Wrestling is one of the sports which requires special types of wearing gears. Wrestling shoes are one of the essentials for the players as the shoes provide traction, ankle support, solid grip, etc. for the players.
The main features of wrestling shoes are lightweight, flexible, provide feelings of barefoot, etc. in brief, the wrestling shoes possess a high-top design that provides ankle support and cushioning. Even after having all these features, the wrestlers need to tape their shoes for extra protection.
Taping of the shoes; especially the shoelaces has become one of the rules in wrestling in order to prevent unnecessary mishaps. Sometimes, the new wrestlers might find it confusing as to how to tape wrestling shoes… So, here’s how they can do it.
When should you tape your shoes?
If you have come across situations when you are in need of taping your shoes, you might be aware of the reasons why you are doing so. Take a look at the following points to check whether they match with the times when you feel your shoes need to be tapped or not…
Not firm and solid enough
Rough paths often leave traces and tend to damage your shoes. If your shoes are not firm and solid enough for walking or running through a solid and rough path, you should tape your shoes to prevent damage.
Extra protection
For extra protection of your shoes or your ankle, you really should tape your shoes as that will provide you with better cushioning ( an extra layer of protection and comfort) and will be helpful to avoid injuries.
Rigid soles
Sometimes the soles of the shoes are not rigid enough to fit for running, wrestling, or boxing purposes. This is because the aforementioned sports require rigid sole shoes. Taping with the proper tapes can make the soles of the shoes rigid.
Solid grip
For getting a solid grip on your shoes, you should tape your shoes with masking tape or painter’s tape, or vinyl tape.
Before Airbrushing
If you are trying to airbrush your shoes and want to get a fresh look, you should tape certain areas of your shoes to get a better, clean and perfect finish.
How to tape wrestling shoes
Taping your wrestling shoes is not a luxury or just an option, rather one of the rules of the sport itself. If you are new and have little idea about the “taping” process, then take a look at the following steps.
Step 1: Choose the proper tape
- At the very first, you should choose which type of tape to use.
- The available tapes are Masking tape with an adequate amount of adhesive, painters tape with the cheapest price and for default use, and lastly, the vinyl tape which is stretchy and more sticky.
Step 2: Select the areas you want to tape
- If you want to tape the entire shoe, then take an adequate amount of tape to cover the entire shoe.
- If you are just going to tape the laces( which is considered more fashionable than the previous one), just take 3 or 4 long strips.
Step 3: Cover the tongue and laces
- For taping the entire shoe, you had better start covering the tongue (front and relatively smoother area) at first.
- For taping only the laces, tie and put the laces inside of the shoe and start putting on the tape.
Step 4: Work on one section at a time
- If you are going to tape the whole shoe, work on one section at a time.
- For example, start with the tongue, then the toe cap, toe box, heel counter, etc. gradually.
Step 5: tape the sole or bottom part
- In the last step, put the tape on the sole or bottom part of the shoes. This comes at last but not insignificant; rather quite significant.
- Put an adequate amount on the sole as that part will give you and your ankle the most support and stabilization.
FAQ
Still, got some questions in mind? Check the section below.
What kind of tape do you use for shoes?
For wrapping either the entire shoe or just the “bottom” part or just the laces of the shoes, various types of tapes can be used. The most common type of tape used for shoes is masking tape, painter’s tape, vinyl tape, etc. If you want to go with a bit expensive one, use masking tape. But you can also choose painter’s tape if you are going budget-friendly.
How do you use masking tape on shoes?
Masking tape comes with medium adhesive and is used in the areas where there is a need to cut around the shape. If you want to use masking tape on shoes, it’s better to start taping shoes after putting some paper towels into the shoes. Then keep sticking the tape sticky side out in some areas and the sticky side in under the shoes. Remember to put pressure on the tape as the adhesive becomes effective with the pressure.
Is painters tape masking tape?
Painter’s tape is also one of the tapes which are used for masking purposes. So, yes, painter’s tape is masking tape. But this tape is not only used to mask shoes but also for other general and default purposes like masking the wall before painting, to get a better clean finish.
Conclusion
For the wrestlers, taping the shoes perfectly and properly is a matter of both rules and protection. A perfectly tapped or wrapped up shoe is capable of providing an additional layer of cushioning. So, it’s indeed very significant to know how to tape your wrestling shoes.
A wrestler can either choose to tape the entire shoe or just the laces of the shoe. Whatever is his/her choice, the task can be tricky the very first time. In the aforementioned description, we have tried to explain the steps as to how you can do this important task of taping your shoes.
Hoping the article will come in handy in case you are still not aware of the steps or ways of perfectly “taping your shoes”.
