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Skipper Retractable Safety Barriers

Skipper™ is the original cone-top retractable safety barrier, designed and manufactured in the United Kingdom and used by health & safety professionals across Europe and worldwide. Each Skipper unit holds 30 ft (9 m) of high-visibility retractable fabric tape and clicks onto standard traffic cones, the Skipper road cone or the Skipper post & base system – or mounts to walls, steel, glass, racking and bollards with a modular range of brackets and receiver clips.

Shop Skipper retractable barrier units, the Skipper XS indoor unit, Skipper post & base stanchions, road cones, wall and magnetic brackets, receiver clips, safety lights, sign holders, recycle bins, safety dispensers, ready-to-use barrier kits and Unicart barrier transport carts.

Learn More About Skipper Retractable Barriers

Skipper Retractable Tape Barriers: The Original Cone Top Barrier

A Skipper barrier is a compact retractable tape barrier that turns cones, posts, walls and other fixed points into a neat, reusable safety cordon in seconds. Designed and manufactured by Skipper™ in Knutsford, Cheshire, United Kingdom, the system is simple: pull the tape out, clip it to the next point and lock it. When the job is done, the tape retracts into the housing – no loose barrier tape to cut or throw away, and no heavy chains to carry.

Every part of the range is modular. The same Skipper units can work as a cone top barrier on a work site one day and a wall-mounted doorway barrier in a warehouse the next, with brackets, receivers, signs, lights, bins and dispensers all connecting to the same system.

Skipper Units: SKIPPER01 and XS01

Skipper Retractable Safety Barrier Unit (SKIPPER01)

The Skipper retractable safety barrier unit holds 30 ft (9 m) of high-visibility coated nylon fabric tape with a UVA rating of 6+ for long outdoor life. It clicks onto almost any standard traffic cone, the Skipper road cone or the Skipper post & base system, and mounts to walls and steel surfaces with the wall and magnetic support brackets. A locking button prevents unwanted spooling, and the tape end clip attaches to another unit, a receiver clip, or wraps around a pillar and clips back onto itself. The twist-off top cap accepts the Skipper A4 sign holder and rechargeable safety light, and a tape-free dummy unit (DUMMY01) neatly finishes the last point in a line.

Skipper XS Retractable Barrier Unit (XS01)

The Skipper XS retractable barrier unit packs the same 30 ft (9 m) of tape into a compact, low-profile housing designed primarily for indoor use. At 5 in. (126 mm) tall and 24.7 oz (700 g), it has three connector points so it can be mounted from different angles on walls, glass, door frames, racking, pillars and bollards – keeping floors completely clear.

Unit Colors and Belt Options

The standard Skipper unit comes in orange, red, blue, silver and yellow. The orange unit is offered with all five tapes: red/white, black/yellow, red/white reflective, “CAUTION DO NOT ENTER” (black/yellow) and “DANGER” (red/white). Red, blue, silver and yellow units are offered with red/white or black/yellow tape. The Skipper XS comes in orange or yellow with red/white or black/yellow tape.

Mounting Options

  • Traffic cones: The Skipper road cone (CONE01) is a 29.5 in. (750 mm) two-piece cone with an integrated helix that deflects wind and a glass bead sleeve for day and night visibility.
  • Posts & bases: The Skipper post & base system pairs a 39.4 in. (1 m) post with a base you can fill with water or sand – water adds approx. 24 lb (11 kg) of stability.
  • Walls and magnets: Wall and non-marking magnetic support brackets hold a full-size Skipper unit on walls, service vans, steel racking and metal doors, with matching receiver clips for the tape end.
  • Glass, bollards and frames: Suction pads, bollard adapters, cord straps and clamp holders let the Skipper XS turn glass partitions, bollards, poles, door frames and racking into barrier points.

Barrier Kits and Unicart Barrier Carts

Ready-made kits simplify ordering. The Skipper 36 m (118 ft) cone barrier kit (KIT04) pairs four Skipper road cones with four Skipper units to fully enclose a work area, manhole, spill or hazard. The Skipper 36 m (118 ft) post & base barrier kit (KIT05) does the same with free-standing posts, and the wall-mounted Skipper barrier kit (KIT13) gives up to 30 ft (9 m) of wall-to-wall barrier.

The Skipper Unicart barrier transport cart stacks up to six Skipper posts and six bases – even when water-filled – or carries Skipper road cones and units, with an ergonomic handle, rear-wheel brakes and suspension. Fully equipped versions include the Unicart-06 with six Skipper units, posts and bases, the Unicart-05 traffic cone barrier cart with six cones and units, and the Unicart-09 cone cart with nine cones and units. Add the post & base collar to create a station with a Skipper recycle bin or Skipper safety dispenser.

Where Skipper Barriers Are Used

  • Warehouses and logistics: close off aisles, racking and loading bays.
  • Factories and facilities maintenance: mark maintenance zones and keep pedestrians out of work areas.
  • Cleaning and hygiene: cordon off spills, wet floors and areas being cleaned.
  • Construction, utilities and traffic management: create temporary work zones around manholes and roadside works, or mount directly to service vehicles.
  • Airports, retail and events: manage temporary pedestrian routes and closed entrances with a professional look.

How to Choose a Skipper Barrier

  1. Measure the run. Each Skipper or XS unit covers up to 30 ft (9 m); add a dummy unit or receiver clip for the end point.
  2. Pick the mounting. Use cones or posts for free-standing barriers, brackets for walls and steel, or the Skipper XS with its accessories to keep floors clear indoors.
  3. Indoor or outdoor. The standard Skipper unit is for indoor and outdoor use; the XS is designed primarily for indoors.
  4. Choose colors and tape. Match unit color to your site and pick plain stripes, reflective, or printed CAUTION/DANGER tape.
  5. Plan storage. If you move many barriers, a Unicart keeps cones, posts, bases and units together.

Skipper Barrier FAQ

How much tape is in a Skipper unit?

Both the Skipper unit (SKIPPER01) and the Skipper XS (XS01) hold 30 ft (9 m) of retractable fabric tape.

Will a Skipper unit fit my existing traffic cones?

The Skipper unit clicks onto the top of almost any standard traffic cone, as well as the Skipper road cone and post & base system.

What is the difference between the Skipper unit and the Skipper XS?

The Skipper unit is a cone top barrier for indoor and outdoor use that also fits posts and wall or magnetic support brackets. The XS is a compact indoor unit with three connector points for wall, glass, clamp, cord strap and bollard accessories; the support brackets are not designed for the XS.

What is a Skipper dummy unit?

A dummy unit has the same housing and cone-top fit but no tape. It receives the tape end clip from the previous unit, making it an economical end point.

Can I add signs or lights?

Yes. The Skipper unit and Skipper XS accept the Skipper A4 sign holder and rechargeable safety light.