How to reattach your Surface Duo bumper for just $8 (Updated)

Update: The original 3M tape used here was too thick and has now been replaced by a new double-sided thin acrylic version, which is identical to what Microsoft uses with the bumper from the factory.

To bumper or not to bumper, that is the question. If you own a Surface Duo, the $40 white bumper in the box is a quick way to add some grip and confidence to the $1,400 dual-screen device. While it is only modest protection, most agree it is better than nothing.

The issue with the bumper for Surface Duo is the tape that holds it in place makes it difficult to remove and reuse. True, if you take it off for just a few minutes to add a decorative vinyl skin, you won't have any problems (so long as you don't pull up the tape), but if you take it off for weeks, or multiple times it is likely to lose its tackiness.

Solving this problem is technically easy: retape it. Luckily, I found five yards of double-sided acrylic tape at 3mm wide and 25 meters in length that seems perfect for the job. The total cost is $7.99 (plus free Prime shipping) and about five minutes of your time.

The process is straightforward: remove the old tape from the inner bumper (or your phone). Wipe down with alcohol and reapply to the bumper. Using the old tape as a guide for placement helps, but this isn't rocket science either.

The good news is there is enough left over so you could probably do this action ten more times if you need too. Plus, at eight bucks, this is hardly an investment.

The tape used here is very thin and is made for mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and LCDs for repairs and adjustments. I advise putting the tape on Surface Duo where the bumper makes contact as the tape is too thin to work into the bumper's wedge area. The secondary tape (which is red for visibility) peels back with ease, and as far as I can tell, this is the same type of tape Microsoft uses with the bumper making it a 1:1 replacement.

At the very least, if you already removed your bumper and are having second thoughts try this $5 trick first before going all-in for $40 on a new one. Unless, of course, you want one of those three new bumper colors.