INSUM Pickleball Paddle Edge Guard Tapes Protection Tapes, Pre-Cut V, 20/23/26mm Width Protective Tapes for All Thickness Edges

Insum's 2024 line of protective edge tape is a welcome addition to the company's growing peripherals business. In the past, I've received several of their first-rate products (e.g., paddle covers, grip tape, erasers, wristbands, outdoor balls, etc.) as bonus add-ons, bundled in with Insum paddles I've purchased.This time around, I was in the market for some quality edge guard protection for a number of my higher-end pickleball racquets. After marveling at the wide array of styles and colors displayed in Insum's Amazon ad, I acquired several. My expectations were high, and I am happy to report that, as usual, Insum did not disappoint!WHY PROTECTIVE TAPE???For many of the same reasons your paddle should be housed inside a protective sleeve or case, you'll hear Pros advise that edge tape should be added to every paddle you care about.Edge tape reduces wear and tear, thus extending the life of your racquet. It protects the vulnerable edge guard from the bumps, thumps, scrapes, and scratches that inevitably occur. As I can tell you from my own experience, no matter how cautious one might be, there will be unavoidable collisions with the ground, net posts, walls, and other players.In addition, if you've added weighted lead to various edge guard locations, edge tape is essential. Not only is it vital to avoid toxicity from exposed lead; it also prevents the lead tape pieces from unexpectedly flying off during rallies (which I've witnessed personally!).I own numerous paddles, in a broad price range. Even on my bargain paddles (the ones I started with as a newbie, but now use as "loaners"), I have installed some basic form of edge tape protection. For these inexpensive models I use colorful electrical tape around their periphery.However, I decided that all my $100+ paddles should be treated more like "investments," and hence deserved better security. Towards this end, I found a wide number of edge tape vendors on Amazon competing for my business.Aside from Insum, there are: AMA Sport (Pickletech); X-Ace; Prolite; Augment, Selkirk, Joola, A11N, as well as several no-name generics. Of these, AMA comes closest to the look and feel of Insum's product. Multiple colors are available, with shades varying slightly between the two brands. AMA sells 3-packs vs Insum's 2-packs, and "deals" can sometimes be spotted on Amazon. Aside from the standard solid colors, Insum does have a couple of real cool designs ("Heartrating-Black" and "Scales-Purple" are my two personal favorites), so I give Insum a slight edge overall.The various criteria I use when judging and buying protective edge tape are: fit, quality, durability, adhesion, protection, appearance, variety, ease of installation, ease of removal, and overall value. The Insum edge tape checked off the most boxes for me.INNOVATIVE SAWTOOTH DESIGN...Every Insum edge guard tape features an innovative serrated design. The precut V-notches in the tape are a cleverly engineered workaround to the potential problems of wrinkling and bubbling during application near the curved surfaces. While protecting the racquet, it also enhances its overall aesthetics.There are 3 widths (26mm, 23mm, and 20mm), and multiple design options available. Simply use their sizing chart to find the tape that fits the shape and thickness of your brand, whether with Edge Guard or Edgeless.EASY APPLICATION...The Insum edge tape features a specially designed alignment line in the center. I simply aligned it with the top of my paddle and then peeled off the backing paper. Then, I applied it sequentially along the edge of my paddle.Once I got the hang of it, each tape was simple to apply, and took me just 90 seconds per install. The trickiest part was locating the exact center-point of the upper edge guard. From there, I just followed the instructions that Insum supplied in their Amazon ad, and voila! (Note to company: it would be helpful to include these same instructions with the product's packaging. Or, imprint a QR code that can be scanned by the user to reference an installation guide website or video demo).I've attached a few photos as examples of how the tape looks on some of my paddles. My absolute favorite design is the "Heartrating-Black," which perfectly complements the coloration and look of my Achilles T-800, and makes quite the esthetic impression.All the tapes adhered well to their respective edge guards. I had no issues with air bubbles, or with sealing in lead tape additives. I found this to be a big improvement over other times when I've used electric tape, or edge tape with thinner textures.There were occasions when I had to peel back the Insum tape for realignment, or to add/re-position lead tape pieces. I was happy to see that the Insum tape was forgiving, in that respect. It was not overly sticky, and thus did not leave a gooey residue on the paddle's edge guard. I cannot say the same for some other edge protection brands I've used (including my prior budget solution: WarriorWrap electric tape). In those cases, I had to wipe away the gummy mess with Goo-Gone or a paddle eraser, which took extra time and effort, but ultimately did resolve the issue.NOTHING'S PERFECT!The Insum protective tape is made of "wear-resistant" polyurethane material. However, I did notice one day that a very hard mishit to my cherished Achilles racquet left a small scar on my edge tape (but not the edge guard!). I did touch up the spot with a black Magic Marker; but, at least the tape fulfilled its primary function of protecting my edge guard from a potentially serious ding.There's one other slight downside to consider. The Insum protective tape will add roughly .2 ozs (~5.6 grams) to the static weight of each paddle. Personally, I don't find the weight gain too significant; however, players with tendonitis issues may be affected. Since the added weight is equally distributed throughout the paddle, there is no discernable effect on overall paddle balance, although swing weight will increase fractionally.CONCLUSION...I've been a fan of Insum pickleball products since I started playing the sport 15 months ago. Their line of paddles have steadily elevated my game from Beginner to Intermediate level. One thing I've discovered that all Insum products share in common is their excellent quality at a very reasonable price. I am happy to report that their new line of edge protection tape is no exception in that regard.The Insum edge guard protection tape products earn an overall rating from me of 4.5 stars, which I am boosting to 5 stars to factor in the company's efficient, caring, and responsive Customer Service and Shipping departments.

Find center and mark on crown of paddle. Makes install easier and neater. Protect edge on rough courts. Essential for borderless paddes.

I included a pic of my 14mm paddle for which I used the 26mm tape and it was perfect! It hugs all sides perfectly! However, in the second picture you can see my spouse’s 16mm paddle with the pink 26mm tape which does not completely hugs the sides. You can see on my spouse paddle, on the upper right hand corner the tapes lifts upa bit. This happens in other places on the paddle as well. I wish a 30mm tape was sold, but sadly haven’t found one. Otherwise, it looks great and seem to be useful!

Bought for my purple LUXX Control Air with InfiniGrit - Invikta. Regular tape did not stick to this new surface. This tape is very sticky and works well. I used a pastry roller to further flatten the edges and corners. Played 2 hours, no issues with the tape. It is thick and will protect my paddle.

Great edge guard for my Selkirk amped pro air. Easy to apply and last for a long time. Color as seen

Love the looks of the Scales-Purple color and design. The edge tape was easy to apply and fully covered the length of my paddle although even with the widest not closely covering the edge guard of the paddle. It did serve its purpose and prevented damage to my paddle’s edge. However, the tape does lift off, so in my case its an adhesion issue. Ive used other brands of edge tapes and this is the only one that lifts. While the added weight though minimal might have caused a change to my swings, I really cannot disregard the possibility of air pockets created by the lifting tape causing off center hits.

I use these to protect my edgeless paddle. It was easy to apply. After a couple of months I’m noticing scratches on the guard, it’s doing its job.

Sides do not stick. I put this edge guard on an extra paddle that I have. It does not stick on the sides. I've had it laying on my countertop and put a notepad over it to apply pressure to possibly make them sticks for the past two weeks and it's just not gonna stick on the sides of the paddle edge. Maybe I got an old set. I don't know it looked OK in the package, but I recommend something else. I ordered the right thickness for the size paddle and I've ordered other brands to just pickle skins, which are great.