Prepper Supply Exposition: 15 Uses for Duct Tape

You can fill up whole volumes with lists of prepper supplies and what they are useful for, and everything being considered, there are tons of viable prepper supplies out there.

Many of these are very versatile and their value is tied in part to that very versatility. After all, the more uses a single item or material has, the better its overall value is in the field or around the home.

Prepper supplies like knives, EDC flashlights, paraffin wax, vaseline, cotton puffs, and salt consistently top lists of most valuable, most versatile items. But there are others, too.

And one of the best of these is duct tape, which, as you are about to see, has innumerable uses.

1.  Protect and prevent blisters

Blisters form at hot spots where your skin is rubbed by footwear or clothing. Covering hot spots with blisters will protect the skin, lubricate the interface, and potentially help prevent blisters from forming. You can also tape over blisters to prevent them from bursting.

2.  Capture pests

Lay strips around your campsite or in front of the door to your home, sticky side up. The tape will trap pests and the strips can be replaced as needed. You can also lay a trap with bait, and encircle it with duct tape, which will catch any insects that crawl towards it.

3.  Fix eyewear

Got broken glasses? One quick and easy fix is simply to use a small strip of duct tape to patch up the bridge between the lenses.

4.  Fix shoes

There are tons of ways to use duct tape to fix footwear; you can use duct tape to secure a broken strap, you can use it to keep a sole attached that has started to delaminate from the shoe, and you can even use duct tape as a patch for a hole in a shoe.

5.  Emergency DIY gear repair

If it’s broken and you can’t fix it with duct tape, as the saying goes, you’re not using enough duct tape. There are a thousand and one ways to make fixes to gear in the field with it, you just need to get creative.

6.  Make gaiters

Use duct tape to tape your pant legs to the cuffs of the tops of your boots or shoes. This will not only keep pests out of your clothing, but will seal off your footwear against ingress from snow, keeping you warmer and drier.

7.  Pull out splinters

Get a piece of duct tape, fold it over, and use it to pull out small splinters that are protruding from the surface of the skin. It won’t work every time, but if you’re having trouble with tweezers the duct tape trick may get the job done.

8.  Hem your clothes

If you’re in the field and a hem drops, and you don’t have a needle and thread but you do have this invaluable prepper supply, you can likely make a fix. Just use the tape to roll up and secure the bottom hem of the clothing in question - no thread needed.

9.  Improvise cordage

Cut the duct tape into long strips, then using the reverse wrap method, twist yourself some rope from duct tape, adding in new strips as they are needed. This is one of the more useful duct tape hacks out there and can be a lifesaver if you really need cordage.

10.  Create a fabric patch

Got a hole in your clothing, or in your jacket? Just cover that up with a bit of duct tape. This tip works very well for PVC rain gear, too.

11.  Makeshift waterproof seal; patch busted pipes

You can make actual containers that are waterproof with duct tape, like buckets, by using a mold and forming the duct tape around it. You can also patch busted pipes using this method, at least in the short term.

12.  Make a foraging pouch

Need to gather some berries or mushrooms, but don’t have a basket or a pouch? Weave or form one with duct tape and get on your way.

13. Improvise a fire starter

Duct tape is surprisingly flammable. Just tear off a small strip, twist it into a wick and light it up - it’s a solid tinder for getting a fire going when you need it.

14.  Mark trails

Hi-viz duct tape is great for marking trails so you can find your way, blaze trails, or just so you don’t get lost.

15.  Strengthen tool handles

Over time, wooden tool handles will split, crack, and fail, even when you take proper care of them. Give them a good duct tape wrap and it will help prevent the wood fibers from separating, giving the tool handle a longer lifespan.

Explore This and Other Prepper Supplies Here

These 15 uses for duct tape as a prepper supply are only the tip of the iceberg - so you shouldn’t be surprised that we sell duct tape here, among so many other survival essentials. Shop our full collection and get in touch with us if you have any questions.