Author Topic: Applying RSPro Rail Tape  (Read 19956 times)

toolate

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #30 on: April 10, 2019, 05:45:21 PM »
Where on the jumbo tape is the RSPro logo?  I don‘t want to cover my board’s logos.

That's a lot of money to become a billboard. Another option is to go with Helicopter tape:
double the material, various widths to choose from, really clear with no logos and cheaper.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BZWRIY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I use it on all my boards. Soap water wet application you don't even notice it's there.

is helicopter tape as strong as RSPRO?

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #31 on: April 10, 2019, 06:02:22 PM »
Where on the jumbo tape is the RSPro logo?  I don‘t want to cover my board’s logos.

That's a lot of money to become a billboard. Another option is to go with Helicopter tape:
double the material, various widths to choose from, really clear with no logos and cheaper.

Something like this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BZWRIY/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

I use it on all my boards. Soap water wet application you don't even notice it's there.

is helicopter tape as strong as RSPRO?

In my experience it's just as strong. Protected my boards from paddle dings and the occasional concrete impact.
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Area 10

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #32 on: April 11, 2019, 02:45:49 AM »
It depends on the helicopter tape. There are different thicknesses and the adhesives can be different too. If you buy the stuff that is (almost) as good as the RSPro tape then it is almost as expensive as the RSPro tape. Annoyingly, there isn’t really an easy way round the issue of the cost of RSPro: you can save a little bit for sure by buying helicopter tape but it won’t be quite as good. Some tape sold as helicopter tape is absolutely useless. I had some thick expensive stuff that yellowed in the sun and then fell off after a couple of years. And the stuff the shop kindly applied FOC when I bought my SIC is too thin so is chipping. I’ve had RSPro tape on several boards, by contrast, for years, and it’s exactly the same as when I applied it. That stuff will survive the apocalypse.

The RSPro tape and the stuff that is very much like it (eg. ION do some very similar stuff) has a texture to it that makes it particularly durable. Helicopter tape is completely smooth.

So, as with pretty much everything in life: you get what you pay for. It’s better to fit nothing than fit the really cheap stuff because you’ll only need to remove it after a while and it will probably pull all the paint off when you do.

Annoyingly, there is no need for boards to chip at all. My customs came with resin tint instead of a layer of paint, and so they do not chip. At all. Ever. There is no reason at all why the brands couldn’t do it that way too, except that it is cheaper and easier for them to just cover everything up with a layer of paint, which hides a multitude of sins...

I’ll bet that RSPro are very glad that the brands don’t make their boards like that. They’d be completely redundant overnight.

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #33 on: April 11, 2019, 05:46:43 AM »
That’s all true. The bottom line is, there are other options that will give
You better bang for your buck and are more aesthetically pleasing due to
their completely  transparent nature.

I have one on my board for as long as 4 years still going strong. I also
Use it as a blade edge protector as well and is actually a lot better than
RSpro’s offering as far as ease of application and fit.

So your mileage may vary for sure, but buying from Amazon gave me the
Confidence to experiment knowing I can return it if it’s a crappy product.
Gladly iI didn’t have to.
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spirit4earth

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #34 on: April 11, 2019, 05:55:48 AM »
JL gets his tape in bulk from findtape.com.  I don‘t know which specific tape he gets, but he’s sending me 14’ of it.

WhatsSUP

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #35 on: April 11, 2019, 06:02:27 AM »
Don't see why this wouldn't work as an option....thoughts?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Gorilla-1-88-in-x-9-yds-Crystal-Clear-Tape-60270/204593167
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JimK

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #36 on: April 11, 2019, 06:09:14 AM »
Gorrilla Tape isn't anywhere as go as RSPro for a myriad of reasons

Yes boards could be made better so we don't need this stuff...But at what cost? Who thinks Race SUPs are inexpensive?

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #37 on: April 11, 2019, 06:30:05 AM »
Gorrilla Tape isn't anywhere as go as RSPro for a myriad of reasons

Yes boards could be made better so we don't need this stuff...But at what cost? Who thinks Race SUPs are inexpensive?

JimK
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It wouldn’t add to the cost of a board nearly as much as fitting rail tape does.

The paintwork I’ve had on some Fanatic and Naish boards recently is completely unacceptable: it almost flakes off on its own, and almost any tap with a paddle, even a taped paddle, results in a paint chip. Ridiculous.

WhatsSUP

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #38 on: April 11, 2019, 06:46:41 AM »
I should've expanded on my gorilla tape post......I've got a couple of small epoxy chips on one side of my B&B right on the rail just forward of where my RSPro ends.  Rather than buying another package of rather pricey RSPro or even reapplying the existing large size RSPro tape I thought I'd Ding Stick the chips and smooth then cut a 6-8" piece of gorilla tape (or other) and apply to the forward rails where I sometimes tap/hit the board with my paddle on extra extended reach/pulls. Two inch wide tape up forward where the board /nose tapers is plenty........

I think I might try the gorilla tape
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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #39 on: April 11, 2019, 06:49:50 AM »
JL gets his tape in bulk from findtape.com.  I don‘t know which specific tape he gets, but he’s sending me 14’ of it.

That would probably be the helicopter tape or some other version of it:
https://www.findtape.com/ISC-Helicopter-OG-Outdoor-Grade-Surface-Guard-Tape/p173/?tid=21

I've used this one before as well. SIC in their Maui shop also sell these, $40 for two strips of 6'.

How much for Jimmy's tape?
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spirit4earth

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #40 on: April 11, 2019, 08:58:43 AM »
JL gets his tape in bulk from findtape.com.  I don‘t know which specific tape he gets, but he’s sending me 14’ of it.

That would probably be the helicopter tape or some other version of it:
https://www.findtape.com/ISC-Helicopter-OG-Outdoor-Grade-Surface-Guard-Tape/p173/?tid=21

I've used this one before as well. SIC in their Maui shop also sell these, $40 for two strips of 6'.

How much for Jimmy's tape?

He's charging $2/foot.

Quickbeam

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #41 on: April 11, 2019, 09:04:20 AM »
Have any of you thought of taping your paddle shaft instead of the rails on your board? I use this (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0017MGPLS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) around the edges of my paddle blade and then I also run a couple of strips about 13” up each side of the shaft from the top of the blade. Works great to protect the edge of my board. I never bother using rail tape anymore. I’m not much of a rail banger to start with, and it’s also true that I don’t paddle in the same kind of conditions as some of you, as I’m mostly a flat water paddler. But when my paddle does hit the rail on my board, this stuff works great. And to give credit where it is due, it was A10 who first put me onto this. It obviously won’t protect the rails from dropping the board, etc., but if it’s just paddle strikes you are concerned about, this might be another way to go. It really is good stuff.
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NEplay

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #42 on: April 11, 2019, 11:44:57 AM »
I really appreciate this discussion of rail tape and how expensive the RSpro product is. I have a new board I am looking to tape, although I don't typically do that much damage to my rails in the normal course of use this board has black rails and am I guessing the scuffs will show more. Going to try Helicopter tape linked above and will report back.
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dingfix

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #43 on: April 11, 2019, 12:43:05 PM »
I just applied RsPro to a new board, maybe the 4th one I've done. It went on perfectly, no air bubbles at all.   
Use water to apply and just take it easy, I get it onto the apex of the rail then squeegee out the water to the edges.  If an edge won't immediately stick, just hold it down for a minute.   Yes, it's more expensive than helicopter tape but in my mind well worth the extra.

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Re: Applying RSPro Rail Tape
« Reply #44 on: April 11, 2019, 01:49:40 PM »
JL gets his tape in bulk from findtape.com.  I don‘t know which specific tape he gets, but he’s sending me 14’ of it.

That would probably be the helicopter tape or some other version of it:
https://www.findtape.com/ISC-Helicopter-OG-Outdoor-Grade-Surface-Guard-Tape/p173/?tid=21

I've used this one before as well. SIC in their Maui shop also sell these, $40 for two strips of 6'.

How much for Jimmy's tape?

He's charging $2/foot.

That's a real bargain! Pretty much half the price of the RSpro and coming from him you can be
certain it's the real deal. If by any chance you have some excess try using it as blade guard.

Here is a video where he shows how to install rail tape, in case you haven't seen it:
https://youtu.be/SR3Syu6NMlA
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