:: Duct Tape Tips ::
I guess you can say that Duct Tape is a wilderness survival kit all by itself, and if you go out without that samll stash of Duct Tape, one thing is for sure, sooner-or-later, hopefully, you'll "live" to regret it.
What would have been a disaster could only be a slight inconvenience with Duct Tape on hand. So, why not just make it a habit to always have few feet stashed close-by. The easiest way is to just wrap a few yards around a small piece of cardboard, it hardly takes any room at all and doesn't weigh much. There's usually some piece of gear that Duct Tape can be stored on, like wrapped around your water bottle, hiking staff, ski poles, fishing rod case, etc. In fact instead of keeping it in your "Tool Bag", you should rename that bag your "Duct Tape Bag", after all it is the most important tool in the bag. Most people's repair bags carry a vast array of nuts, bolts, spare parts, tools and such and no two will have the same ingredients, but, I'll bet Duct Tape is in most all of them. Just think, would MacGyver be caught with out Duct Tape???
Winter Uses for Duct Tape...
* Cross-Country skiers know that Duct Tape applied to your heel will keep blisters from forming, the slickness of the tape cuts down friction and heat...
* They also know that Duct Tape applied to the under-the-foot section of the skis top keeps snow from building up there, the snow doesn't stick to the slickiness of the Duct Tape...
* When cross-country skiing I always carry Duct Tape. I store it wrapped around my ski poles (just under the grip), that way if you need some, like for a broken pole (just tape in a piece of a tree branch for a repair). You might want to replace it with fresh tape at the beginning of each season...
* I've had to Duct Tape my boot into my binding after breaking a bail in the back-country, it can make the difference in walking-out in deep snow, or being able to ski out...
* You can Duct Tape together your XC shoe or boot when the sole delaminates from the upper, this can happen with older boots that are just glued to the sole...
* The next time you need to switch to klister when XC skiing: scrape off your existing kick-wax; apply a length of Duct Tape over the kick zone; apply your klister over the Duct Tape. When your you need to switch back, just peel-off the Duct Tape, you won't have the messy job of scraping off the klister...
* Ever pick up your fuel bottle without your gloves on when winter camping? Next time, wrap some Duct Tape around the bottle and that cold won't be so intense. Its also a good place to store some extra Duct Tape, just in case...
Camping & Hiking Uses for Duct Tape...
* A mini-roll of Duct Tape belongs in EVERY backpackers pack. I have one in my survival kit and one in my repair/parts ditty bag. I take my survival kit with me on short hikes in a fanny pack after camp is set up, so if its in the survival kit I can't forget it...
* Duct Tape can be used to tape a sprained ankle if you don't have any athletic tape handy. Wrap it in the traditional figure-eight pattern right over your sock in an emergency...
* Of course its indispensable for patching rips, like in your tent, tarps, pack, sleeping bag, clothing, rain gear, etc. Remember, Duct Tape is waterproof so its good for your water bag or bottle, too. It may not work as well for items with air pressure, like sleeping pads, but, in a pinch, its worth a try...
* If you want to make your repair more permanent you can iron it on, this will seal the sticky backing to the fabric. In the field you can use a butane lighter to warm a smooth rock and use it like an iron. Of course it will be harder to remove later on...
* Yes, that Duct Tape stick-um can be hard to remove after you pealed the Duct Tape off your tent or jacket. I use a little lighter fluid and a rag, it softens the glue making it a lot easier to remove...
* It will mend your shoes or boots when the sole decides it doesn't like being attached anymore. The repair won't last forever, but it may get you home after a few applications...
* When you feel a "hot-spot" developing while hiking its time to apply a patch of Duct Tape - to your heel or toe. This will help to prevent a blister from forming, the slick tape cuts down heat caused by friction. You can also put a strip over a rough spot inside the boot or shoe...
* Use it to splint a broken tent pole or fishing pole by taping a stick to the broken area...
* One time in Yosemite, hiking the John Muir Trail, I set my backpack down while I hiked down to the Merced River to cool my feet. When I returned a chipmunk had eaten a hole thru my pack to get to my bag of GORP (Good 'Ol Raisins and Peanuts). This was an easy repair for Duct Tape...
* Speaking of Yosemite, I noticed that the climbers used disposable plastic bottles (like water and pop come in) wrapped with Duct Tape (to keep them from cracking and leaking) for their water bottles. You can also make a carry-loop at the top to hang it from a carabineer or pack frame. Use rope or webbing and just Duct Tape it in place ...
* With all the hype about ultralite backpacking nowadays, I too look at my gear with weight-cutting eyes. But, one thing I won't cut back on is the Duct Tape, lighter gear means it might wear-out or break sooner, I think I'll carry more Duct Tape from now on...
* OK, you forgot to bring those little clips to hold your table-cloth to the camp table. Not to worry, a few small pieces of Duct Tape will keep it down...
* When a marauding grizzly bear rips a hole in the no-see-um netting on your tent letting all the skeeters in (well, maybe it was just a chipmunk), a strip of Duct Tape is worth its weight in deet...
* Of course you can use Duct Tape to stop the ends of rope, laces and webbing from fraying. A few wraps is all it takes...
Boating Uses for Duct Tape...
* Rafters use Duct Tape as a inner patch for larger rips or tears (over 2") so the outside patch won't blow off when the raft is inflated...
* Many a conoeist has patched his boat with Duct Tape, it sure beats bailing...
* One time I was tubing the Boise River (along with everyone else in town) and there was a teen-age girl who had somehow punctured her innertube. Well of course I had some Duct Tape with me. I had her hold her finger over the hole while I got the Duct Tape ready. I dried the tube off as much as possible and applied the tape, she made it to the take-out with air to spare...
* If your dry bag develops a hole from being thrown out of the boat too many times, just clean around the hole with a little alcohol and apply a Duct Tape patch (inside and out)...
* I tear off small 1/4" wide strips of Duct Tape and wrap them around my fishing rod. Starting 6" above the grip put a ring of Duct Tape every 2", up to about 20" (or longer). This is my fish measuring tool, it saves having to carry a tape measure and its always handy...
