Everything You Need To Know About Skateboard Grip Tape
Grip tape, as mentioned in the summary, is one of the most crucial parts of a skate deck. Yes, the wheels allow you to move, and the trucks keep the board off the ground, but what keeps you from falling off the board? Grip tape.
Grip tape is basically just a piece of black sandpaper with a sticky backside that keeps it stuck to the skateboard. Grip tape doesn't wear down as fast as sandpaper, though. Grip tape is also quite sturdy and reliable.
Grip tape is actually so sturdy, that even if it becomes a little bit, it keeps its grip. A little bit of water or mud is not enough to keep the grip tape on a skate deck from working correctly. Grip tape is also versatile enough to be painted on, without losing grip.
The very first skateboards were crafted from a slippery fiberglass material. Fiberglass is very slippery, and doesn't make a very good skate deck. Originally, the manufacturers simply added a waffle pattern to the skateboards to combat the slipperiness. This kind of worked, but the fiberglass was still too slippery. The solution was grip tape.
Grip tape most likely showed up on the scene in the early seventies, with the dawn of the first mass-produced skateboard decks. These mass produced skateboards were often, 'pre gripped.' This means that skateboard grip tape was already applied to the decks so that the buyers did not have to worry about applying the tape themselves.
It can be difficult to put grip tape on a new deck. The people of youtube have created a lot of video tutorials which are great to watch if you want to learn to apply grip tape to your own skateboard. If you would rather read about how to install grip tape, see the below sections.
Grip tape can be applied with a little bit of hard work and elbow grease. Before applying grip tape, you'll need to make sure you have enough. Some skateboards are thicker than others, and you won't want to install grip tape that won't cover your whole board.
Once you've decided whether or not your grip tape is going to fit your board, you'll need to remove the backing. Starting from one end of the deck, slowly lay down the grip tape. Work your hands over the top of the tape to remove any bubbles in it as you stick the grip tape to the board.
If you do come across bubbles in the grip tape, they're easy to remove. Simply take a sharp knife, and cut a hole in the bubble. This should allow the air to get out from beneath the grip, letting you to flatten out the bubble.
After the grip tape has been installed, scrape the edges of the deck with a screwdriver or other metal object. This will remove some of the grit, and make it easier to cut the excess grip tape off the board. Again, this is better explained via picture or video.
Once you've removed the grit, remove the extra grip with a razor blade. You will want to do this in one smooth movement, as it will make the finished product look clean. You should take some of the remaining tape and sand the edges if you are unhappy with the result. It's pretty hard to ruin up a grip install; try to have some fun with it.
Since you now know the history of grip tape, how to install grip tape, and why skateboarders need grip tape in this modern day and age, you should go out and skate. But don't forget your grip, and be sure to have a blast!
Lazar Rodriguez has been a skateboarder for a very long time. He loves longboarding, trickboarding, and everything in between. If you're looking for an online skateboard shop after reading this article, feel free to check out www.the-skateboard-shop.com/
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