The quickest thing white belts learn in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is how sore the sport can make your body. Especially if you are someone who enjoys playing in the Gi. You might have seen your coach using grip tape, or some older purple belts carefully applying it while the rest of the class does warm-ups.
Limitless Tape is a company based out of Canton Ohio, and is run by owners Chad and Terry, and they were nice enough to send us a few rolls to review while we roll.
What follows are our opinions formed after a few weeks of using their tape (this review is definitely hands-on!) and why grip tape is essential to have in your gym bag!
Editorial Disclaimer:
Limitless sent us 2 packs of their grip tape, in exchange for an open and honest product review. There are no affiliate links or kickbacks in this article – just opinions formed from a few weeks of use.
The Importance of Grip Tape for BJJ
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in particular has developed a sinister reputation for taxing an athlete’s body to the max. No doubt you’ve looked around your gym and seen some older black belts that are plagued with injuries. Or seen a younger athlete taken out by an accident. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that we’re always looking at ways to boost our longevity within the sport.
Finger joints are some of the most delicate muscles in the body. The hand has over 30 muscles, and Jiu Jitsu puts stress on all of them. The purpose of grip tape is to provide support to the delicate joint in the fingers. Although when it’s applied correctly it might actually limit the mobility in the fingers, this can actually help provide support and increase longevity.
Going over exactly how to apply grip tape is beyond the scope of this article, but here is a video which offers some insights into the practice:
Quick Product Overview
Limitless grip tape includes 4 rolls to a pack, each with 10 yards of tape. It’s made of a cotton and Rayon blend that makes it highly water-resistant, so it’s able to easily last longer than a whole training session. It also is completely latex free. This means you won’t have to worry if you have any allergies. The tape is .3” wide, making it a convenient size for finger-taping.
It should also be noted that Chad and Terry run an awesome Jiu Jitsu podcast aptly called “Limitless” which covers a wide range of Jiu Jitsu related topics. They have both been members of the Jiu Jitsu community for a long time and their product is a great example of something which is built by the community, for the community.
If you have time, you should listen to their podcast to get a better idea of how they value local business and just to hear them talk to great Jiu Jitsu people. LimitLess Radiocast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other streaming podcast platforms.
First Impressions and Rolling
My first impression was an appreciation for the Limitless packaging and logo. It wasn’t hard to remove a roll of tape while keeping the rest stacked together, so they wouldn’t become a mess of free floating tape rings at the bottom of my bag.
My first time rolling with limitless was at the Jiu Jitsu Legacy Camp in Bansko. Jiu Jitsu camps give you a lot of time on the mat with little opportunity for your body to recover, and so are a great opportunity to tape up.
For my first test, I put on the tape and attended a class, and then did an hour of open mat afterwards. During this time the tape never slipped off, and I never once had to stand up to reapply. I also had plenty to loan out to everybody who wanted to try it!
Everyone came back with positive feedback!
A nice feature about this tape is that I could remove it without leaving my fingers covered in sticky residue. This is a great feature because it can be frustrating feeling like a toddler after training because you’ve got sticky fingers.
The Versatility of Grip Tape and how Limitless Saved the Day.
Grip tape has far more uses than just finger protection. While in Bulgaria, my glasses snapped in two! (Non-training related.) My vision is terrible without my glasses, and I was worried about how I would find my way around my hotel, let alone enjoy the rest of my trip or navigate the airport when I needed to fly home.
However, I remembered I had a few rolls of durable tape and simply unzipped my gym bag and carefully applied Limitless grip tape to my glasses. Not only did it hold the frame together for the rest of the three-week trip, the lens fit snugly inside. It was like my glasses weren’t broken. I also got many high fives from my BJJ buddies after they saw me come to practice with them.
Grip tape has other uses, though. It can be used to cover up small cuts or scrapes that can be common from training. Beyond BJJ, grip tape is commonly used in rock climbing and bouldering.
Possible Downsides of Limitless Tape
Something to consider about Limitless Tape is that it is a pre-cut tape. This is great if you only plan on using it for fingers or toes – but means that you won’t be able to tape ankles or wrists. The thin strips are basically only good for fingers and broken glasses-frames.
This is not a knock against Limitless in particular – it is just something to keep in mind!
Supporting BJJ Community Businesses
If you are someone who cares about supporting a BJJ-practitioner run business, or if you are a white belt who is wondering what you should pack for practice; you should check out Limitless Grip Tape and the LimitLess podcast.
Jack is a D who holds a bachelors degree in English Literature. He enjoys traveling, reading, and the Bow and Arrow choke. One day he hopes to teach English overseas and become a published author.