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Tape on boots

Watching Badminton it looks like the British have given up putting tape on their xc boots (sweeping generalization - am sure someone will now point out otherwise) but the NZ, Aus and US contingents are still taping things down.

Anyone else noticed this? I’ve had Velcro come apart after a water jump so I’m keen on some tape.

(Maybe the UK trend is tape matching boot color? Looking at pics though it doesn’t seem present at all…)

Can’t be covering up those sponsor logos with tape, can we?

(I’m not sure which riders do/don’t tape these days, so I’m not picking on anyone in particular! Advertising and logos have just become so ubiquitous these days on tack and riding gear that we’re starting to look a bit like NASCAR … so it wouldn’t surprise me if tape is being foregone in the interest of product placement)

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Good point - didn’t think of that!

I’m not sure the newer boots really need it like the older ones did. I can remember the ones I used as a kid wearing out and poppingopen, but the double lock ones I have now seem extremely solid.

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I haven’t noticed taped boots recently. Maybe the technology has improved.

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It’s still very common at the lower levels in the UK, but yes I’ve noticed it less at the bigger events too.

I take a seam ripper to most big labels on boots. I think it looks distracting.

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