MXA TEAM TESTED: HOLD IT WIDE FORM-FITTING THUMB TAPE

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WHAT IS IT? Have you ever had Yama-thumb? That is when the back of your thumb rubs against the grip flange until it eats a hole in your thumb. How about the irritating blister that forms in the fold between your thumb and index finger after an especially hard ride? Motocross racers have been taping their hands forever with everything from duct tape to electrical tape to medical tape. Hold It Wide has come up with a form-fitting, pre-cut, adhesive pad for riders who struggle with tape, scissors and blisters on a weekly basis.

WHAT’S IT COST? $20.00 (palm tape), $20.00 (thumb tape), $8.00 (strips), free shipping.

CONTACT? (513) 505-2759 or  www.holditwide.com.

WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that stand out with the Hold It Wide form-fitting thumb tape.

(1) Options. Hold It Wide offers thumb tape (2 inches by 3 inches), palm tape (2 inches by 6 inches) and extra-protection strips (1/2 inch by 3 inches).

(2) Thumb tape. The MXA wrecking crew was mainly interested in Hold It Wide’s thumb tape, because test riders switch from bike to bike, often between motos, and their hands don’t always conform to different bar bends or grip compounds. Yama-thumb is a common occurrence. And, once you wear away the skin on the back of your thumb, it takes a long time to heal. Hold It Wide’s thumb tape is a peel-and-stick, latex-free, hypoallergenic, nylon-covered, elastic pad that conforms to the shape of your hand. The pads come in a box that can be used as a dispenser. There are 66 pre-cut pads in the box, which makes them relatively inexpensive to use (at around $0.30 per pad).

(3) Tricks. Putting the Hold It Wide thumb tape on requires you to choose the best angle possible to protect the most vulnerable parts of your thumb. For Yama-thumb, tear off one of the 66 pads, peel the backing off and stick it over the affected area. The thumb pad is 2 inches wide, which is sufficient, but some test riders didn’t think it was long enough. To make it longer, they would stretch the elastic to get the pad to wrap around their thumbs (it will stretch 2 additional inches). This was not a good idea. Why not? The elastic has considerable rebound strength, so when stretched too far, it tries to peel off your hand and retract back to its original size and shape. The best method is to place the pad on your thumb and gently fold it over the contours of your hand without stretching it too much. Once you have your hand inside your glove, the pad will stay in place. Every MXA test rider had to go through a trial-and-error period to find the proper placement and stretch limit.

(4) Performance. It works. Since it is form-fitting, there is no bunching up inside your glove, unless you stretch it too far. Even better, you don’t have to use a pair of scissors to cut sections of it away where your hand folds. If you already have a nasty case of Yama-thumb, you could even double it up to get more protection. To get full coverage, combine the thumb tape with the longer hand tape. You can even cut sections off of the strips to go between your fingers or to use as reinforcement.

WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? No complaints (once you get over the learning curve).

MXA RATING: Not everyone suffers from blisters or Yama-thumb, but if you do, Hold It Wide thumb tape is worth a try.