An adhesive tape which includes an acrylic pressure sensitive adhesive mass coated on one side of a saturated paper, said paper (1) being saturated with from 20 to 75 parts per hundred parts paper of an acrylic polymer having a T.sub.g of less than 20.degree. C., and (2) comprising a mixture of woodpulp and thermoplastic fibers, said woodpulp comprising from about 10 to 75% by weight of the paper, and said thermoplastic fibers ranging in length, on the average, from about 1/4 to 3/4 of an inch and being selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyester, polypropylene and polyethylene fibers, and a backsize coated on the other side of said paper, said backsize preferably being selected from the group consisting of styrene copolymers having a T.sub.g of at least 35.degree. C., silicones, fluorocarbons, long chain fatty acids, long chain fatty acid derivatives and mixtures thereof. Preferably the pressure sensitive mass is a blend of a copolymer of 2 ethylhexyl acrylate and vinyl acetate with a copolymer of 2 ethylhexyl acrylate and tert-butyl acrylamide.The instant tape is especially useful as a surgical tape and has an improved combination of the properties of conformability, straight tear and resistance to curling. Moreover, because of the high amounts of woodpulp included in the paper utilized in making the instant tape, an economical product is obtained.