USA Triathlon, and more.
- KT Tape products are Hypoallergenic, Latex-Free, Natural Rubber-Free! This means that our products have been designed and developed to contain fewer potential substances that can trigger allergic reactions
Great Athletic Tape for Hands: Hampton Adams Black Athletic Tape Review
Hampton Adams
- NO GLUE ON YOUR SKIN - Our 3 pack of tape was made with a proprietary adhesive to make sure it reels with ease. Works perfectly for weight Lifters, rock Climbers and boxing or sparring.
- TEAR WITH YOUR FINGERS - Our tape is VERY strong but there is no need for tape cutters. Just wrap, pinch, tear and enjoy your workout. You'll be presently surprised when you notice the difference quality can make when it comes to rigid athletic tape.
- INSANELY STICKY - Tired of tape that doesn’t hold? Our premium adhesive tape sticks like it should and holds to its backcloth like a glove. Perfect on PERFECT on bats, Lacrosse sticks, hockey sticks.
- MEDICAL GRADE MATERIAL - 100% cotton. Perfect for Physical Therapy & Therapists. For baseball bats, lacrosse sticks, pull up and pole vault bars. Tough enough to last through an entire Crossfit workout. Stop settling and get HAMPTON.
- 60-DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE - We Believe in our product 100% so you have nothing to lose. If you don’t like it simply contact us and your money back. GET YOURS TODAY.
Honorable Brand: Mueller Athletic Tape Review
Mueller
- Zinc oxide athletic trainers tape
- 100% cotton bleached back- cloth
- High tensile strength
- Excellent tackiness, Easy unwind to core
- 1.5"X 12.5 .yds Athletic Tape (4 Pack)
Best for Weightlifting: LYFT-RX Weightlifting Hook Grip Tape Review
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LYFT-RX
- #1 HOOK GRIP PROTECTION – Resilient weightlifting tape designed specifically for your hookgrip. Prevents cuts, rips, tears, and blisters on fingers and thumbs. Ideal for Olympic Weightlifters, Crossfitters, Gymnastics, Strongman, and Powerlifting athletes.
- ULTIMATE FLEXIBILITY – Uniquely flexible fabric allows your joints to move naturally, improving your feel for the bar or barbell. The tape molds to the shape of your fingers for extra comfort, functionality, and a true custom fit.
- PREMIUM ADHESIVE – Only the highest-grade adhesive is used in our athletic tape. LYFT-RX wod tape stays on your skin during the most intense and sweatiest workouts, lasting through the toughest WODs and Olympic lifting cycles.
- RUGGED DURABILITY – Heavy-duty non-slip material and weave acts as a protective armor around your skin. Our finger tape is highly durable, capable of absorbing sweat and chalk without compromise.
- EASY APPLICATION – No scissors needed - just tear the gym tape by hand. LYFT RX weightlifting tape is breathable, non-allergenic, latex-free, and leaves no residue.
Best Colored Athletic Tape: Cramer Team Color Athletic Tape Review
Cramer
- Cramer 750, single 1 1/2" X 10 Yard professional grade tape roll in retail blister package
- Perfect for creating support for ankles and wrists with chronic instability. Also minimizes the opportunity for hyperflexion and hyperextension during activity when properly applied.
- High quality athletic tape at an affordable price with colors for every team and occasion
- Developed with a computer calibrated unwind to offer superior consistency, and high tensile backcloth provides outstanding strength and support without sacrificing conformability
- Tape Adhesive and cloth not made with natural rubber latex
Economical Choice: Summum Fit Athletic Tape Review
Summum Fit
- EASY TO APPLY & TEAR - Thanks to the ZigZag design you can Easily Tear the athletic tape using your hands, NO SCISSORS NEEDED. Great also for kids as they can use it without any help.
- DOESN'T LEAVE RESIDUE ON YOUR SKIN - After using the sports tape, your skin will be completely clean: no glue residues left. Moreover, we use Latex-Free cloth to Prevent Allergic Reactions & rashes.
- STRONG & STICKY - Provides Maximum Support & Comfort to your wrist, hand or ankle, even in long training sessions. Perfect for every athlete to practice any sport like Boxing, Football, Soccer, Volleyball, Basketball…
- BONUS FINGER TAPE - Our Exclusive Set has 4 White Sports Tape: 3 Rolls of 1.5"x33 feet + 1 Extra Roll of 0.5"x33feet! GET MORE FOR LESS!
- EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR OR MONEY BACK - Choosing Summum Fit tape means that you will be Completely Satisfied or get your money back. No questions asked.
Best Pre Wrap Athletic Tape: Mueller M-Wrap Pre Wrap Review
Mueller
- Use under athletic tape to help eliminate skin irritation and chafing
- Can be used to secure cold packs and bandages
- Holds pads, socks, shirt sleeves in place
- Makes effective, non-slip hair bands for sports
- Each roll is 2.75" x 30 yd of Latex-free foam
Best Rigid Option: BSN Jobst Leukotape Review
BSN
- 1 Roll of Leukotape P individually boxed.
- Rigid Strapping Tape : 1 1/2" x 15 Yards (3.8cm x 13.7m)
- This product contains natural rubber latex
- Medical braces, supports and certain other health care/rehabilitation items are not returnable once removed from sealed packaging. This includes the product in this listing. May ship in clinical non-retail packaging
- : Consult with your medical professional, before purchase, if you have questions if this item is appropriate for your condition. Please be very aware that the information we provide about the products we sell is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider/therapist before starting any new treatment or regimen with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Top Kinesiology Tape: Kinesio Kinesiology Tape Review
Kinesio
- Kinesio Tex Gold FP kinesiology tape lifts the skin to create space between the skin & tissues
- Developed exclusively for Kinesio, medical & sports professionals to relieve discomfort & inflammation
- Nano-touch FingerPrint (FP) & Micro-grip technology brings stimulation to epidermis & layers beneath
- Highest grade cotton mimics gentle human touch, while providing improved breathability & enhanced grip/hold
- Water resistant and can be worn continuously for 3-5 days; Hypoallergenic & Latex-Free
Athletic Tape and Pre Wrap Kit: Mighty-X White Athletic Tape + PreWrap Review
Mighty-X
- EFFECTIVE ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION - While the benefits of white athletic tape are well known, using it by itself can cause skin irritation. Mighty-X sports tape athletic kit includes 3 rolls of cotton adhesive tape (1.5 inches x 45 ft) + 1 pre-wrap roll (2.75 inches X 75 ft) to help prevent abrasion. We always recommend using a protective layer underneath hand tape.
- COMFORTABLE USE - Our sport tape tears easily due to the zig-zag edges that additionally prevent further fraying. The breathable cotton athletic wrist tape and foamy under-wrap combine for X-tra comfort. This tape is also latex free and uses only natural adhesive.
- MULTI-PURPOSE TAPE - Mighty-X athletic tape not only helps to protect and support your joints during hard workouts or long races but speeds up recovery as well. You can use it as climbing tape, gymnastics tape, football tape, lacrosse tape, soccer tape, or boxing tape for hands.
- INJURY PREVENTION - Our athletic tape 1 1/2 inch wide strip is perfect for weightlifters, boxers, and rock climbers. Strong athletic tape white fabric helps to prevent sprains, strains, and tweaks during intense activity. This product is also useful for archery, football, baseball, martial arts, and more.
- AVOID SKIN ABRASION – Applying the pre-wrap under your ankle tape helps to avoid chafing and irritation. It clings to itself but doesn’t stick to body hair. Always apply it before sports tape athletic self adhesive bands. The combination of sturdy athletic tape and soft pre-wrap keeps you comfortable and protected!
What Is Athletic Tape?
You may ask yourself what is athletic tape used for anyway? And here comes an answer: it helps you to support your muscles, ankles, and joints. It’s usually made from cotton for elastic materials. It first appeared during Olympics in Beijing in 1980. After this, people got used to seeing professional athletes wear these colorful tapes on sports terrain. However, very few realized what their purpose is.
Athletic tape can be significant support even for beginners. And this is not only our impression. Dozens of athletic tape reviews from people involved in different sports recreationally mentioned the benefits of sports tape.
Even it looks like it, the best athletic tape is not a miracle. On the contrary, there is a very logical concept behind it. We will explain to you how does athletic tape work. In simple terms, athletic tape increases the blood flow into the desired area. It results in decreased swelling. Increased blood flow warms up the selected muscles and also secures the position of joints and ankles.
Some say that the placebo effect can also impact people’s opinions! However, we take into consideration the results. Many athletes improved their performance after using the best athletic tape. Many people say that they began to work out more, too.
When to Use Athletic Tape?
In various situations, the athletic tape was an excellent choice for both professionals and beginners. We will mention some specific conditions when the athletic tape is recommended. Hence you can have an idea about the most critical benefits of athletic tape.
Preventing Injury
We know that workout is good for overall health. Sometimes we have big expectations from workouts, and we can easily overestimate our body and muscles condition. Safety during challenging exercises must be our priority. And that’s the moment when you can count on athletic tape because it can prevent injury.
The athletic tape gives necessary stability to your joints and ankles, hence it can prevent twisting of the ankle. With the best athletic tape, you can avoid rotating or ripping the muscles.
The difference you will notice immediately is that with athletic tape, you always know the position of your muscles during the exercises. That will make you feel more confident and focused while working out. The tape allows you to take control of your body.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is a process that requires a lot of patience. But your recovery can be a little bit faster with this gadget. The best athletic tape also provides warmth that decreases the swelling. When the swelling reduces, you will feel less pain. That can allow you to do rehab exercises more often. Along with the best athletic tape, you should also consider taking muscle recovery supplement vitamins to speed up the process.
Chronic Issues
Chronic pain can significantly impact your life, including mental health. Some mental conditions such as depression and anxiety sometimes appear as a consequence of illness with chronic pain.
For example, FMP (fibromyalgia syndrome) causes widespread pain. Doctors recommend to try and tackle the problem with alternative medicine. However, you can use athletic tape as a support for some groups of muscles, like back muscles.
For other chronic conditions such as lumbago and sciatica, it may bring relief. In all of these cases, don’t forget that athletic tape is not a remedy. You should contact your doctor and ask for advice first. Athletic tape can be used as additional care, but you must take your regularly prescribed therapy.
For Better Body Posture
You can use athletic tape to improve your body posture. Bear in mind that wearing an athletic tape alone can’t resolve your issues with posture. You have to combine athletic tape with exercises, and then you can see the results.
Regular training sessions for improving body posture are a must. With athletic tape, you can speed up the process, and results will come shortly. It will provide support for your shoulders.
Wearing it will make you more aware of your shoulder position and easily correct it. We highly recommend it even for teenagers.
Athletic Tapes Efficiency: What Science Says?
The most exciting thing is, of course, the scientific point of view. We searched for medical studies that can show us the efficacy of athletic tapes. Plus, we read dozens of studies and researches done in a big number of case studies, so we can provide and present you the accurate facts. So let’s dive into deep and see what the studies showed.
Trying to discover how effective the kinesis tape is, one of the study conclusions was that there is a lack of compelling evidence. Also, insufficient evidence was found in systematic athletic tape reviews relating to musculoskeletal injuries.
On another hand, some studies showed that when properly used, it can provide support to surrounding muscles and even help not to overextend or contract the muscle. Some experts indicate the placebo effect of the Kinesis tape. One is for sure more studies should be done in future on this topic.
Is It Allowed to Wear Athletic Tape During Sports Games?
It is possible to use athletic tape during professional sports games. However, the rules can vary from different types of games.
| Allowed |
Not Allowed |
- NBA
- Olympic games
- Beach volleyball
- Football matches
|
- All sports contests for underage kids
|
Types of Athletic Tapes
You may already notice that there are different types of athletic tape. We will explain their function, advantages, and disadvantages.
Rigid Tape
It is a firm tape that gives necessary stability in sports like powerlifting and especially for deadlifts exercises. It is excellent for fixing the joints and ankles.
| Pros |
Cons |
- Gives stability
- Fixing joints
|
- Not flexible
- Not meant for long term use
|
Elastic Tape
Elastic tape or stretchy athletic tape is mostly used in sports that require the flexibility of movement. The breathable material allows sweating and prolonged use.
| Pros |
Cons |
- Flexible
- Breathable materials
|
- Not meant for powerlifting
|
Under Tape
This one is necessary for fixing the main tape. It also prevents skin damages. Usually, the pre-wrap tape is made from light foam and is highly recommended for sensitive skin.
| Pros |
Cons |
- Excellent support for fixing the athletic tape
- Recommended for sensitive skin
|
- If you use xl athletic tape, you may not need under the tape
|
Kinesio Tape
Kinesio tape is also called athletic injury tape or therapeutic tape because it provides the best support for injured tissue. A lot of professionals, like David Beckham and Kevin Garnett, use Kinesio Tape.
| Pros |
Cons |
- Excellent for injured tissue
|
- Not necessary for beginners
|
Choosing the Best Athletic Tape: Things to Consider
Best athletic tape should be adequate for your needs. We suggest you consider these elements before purchasing: your type of skin, type of training, and what is the main athletic tape purpose for you.
Having all that in mind and considering various types of athletic tape it should be an easy task for you to decide the most suitable model.
Taping Your Body: Typical Situations
We highly recommend you to have company for first taping. Ask a friend or family member to assist you. That way, the process will be more precise, and you will have more fun. Over time you will become more confident about taping ankles. But when it comes to shoulders and back, it is better to have someone to assist you. We will explain how to use athletic tape step by step for some groups of muscles.
Stop Your Ankle From Rolling
To fix your ankle and prevent it from rotating, you will need two pieces of glue-based adhesive tape. You can find the best athletic tape for ankles easily but make sure that they are waterproof. The foot should be in a neutral position. Go inside the foot until you reach anterior and medial compartments. Wrap it under the sole and pull it to the front of the tibia. However, make sure to consult your doctor before purchasing even the best athletic tape for feet.
Support for the Painful Knee
You will need two strips of tape for knee support. Put your leg in 90 degrees angle. Put the first tape on the painful area. The second tape should form the x shape with the first one. Don’t stretch it at the end. You may also use knee sleeves as additional support for knees.
Conclusion
After reading this article, it becomes clear that the best athletic tape 2021 is a necessary item for people practicing sports. We believe that Kinesis tape is the best, due to its high quality and a rather affordable price.
And while scientists suggest that even the best athletic tape only produces a placebo effect, we can’t deny that it has worked for many people, according to plenty of athletic tape reviews from users.
Have you ever used this tape? Have you heard about it? Would you like to share your experiences?