Long-term sk8tape application

[jjane45]

Hello all!! Any suggestions on permanently leaving sk8tape on skates? My used Jackson Competitor boots were really beat up at the toe area, and I taped it up with sk8tape to prevent water damage - the previous owner worked hard in them, the right toe box was gray rather than white!

When asked, the boot fitter hesitantly suggested replacing the tape monthly, but 3 months into skating in these skates the tape still looks good. I am not sure how the tape interacts with leather on a long-term basis though. Will it cause more damage than protection? Or would you recommend other methods to care for the skates?

Thank you very much!

[fsk8r]

Hello all!! Any suggestions on permanently leaving sk8tape on skates? My used Jackson Competitor boots were really beat up at the toe area, and I taped it up with sk8tape to prevent water damage - the previous owner worked hard in them, the right toe box was gray rather than white!

When asked, the boot fitter hesitantly suggested replacing the tape monthly, but 3 months into skating in these skates the tape still looks good. I am not sure how the tape interacts with leather on a long-term basis though. Will it cause more damage than protection? Or would you recommend other methods to care for the skates?

Thank you very much!

I just left the tape on until it looked particularly manky and then replaced it. Didn't affect the leather at all, only the good leather under the skate tape did look whiter than the rest of the boots after a while. And the tape yellowed to match the rest of the boots (you know the "old white" boot look not the "new white" look) pretty quickly after putting a new application on.

[Isk8NYC]

I guess if moisture somehow gets underneath the tape (from a pinhole, for example), it could cause mold and mildew that would discolor the skate.

When I had beige skates, I used the clear tape, which they don't offer anymore.  The clear tape yellowed very quickly and became noticeable against the rest of the boot.  Now they offer a beige-colored tape.

http://penguinspecialty.com/products/sk8tape.html

If you overlap the tape edges, it should be fine.  I used to tape just the toe box (to protect it from cuts and students) -- the tape became black and gummy at the edges.  That stayed on the boots unless I used "Goo Gone" to remove the gunk. 

Cool-they offer wider widths, so fewer seams showing.

[SillyAdultSkater]

I leave it on for a few months at a time, I was told to change it "every few months". Apparently if you leave it on long enough the glue hardens and can pull off the top layer of the paint on the leather. Hasn't happened to me though.

[cherriee]

I had white sk8tape on my boots for a year without any problems.

[Sk8Dreams]

DD left skate tape on her boots for several months, and they discolored in places.

[Kat]

Hrm, interesting to know.  Although I guess if you're committed to the Sk8Tape, it doesn't matter if the boots discolor or the paint peels off since you'll probably just be reapplying the tape, right?

So it sounds like most of the issues would be aesthetic, rather than structural?

[MimiG]

I had sk8tape on my boots for months at a time (waaaay back when sk8tape first came out) and never had any problems on my Risports, but it did slightly discolor my Gams (PICskates) so the finish on the leather of the boot may have an influence on whether they discolor or not... I don't think it would cause any further damage beyond the aesthetic changes.