In the good old days, when filmmakers needed to repair broken equipment or mark off spots on the floor where actors needed to stand, they used duct tape. But duct tape leaves a sticky residue behind and it isn’t heat resistant. That’s a big problem when there are hot studio lights around.
Enter gaffer tape, named for a film crew’s chief lighting technician… called… you guessed it, a gaffer!
That brings me why I love Impact’s Neon Gaffer Tape so much, especially the 4-pack edition that comes in an 8′ roll in Green, Pink, Yellow, and Orange.
Why we all need Impact gaffer tapes
Impact Neon Gaffer tape is made from Poly coated cotton with a rubber-based adhesive that leaves no sticky residue behind when it’s removed. It’s hand tearable, too. Just rip off whatever length you need with your hands. Such a relief not to need to run around looking for scissors or a box cutter.
The impact gaffer tape is weather-resistant and sticks any irregular shapes, too. You can even use it to tape something to yourself. But be careful. Once, without thinking, I attached a mic to my chest with Impact gaffe tape, and lets just say it wasn’t a pleasant experience. Can we say “wax on, wax off”? Yeoowch! But after that experience, I can vouch for its gripping power! Its heat resistant design makes it perfect for holding lamps or making a light shield.
When do you need it?
Whenever you have excess cables you need to tie off. It’s not good practice to wrap excess cables round tripod the legs of your tripod to get them out of the way. Taping the excess together in a neat loop looks better and doesn’t (pardon the pun!) tie up your tripod when you need it.
Want to protect against tripping hazards from cables lying on the floor? Tape down sections of the cable length to protect against a falling hazard. There’s no need to tape down the entire length of cable, that’s overkill.
Unsure where that cable goes to? You can identify it with the easy-to-read neon colours of the Impact Gaffe tape.
What other things have I used the Impact gaffe tape for?
Once, I needed to capture sound and also hold a boom, so I quickly used the tape to rig a hold for my mic and attached it to my belt with the Impact gaffe tape. I’ve also used it to create a light shield for my flash many times too.
Pros
Comes in 4 neon colours for easy identification.
Hand tearable.
Impressive adhesion, easy to remove without damage or leaving a residue.
Does not cause reflection or glare.
Cons
Cannot be used for electrical connections.
