In discussing where to get cool tape, you can find people talking about internet places (Identi-tape comes up a lot). For those in LA who want to go in person to find tape, Studio Depot is the place -- they give a discount to hoopers, too (google them if you want their address/hours).

I was wanting to find tape closer, so I found this place:

California Stage & Lighting
3601 W. Garry Ave.
Santa Ana

They have quite a few colors of 1/2" gaffer's tape (aka spike tape), including a few rolls of the hard-to-find lavender, and some flourescent colors. I also got a roll of olive tape -- they only had it in 2" width, but I think it makes a cool base color. I think their prices are a little higher than some other places, though. But it's nice to get tape somewhere close by.

I also made my first hoop using glow-in-the-dark tape. This is not the flourescent tape -- that stuff just seems to glow in the right lighting. The true glow-in-the-dark tape has a peel-off backing and is a little tricky to lay down, but it is worth it when you see your hoop glowing brightly in the dark without need for LED's or black lights or glow sticks. I think I found the glow-in-the-dark tape at Studio Depot, but I'm not 100% on that.

I also found that there are rolls of copper metallic tape out there. Apparently, it's been used in gardening for a long time. It's called "Snail & Slug Copper Tape" and it supposedly those insects don't like copper because it holds an electrical charge or something. From what I have read, it looks like it could be used like any other tape to decorate hoops. I ordered a roll off the internet. I'll post more info. when I see how it works.

Regarding metallic tape, they have gold and silver tapes at Studio Depot, but they are pricey. I found a roll of aluminum duct tape at a hardware store that is basically like the flat silver tape, but cheaper and it sticks better (maybe too good -- you can't ever get it off after you put it down).

For those glittery colored tapes, I think the internet is the place. I didn't see them at any of the So.Cal. stores I visited.

Remember when taping, the glittery and metallic and glow-in-the-dark tapes are very slick. Electrical tape is also rather slick compared to gaffer's tape). When I use any of those tapes, I try to use them as accents so most of the taping will the the grippier type of tape. It's not an issue if your clothes are grabby, or if you are hooping naked (since flesh is grabby), but one day you'll be hooping in fabric that is kind of slick and the slick tape on your hoop will slide down on it and it will screw you up.

Also, when using the glow-in-the-dark or the gold or silver metallic tapes, you really need to lay another tape over the edges of it to hold it down.

Lastly, if you are using flourescent tape, remember to make it symmetrical. I had some flourescent yellow that I treated just like normal yellow tape and I changed the colors every 1/3 of the way round the hoop. I wound up at a party with that hoop one night and there was blacklight, and I was disappointed to see that that one section of the hoop glowed and the rest was dark, which looked pretty crappy.

Well, that's all my tape tips.

Later,

Meta~4

p.s. If you want to post an OC hooping tip, feel free. Topics might include...where to buy tubing if you live in OC, where to go hoop in OC, if there are any regular hoop-related events or hoop-friendly venues.