Duct Tape used as Lead Tape?

[S H O W S T O P P E R !]

So I'm practicing and there's a guy with shiny tape on his racquet head. I go and ask him what that is and he says, "It's duct tape." He was using it as a replacement for lead tape! So my question is: can I use duct tape as a substitute for lead tape? It would look great on my racquet and it's a bit shaky.

[mtommer]

Originally Posted by S H O W S T O P P E R !

So I'm practicing and there's a guy with shiny tape on his racquet head. I go and ask him what that is and he says, "It's duct tape." He was using it as a replacement for lead tape! So my question is: can I use duct tape as a substitute for lead tape? It would look great on my racquet and it's a bit shaky.

You can use anything you want. I'm not being flippant. It's all just added weight. Personally, I wouldn't like the look of duct tape on my racquet, but that's me as I said. I think lead tape is a much more presentable option. You might need a lot more duct tape to get the results you want compared to lead tape though.

[tsongaali]

He lied. Ask him if he will lick the tape. If it's duct tape he should lick it but if it's lead he won't.

[meowmix]

You CAN use it, but you'll need a lot to mimic the weight of lead.

[WHSTENNIS]

Originally Posted by tsongaali

He lied. Ask him if he will lick the tape. If it's duct tape he should lick it but if it's lead he won't.

Why what would happen if you licked lead?

[autumn_leaf]

Originally Posted by WHSTENNIS

Why what would happen if you licked lead?

he would be poisoned....not kidding.

[Arbartrator]

wouldnt duct tape leave a mess on the racquet when u take it off

[Nuke]

Yes, duct tape's adhesive leaves a mess, but it cleans off easily with WD40 or mineral spirits. I use black duct tape as head tape, to protect my bumper guard from scratches. It's cheap, readily available, and looks just fine if you apply it carefully (notches every inch). The extra few grams are a bonus, if you're trying to add some weight to the hoop.

[Loco4Tennis]

OP, here is a thread i put together on this similar topic, i think you'll like
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=215910

by the way, i use head tape all the time now, and as a biproduct of the this, it does add just enough weight to the swing weight of a racquet to make it just a bit more powerfull on the swing, a double + if you ask me
but like i always tell people
give it a try, if you dont lilke it, rip it out, right there on the courts, no harm no foul
some people need head tape more than others, but dont like the idea of tape on their racquets; you would be surprised at the ammount of scratching your racquets goes through, even if you dont conciously know you do it

[Il Mostro]

I use head tape strictly for protection, but I never thought it weighed enough to make any difference in weight or balance. What do you think Gamma tape run from one end of the bumper to the other weighs?

[rev200g]

Up here in the Great White North ie Canada, we have hockey tape! I am sure you can find some at your local sporting goods store if you live in a hockey state. I used duct tape and it was good in terms of adding a bit of weight and protecting the head but it was a bit of a pain to take off due to the adhesive being gummy.

I then tried some black hockey tape and it works just as well if not better for protection due its fabric weave which seems a bit tougher for sc****s. The bonus is that its adhesive does not become gummy over time and is easily removed.

The weight added is very small and does not substitute for lead tape if you need a lot more. Otherwise a relatively cheap alternative. Cheers!

[Barricade V]

you would have to make it pretty thick to have it replace lead. I use black duct tape all over my top of my ksix one cause if you make a scratch its red underneath the black and is ugly and annoying. No weight diffence that i can tell