Unequal Technologies announced Cramer Products Inc. has licensed its patented groundbreaking technology for Kevlar-reinforced athletic tape. The prototype of the new line, Unequal with Kevlar,- is currently being tested by several NFL, NBA, MLB and Division I NCAA teams and is expected to hit retail stores in 2010.
“This is the first major advancement in the athletic tape category in a quarter century,” said Dr. Paul Marchetto, M.D., FACS, team orthopaedist for the Philadelphia Eagles and lead researcher on a Drexel University/Rothman Institute study. Their research found the Unequal with Kevlar tape only lost 10 percent of its support and stability after an hour of intense activity, while traditional self-adhesive, cotton tape had lost 90 percent. “And trainers will immediately see the benefits: mobility with stability; faster application using significantly less tape; longer protection; less heat and sweat causing the tape to stretch; and more control of the treated area.”
Dr. Marchetto has been around his share of ankle problems, maladies he says account for 15 percent of all football injuries. And 80 percent of those are caused by an inversion of the ankle (or rolling over), a number that Marchetto believes can be cut down thanks to the new tape's longer protection. “The biggest feedback on the Unequal tape I've gotten so far from players is the comfort and control even in latter portions of games.”
According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (2005), annual sales of athletic tape to pro teams, colleges and high schools was $75 million – with another $10 million in retail sales to weekend athletes. Major colleges and NFL teams spend tens of thousands of dollars a year on tape. For a high school, spending $1,000-$2,000 on tape might consume half its annual budget for athletic training supplies. And trainers that tried Unequal with Kevlar® tape found they used only about 20 percent of the usual 6-plus yards of traditional athletic tape.
“With Unequal with Kevlar® tape, there's no need to double-tape before or the game or re-tape during a game,” said Unequal CEO Rob Vito. “Trainers know that traditional tapes quickly degrade and stretch – usually within 15 minutes of use, rendering them virtually ineffective. But the Unequal with Kevlar® tape is applied only once before the game and removed afterwards with a regular scissors. Trainers will be amazed that the taped area stays in place during the entire length of the game. Simply, Unequal with Kevlar® tape enables athletes to experience mobility with greater stability, comfort and control.
