Have you raced with duck tape?

Triathlon Forum
1

Sadly, I’m not race weight. The result is that the bottom of my race kit front zipper digs into my fat belly and digs a nice little hole in my skin. I’m thinking about putting duck tape over that patch of skin for the race. Is that crazy? Will it stick for the duration of a 70.3? Is there something better? I thought about mole skin, but it seems like the smoothness of the duct tape would let the zipper knob (I’m sure there is a technical name for the bottom of the zipper) slide around easier.

I don’t want a new kit (yet), I just don’t want an owie from a zipper. And I guess I want a few fewer beers…

2

Unless you want a nasty skin irritation I wouldn’t recommend duct tape. Some waterproof sports tape might be a little easier on the skin. Or maybe those nipple guards for women who are lactating might be an option too.

I did once have some rubbing issues with Vibrams wlaround the metal reinforcement for the Velcro strap. Put a band aid there and and it helped. In the end I got a different pair that had quick laces and eliminated the pressure points.

Good luck.

3
  1. yes, as recently as last week, with duct tape on 2 toes that were forming blisters. nothing rubbed and it went well, as it has before.
  2. on your specific rub spot: i’ve encountered a zipper irritation similar to your top’s. i cut out a very small patch of soft material and sewed it over the irritation spot on the shirt. i was happy with how that worked.
    peggy
4

I would do it in a heart beat, though you might consider tape on the zipper? Had one year where I trained hard early season and was in awesome shape, but developed a sports hernia. Discovered that by wrapping several layers of duct tape around me and putting pressure on the hernia, I could continue racing. Ended up winning several events that year using that trick and in the off season was able to heal up without surgery once I took an extended break.

5

Use 3m medical paper tape, typically its hypoallergenic and the corners of the tape won’t dig into your skin as do most tapes when you are exercising. You only need a thin barrier to block the zipper.

6

I’d put tape on the fabric and then put a heavy application of body glide on the skin that gets rubbed.

7

Try leukotape… You’ll have to order it online, but it’s cheap, and it works much better than DUCT tape. I use it for nipple protection and mid race blisters… Good luck!

8

Kinesiology tape. Since your not using it for its intended purpose, just by the cheap stuff at Walgreens or your local pharmacy. I have a seam on my favorite speed suit that rubs me raw over 140.6. Makes focusing on the run almost impossible. I put some kinesio tape on it and have had NO problems. Stays on for the whole race. Pulls skin like a band aid coming off so just pull it quick.

9

Just use moleskin, you can get at any shoppers drug mart for a few bucks.