Prep - Make sure your rail is scrupulously clean, your fingers too.

Application - go carefully, peel a only few inches of backing at a time as you apply the tape, use one of those plastic windscreen scraper/squeegee things that you get from ski/snowboard shops to squeeze bubbles out as you go.

Positioning - helps to have the board on it's side (so you can see the full rail) straddle it and work along the rail, better if someone can help you hold the board steady.

Coverage - forward about a foot beyond where you can reach with your paddle, back to about a foot or so behind where you normally stand should be enough.

NB - the adhesive on the 3M stuff is pretty aggressive, if your tape looks a little crooked and you're tempted to lift it...don't...you risk lifting the paint on your rail. If you really must remove the tape, a little careful application of heat from a hair dryer will soften the adhesive, peel the tape back along itself (ie parallel to the rail, not perpendicular). A citrus-based goo remover will take off any residue.

Hope that helps.

(Edit: I stopped using the 3M stuff, I'll spend the extra $$$ for RailSaver Pro)

Just for info....best tape I have found is helicopter tape....they use it on the rotor blades for some reason.

Goes on easy with few air bubbles and works fantastic...and stays on.

I once bought Surftech tape - it was AWFUL!!

Slab said..

Just for info....best tape I have found is helicopter tape....they use it on the rotor blades for some reason.

Goes on easy with few air bubbles and works fantastic...and stays on.

I once bought Surftech tape - it was AWFUL!!

if you knew what the cost of Blade replacement was, you'd understand why blade tape is used

This works



from blueplanetsurf.com - shop site from honolulu - they have quite few helpful videos accessed from their website.

Put all of those in the bin and by either Railsaver Pro or Ion rail protector no chips or damage to that part of the board ever again.

Yep ... I have to agree the Rail Saver Pro is great. It has a cross hatched raised pattern (knurled) that makes the tape seem thicker than it actually is.

When I first applied it there were a few bubbles that I couldn't get out, despite rubbing them with around 20 mm timber dowel.

The tape has been on a couple of months now and no sign of the bubbles, highly recommend.

I purchased mine from 2up Sup Newcastle.

I have been using the 3m tape for years and have found it does the job well. There is a company putting out a kit with two 2m rolls of it in there, I know SurfFX stocks the kit.

Be careful to not use anything with a texture on your rails, we saw a board yesterday with what looked like the tape they use for grip on stair treads used as rail tape. Both the rider of the board and another person who tested it complained that the board didn't sit well in a wave, felt uncontrollable, and unresponsive. The only thing we could put it down to was the use of a textured tape on the rail, so time to remove it and test again. I haven't heard the outcome of any further test as yet.

DavidJohn said...
I've have about 50 different sup boards over the years and never used rail tape once.. and never had one rail chip from my paddle.

All you need is this.. www.seabreeze.com.au/News/Stand%20Up%20Paddle/How-to-protect-your-paddle-blade-with-tape_7770254.aspx

But DJ you put tape on your paddle

husq2100 said...
Your welcome......

www.bunnings.com.au/bear-48mm-x-25m-clear-all-weather-tape_p1661582

Cheers

Dont waste your money on that bunnings stuff as it is to thin and will cause more damage whrn you try and pull it of.
If it was any good we would all be using it!!

Jacko

husq2100 said..

paul.j said..

Dont waste your money on that bunnings stuff as it is to thin and will cause more damage whrn you try and pull it of.
If it was any good we would all be using it!!

Jacko

haha poor Jacko, no money to be made from a bunnings sold item I guess the 10 boards I have had it on, and removed from 3 of them, never with a problem are just luck . I am certainly not saying it as good as the 3M, and thats with me never using 3M either, but it certainly represents good value for money.

As for it being too thin. I had it on a LSD 8.8 ( the one I bought from you) after a year of hard use, I removed it to clean up for sale. The rails looked that good that more than one person asked if I had repainted the rails (which I had not)

haha maybe you are just so good that you don't hit your rails? I have seen alot of boards with it on that have not fared so well. If i wanted to make money i would be a Chippy as i hear they make a killing!!

I feel a forum war coming on get ready Laurie to lock this topic could get nasty!!

paul.j said..

husq2100 said..

paul.j said..

Dont waste your money on that bunnings stuff as it is to thin and will cause more damage whrn you try and pull it of.
If it was any good we would all be using it!!

Jacko

haha poor Jacko, no money to be made from a bunnings sold item I guess the 10 boards I have had it on, and removed from 3 of them, never with a problem are just luck . I am certainly not saying it as good as the 3M, and thats with me never using 3M either, but it certainly represents good value for money.

As for it being too thin. I had it on a LSD 8.8 ( the one I bought from you) after a year of hard use, I removed it to clean up for sale. The rails looked that good that more than one person asked if I had repainted the rails (which I had not)

haha maybe you are just so good that you don't hit your rails? I have seen alot of boards with it on that have not fared so well. If i wanted to make money i would be a Chippy as i hear they make a killing!!

I feel a forum war coming on get ready Laurie to lock this topic could get nasty!!

Oh poor missinformed Jacko I hit my rails all the time, and if chippies were making a killling, id be in your store for the good stuff rather than buying second hand boards and cheap, thin, imitation rail tape..... even though it works

Laurie wont lock this, if anything he loves a good war. As post counts rise, so does his web value.

The best tip is...

Don't ......... Hit ......... Your ......... Rails ......

Team, could someone please post info on removal of old tape and residue. Thanks heaps

straddie said..

Team, could someone please post info on removal of old tape and residue. Thanks heaps

Last time I took mine off I just gently pulled it away slowly with my fingers once I had an edge up and then used one of those Chux Magic Bathroom Eraser's with some methylated spirits on it to remove the residue left behind. Both sides removed and completely clean within 10-15 minutes.