Bandage tape is not one product. The name gets used for at least four different rolls, and picking the wrong one leaves you compressing a joint that needed restricting, or peeling strong adhesive off skin that never needed to be touched. This guide is for UK physios, club first-aiders and clinic procurement teams. It explains what cohesive bandage, EAB, zinc oxide and fixation tape each do, puts their specs side by side in one table, and shows what a roll costs once volume pricing kicks in.
TL;DR
- Cohesive bandage sticks to itself and never to skin. It is the fast option for compression and holding dressings, and the cheapest of the four in bulk at £1.04 a roll ex VAT when you buy 50 or more.
- EAB is elastic and does stick to skin. Use it for anchoring, locking off strapping jobs and supporting joints that still need to move. £2.08 ex VAT a roll, or £1.25 at 50 or more.
- Zinc oxide tape has no stretch at all. It is the one for restricting movement in a joint. £3.74 ex VAT for the 5cm width, or £2.43 a roll at 50 or more.
- Fixation tape is a hypoallergenic underlayer that protects skin beneath heavier taping and secures dressings. £4.99 ex VAT, or £3.00 a roll at 50 or more.
- Self adhesive bandage and cohesive bandage are the same product under two names. EAB is a different product, even though it often gets called the same thing.
One name, four different rolls
The confusion is baked into the naming. A club kit list says "bandage tape" or "strapping tape" and leaves the buyer to guess. Suppliers do not help: the product that clings to itself is sold as cohesive bandage, cohesive wrap or self adhesive bandage depending on where you shop, while the elastic product that bonds to skin is sold as EAB, elastic adhesive bandage or stretch tape.
The person who feels this is rarely the physio. It is whoever places the order. A clinic ends up with three rolls of the same thing under three names, or a first aid bag holds rigid tape when the coach wanted something to wrap a calf. Ordering by property rather than by name fixes it, and the properties that matter are stretch, adhesive and skin contact. That is what the table below compares.
What is bandage tape used for?
Bandage tape covers four jobs: compression and holding dressings (cohesive bandage), elastic support and anchoring (EAB), rigid restriction of a joint (zinc oxide tape) and protecting skin under heavier strapping (fixation tape). Each is a separate product with its own stretch and adhesive.
No single roll does all four jobs. A cohesive wrap cannot stop an ankle rolling inwards, and zinc oxide cannot compress a swollen calf without cutting into it. Most clinics and clubs end up stocking at least two of the four, which is why it pays to know exactly which two you need before the order goes in.
Cohesive, EAB, zinc oxide and fixation tape compared
| Tape | Stretch | Adhesive and skin contact | Typical clinical use | Per roll ex VAT | Per roll at 50+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cohesive bandage | High | Clings to itself only, nothing sticks to skin | Compression, dressing retention, fast pitch-side strapping | £2.08 | £1.04 |
| EAB tape | Elastic | Adheres to skin, latex-free woven cotton | Anchors and lock-offs, joint support that allows movement | £2.08 | £1.25 |
| Zinc oxide tape (white) | None, rigid | Strong zinc oxide adhesive on skin | Restricting joint movement, blister prevention | £3.74 | £2.43 |
| Fixation tape | Minimal | Hypoallergenic acrylic adhesive on skin | Underlayer for heavier taping, securing dressings | £4.99 | £3.00 |
Prices are for the 5cm width, ex VAT, with the right-hand column showing the per-roll price when you order 50 or more of that product. Cohesive and EAB come as 4.5m rolls; zinc oxide and fixation tape come as 10m rolls, so the per-metre gap is smaller than the per-roll prices suggest.
What is a cohesive bandage?
A cohesive bandage is an elastic wrap that sticks to itself and not to skin or hair. It goes on without clips or pins, tears by hand and comes off without pulling anything, which makes it the fastest tape in the first aid bag.
In practice it is the roll that gets used most. It compresses an acute injury on the touchline, holds a dressing or a cold pack in place, and wraps over hairy limbs without a wince. Compression is part of standard early management for soft tissue injuries; the NHS guidance on sprains and strains covers when to use it and for how long. Because nothing bonds to the skin, you can apply it with gloves on and remove it in seconds.
The Meglio Cohesive Bandage comes in 4.5m rolls across three widths (2.5cm, 5cm and 7.5cm). It is lightweight and breathable, and the elasticity lets it follow the shape of a joint through a full range of movement.
Where it earns its place:
- No adhesive on skin, so it comes off without pulling hair or leaving residue.
- Hand tearable and self-fastening, which makes it the quickest application of the four.
- Works over dressings, cold packs and sleeves as well as directly on the limb.
The trade-offs:
- It compresses rather than restricts. A joint that needs its range limited needs zinc oxide instead.
- With no skin adhesive it cannot anchor other tapes the way EAB or fixation tape can.
Verdict: the default roll for compression, dressing retention and general first aid, and the one to buy deepest. At £2.08 ex VAT for the 5cm roll, dropping to £1.04 a roll when you buy 50 or more, it carries the steepest volume discount of the four tapes here: a straight half off. Sizing and ordering detail is in our cohesive bandage buyer's guide.
Is self adhesive bandage the same as cohesive bandage?
Yes. Self adhesive bandage, cohesive bandage and cohesive wrap are the same product: a bandage that grips itself and not the skin. The confusion starts when the name gets stretched to cover elastic adhesive bandage (EAB), which does bond to skin and behaves differently.
The spec sheet settles it faster than the product name. If it says self-adherent or cohesive, only the layers bond to each other. If it lists an adhesive that holds to skin, you are looking at EAB or a taping product. When two listings look identical, that one line tells you whether removal means unwinding a wrap or peeling an adhesive.
EAB tape: the elastic one that sticks to skin
EAB stands for elastic adhesive bandage: a woven cotton bandage that stretches under tension and bonds to the skin. That combination is what separates it from cohesive bandage. It supports a joint while letting it move, and because it holds to skin it can anchor and lock off heavier strapping jobs, which cohesive cannot.
The Meglio EAB Tape is latex free and has a central guidance line down the roll, so you can overlap each turn evenly rather than judging it by eye. It comes in 4.5m rolls in the same three widths as the cohesive: 2.5cm, 5cm and 7.5cm. The wide roll suits shoulders and larger joints, the 5cm suits ankles and wrists, and the narrow roll suits fingers.
Where it earns its place:
- Anchors and lock-offs for zinc oxide strapping, the job it does that no other roll here can.
- Support with movement: it stretches under tension but stays where you put it.
- Latex-free woven cotton, so it fits kits that need to avoid natural rubber latex.
The trade-offs:
- Adhesive on skin means slower, more careful removal, and caution on fragile skin.
- In bulk it costs more per roll than cohesive, so it is the wrong choice when plain compression is all the job needs.
Verdict: the anchor and lock-off tape, and the better choice than cohesive where the strapping has to survive a full session of sweat and contact. £2.08 ex VAT a roll, or £1.25 a roll when you buy 50 or more. For application technique and where it beats zinc oxide, read EAB tape explained.
Zinc oxide tape: rigid support that limits movement
Zinc oxide tape is the opposite of the two bandages above. It is a rigid, non-stretch cotton tape with a strong adhesive, and its job is to stop a joint moving through the range that would re-injure it. There is decent evidence behind that job: a 2010 systematic review in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport found taping reduced ankle sprain recurrence by around 71 per cent in previously injured players.
The Meglio Zinc Oxide Tape White is rigid but pliable, comes in 10m rolls and runs from a 1.25cm width up to 5cm, so the same product covers finger buddy-taping and full ankle jobs. The adhesive is built to stay put through sweat and movement, which also makes it a solid blister-prevention tape on friction points.
Where it earns its place:
- Genuine restriction: applied correctly it blocks the movement you want blocked, which no elastic product can.
- Adhesion that holds through a full match or training session.
- Four widths on 10m rolls, so one product covers most rigid taping jobs.
The trade-offs:
- No stretch, so it is the wrong tool for compressing swelling or supporting a muscle belly.
- The strong adhesive asks for careful removal, and sensitive skin usually wants an underlayer first.
Verdict: the tape for ankles, wrists and any joint that needs its range limited, with EAB over the top to lock it off. £3.74 ex VAT for the 5cm width, or £2.43 a roll when you buy 50 or more. Our zinc oxide tape buyer's guide covers widths and colours, and there is a step-by-step rigid strapping walkthrough in how to tape an ankle for support.
Fixation tape: the underlayer that saves skin
Fixation tape is the quiet one of the four. It is a breathable, hypoallergenic polyester tape with an acrylic adhesive, and it goes on first, not last. Laid over sensitive skin before zinc oxide, EAB or kinesiology tape, it takes the strong adhesive so the skin does not have to, and it gives the layers above a better surface to bond to. It also secures dressings on its own.
The Meglio Fixation Tape comes as a 5cm x 10m roll. It suits any setting where the same skin gets taped repeatedly: an athlete strapped twice a week, a clinic caseload with older or fragile skin, or a dressing that needs holding without a heavy adhesive.
Where it earns its place:
- Hypoallergenic acrylic adhesive, the gentlest skin contact of the four tapes here.
- Makes heavier tapes hold better, so strapping jobs last longer on top of it.
- Doubles as a dressing retention tape for wound care.
The trade-offs:
- It is not a support tape on its own. It restricts nothing and compresses nothing.
- One width on the store, so narrow jobs mean cutting it down.
Verdict: few clubs buy it first, yet it is the roll that stops a season of taping from wrecking skin, which makes it a routine line on clinic and care home orders. £4.99 ex VAT a roll, or £3.00 a roll when you buy 50 or more.
Building a mixed tape kit for a club or clinic
Most buyers do not need one tape, they need a spread. A sensible baseline for a club or small clinic is cohesive bandage in depth for compression and first aid, zinc oxide and EAB together for strapping jobs (the zinc restricts, the EAB anchors and locks off), and a few rolls of fixation tape for the players and patients whose skin objects to the rest.
Volume pricing rewards ordering that way. Discounts start at six rolls of a product and step up at 20 and 50, so concentrating the order on the two or three tapes you genuinely use beats spreading it thin across everything. At the 50-roll tier the per-roll prices land at £1.04 for cohesive, £1.25 for EAB, £2.43 for zinc oxide white and £3.00 for fixation, all ex VAT. The full range is in our tapes and strapping collection, and if you are buying for multiple teams or sites, bulk buy sports tape UK works through wholesale quantities and costs in more detail.
FAQs
Which tape should a club first-aider carry?
Cohesive bandage first. It handles compression, dressing retention and quick pitch-side wrapping, goes on over hair without pain and works with gloves on. Add zinc oxide and EAB once someone on the touchline is trained to strap ankles properly, and keep a roll of fixation tape for players with sensitive skin. At £1.04 a roll ex VAT in 50s, cohesive is also the cheapest to keep stocked.
Does cohesive bandage need clips or pins?
No. Cohesive bandage grips itself as you wrap, so there is nothing extra to fasten and nothing metal in the first aid bag. Tear it by hand, press the end onto the layer beneath and it stays put. Removal is just as simple: unwind it or cut it off, with no adhesive on the skin to peel away.
Is Meglio EAB tape latex free?
Yes. Meglio EAB is a latex-free woven cotton bandage, which matters in settings where staff or patients react to natural rubber latex; the Health and Safety Executive publishes guidance on latex in the workplace. If the whole kit needs to be latex free, check each tape's own listing before ordering rather than assuming the range matches.
What width of tape should a clinic order?
Match the width to the joint. For cohesive and EAB, the 7.5cm roll suits shoulders and larger joints, 5cm suits ankles and wrists, and 2.5cm suits fingers. Zinc oxide runs from 1.25cm up to 5cm across four widths. If the order only stretches to one width, make it 5cm, which covers most routine strapping and compression jobs.
When does zinc oxide beat cohesive bandage for ankle support?
When the joint needs restricting rather than compressing. Zinc oxide has no stretch, so applied correctly it limits the movement that re-injures a healing ligament; cohesive bandage compresses and holds but will not block inversion. For assessment and management guidance, NICE publishes a clinical knowledge summary on sprains and strains aimed at first-contact clinicians.
What does bulk bandage tape cost per roll?
On volume pricing at 50 rolls or more, cohesive bandage drops to £1.04 ex VAT, EAB to £1.25, zinc oxide white to £2.43 for the 5cm width and fixation tape to £3.00. Discounts start at six rolls of a product and step up at 20 and 50, and each product page shows its own tier table before you add to basket.
The bottom line
Order by property, not by name. Cohesive bandage for compression and dressings, EAB for anchors and support that moves, zinc oxide for restriction, fixation tape to protect the skin underneath. If the kit bag only gets one roll, make it cohesive; if athletes keep spraining the same ankle, it is zinc oxide with EAB over the top. And whichever mix you land on, order at the 50-roll tier where you can: it halves the cohesive price and takes 35 to 40 per cent off the rest.