Gaffer Tape vs. Cable Protectors

When it comes to protecting cables at entertainment venues, operations managers have a lot of options to choose from. At Checkers, we pride ourselves on manufacturing our Linebacker line of cable protectors from top of the line polyurethane. This ensures our products will be durable and long lasting, giving them an advantage over some temporary solutions. One of these which is popular in the entertainment industry is gaffer tape. Some of the advantages that gaffer tape offers are its low cost and quick installation. Indeed, you can buy a 50-yard roll of gaffer tape for around $10, which puts the price per foot around 7 cents. Let’s examine a hypothetical scenario:

Being based in Colorado, everyone knows that Red Rocks Amphitheater is the best place for live entertainment during the spring and summer months. Typically, they will average over 100 shows per season. For the sake of this exercise, we’ll round that number to 100 even. Let’s also say, hypothetically, that Red Rocks has a cable run which is 100 feet long and includes five different AV cables. In scenario one, the venue manager will choose to use gaffer tape. In scenario two, the venue manager will opt for Linebacker Yellow Jacket Series Cable Protectors.

This table highlights the biggest advantage of the Yellow Jacket Series Cable Protector: its durability. In the entertainment industry, where the primary source of traffic is pedestrian and light vehicles, a Yellow Jacket can see a lifespan in excess of 10 years. They are an investment, but an investment that will pay for itself over time. Not to mention the fact that a standard Yellow Jacket can protect up to five cables. Covering five different cables with gaffer’s tape quintuples the price; five cables can be covered by one run of Yellow Jackets.

The aspect that the table doesn’t speak to is the added protection value that you get from a Yellow Jacket. Gaffer tape may eliminate trip hazards, but it does little to nothing to protect the actual cables themselves. Yellow Jackets do both extremely well. The durable polyurethane construction ensures that you won’t incur additional costs replacement expensive AV cables, while also protecting performers, employees, and guests from trip hazards.