Survival essentials: How to select duct tape for your stockpile

Duct tape is a must-have item for every prepper. Its extreme adhesiveness lends itself to a variety of household and survival uses.

While it was originally manufactured for the military, it quickly became popular among ordinary consumers who used it to patch anything that needed watertight sealing.

Today, duct tape comes in so many sizes and forms that it becomes a challenge choosing which one of them will suit your survival needs. To help you with that, here are prepper tips on selecting duct tape for your stockpile. (h/t to TheSurvivalistBlog.net)

Selecting duct tape for your stockpile

The first thing you need to do before selecting a duct tape brand is to ask yourself what you’re sealing. Duct tape has several survival uses, such as sealing storm windows and fixing broken firearms. While any duct tape is probably going to work for almost all types of material, each particular use may require a different duct tape to properly address the problem.

For instance, “true” duct tape, which is just one of the many varieties now available on the market, is best used for sealing air ducts as it’s excellent at withstanding prolonged exposure to heat and air pressure.

Once you’ve determined what you’re sealing, you need to ask yourself a slew of follow-up questions. The following queries will help refine your search:

• Will I need a tape that rips easily?
• Do I need a long-lasting or temporary repair?
• Do I need duct tape that’s resistant to water and extreme heat?
• Am I sealing an object with an irregular shape or surface?
• Does a reflective surface matter?
• How much does the amount of duct tape I need cost?
• Do I need duct tape that leaves no residue behind?

Duct tape features to look for

Once you’ve figured out the answers to those questions, consider the following duct tape features before browsing the hardware store:

1. Adhesiveness

Adhesiveness is the most important factor when choosing duct tape. If you’re looking for something with good sticking power, look for either an industrial or professional-grade duct tape. If you’re just bandaging a minor surface, then a general-purpose duct tape or a hot-melt adhesive may be more your speed.

2. Tensile Strength

Tensile strength refers to how well the tape holds up to mechanical stress. The tape is strongest if its top layer is made from synthetic materials like polyethylene. You want a tape that can withstand high impact so it will bend without breaking. (Related: Military lessons for preppers: How to “improvise, adapt, and overcome” challenges.)

3. Thickness

The thickness of a tape contributes to the tensile strength. Thicker tape is harder to bend and wrap around an object or corner. Thinner tape, on the other hand, won’t be as strong.

4. Adaptability to Surfaces

Though duct tape is known for its ability to stick to various surfaces, some tapes are more appropriate for certain problem surfaces, such as corrugated cardboard, surfaces exposed to direct sunlight and non-stick surfaces like Teflon. Choose a tape that will stick even if the surface is rough or uneven.

5. Weather Resistance

It’s important to consider weather resistance if you’re doing outdoor repairs. Some manufacturers sell “all-weather” tapes made of natural rubber to increase their resistance to all kinds of weather.

6. Temperature Resistance

If you’re dealing with an object that gets exposed to high heat or extreme cold, then the temperature resistance of duct tape is something that you should keep in mind. Some manufacturers offer duct tape that can withstand temperatures of up to 200 degrees.

While duct tape lends itself to a variety of uses, some tapes are better suited to do a particular job. With this in mind, be sure to determine what survival situation you may need to use the duct tape for and then start stockpiling the kind of duct tape that will best address your needs.

Sources include:

TheSurvivalistBlog.net

HappyPreppers.com

EchoTape.com