This plane was crashed on a deserted island, taped back together with Duct Tape then Flown Home
The above picture shows a plane that had been crashed on a deserted island. The polot had no other way out, but to try and repair the plane and fly back home. Luckily the plane had plenty of duct tape aboard. Just look at the picture of the plane after it crashed, then at the pictures after he taped it back together. Duct tape should not only be in everybody's Bug Out Bag, but should be easily accessable at the very top of everybody's Bug Out Bag! It should also be in your first aid kit, considering you can use it as bandaids, bandages, to secure splints, make a stretcher, and the list goes on.
If you don't know what duct tape is, you're not from America, or you've been living under a rock for the past 70+ years. Duct tape's closest predecessor was medical tape. Duct tape was first created and manufactured in 1942 by the Johnson and Johnson Permacel Division. The original use was to keep moisture out of the ammunition cases being built for our troops fighting Hitler's Nazis and the Japanese.. Because it was waterproof, people referred to the tape as "Duck Tape." Also, the tape was made using cotton duck - similar to what was used in their cloth medical tapes.
Military personnel quickly discovered that the tape was very versatile and used it to fix their guns, jeeps, aircraft, etc. After the war, the tape was used in the booming housing industry to connect heating and air conditioning duct work together.
Soon, the color was changed from Army green to silver to match the ductwork and people started to refer to duck tape as "Duct Tape." Things changed during the 1970s, when the partners at Manco, Inc. placed rolls of duct tape in shrink wrap, making it easier for retailers to stack the sticky rolls. Different grades and colors of duct tape weren´t far behind. Soon, duct tape became the most versatile tool in the household.
Yes, I like duct tape because of its many uses, its durability, reliability and simplicity. It can be used for survival, first aid and to remedy many of today's problems around the house and in the car.
Before we get to the list, I have included a gallery of pictures below, showing a small sample of the many ways duct tape is used in modern America today:
I can personally attest to how good duct tape works when applied to first aid. I had been bit by a spider. A brown recluse, to be exact. I tried putting an ace bandage on it, but it kept moving and even came lose a couple of times. When the bite turned into an absess, I decided to go to the clinic and get a prescription for antibiotics. To hell with that damn ace bandage that kept slipping off of the wound, I got my trusty duct tape and wrapped it around my throbing foot. I had already been using duct tape in place of bandaids for years (duct tape sticks better and you can make them as wide and long as you want) but never knew how well it duct works great for when you your injury is a knee, an ankle, foot or anywhere else regular bandages seem to slip, or when in need of a compression bandage. When I got to the clinic, the nurses and doctors alike were amazed at my duct tape bandage.
Now without further delay, here is the list:
Reseal food packages: Use duct tape to reseal opened packages of food. Fold over the top of the package and seal it tight with a piece of duct tape. Works for cans, too. Simply fashion a lid out of duct tape.
Boot repair: Nothing tests boots like a survival situation. Unfortunately, boots still get seperated from their soles sole no matter what brand they are or how much they cost. Just wrap both boot and sole with duct tape and you're good to go. If your boots have come apart or the sole has come off, perform a quick duct tape repair to help keep moisture and cold air away from your socks.
Clothes repair: It is easy to repair rips, splits and holes in clothing with duct tape
Rope:Twisting a long piece of Duct tape makes a great piece of rope
Clothesline: Use rope from previous entry as a clothesline to dry out camp clothing.
Sleeping bag repair: If you have a hole in your sleeping bag, you can patch the hole with duct tape. No more draft. If its a down sleeping bag, the duct tape will stop feathers flying all over the place.
Tent repair: Tape the damaged zipper door shut and keep the bugs out.
Tent repair 2: A rip or tear is no problem as long as you’ve brought your duct tape.
Tent pole or fishing pole repair: Tape a stick to the broken tent or fishing pole.
Fly catcher: Tape a few foot-long strips of duct tape from a branch or your tent like flypaper.
Water bottle repair: Fix a broken water bottle with a little strip of duct tape to the rescue.
Spear: Tape your knife to a pole and you have a trusty spear to defend yourself with against boar or bear
Build shelter: A couple of plastic trash bags and some duct tape, and you have a survival shelter.
Make a belt: Run a piece of DT through your belt loops and stick it to itself in the front. Overlap it about 4 or 5 inches and you’ll still be able to peel the belt apart when nature calls.
Repair your glasses: If your glasses break while you are out in the wilderness, tape them up. You might look a bit nerdy but at least you will be able to see.
Fix your rain gear: Keep the dry stuff dry and keep the water out by mending your ripped rain gear with a few strips of duct tape.
Add extra insulation in your boots: Make your winter boots a little bit warmer by taping the insoles with duct tape, silver side up. The shiny tape will reflect the warmth of your feet back into your boots.
Keep snow out of your boots: If the snow is so deep it goes over the tops of your boots, you can wrap the tape around them to keep the tops against your legs to keep them shut tight so that you don’t get snow inside your boots.
Keep bugs and parasites out of your boots: Same concept as above, summer version. Secure the tops of your boots against your legs to bar entry to ticks, chiggers, and other creepy crawlies.
Hem your pants: No time to hem your new jeans? Fake it with a strip of duct tape. The new hem will last through a few washes too.
Make handcuffs: Create handcuffs for the bad guys by taping their hands together around a tree to prevent them from becoming a danger to themselves or others.
Mark a trail: Use duct tape to blaze a trail so you can easily find your way back.
Signal for rescue: If you have brightly colored or reflective duct tape, you can use it to signal for rescue.
Make emergency repairs on your Bug Out Vehicle: Repair leaking hoses, broken tail lights, windows that don’t stay and even bullet holes with strips of duct tape.
Hang perimeter or security lights: String lights around your camp with a rope make of duct tape.
Repair a small boat: If you have a small fishing boat, kayak, or canoe that gets a hole or crack in it, you can repair it by drying th area thoroughly and applying duct tape on both sides. The repair may not last forever but will probably get you back to civilization.
Repair gloves: Got some gloves coming apart at the seams? Repair them by folding duct tape, sticky side in, over the seam and pressing it together.
Moisture-proof ammo boxes: Protect your ammunition from moisture by sealing the boxes with duct tape.
Sprained ankle wrap: If you sprain your ankle, wrap it with duct tape to give it support.
Make an arrow: If you have or can make a bow, duct tape makes great arrow fletching, which assures a more accurate shot.
Secure food: Tape your bag of food out of reach of animals
Butterfly bandage strips: Using 2 strips of DT, along with a smaller strip across their center makes a butterfly suture.
Sling: Fold a length of DT down the middle, so that it is half the original width and no longer exposing a sticky side. Use the strap to make a sling for an injured arm or shoulder.
Affix bandages: Place a sterile dressing over your wound, and strap it in place with DT.
Blister care: Got a blister on your foot?Cover the blistered area with a bit of cotton gauze, and tape over the cotton. Make sure that the duct tape fully covers the cotton and doesn’t touch the blister at all.
Create a splint: A broken ankle or leg can be stabilized with ample splint material, padding and duct tape.
Make a crutch: Pad the crotch of a forked branch with some cloth and duct tape to fashion a quick crutch to go with your splint.
Make a bandage: Fold tissue paper or paper towel to cover the wound and cover this with duct tape.
Brace broken ribs: If you’ve broken or cracked your ribs, but you still need to function, you can provide support with duct tape. Put on a slim fitting shirt or tank top to protect your skin, then wrap your rib cage tightly with duct tape
Remove splinters: Make sure skin is perfectly dry. Apply duct tape to the area where the splinter is embedded and quickly yank it off.
As you surly realize by now, duct tape literally has hundreds of survival, medical and life hacks, depending on who's making the lists. The usefulness of duct tape is only limited by your imagination.
For me, personally, duct tape has a spot reserved on the very top of both my Bug Out Bag and my First Aid Kit.
By Tom Retterbush San Antonio, TX, USA 1-13-2017
For more ideas on duct tape usage, check out the Duct Tape Infographics, HERE