Today, we’ll show you how to tape a finger for climbing and show you everything you need to know.

(In truth, this paper is the result of numerous hours of meticulous research, field testing, and decades of combined climbing expertise.)

You’ve come to the right site if you’re wondering how to tape your hand for rock climbing

How To Tape A Finger For Climbing (3 Best
Method)

Now I’ll show you three different solutions to tape your fingers to protect them from pulley injury.

A video may speak more than a thousand words, and this one demonstrates the three ways discussed.

1. Ring Method

Simply get some climbing tape for this method, and don’t worry — it’s the simplest way to tape.

It safeguards the two primary pulleys, which are prone to damage.

As seen in the image, wrap the tape around the finger like a ring.

We used the middle finger in the shot because it’s one of the most commonly damaged digits.

While wrapping the tape around your finger, keep it slightly bent.

Then start wrapping the tape around the finger like a wedding band with a little amount of stress.

Slowly run the tape up the finger, overlapping the strips as you go, while keeping the finger slightly bent.

You don’t want to restrict blood flow or bandage the finger, so don’t pull the tape too tight.

When you crimp or flex your finger, you should be able to feel the tape supporting it somewhat.

2. X Method

Both pulleys, as well as the front and back of a joint, are taped using this procedure.

The premise is that if one pulley is uncomfortable and injured, the other will almost certainly be as well,

Therefore tape them both. Essentially, you’ll use one piece of tape to tape both pulleys.

Fix some tape around the first pulley in front of the joint, tighten it, and then wrap it around the joint in a full pass,

Returning across the joint until you reach the other location behind the joint.

Continue on, wrapping one full pass around and crossing back to where you started.

Because the tape crosses across in the middle of the joint, it now resembles an X.

Rep this process two or three times more. You now have full range of motion, it’s not constraining,

And the bot pulleys are secured and supported by the tape when you crimp or flex.

3. H Method

The H method is the most recent, and it’s also known as the shuffle method because Isabel shuffle initially published it in the.

Journal of hand biomechanics in 2007. It’s essentially a modified X approach because it assumes both pulleys are sore when one becomes sore.

Take a piece of tape and cut it in half, creating two small legs as seen in the image.

It’s basically a long strip of tape that you split along the centre on both sides.

Wrap it around your finger and place the middle of the H over the joint.

If you have a bigger tape, this will work a lot better. Start with the front pulley and work your way around the top using the little leg.

If it gets in the way, simply shift it to the side and wrap your finger over the top. Secure it with a strap.

Then execute half a pass with the second leg to finish the pulley off.

Begin moving around the finger on the rear pulley, then move any tape that is in the way to the side and fasten it.

Then, with the other piece of tape, go in the other direction.

Because the knuckle of your finger isn’t taped up, you’ll still have complete range of motion when you move it around.

When you crimp or flex your finger, however, you can see that you have a lot of support on the pulley and on the back of your finger.

If you crimp or flex your finger, you should be able to feel the tape providing support.

Conclusion: How To Tape A Finger For Climbing

X Method – easy to make and best to use
I’ve used the ring approach, the X method, and the H method previously, and I enjoy all of them.

I usually utilise the X approach because it is simple to tape.

Because it is more complicated, the H technique might be a nuisance to tape at times.

Whichever method you pick, make sure to tape properly, not too tight but just tight enough.

Best Tape For Climbing

Now that you know why climbers tape their fingertips, it’s time to make some tape recommendations.

This is based on my personal experience with numerous different types of tape.

Metolius Climbing Tape is excellent in my opinion, and I frequently use it. I use Evolv Magic Finger Tape if I don’t have Metolius.

It’s really sticky, but it’s still simple to roll and use. It will hold even when used as a glove in multi-pitch crack climbing.

While it’s a little harder to split and rip, it’s still a good choice for finger taping. If you have a lot of hair,

Be careful since this tape will stick to it. The cost is likewise low.

Another brand I can recommend is Leukotape, which is more expensive than Metolius but even stickier and more lasting.

How To Tape Hands For Rock Climbing

1. PROTECT YOUR FINGER PULLEYS

When climbing, your finger pulleys—the small tendons in your finger that serve to keep the sheath from collapsing.

And expanding during motion—are the most vulnerable sections of your hands.

One of the most common causes of injury is improper maintenance of them, thus it’s critical to tape them properly.

Start wrapping the tape around the first phalanx on your hand three, maybe four times, using only one strand.

Between the first and second creases, the first phalanx contacts with your hand.

The tape should be snug yet not uncomfortable.

Cross the tape over the joint and wrap it three times around the second phalanx.

Return the tape to its original position, crossing over the joint in an X pattern,

And wrapping it around the lower phalanx to complete the job.

Take care not to suffocate any nerves. This taping method may be used on any of your fingers.

And is extremely useful for sticking your fingers into crevices, hand jams, and tricky holds that could cause your fingers to bend in an unnatural position.

2. THE TAPE GLOVE

A tape glove will protect the backs of your hands and the spaces between your fingers from scratches and unpleasant cuts.

Those things are excruciatingly painful.

Place three to four pieces of tape across the back of your hand, starting at your knuckles. After that,

Wrap a piece of tape around the base of your index finger from the top of your wrist to the base of your index finger,

Tight enough to stay in place but not so tight that it hinders movement. You have two options from here.

Some folks merely add the pinky or repeat the process with the next two fingers.

Let’s skip to the pinky for convenience and flexibility’s sake.

Return the tape to the top of the wrist and wrap it around the base of the pinky, filling the gap between the two fingers.

At least four times, wrap the tape around your wrist. If done correctly, the back of your hand should be completely covered.

3. THE RECOVERY TAPE

If you’ve already jacked up your finger joint to the point of no return, you’ll need to successfully prevent the.

A2 and A3 annular pulleys from further bending and tearing.

Climbing will still be possible, but crimping will be impossible. Until your fingers heal, concentrate on mastering open hand abilities.

Begin tape your finger halfway up the first phalanx to keep your pulleys from being destroyed.

Make a couple circuits around the room until you’ve covered your finger’s middle joint midway between the second and third joints.

You should have at least 50% overlap between each cycle of tape. The idea here is to avoid bending your finger.

If it still hooks, you’ve made a mistake and the tape is too slack.

4. PROTECTING THE FLAPPER

We don’t recommend this method because it entails placing something between your palm and the rock,

But some individuals are probably tired of flappers and are prepared to give up a little grip to avoid pain.

None of these people are known to us, yet they are almost certainly real.

If you have a flapper and want to keep climbing, it’s time to use super glue.

It’s a good idea to bring some superglue with you at all times.

Cover the flapper with a thick coating of adhesive, without tearing the loose skin from your hand.

It will take longer to mend if you tear the skin off.

After the adhesive has dried, cover that sucker with tape and return to the wall.

Covering the flapper should only take a few of overlapping strips. If you’re worried about the tape falling off,

You can put it on before the glue dries for extra stickiness, but it shouldn’t be necessary.

Because the super glue will eventually flake off, leave it on and let the flapper heal on its own.

5. WRAPPING YOUR WRIST

If someone told you that taping up your wrists would avoid injuries, they were lying.

There are some ways to tape it to help you recover if you managed to twist it in an amusing manner while climbing.

The dorsal cross is one of the most successful techniques. To cover your hand,

Wrap a strip of tape around your palm, travelling up over the thumb and back around a couple of times.

Place a second strip of tape around your forearm, just below the wrist, and bring it up to cover your wrist.

Begin a third layer of tape on the right-hand side of the tape you started beneath your wrist at the back of your hand,

With your wrist bent slightly backwards. To complete the circle, bring the tape up and across the back of your hand,

Across the top of your thumb, and back down over your palm.

Rep on the other side, producing a cross overtop your hand and wrist.

To assist keep the rest of the tape in place, wrap another layer of tape around your wrist.

Keep take note that there is no solid medical evidence that tape can assist climbers avoid harm.

It can, however, assist relieve pain in already wounded hands and prevent gashes.

Why Do Climbers Tape Their Fingers?

Climbers use finger tape for two reasons: to replace a protective covering above the skin or to support injured soft tissue like pulleys and tendons.

As a climber, the most common reasons to tape your fingers are:

• 1. An injury to the finger pulley
• 2. Fingertips that are raw or split
• 3. Flappers

To protect your skin when working or warming up on extremely sharp rock.

You’re likely to come across at least a couple of these reasons to tape up during your climbing career.

That’s why, because when that inevitable moment comes, we’ve put together this comprehensive guide on finger taping.

How To Tape Fingers for Climbing Blisters

When wrapping your finger, be careful not to wrap it too tightly, as this will cut off circulation to your fingers.

Instead, a strong wrapping akin to a Band-Aid will suffice.

This will keep your finger comfortable and protected while also keeping dirt, bacteria, and debris out of the space between your tape and your blister.

When wrapped around your hand, the tape should feel like a glove.

Remove the skin if the blister is not torn or has burst.

This will not only speed up the healing of the blister, but it will also act as a protective barrier against bacteria, dirt, and other material that could lead to infection.

Remove the flab and clean the blister before taping if the skin has mostly pulled away and filth or pus has formed.

To avoid infection, scrub the area around your blister with warm water at all times.

1. Pad of Your Finger: 

Take a large strand of tape, about a foot long, then rip it in half vertically to make two thinner strands.

Starting at the base of your nail, wrap one strand around your finger. Wrap the tape around your finger’s pad until it is completely covered.

2. Tip of Your Finger: 

Because the tip of your fingers is so little, you’ll need thinner tape strips.

A little, thin string should be wrapped over the top of the blister on your finger.

After that, a base layer of tape will wrap around the finger and secure it.

Begin wrapping at the joint of your finger, right below your nail, to create a base.

Then, as you wrap the finger around a second time, continue to transition upward.

As the tape ascends, make sure it does so on the palm side of your hand.

You can also leave a small gap for your top joint on the exterior edge of your finger.

You can also make your foundation layer crisscrossed to allow the joint to move more freely.

Begin descending the wrap back to the base after you’ve reached the blistering area, making a thorough wrap around the tape base layer to ensure it stays wrapped.

3. Base of Your Fingers:

 Take a strand of tape and cut a finger-sized plus sign in the middle of it to bandage blisters just below your fingers at the top of your palm.

Wrap two strands on either side of the blister with the finger above it slipping through the slash.

Bring all three strands down below your wrist and secure them with two layers of tape to keep them from unravelling.

4. Hands:

 Remember to keep your hand wide and stretch out when tape it up.

Cut a strand of tape about a foot long and apply it to the part of your hand where the blister or blisters are located.

Pull the tape tightly to ensure a secure fit after you’ve laid out the foundation layer of tape.

To give the wrap an anchor, wrap the tape between your middle and ring fingers. Reverse the finger wrap and complete it from the other side.

If you don’t want to wrap the tape around your fingers, wrap it around the base of your thumb to cover more of your palm while leaving your fingers free of tape.

Wrap the tape around the base of your wrapping once more to hide the sticky side of the tape that may be visible from the finger wrap.

This will aid in the prevention of rolling.

Then, to help prevent the tape from slipping, pull the strand’s end down to the palm of your hand.

To keep the tape strand from coming undone, end it on the back of your hand.

What Is Climbing Tape Used For?

The finger tape is used to prevent skin tears when climbing cracks or if the skin is painful or sore at the end of a bouldering session.

Climbers frequently use climbing tape to tape their fingers when using a pulley support. Climbing tape is available in a handy carry tin.

Climbing Tape Vs Athletic Tape

We’ve tried out a few different climbing tapes and make our own athletic tapes (some of which we have seen used for climbing)

The short version is that the recordings may not be identical,

But the qualitative differences do not indicate that one is clearly superior based on what we see.

It could be determined by the problem you’re trying to solve or the qualities you’re seeking for in a climbing tape.

Premium athletic tapes have really outperformed climbing tapes when it comes to supple fabric and great conformability.

If you’re searching for 2-dimensional tearability, they’re probably all around the same.

Some tapes have a finish to help with tearing, but we haven’t encountered any tapes with chemical finishes to help with grip or durability.

I hope this information is useful. The TL:DR version is -> structurally, they’re not that different.

I could provide more insight if you could tell me what qualities you are seeking for in a climbing tape.

I work at a company that makes lots of different kinds of athletic tapes)

How To Use Climbing Tape?

The best technique to tape is to pull off a thin strip and place it to the damaged finger’s back.

Wrap the wound in tape and overlap it a few times.

To keep the tape from sliding off right away, secure the other end to the joint below the wound.

How Do You Tape A Sprained Finger

Wrap the finger gently with a small elastic bandage, finger compress bandage, or sports tape,

Which can all be found online. Apply gentle pressure to the finger by wrapping the bandage just tight enough.

Wrap the bandage loosely enough to prevent it from acting as a tourniquet and restricting blood flow.

FAQ’S On: How To Tape A Finger For Climbing

Why do rock climbers tape their fingers?

Climbers use finger tape for two reasons: to replace a protective covering above the skin or to support injured soft tissue like pulleys and tendons.

As a climber, the most common reasons to tape your fingers are: An injury to the finger pulley. Fingertips that are raw or split

Is climbing tape waterproof?

With their Magic Climbing Hand Tape, Evolv has taken tape to the next level. This is a medical-grade self-adhesive tape that is both waterproof and breathable.

Evolv’s Magic Hand Tape clings to itself with a mild pressure application, rather than clinging to the skin like conventional sticky sports tapes.

What tape do you use for bouldering?

The finger tape is used to prevent skin tears when climbing cracks or if the skin is painful or sore at the end of a bouldering session.

Climbers frequently use climbing tape to tape their fingers when using a pulley support. Climbing tape is available in a handy carry tin.

How do you tape a finger?