Leukotape P – Not Like It Used To Be?

Yes, but wondering whether the adhesive breaks down over time.  I bought a roll a few years ago and didn’t need/use for last couple of years.  Used recently it doesn’t seem to stick as well.  Maybe the last roll you bought had been on the shelf awhile.

Decided to do more research.  Apparently it uses a zinc oxide adhesive so I asked interwebs whether it breaks down and here’s what it came up with:

Yes, while zinc oxide itself is chemically stable and doesn’t degrade over time, zinc oxide adhesives, like those used in tape or sunscreen, can and do degrade over time. This degradation is primarily due to the other components in the adhesive formulation, such as oils, emulsifiers, and preservatives, which can spoil or separate

Interesting. These rolls could have been old, there is not date on them to verify.

I have a roll of Leukotape, that is over 10 years old.   It is still sticking like it was when new?

The adhesive are slowly volatile so storing the roll in a zip-lock or other air tight container will prolong the shelf life.

I contacted Essity which appears to be the parent company of BSN(and many other brands) the label on Leukotape. They confirmed no recipe changes. I can tell that if the tape is very hard to peel off the roll, it will stick well and not bleed adhesive through the fabric.

I too have older rolls, left in the garage for years,  that still work well as expected-very sticky and durable on the skin.

There are many listings on Amazon for Leukotape P. Some list the BSN brand on the box, some don’t. Maybe there are counterfeits or knockoffs?

I still have original packaging which has BSN Medical, made in South Africa and looks legit.  I think my case is the adhesive breaking down. I will buy another roll in the near future and store in suggested ziploc.  If it doesn’t gave good adhesion at first look I will return.

I have another roll coming soon. Same-if the initial pull is not very hard, it’s going back.

I use leukotape a lot for work (physio). In my experience, it isn’t hard to pull tape off a ‘fresh’ roll. It pulls off easily and still sticks really well. Ideal.

Then, over time, it gets harder and harder to pull off the roll but is still sticky (so it’s more difficult to get the right tension for taping a sprained ankle but is still good for blister stuff).

Finally (long time, exposure to damp etc), the adhesive stops working well and the tape is useless.

We order from medical suppliers, so probably greater turnover and newer tape than Amazon etal?

This is a long winded way of saying that I suggest testing the stickiness, rather than how easy it is to pull off the roll, when deciding whether to return the tape.

Cheers

My experiance is the same as Megan noted.   A new roll and the tape peals off the roll pretty easy.  But it sticks fine.  As I get near the end of the roll which takes me several years as I only use it hiking and orienteering, it gets really sticky.  The glue seems to melt into the tape more so hard to pull off and the “top” side even is slightly sticky due to the glue pulling off from the piece that was above it on the roll.  But it all works fine.  Well, those last pulls stick on the inside of my socks really well!

I’ve had it not stick to my skin real good, but if I press it with a lot of pressure then it’ll stick better

I use leukotape a lot for work (physio). In my experience, it isn’t hard to pull tape off a ‘fresh’ roll. It pulls off easily and still sticks really well. Ideal.

Then, over time, it gets harder and harder to pull off the roll but is still sticky (so it’s more difficult to get the right tension for taping a sprained ankle but is still good for blister stuff).

Finally (long time, exposure to damp etc), the adhesive stops working well and the tape is useless.

We order from medical suppliers, so probably greater turnover and newer tape than Amazon etal?

This is a long winded way of saying that I suggest testing the stickiness, rather than how easy it is to pull off the roll, when deciding whether to return the tape.

Cheers

Thanks Megan. I appreciate this insight. When the new roll comes in I will do a skin test to verify sticking power.

Always a gamble on Amazon as there are so many sellers. Does your source sell to individuals?

Hello Brad,

Yes, medical/sports suppliers will usually sell to individuals, but often sell in bulk. Tho’ I just checked and some will also sell single rolls. I’m in Australia, so don’t know if it’s different in the USA.

Cheers

New roll came in. Has a manufacture date and expiration date on the box. Made 10/2024, expires 9/2027. Was not hard to peel and stuck well. Ordered and shipped by Amazon.