BallReviews
Equipment Boards => Bags, Shoes, Accessories => Topic started by: JustinWi on November 06, 2014, 06:39:05 PM
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After hearing a good amount of positive feedback around a new textured thumb tape product, I contacted John and requested a sample of his new silver tape, coined “Real Bowlers Tapeâ€. It can also be seen referred to as #silvertape, #realbowlerstape, #RBT, and #teamRBT on social media. The product has seen success over the past several months including many players using it at the ’14 WSOB. I previously used Master 1†White, 2 or 3 pieces in the front of the thumbhole. I replaced the tape in my 5 primary strike balls and my spare ball for this test. The overall thickness of the RBT is slightly less than the Master, which is beneficial to fine tune feel. Folks that swell or shrink significantly will find it easier to get the right feel, never being in between a piece of tape. I used 3 RBT to replace the 2 Master. The tape applied easily and stayed put. It stuck equivalently well to the ball and itself, and removes leaving no residue. The primary concern with tape is feel, durability, and consistency from shot to shot. The texture of the tape is prefect, not too aggressive and not too smooth with a balance of grip and release. I have had an issue with the top of the Master fraying and requiring replacement after 6 to 9 games, so far I have not had that issue with RBT. The most impressive feature of this tape, and the reason everyone should use it, is how it affects your ability to release the ball. With Master I would catch a hang on release at least once or twice a game creating a bit of tug and loss of projection. This is completely not present with RBT, at all. The balance of secure grip and release is perfect, and instills a major boost of confidence that each release will be pure. Not having to focus on making sure I cleared the thumb properly because it just happens, aided my ability to repeat shots greatly. In conclusion, this product does exactly what you want it to, and does nothing but improve your shot making ability. I highly recommend trying this excellent product. For a sample, email sales@realbowlerstape.com.
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Hey Justin, I have an issue with the texture of tape (being quite "grabby") preventing me from having it be tight enough. When my thumb is properly snug, the texture can cause hanging. Will this tape allow/require a more snug thumb fit?
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Based on my experience with it, yes.
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A few months ago, my pro shop asked me to test out some of this "Real Bowlers Tape" and give them feedback. My first comments to them was that it was silver, and I was surprised that wasn't white. :)
I agree with Justin's assessment, so I'm not going to rehash what he's already said. I will emphasize that it has a good consistency, sticks well, and the slightly thinner thickness allows for more fine tuning.
I was so impressed, I ended up ordering a 500 piece 1" roll, and a 500 piece 3/4" roll. It's going to take me years to plow through all that tape, but I'm convinced it was worth the purchase.
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Can this tape be used in the back of the thumbhole as well?
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A few months ago, my pro shop asked me to test out some of this "Real Bowlers Tape" and give them feedback. My first comments to them was that it was silver, and I was surprised that wasn't white. :)
I agree with Justin's assessment, so I'm not going to rehash what he's already said. I will emphasize that it has a good consistency, sticks well, and the slightly thinner thickness allows for more fine tuning.
I was so impressed, I ended up ordering a 500 piece 1" roll, and a 500 piece 3/4" roll. It's going to take me years to plow through all that tape, but I'm convinced it was worth the purchase.
While the feel was as good as the Master white tape I use, I had another problem that made me get rid of the rest of my initial roll. The backing stuck to so many pieces of tape that I lost 30% - 40% of the pieces. That is unacceptable in my book. And, no, it had not laid around or sat in the sun or the cold. It was fresh from the seller, Buddies. Obviously I won't be getting any more. It wasn't any better or worse than Master tape except for this one aspect.
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I'll have to say I wasnt impressed, especially for the premium they charge. I personally didn't like the feel and wasn't as smooth as advertised. Plus I didn't like how sticky the back was. Not that easy to get in the holes.
I won't be buying any.
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While the feel was as good as the Master white tape I use, I had another problem that made me get rid of the rest of my initial roll. The backing stuck to so many pieces of tape that I lost 30% - 40% of the pieces. That is unacceptable in my book. And, no, it had not laid around or sat in the sun or the cold. It was fresh from the seller, Buddies. Obviously I won't be getting any more. It wasn't any better or worse than Master tape except for this one aspect.
Interesting. I tried to replicate what you described when I practiced this morning, and I couldn't do it. My thumb was a little larger from bowling 50+ games earlier this week, so I removed 3 of the 4 pieces of the tape to get to a starting fit.
First I removed 1 piece. No problem. Then I removed 2 pieces at the same time. Again no problem and not a hint that the remaining piece was about to be pulled off too. Given this, I don't know what to say about your experience.
As far as the subsequent poster complaining that it's harder to get into the hole, there is some merit to that comment. RBT is slightly thinner than standard white tape, so it can bend and catch when you don't want it to. I personally use a tape insertion tool, so I don't find it to be an issue. It's one of those things where the flexibility of having thinner tape can make it a little more of a challenge to insert. One of life's little trade-offs.
When all is said and done, it's just tape. But it is slightly different in texture and thickness to standard white, which provides for a different option. In my book, different options are good.
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While the feel was as good as the Master white tape I use, I had another problem that made me get rid of the rest of my initial roll. The backing stuck to so many pieces of tape that I lost 30% - 40% of the pieces. That is unacceptable in my book. And, no, it had not laid around or sat in the sun or the cold. It was fresh from the seller, Buddies. Obviously I won't be getting any more. It wasn't any better or worse than Master tape except for this one aspect.
Interesting. I tried to replicate what you described when I practiced this morning, and I couldn't do it. My thumb was a little larger from bowling 50+ games earlier this week, so I removed 3 of the 4 pieces of the tape to get to a starting fit.
First I removed 1 piece. No problem. Then I removed 2 pieces at the same time. Again no problem and not a hint that the remaining piece was about to be pulled off too. Given this, I don't know what to say about your experience.
No, that's not what I meant. Removing the tape from the hole was not a problem.
I meant when initially trying to apply it, I couldn't remove the paper backing from the 3/4" pieces of tape. The paper backing stuck to the tape before I could even try to put it into the hole. I couldn't peel the tape from the paper without the paper sticking to the glue.
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No, that's not what I meant. Removing the tape from the hole was not a problem.
I meant when initially trying to apply it, I couldn't remove the paper backing from the 3/4" pieces of tape. The paper backing stuck to the tape before I could even try to put it into the hole. I couldn't peel the tape from the paper without the paper sticking to the glue.
Sorry, I misunderstood.
Given your clarification, there is something seriously defective with the tape you purchased. I have two rolls of 500 pieces, and of the 20 pieces I've removed across the rolls so far, there hasn't been a hint of the tape bonding to the paper backing. It sounds like you got a bad batch.
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Was there any attempt to have it replaced and the situation rectified, or did you just write it off because of that backing issue?
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Was there any attempt to have it replaced and the situation rectified, or did you just write it off because of that backing issue?
I just wrote it off. I assumed it was a bad packaging or bad batch or the seller had not stored it properly. At the price it wasn't worth the effort to start asking for recompense. I used most of the package (~60%) when the percentage of unusable piece became too high.
Whether it was the seller's fault or manufacturer's fault, the fact that it happened at all, when this high a percenatge had never happened before in 20+ years of using thumb hole tape was the deciding factor for me. Previously maybe 1 or 2 pieces out of 100 piece rolls might have stuck so much as to be unusable.
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I didn't have any trouble with the backing but I did find some pieces leaving residue behind in the thumbhole.
If the Powerhouse Premium didn't come out last year, I could live with that issue. Having said that, the Powerhouse Premium is superior to Real Bowlers Tape in every way.
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I didn't have any trouble with the backing but I did find some pieces leaving residue behind in the thumbhole.
If the Powerhouse Premium didn't come out last year, I could live with that issue. Having said that, the Powerhouse Premium is superior to Real Bowlers Tape in every way.
I still have some of the pre-Powerhouse Columbia300 white tape. I does what it's supposed too, but it's pretty much the vanilla variety white stuff that you can get from any company.
What makes the Powerhouse Premium superior??
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Bowling industry lost its supplier of white tape. Batches of white tape from the past few years suffered from adhesive bleeding through on the tape side as well as leaving residue.
If you have some older stock tape you wouldn't notice the difference. If you purchased tape in the past couple of years you would be aware of the problem. I had issues with Storm and Ebonite tapes being sticky to the point where they were unusable.
Powerhouse resolved this issue with a new vendor. Additionally, the tape is a bit smoother and less abrasive than other white tapes.
You can search the site for more info, if you don't believe me.
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I'm not challenging you. I was asking for clarification to your 'superior' statement. You didn't provide any qualifying information in your original post.
My Columbia300 tape is part of a 500 piece roll I'm still working through. The roll has to be close to 10 years old, and I'm surprised the tape still sticks really well after all this time. It might be different that the more recent stuff that other bowlers too have complained about.
But I do compliment my older Columbia300 1" tape with current production Storm 3/4" and Master 1/2" for fine tuning. Maybe my fingers have become desensitized after all these years, but I can't tell the difference between the old and new white tape. They all seem to feel and hold up about the same.
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Would this work well with a Gripps Glove or do you not recommend it...?
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Would this work well with a Gripps Glove or do you not recommend it...?
Not recommend which? : )
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Had e-mail contact with this company 2 months ago for a free sample that was never sent. Got a couple of pieces from a friend and it left residue when I took it out of the thumb hole. Poor service and poor product, IMO.
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Would this work well with a Gripps Glove or do you not recommend it...?
Not recommend which? : )
Ha ha!! Good one! :P
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Would this work well with a Gripps Glove or do you not recommend it...?
::)
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Would this work well with a Gripps Glove or do you not recommend it...?
::)
Hey, it's my stalker... You usually just follow me in the misc-non bowl. Should I be flattered you ventured out for me...? ??? :-\ ;) ;D
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I'm trying some out tonight. Dude sent me the wrong size, so I had to cut it, but let's see what's up. Feels good while I am sitting in my office.
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Their local for me and I just got some samples...will be trying them tonight also.
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I filled out the form on their web page and asked for a sample 10-14 days ago and mine arrived today. I'll give it a try next week.
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I did have an issue last night. Put it on top of my old white tape while bowling a sweeper, and stuff started rolling up on me halfway thru the first game. Had to take it out. Liked it when it stayed in place.
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Doom, what you mentioned with the potential for tape rolling is my one complaint with the product.
The first time I tried RBT, the top of the first piece rolled a bit after a few games. so I took it all out, and completely cleaned the thumb hole with alcohol until I was certain there wan't any residue. I layered three fresh pieces back in, and didn't have any issues.
My general thoughts on RBT is that you have to be more careful that white when putting it in the hole. It needs a fresh clean surface to stick to, regardless if it's the thumb slug itself, or over another piece of tape. Another glitch I've found is that it doesn't re-stick well if you use it for a while, take it out, and then reposition it. I've suffered that issue a few times.
Having said this, my opinion is that the benefits outweigh the annoyances. I like the feel, so I'll work around the other stuff.
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Doom, what you mentioned with the potential for tape rolling is my one complaint with the product.
The first time I tried RBT, the top of the first piece rolled a bit after a few games. so I took it all out, and completely cleaned the thumb hole with alcohol until I was certain there wan't any residue. I layered three fresh pieces back in, and didn't have any issues.
My general thoughts on RBT is that you have to be more careful that white when putting it in the hole. It needs a fresh clean surface to stick to, regardless if it's the thumb slug itself, or over another piece of tape. Another glitch I've found is that it doesn't re-stick well if you use it for a while, take it out, and then reposition it. I've suffered that issue a few times.
Having said this, my opinion is that the benefits outweigh the annoyances. I like the feel, so I'll work around the other stuff.
Funny, as that is one problem I didn't have. I layered it over my Master white tape already in the ball and it stuck "like glue".
This plus my original problem makes me wonder if they're either experimenting with different glues without telling the public or their glue is susceptible to various kinds of use and storage??