Anyone know definitively, what the best brand of duck tape is?

ERdept

ERdept

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I have discovered recently that the tape orginated for the military to seal ammo cans from water, then the GI's used it to fix just about everything, albeit temporarily. Then when it was used in home construction when the war was over, it was used to seal ducts, thus the name Duct tape or orginal name Duck tape (named by the GI's) can do a lot of practical stuff.

Does anyone know what the best (in terms of performance, ie, sticking to different materials, resistance to coming off and tearing, etc) brand of tape is. I can see it as a valuable tool for survival and temporarily repairing things.

In the ER, the doctors sometimes see no need for stitches and if a wound is small will apply "Steri-strips", which are essentially small strips of tape that close the wound and fall of naturally in about 5 days. Enough for a small wound to start healing. Other uses, of course.

Thanks,
cliff
 
i use gorrilla brand duct tape... i was told it was the strongest

be warned it smells like sh*t (or gorilla.. however you want to describe it)
 
I'd start looking for 3M but it's probably about twice as much as the competitors. My interest is piqed and I'll do some searches for best sellers and break down costs

tip o the hat
 
3M's best is duct tape has a their stock # of 6969. Haven't tried the Gorilla tape yet, I heard it's good stuff.
 
I use duct tape in my construction work to seal things temporarily, and some things permanently. So I use several different tapes. Some will work in a cold wet environment, some in a warm or hot environment, and some are worthless. For all round use, the strongest fabric and adhesive combo is still the green or black milspec tape. USAF and NASA use this stuff. I use it as emergency pressure bandages to close gaping wounds. The worst stuff has adhesive that emulsifies when warmed even by sunlight, and leaves gum on your fingers. I'll check my current brands and specs today and post them.

Codger
 
I've used everything from gaffers tape to seaming tape, by multiple manufacturers, through about the last 20 years I would guess. Gorilla Tape is my mainstay now, and is in every BOB, vehicle and tool bag. It does stink, but it does stick. Gaffers tape by Shurtape is the only thing I've seen that holds a candle to GT. Hope this helps.
 
I don't know about brands, but "electrician duct tape" (or atleast that's how we call it here :)) is what I prefer. Black, water proof, bit elastic and very strong.

It reminds me I should buy some :)
 
Polyken ASTM D 5486 is the Milspec stuff, I don't have the Milspec number for it, but it is a brand by Tyco ( www.tycoadhesives.com ) . Tesa delaminates and doesn't have much reenforcement, sorry adhesive, just a cheap silver tape that looks like duct tape in the package.. Intertape and National are OK for light duty. I use ACE store brand occasionally for light duty temp sealing work, never tried Go-rilla, and Duck brand varies with the specs. Like most manufacturers, they have several types sold under their brand name.

Hope this helps.
Codger
 
In the military they call it "100 mile an hour tape". Got that name from taping over bullet and flak holes in aircraft.

So, if you can find some "100 mile an hour tape" , that would be a sure bet.
Milspec duct tape costs about Half of what 100 mph tape does, so don't be fooled by something that is called "MilSpec Duct Tape" , that's just OD color duct tape.


100 mph tape
 
A few months ago I went on a duct tape buying spree. My ordering best to not as good

1) Gorrilla - Best heavy duty great stick, just one color, black

2) Permacel gaffers tape 672 (cold environment)

3) Permacell gaffers regular 665, slightly stretchy, slightly
textured top, many colors

4) Nashua higher number tapes are barely aceptable

5) Nashua lower number tapes series are pretty muc crap

6) Duck tape or duct tape you buy in walgreens or CVS, etc. really crap.

Here's a good link for permacell gaffers tape

http://cinemasupplies.stores.yahoo.net/gaffertape.html
 
I don't know the best brand, but a friend at work told me that while on a hiking trip with her husband, a long distance runner they met told her that he used duct tape on his feet to prevent blisters etc. She said she tried it and it worked. I've also read that Michael Fay wore only sandals and duct tape when he made his trip across the Congo.
 
Mine was surplussed from a NASA contractor, so it is definately not "green tape". You have to be careful with it. If your skin is dry of dirt, dust and oils, it will pull off your skin when you remove it. It will pull paint off a truck.
 
Nevermind I found the link above. Is that the legit stuff? It's priced no differently then Nashua stuff makes it hard to believe it's the good stuff.
 
I have had good luck with Military 100 MPH tape. I tried Gorilla tape, wrapped some around a pen to take with me so that I didn’t have to bring the whole roll for a small job and I had a hard time unwinding it from the pen, the glue was too strong and was sticking to the back of the tape – never had this problem with 100 MPH tape. Gorilla tape seems to work well directly from the roll, but 100 MPH is good enough for me.


BTW, the roll of 100 MPH tape I have here was made by United Tape Company.

http://www.unitedtape.com/main/main.asp





- Frank
 
http://www.duckproducts.com/

Duct tape was originally called duck tape as the adhesive used on it was developed from the natural adhesive used to attach a ducks feathers to its body .

It slowly changed through common useage to duct tape as that is what it was most used for .

L:O:L

Here is the link where proof was given that a Newfoundlander invented duck tape as well as many other amazing products .
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=417825
 
Kevin the grey said:
http://www.duckproducts.com/

Duct tape was originally called duck tape as the adhesive used on it was developed from the natural adhesive used to attach a ducks feathers to its body .

It slowly changed through common useage to duct tape as that is what it was most used for .

L:O:L

Here is the link where proof was given that a Newfoundlander invented duck tape as well as many other amazing products .
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=417825
Click to expand...


Yeah, I like DUCK BRAND, it's good tape. Walmart has it in lot of colors as well as the old stand-by, gray
 
100 MPH tape is the best all around tape. I use to always carry a roll in my ruck. It’s sticky, tough, and moisture resistant. I even used it on road marches, during those hot long days of walking when I would get a nice cherry blister on my foot I would duct tape it shut. The glue itched a little bit when you first put it on, but man did it work, way better than moleskin, and the slippery backing allows your foot to slide inside your boot rather than rub it acted like new skin. Duck tape……yeah it can fix anything.
 
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