I had a search through the forums and couldn't find anything about this kind of bar tape so I thought I'd ask; has anyone used this Velox High Grip 1.5?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/VELOX-High-...ck/25009141563
I'm looking for something like the old vinyl bar tape that you used to be able to get, that was somewhere in between cotton tape and cork in thickness. I like it because on vintage bars the transition from bar tape to stem-clamp area is seamless, or close to it, because it is not too thick.
Or if there is another similar product that would be great too, I have found some on ebay but as I live in NZ it can be harder to find things that will ship here.

Thanks.

You might be referring to the slightly padded vinyl tape that was very popular during the early to mid 80's.
Ambrosio made a good one (Called "Bike Ribbon") that sold very well. They had a slight leather texture moulded into them to help with grip and and small holes for looks. "Cork" tapes eventually took over the market from them by the late 80's and good quality vinyl padded tapes got harder to find after that.
Not sure if Ambrosio reissued their vinyl tapes, but I have seen them sold at eBay once in a while, but could be just NOS and not brand new....

I've not used that type of Velox tape, but it looks interesting.

It does sound like you're talking about Ambrosio Bike Ribbon Professional tape. It was very popular in the early to mid 80s, like Chombi1 says. It is still made. Not as popular as it once was but at least a few people sell it. Here's one:

https://www.treefortbikes.com/Bike-R...added-Bar-Tape

Modern Fizik tape is frankly almost the same thing, though the edges aren't tapered as nicely as real Bike Ribbon.

BTW, the modern Benotto may be vinyl, but the original was cello tape, IOW celluloid. That was the reason it had that iridescent sheen like guitar picks and fake mother of pearl.

I'm still pimping out Benotto Cello Tape for '80's vintage racing bikes because I think it looks best on them in the hope that maybe if there is enough demand for it again someone will start importing it to the States again. To me ANY type of padded bar tape looks unsightly on an '80's racing bike (1980's touring bikes might look okay with the Bike Ribbon type tapes, though). I think padded bar tape looks better on 1990 and newer bikes with aero brake levers and such. For pre-1980's bikes I think cloth bar tape is the way to go.

Is the Benotto cello tape translucent?

I do love the way Benotto tape looks on older road bikes, but the original has gotten ridiculously expensive. When the Benotto tape on my 78 Colnago finally gives up, I will likely replace it with much cheaper Newbaum cloth tape which runs a close second for period correctness and looks.

Thanks for all the suggestions! I had seen that Benotto sutf, but wasn't sure whether it was thicker like the vinyl or thinner like that Cateye ribbon stuff. The Ambrosio looks good too, but maybe a little thicker than I am thinking.
I will have to do more research or just suck it up and order one of those Velox ones and report back.

any idea of bike brands that may have sold with ambrosio bike ribbon tape? im trying to id one, dont know if its original but seems like a place to start?