Line cuts, hook wounds, stripping burns, chum teeth, and so on.. If you’re like us and spend a lot of time on the water, your hands can get pretty beat up.
Most of the time we doctor our hands up with duct tape to get through the day. No, it’s probably not the most hygienic form of first aid, but it’s sticky, practically bullet proof, and relatively water resistant.
However, while watching us rig up with duct tape laden fingers, our good friend and Alaska West guest, John Beckerman, introduced us to 3M’s Transpore Surgical Tape. This stuff kicks the snot out of duct tape for most minor first aid uses and here’s why.
- It’s stretchy. Unlike duct tape or athletic tape, the Transpore tape is extremely stretchy, so you hardly lose any dexterity when wrapping around a knuckle. In fact, you hardly even notice it’s on! This stuff is perfect for doctoring up that pesky Maxima burn.
- It’s Breathable. The tape is designed with tiny pores (hence the name), so you’re not left with that bleached out, dead looking finger at the end of the day.
- It’s Sticky. We were hesitant at first that this tape would stay on over the course of the day, but sure enough, it held on well. After handling fish on a cold rainy day, the tape stayed put the entire time, and that’s pretty darn good as far as we’re concerned.
- Makes a Great Stripping Guard. Some of our guests (particularly on the flats) prefer to wear ‘stripping guards’ to protect their stripping finger from the friction of textured lines. The Transpore tape works great for this purpose and is both durable and comfortable to wear.
We highly recommend a roll of 3M’s Transpore Surgical Tape for the boat bag. At $4.50 a roll, we think it’s a no-brainer. Thanks for the tip John!
3 m makes another great tape for anglers. it is called 3m nexcare absolute waterproof first aid tape. it truly is waterproof. somewhat cushioned. makes a great friction surface on your hand or fingers. doesn’t rip your skin off when you remove it either.