Duct tape is a vital tool for emergency fixes and creative solutions. Known for its strength and flexibility, duct tape has been a staple in toolboxes and homes for over seventy years.
Last week, I used duct tape to fix a hole in my greenhouse’s plastic cover and to reinforce a shelving frame. But in a survival situation, duct tape has even more important uses.
Every prepper should stock up on duct tape. No matter what kind of disaster you face, you’ll likely need more than just a couple of rolls to get by.
1. Fix Your Rain Gear
Duct tape is perfect for sealing tears in rain gear, keeping you dry during unexpected downpours. Its waterproof quality makes it ideal for quick fixes. Last fall, I had to repair my daypack’s rain cover on the spot, and the duct tape held up beautifully for the rest of the week until I could make a permanent fix at home.
2. Creating Butterfly Bandage Strips
Injuries need prompt attention, especially when help is miles away. Duct tape can be fashioned into effective butterfly sutures for closing wounds. This quick fix can be a lifesaver, preventing infection and promoting healing until proper medical care is accessible.
3. Repairing a Cracked Water Bottle or a Pierced Hydration Bladder
Imagine you’re deep in the wilderness, and your water bottle sustains damage. Instead of fretting, grab your duct tape. A strip of this sturdy adhesive can seal the breach, safeguarding your crucial water supply. Just make sure the surface is dry before applying to get the best adhesion.
4. Crafting Survival Arrow Fletching
In a survival situation, being able to hunt or defend yourself might become necessary. If you find yourself needing to improvise arrows, duct tape can come to the rescue. Attach pieces of tape to the arrow shaft and trim to mimic fletching. This can improve the arrow’s flight stability significantly. This takes skill, though, so you may want to add this to your survival prep practice sessions.
5. Making Cordage
Strong, reliable cordage is invaluable in the wild for everything from building shelters to setting up snares. By twisting lengths of duct tape, you can create a sturdy rope that’s ready for whatever task you have at hand.
6. Patching a Hole in a Canoe
While not a permanent solution, duct tape can temporarily fix a canoe letting water in. This stopgap measure might just be enough to get you back to safety, even though it’s not a good long-term solution.
7. Affix Bandages
Injuries need proper care, and duct tape can secure bandages in place over wounds. Just make sure the tape doesn’t contact the injury directly and that you leave a good margin around the wound, or you can worsen the injury when you remove the DT. And do remember, if you’re hairy in the spot you were injured, removing that DT is going to hurt!
8. Repair Your Glasses
Broken glasses can impair your vision when you can least afford it. A strip of duct tape can hold your frames together in a pinch. It might not be the height of fashion, and you might look a little … #NerdGlasses … but it’s practicality at its finest.
9. Constructing a First Aid Sling
An injured arm needs immobilization. You can fold duct tape and use it to create a supportive sling. Basically, just fold a long strip of duct tape down the middle, sticky sides together, to create a simple, tough, non-sticky strap that you can use as a makeshift sling. If someone in your party has a busted arm, this improvised sling will support the injured limb until you can get proper medical attention.
10. Fire Starter
Igniting a fire in damp conditions is challenging. A ball of duct tape can serve as makeshift tinder, burning long enough to catch even when traditional materials fail.
11. Sucking Chest Wounds
In dire medical emergencies like a sucking chest wound, immediate action is crucial. Duct tape’s ability to adhere to even bloody skin and form an airtight seal can be a temporary lifesaver in emergency medical situations. Obviously, in an ideal world, you’ll never need this “fix”. But, if you are unfortunate enough to be faced with a crisis like this, duct tape can potentially seal the wound long enough for you to get your fallen friend emergency medical attention.
12. Make Emergency Repairs on Your Bug Out Vehicle
When your getaway vehicle faces minor malfunctions, duct tape comes to the rescue. From sealing leaking hoses to fixing windows that refuse to stay up, duct tape is your versatile vehicle-fixing friend.
13. Leave a Note
In the wilderness, communication can be as crucial as water. If you need to leave a message but paper is scarce, duct tape becomes your canvas. Write your message directly on the tape with a permanent marker (stock up on Sharpies). Or, if you really have nothing to write with, you could use strips to form letters, although it’d take a fair amount of time, so you’d have to keep the message short – just a location or an SOS, for example.
14. Mend Shoes and Clothing
Forget the needle and thread; duct tape can mend tears in fabric or patch up holes in shoes, keeping you protected from the elements. It’s a quick fix that holds surprisingly well, keeping your gear functional until you have the time and supplies to make a more permanent repair.
15. Make a Spear
Attaching a knife to a long, sturdy stick with duct tape creates a spear (or a pike if it’s long enough). Is it the most practical weapon? No. Is it better than nothing when you’re desperate? Absolutely! You can fend off attackers without engaging in very close combat, be they zombies, humans, or animals. And, if you’re good with your homemade spear, you may even be able to bag yourself some dinner.
16. Blister Care
Blisters can become serious obstacles in survival scenarios. Covering them with a soft pad of cotton gauze and securing with duct tape prevents further irritation, provided the tape doesn’t touch the blister directly.
17. Attach Shelter Elements
Creating a shelter can be simplified with duct tape. Combine it with trash bags for a makeshift roof, sleeping bag cover, or windbreak. This combination can significantly improve your chances of staying dry and warm.
18. Attach Survival Gear
Securing essential tools together means you’re less likely to lose them. Taping a spark rod to your knife sheath, for example, ensures you always have a way to make fire. You could take this one even further and craft a temporary tool belt or multi-item holster, letting you keep essential gear readily accessible but keeping your hands free.
19. Make a Hat
Inspired by the ingenuity of the “Mythbusters,” a duct tape hat might not be the most fashion-conscious choice, but it offers practical protection against the sun or rain when you’re in a pinch.
20. Fashioning a Belt
Losing weight during extended stays in nature might leave you with loose-fitting trousers. A strip of duct tape can become an adjustable belt, ensuring your clothes fit snugly and you remain mobile and unhindered.
21. Handcuff Alternative
When tensions rise and someone’s behavior threatens the group’s safety, duct tape offers a nonviolent solution to temporarily restrain them. For example, wrapping their hands around a tree with duct tape can prevent harm and maintain peace until tensions subside.
22. Make a Drinking Cup
With a bit of creativity, duct tape transforms into a makeshift cup. This skill could be vital for staying hydrated when conventional containers aren’t available.
23. Mark a Trail
Duct tape can be invaluable when navigating unfamiliar territory or signaling for rescue. Brightly colored or reflective duct tape can help you mark a safe path or alert rescuers to your location.
24. Keep the Feathers in Your Sleeping Bag
If you’ve got a down-filled sleeping bag, the last thing you need is the feathers escaping through a tear. You’ll lose warmth rapidly, and you’ll be fiding feathers everywhere for weeks. Sealing a tear with duct tape stops the escape, keeping you cozy and insulated through the night.
25. Keep Your Tent Closed
A malfunctioning tent zipper exposes you to the elements and unwelcome critters. Duct tape can temporarily seal the breach, offering protection and peace until you find a more permanent solution.
26. Splint a Leg
Injuries in the wild demand improvisation. Duct tape, when used to secure splints or even create makeshift crutches, can stabilize a broken limb, until you can find shelter, get back to your base, or get proper injury management help.
27. Splint a Broken Tent Pole or Fishing Pole
Don’t let broken equipment ruin your adventure. Reinforcing a damaged tent pole or fishing rod with duct tape and a stick can extend its usefulness.
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This list extends beyond the basic survival trio of water, food, and weapons. It’s a given that we need to stock up on water, food, and a way to defend ourselves and what we have. But what other things will you need in a survival situation?
None of us truly knows what TEOTWAWKI will really look like, although most of us have theories we think most likely. But whatever the situation is, there are certain supplies that it just makes sense to have on hand, aside from the obvious trio I mentioned above.
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In the face of uncertainty, being well-prepared gives you at least some degree of control and security. The thought of a societal collapse, while extreme, prompts us to consider how we might endure without the conveniences of our current lifestyle.
Here’s a list of 20 essential items that could prove indispensable in such a scenario. This guide isn’t about succumbing to fear but embracing preparedness and resilience.
