Duct Tape: An Ultimately Useful Survival Tool
When it comes to being a prepper, one of the things that receives an enormous amount of attention is gear. One thing we can all agree on is that we will need various tools and gear in order to make survival easier to accommodate. No matter where we are, or what situation we find ourselves in, the fact remains that tools will provide us with opportunities to improve our living conditions. They can also help with many of the tasks and duties we will be faced with accomplishing.
In this article we will discuss a variety of unconventional uses for the dull silvery survival tool known as duct tape. Chances are the original inventors of duct tape never envisioned their product being used for so many different possibilities.
Duct Tape Rope:
While many preppers have been properly taught to bring along an abundance of 550 paracord for the specific purpose of having enough rope on hand for the various things it will undoubtedly be needed for, there is always the opportunity for unexpected situations to arise. A single roll of duct tape can be used to fashion a survival rope out of, in a pinch, as shown in the image below.
Clothing Repair/Improvement:
Duct tape is also known for its inherent abilities to repel moisture. As such it can be used to repair clothing/shelters in a serious survival situation. While it is not waterproof, it is water resistant. This means that any clothing wrapped in duct tape will provide an extra layer of protection, and possibly even warmth, which can be a life saver in dire situations. In the image below you can see the benefits of using duct tape for this purpose.
Arrow Fletching:
In a long term survival situation, having the ability to manufacture tools using a combination of natural and man-made materials, will be a huge benefit. Making a bow and arrow shafts out of wood is one thing, but getting them to function properly is quite another. That is where duct tape may be useful. Arrows fly with better accuracy when they have fletching attached in the proper positions around the rear of the shaft. As is displayed in the image below, duct tape makes for suitable fletching on survival arrow shafts.
Reseal Food Packaging:
In survival situations being able to protect your food will be extremely important. In certain circumstances food packaging may need to be resealed. In order to properly perform this measure, duct tape will come in very handy. As demonstrated below, duct tape can be used to reseal a food package, thereby ensuring it is kept dry, as well as free from infestation.
Field First Aid:
Another aspect of survival situations are accidents. Not every disaster scenario will involve injuries to individuals. However, when they do, having a roll of duct tape on hand might just be the difference between being able to provide adequate first aid and risking the loss, or incorrect healing, of a broken bone. Duct tape can be used as a bandage to stem the flow of blood loss, or as an article of attachment such as when it is used to fashion a sling for an arm, or keep a splint on a broken leg.
Fire Starter:
Being able to start a fire using unconventional means and materials is one of the first things preppers of all stages should be intimately familiar with. Fire will add a modicum of normalcy to an unfamiliar situation and location. Fire makes processing and eating food easier to accomplish. Fire also makes shelter more comfortable and helps maintain the body’s core temperature when night falls, and/or weather changes. Duct tape is not normally considered a fire starting material, but it will perform in a pinch.
Shelter Repair/Improvement:
A shelter is often one of the first things preppers begin foraging for when in a serious life changing situation. In inclement weather, the human body requires shelter within a three-hour window in order to reduce the potential for hypothermia to set in. Duct tape can be used to repair an existing shelter, improve parts of an existing shelter, or it can be used to create an entire shelter if need be.
DIY Drinking Cup:
While having a cup will not increase or decrease an individual’s chances of surviving an otherwise miserable moment in the wilderness, it will make life a bit easier and allow such a person the ability to ration what supplies they have available to them. A duct tape cup can be used to consume food, as well as water, and may even be useful for administering medicine too.
Hydration Pack Repair:
As a water resistant material, duct tape can also be used to repair a leaking hydration bladder. Water is one of the most essential ingredients of life here on Earth. Without water the human body will dehydrate in a matter of days, normally within a 72-hour time frame. Being able to find water, filter it, purify it, and carry it along with you, will be instrumental in determining whether or not you survive the ordeal you find yourself in. A hydration bladder will help you achieve these goals, especially the storage and transportation aspect of the water category for your survival plan.
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I'm a retired over the road trucker (heavy haul). One of the things that EVERY trucker has in his truck is Duct Tape. I've used Duct Tape in most of the ways mentioned in the article. It DOES repair clothing and makes a fairly good emergency bandage when used to tape a tampon. (oh yeah...tampons and sanitary napkins are useful in ways that the manufacturer NEVER envisioned. They make GREAT bandages...when held on with duct tape.)
Duct tape is good for makeing stuff STAY, also.. Thing that you don't want to move. Beware. Not all duct tape is created alike. NEVER, if you can help it, Buy anything from a truck stop. They sell junk. Duct tape purchased from a truckstop is practically worthless. Buy online if you can or from Tractor Supply or another Farm Store. Even Autozone or (gasp) walmart has a higher quality than a truckstop.
Duct tape is for makeing stuff that wants to move not move. WD40 is it's polar opposite. It makes things move that don't want to move. It also has other uses. (I'll leave that for another post.)
You also need a hammer, a cutter and a squeezer (knife and pliers) .
With Duct tape, WD-40, a hammer, a knife and pliers it's purely AMAZING what can be done.
Duct tape (or a variant of it) is even used for repairing airplanes.
Read more here:
... or google for Speed Tape
Duct tape saved the Apollo 13 astronauts and I am happy to see an excellent post on the versatility of duct tape. Awesome content.
I have upvoted this article and have featured it on my daily hidden gems blog. Great job.
There's an old saying, "If you can't duct it, fuck it."
It's also used to tape things together. Yes I know that sounds strange but I read it in a book once. :)
Is it fast and supposed to be loose? WD-40.
Is it loose and supposed to be fast? Duct tape.
The idea that surprised me the most was the arrow fletching.
Absent survival conditions, I used it in a bout of boredom to neatly wrap a normal tobacco pouch (to cover ugly warnings, also helps avoid confusion when many pouches of the same popular brand are on the table). Have had it for more than half a year, carried it around in my jeans pockets all the time and I'm still impressed how little wear and tear has occurred so far, except two corners where I effed up the seam myself due to lack of experience. I completely crumpled it up into a ball once to throw it at someone, and it never lost its shape. Wonderful stuff.