DUCKY TAPE REVIEW

Creativity is one of the main drivers of the Fb community. On the maker or practitioner side, the interest in visual art and design is omnipresent, naturally influencing the evolution of all the equipment around the hobby.

Bushings and wheels are perfect examples of it : glittery, golden, thermo-reactive, phosphorescent... The manufacturers do not cease to make evolve their products technically, as visually. Duck Decks is one of them, each of the American brand's productions is full of originality and innovation.

On Instagram, impossible to miss the Ducky Tape, so much the community approved the idea of Savannah Simpson and Ben Sumner with their transparent grip tape! The couple hypes the insta-game with each of their drop with this concept that they had already applied a few months earlier to fingerboards.

It all started in May 2020 with a first production that accumulates the originalities, since the board in question is transparent, and was designed with a 3d printer. The use of polymer for the manufacture of Fb evokes more our difficult beginnings with a Tech Deck, than the future of the hobby and its inlaid wooden boards... But the appeal here is primarily visual, and it works really well. Duck Decks has since changed their process and now uses polycarbonate injection molding, a transparent but much stronger material.

"Invisible fingerboard"

Ok that's cool, now you have your transparent board and crystal wheels, your Fb is about to look like Wonder Woman's invisible plane. But heck, unless you're @weirdboarding, you need a grip tape to do heelflips. No worries buddy, Duck Decks thought of that too with the Ducky Tape.

During the opening, a pharmaceutical scent fills my nostrils. I don't know what to think of it. But never mind, unless it's a doping substance, it's not going to impact my skill.

Then follows a fierce fight with the three grip tape contained in the bag, we can say it directly, it sticks.

This grip is made of a very dense polymer, and to put it in place, a simple file will not do. You have to use a cutter. And making a good cut with the tool requires some practice. I don't do too bad and the overall result is nice (to see the grip in action it's here) But it would look even better in combination with their famous Crystal Ducky board. Some people also take the opportunity to customize the top of their board with stickers for example.

But let's get back to the grip! On the back, I recognize the 3M logo, the company that owns the Scotch or Post-It brands. Confirmation at the beginning of the test: I feel like I have adhesive under my fingers, it's sticky and the result is quite confusing. A few minutes later, I start to like it, but as soon as I get used to it, the grip quality changes and goes through several stages. From very sticky in the first minutes, to the ideal grip, to a weak grip. And all this in a few tens of minutes.

"Usual suspect"

I'm not a scientist, but I think the culprit is dust. And I don't do fingerskate in a sanitized lab. Fortunately, a quick wipe down with a damp sponge is enough to return the grip to its original state and give it back its properties. And this is where I think Ducky Tape becomes interesting : it is almost indestructible ! This is really a great asset and can clearly be a good solution when you don't have the possibility to change foam tape regularly.

In conclusion my impression is mixed. The visual aspect and the durability are all good. But personally, I have a real problem with the variable performance. Beware, this is not the opinion of everyone, and this product has already conquered many practitioners. As for me, actually, I'm going to stick to the foam tape, more fragile, but also more constant. Especially in the street, and everywhere outdoors.

But anyway, it remains an ingenius product with a strong asset, and worth trying !