Bowling Grip Tape

Bowling grip tape is a common piece of equipment used by bowlers. While less talked about than other grip enhancers, bowling tape can be your best friend during a session. You may not realize it at first, but bowling tape can be a very useful tool to have.

What Is Bowling Tape Used for?

The main purpose of bowling tape is to fill the empty space between the holes of the bowling ball and a bowler’s fingers. A bowler’s fingers will swell or shrink during a bowling session to adjust to the temperature and size of the holes. Bowling tape aims to prevent any swelling by plugging up the rest of the space instead of your fingers. Tape can also help prevent skin irritation or cracks that may result from bowling. 

Another benefit of filling in the empty finger hole space is that it will result in more consistent throws. Having loose finger holes, and having fingers swell and shrink over time will cause inconsistency in throws. By having tape, it allows the fingers to always have the same grip on the finger holes boosting performance. 

Things To Consider

When looking for bowling tape, you'll want to consider the following:

• How much do you want to spend on bowling tape?
• What level of adhesiveness do you need?
• What size of bowling tape do you need?
• What type of bowling tape are you looking for?

Types

The three main types of bowling tapes are protective, slick, and textured.

Protective

Protective tape is different from the other two types in the sense that it is placed on the hand rather than in the bowling ball itself. It also focuses more on protecting the fingers from irritation rather than aiding with finger swelling. Protective tape can come either pre-cut or in rolls and is usually placed in the nail side of the finger. It is common for protective tape to be used in addition to other types of tape.

Slick

Slick tape is a type of tape that is placed in the finger holes. It is mainly used to combat finger swelling while also providing some protection benefits. It is much smoother in texture than other types of tape. Slick tape is most commonly placed on the nail side of the finger hole since it is not used for grip and will allow the finger to slide out easier.

Textured

Textured bowling tape is similar to slick tape except that it has a rougher surface. It is also mainly used to prevent finger swelling. Since textured tape provides a better grip than slick tape, it is commonly placed on the underside of the finger holes. Textured tape is typically used in conjunction with slick tape to fill out the finger holes.

Materials

The most common materials found in bowling tape are adhesive and cotton.

• Adhesive: Adhesive is the generic term used to describe a material that binds multiple surfaces together. Some form of adhesive is used on every type of bowling tape to stick to either the ball or fingers.
• Cotton: Cotton is a common choice for bowling tape. It provides breathability and a solid stretch. It is also not too expensive to produce.

Brands

The most popular brands that produce bowling tape are Genesis, Motiv Flex, and Storm.

• Genesis: Genesis is known for making performance and care bowling equipment. They make a wide variety of different bowling tapes. They sell pre cut tape as well as rolls.
• Motiv Flex: Motiv Flex makes different bowling equipment as well as apparel. They make protective tape that also helps with different levels of release.
• Storm: Storm is one of the most famous bowling equipment brands. They make a wide variety of bowling tapes, mainly focusing on protective tape.

Considerations

When deciding which bowling tape to buy, you should always consider the durability, cost, and sizes of the tape.

Durability

A single piece of bowling tape is not very durable. Protective tape that is placed on fingers will need to be replaced after every bowling session. Slick or textured tape that is placed inside of the finger holes can last a couple games or even longer. However, since bowling tape usually is sold in rolls or in large quantities, one purchase should last quite a while depending on the quantity.

Cost

Most brands and materials will cost relatively the same amount. The main factor that impacts the cost for bowling tape is the quantity. In most cases, you can find bowling tape for $.10 to $30. It is likely that purchasing a larger quantity will reduce the individual unit price.

Sizes

Pre-cut bowling tapes usually come in either ¾” or 1”. These sizes will fit almost everyone. However, you can also buy uncut rolls of tap which can allow you to cut pieces to any desirable size.

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