Working through obstacle course obstacles will send you into icy water, under electrified lines,under barbed wire fencing, and generally force you to move through conditions where you will be on your hands, knees, elbows as opposed to standing. Crawling this way is challenging to an athlete’s core strength and endurance, and also leads to a lot of abrasion and scratches on your arms and knees.
Crawling on hands, knees. and elbows leads to scrapes from dirt, gravel, sticks, and sometimes concrete. At its worst, this terrain can leave an athlete messy, bloody state. Clothing will not always protect and can itself be damaged, and normal tapes struggle to stay on these surfaces around joints, which need to constantly flex and extend.
SHIELD has field tested and refined a solution we think suits obstacle course races for those low-to-the-ground moments: SHIELD TURF TAPE.
SHIELD TURF TAPE is a new construction designed specifically to protect from scratches, turf burn, and abrasion during extensive training conditions. For athletes who are accustomed to turf burn, floor abrasions, or scrapes from hitting the ground. SHIELD TURF TAPE acts as a second skin.
First, we designed an adhesive system to last for hours of intense exertion. Then we built fabric construction that stretched in more ways than any other fabric we use. This allows our shield tape to stay on the body despite repeated impacts and friction, but also to move with you – bending, flexing, extending without constricting your movement or agility.
We have tested SHIELD TURF TAPE in the field first-hand, and we know it works. Apply it on clean dry skin, make sure it anchors to your skin, and you have protection built to last. After cutting a strip and applying the tape as below rub the tape to help activate the adhesive.
Obstacle Challenge:
Barbed wire crawls, low-clearance walls, and events where you move on hands and knees often leave scrapes and cuts on elbows; thigh scrapes, and shoulder strains.
Taping Solution:
SHIELD TURF TAPE provides a durable stick that will last through a full course, a smooth surface, and protection for any part of your body against scrapes, rocks, and other hazards.
SHIELD PRODUCTS:
TURF TAPE PRO – WHITE
TURF TAPE PRO – BLACK
Turf tape began on the football field, where it protects arms and legs from turf burn. For OCR courses that feature crawls on elbows and knees, and risk of abrasions and collisions, SHIELD TURF TAPE is the perfect way to keep your skin on your bones throughout a full-day race.
- Clean and dry your skin where Turf Tape will be applied. Bring scissors to cut the tape. Unwind a length of Turf Tape about as long as the distance from the tip of your hand to elbow.
- Before applying, remove one end of the liner, and peel off only about 1/3 of the liner, leaving the rest attached to the tape.
- For all applications, make sure that your joint is extended when taping over the joint area (elbow or knee). Anchor to your preference.
- Once the first third of the tape is anchored to your skin, start to peel off the rest of the turf tape. As you do, press the remainder of the tape onto your skin. When complete, discard the tape. Finally, rub the entire tape on your skin to help activate the tape and anchor it to your skin for maximum durability. Done!
