I use gaffer tape as well, but I got stuck in torrential rains and mud at a festival last weekend and now one of my favorite hoops is dirty and the tape is peeling.

How do you keep you hoops clean/dry?!

Thanks guys! This is a start.. I'll check out our local theatrical supplies stores to see what they have!

I'm not sure about cleaning and such but I thought I'd mention that if you buy good electrical tape (3M) it doesn't leave a sticky residue.. that was mentioned before so I thought I would clarify.. It's what I've been using and it's totally fine. From my electrical know-how friends, 3M is the only one (or one of a few) that doesn't leave a sticky residue :)

These tapes are gorgeous! Does anyone know where one can go to buy tape like this live & in person in the SF Bay Area (so you can touch/feel/compare/juxtapose them?)? Thanks in advance for any leads! :) Divine Eye

I tried that on the first hoop I made, and while I really liked the effect, the tape got really worn after only a few days. How do you keep yours from getting dull and scratched up?

I found the silver ducttape to be very hard to maneuver. I like the concept, but it tore alot while I was wrapping and puckers in a lot of places.

you should check out www.identi-tape.com. lots of neat stuff.

I've begun applying a layer of clear vinyl tape over the top of mine to preserve the layers beneath...they're only 2.75 per roll at identitape.com

I have one that's all gooey from melting in the sun. Other than that the tape is still in fairly decent shape. I tried ungooing it with rubbing alcohol but that didn't do the job. I'm worried that if I use something more industrial like goo-gone it will take off not only the goo but also the rest of the tape. Anyone have any experience with this?

If you clean off tubing with Goo Gone (or Citrisolve, or your degreaser of choice), make sure you remove all of the Goo Gone afterward. I mean all. When you think you have it all gone, wipe it down yet again, until your tubing is restored to its original factory matte finish.

Residual Goo Gone will make any tape subsequently applied to the hoop a slippery, gooey mess of adhesive which transfers to everything - skin, hair, carpet, pets, significant others... And it's much harder to remove from those things.

Trust me, I know (mostly from decorating my previously-crusty-in-need-of-a-good-degreasing playa bike with it though, not my hoops, thank god!!). ;-)

I would not use it on hoops that still have tape you'd like to save on them for this reason.

I wrapped my hoop in bicycle handlebar grip tape. In the same day i learned to chest hoop, knee hoop indefinitely, and move the hoop from the knees on up. It looks cool too. Very much more grippy than standard electrical tape (which i used to tape on the ends of the bike grip tape).

I have used ribbon along with gaffers tape very successfully. I suspect depending on they type of fabric you use you can get the weight down quite a bit. All you have to do is place the tape over the very edge of the ribbon/fabric to hold it in place. Alternate the strips of fabric and tape and the fabric stays in place perfectly.

Harness/colour coding tapes are very light, lighter than electrical tape, which is next up. But the lighter they are the less resilient to scratches and damage.

Gaffer tapes are the heaviest and also the most resilient.