Customer Reviews

Scotch Tear-by-Hand Tape, 1.88 Inches x 50 Yards, 4-Pack (3842-4)

5 star:		(74)
4 star:		(39)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

When I first saw how easy this tape was to use by just tearing it with your fingers - I became a "tear by hand" tape evangelist!

It's very hard to find and I just don't understand why this isn't a best seller in the tape department because it's strong and easy to handle (doesn't try and stick to itself as you are placing it on paper) and it's just so easy to use. The company needs to kick it's marketing department's butt for not doing its job and getting the product out there on all the shelves. Everyone I have spoken to about the tape (I told you I was a tape evangelist) have never heard of it... what a shame for the company!

I'm the packer of the family. Not the Green Bay kind, but the "Have Tape Gun, Will Seal" kind. While conventional packing tape is super strong and I can seal small packages or large storage boxes quickly and economically with a gun, I was curious about this tear-by-hand product as even I have gotten some nasty cuts from the serrated cutting edge of a tape dispenser when I wan't paying attention.

I received a small sample roll to review as part of the Amazon Vine program. I compared its adhesiveness and strength to conventional packing tape. Adhesion was comparable. But strength is iffy depending on the package. Because the tape tears so perfectly across its width (due to some molecular magic at 3M), if your package has any give to it, and is given a sharp punch/push where the cardboard flaps come together - for example the UPS person dropping another box on top of yours - the an across-the flap piece of tape just tears right open. Does not happen with conventional tape. Since this tear-by-hand tape is longitudinally strong, tape placed lengthwise along the seam should be fine.

For medium duty work, I think this tape is OK (although expensive), and is great for around kids, since you don't have to worry about them getting cut on anything.

First off, I've made three moves in the past 3 years and packed things myself each time. I used cheap packaging tape in the prior 2 moves and was completely preplexed at how it didn't peel from the roll well, how the end made itself invisible so it was hard to get re-started again and how it tore off at any time. Cheap is not the way to go. This tape is amazing in that you don't need a dispenser to cut it. You merely tear it off with your fingers and retain the end for the next taping. The 4 rolls per packet can do a lot of boxes in a hurry. This tape is the way to go.

Update, June 2011: Would lower the stars if I could. I have discovered that this tape simply will not adhere well to a surface that is not firm and flat (such as cardboard). It popped right off padded envelopes. Not good. I'm sticking to the packaging tape that I buy at Costco.
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I received a sample 16-yard roll of this product for evaluation via the Amazon Vine program. I was very interested in checking out this tape as I send packages overseas quite frequently.

Yes, this does seem to be good tape, albeit a bit on the thin side. Yes, you can tear it by hand. (It splits easily from side to side.) Yes, it is convenient.

BUT... and this is a big but, does the convenience of being able to tear the tape by hand justify the outrageous price - double that of other tear-by-hand tapes?

On 12/23/2010, the price for the Scotch Tear-by-Hand Tape, 1.88 Inches x 50 Yards, 2-Pack (3842-2) (50-yard rolls) of this tape was $14.73 ($7.36 per roll, 14 cents per yard). The Scotch Tear-by-Hand Tape, 1.88 Inches x 50 Yards, 4-Pack (3842-4) was $20.23 ($5.05 per roll, 10 cents per yard).

Compare that to LePage's USPS Tear By Hand Tape, 2 x 800 Inches (83726) for $3.19 ($1.59 per roll, 7 cents per yard) (available from Amazon).

Double the price for the two-pack seems a bit much....

I've been a professional trainer for over seven years and I have yet to find a more versatile tape for training purposes.

Here are a few of the ways I use this tape:

- Taping speaker and projector wires to the floor
- Posting completed flip charts on hotel and conference room walls
- Providing tape for exercises and participants
- Taping flipchart sheets together for large illustrations or mindmaps

And many more uses, all without scissors or the old "teeth rip".
When I can get it, I always carry a roll with me.

If you work with tape a lot, then the convenience of being able to tear it by hand might trump all other factors. But as I only send a package occasionally, I still prefer tape that comes from a dispenser. Why? When you tear a piece, corners tend to stick up. This is hard to describe, but trust me, it's an annoyance, and it means that you might need more tape in order to secure something. Another disadvantage of going dispenser-free: Finding the edge with your fingernail. We've all been there.

I'd only recommend this tape in environments where kids are running around, since it makes sharp dispensers and scissors unnecessary.

I've been using this for a number of years. It's fast and easy. Scissors are a thing of the past when you're working with this tape. The only downside is it's sometimes difficult to find in stores.

How great can tape be? Just like this stuff. Couldn't be any easier to use, and it sticks to packages like gum on your shoe. And I don't think anyone could beat the price here at Amazon at 0.14 /yd. AND get free shipping. I've seen it on a popular bidding site for 0.22/yd., and that was it. I got rid of my tape gun too. I can seal up a box with blazing speed as the tear off method doesn't require a dispenser. Desk top or portable tape guns always seemed to be in my way. And does it's holding power need to be as great as Scotchs' regular stuff? I don't know if it is or isn't. But who cares? Maybe a gorilla? Happy taper!

This is a really terrific and innovative product. It really does tear easily by hand in a perfectly straight line without the hassle of scissors or those awkward dispensers. I keep rolls in the kitchen and office, and find innumerable uses for it around the house in addition to packing boxes. It's very hard to find, as retail outlets like Office Depot and Staples don't carry it. As far as its functionality for packing boxes, I find it works perfectly well for most small to medium sized boxes. If you have a very large, heavy box you might need to go with a stronger packing tape. I stock up because it gets used up fast around our house.

The Scotch Tear-by-Hand tape isn't always so easy to tear by hand. You sometimes hit a spot in the tape that just doesn't want to rip, but if you move over one way or another just a little bit, it will tear. Haven't quite figured that one out yet. Other wise the tape works great. It sticks well and it is handy to just be able to grab a small roll of tape without it having to be in a dispenser or having to grab a pair of scissors to cut the tape. I do a lot of mailing of packages and found that this tape has come in handy to tape the pre-printed address labels onto the box. Overall, I do like it and will more than likely get more just because it is so handy.