Best brand of duct tape?

[notbob]

No doubt this has been asked and answered a jillion times, before, but not in my memory. So.....

What is the best brand of duct tape?

I'm talking the usual general applications associated with duct tape for the home bumpkin. Slap a strip over a cold draft crack, tape a make-shift grill on a dog's carrier, etc. A duct tape that will adhere to most any surface, at least for awhile. You know, emergency temp mending kinda stuff. Maybe even for use in ducts! I once put a baffle in a heating duct and taped it in place with some cheap generic duct tape. Prolly lasted about 8 seconds b4 the tape came unstuck and the baffle dropped. That kinda stuff. Thnx. ;)

nb

[philoÂÂ]

I really like the metallic duct tape...it really works well.

It uses aluminum foil

[Daniel Cairns]

For me it is the Gorilla brand tape. Same width, and general appearance, except it is black. The absolute best, stickiest tape I have ever used. So good and important to me that when the roll is getting too small I go get another. I've never been so particular bout tape before. Over

Daniel Cairns

[Stormin Mormon]

I've also had good results with Gorilla tape. That's my duct tape story, and I'm sticking to it. Yeah, tacky, I know.

[SteveB]

I like gaffer's tape and Gorilla Tape. The rest is a crapshoot on what it is made of, and how long it will last.

Steve

[(PeteCresswell)]

Per SteveB:

Nobody mentioned residue - i.e. how much of a gummy mess is left behind when the tape is removed.

I'm too cheap to buy it, but what I like about gaffer's tape is that it's engineered to not leave any gunk behind.

Dunno about Gorilla tape... how is it in that respect?

[Nate Nagel]

yes, for actual use on ducts, there is no substitute for the foil.

It also is easily written on with Sharpie I've found, so I also use it for making labels on storage bins.

For non-duct emergency fastening use, I really don't know. None of the cloth duct tape seems that great, but I'm willing to learn if there's something that's actually worth keeping a roll around.

nate

[Nate Nagel]

I dunno how long gaff tape holds up long term, but the "pro-gaff" stuff works great short term. I've never trusted it to last longer than a theater production though :)

nate

[gregz]

Might be, two of my favorites might be from same company.

Two others are gorilla tape, and sumo tape. I forget which has more stick.

Back to my favorites. I treasure my roll of 100 mph tape green OD bought from sportsman guide many years ago. It stretches and hold well. Probably from Nashua tape.

The other tape for ducts and many other things, I much prefer to aluminum tape, FlexFix from Nashua.

Greg

[willshak]

I don't buy the grey stuff anymore. I buy the clear duct tape. It lasts years outside through Summer and Winter and doesn't delaminate like the grey stuff leaving a hard glue layer that is almost impossible to remove. I have used the clear stuff outside and after a couple of years will peel off leaving almost no glue residue, and what is left is still soft and can be cleaned off. I use the 3M/Scotch brand. I don't know about the Duck or Gorilla brands.

[SteveB]

It does leave residue, but I have been finding some items repaired with Gorilla tape that were in much better shape than I expected when it came to degree of deterioration. Can't beat gaffer's tape, tho, and because it is so much better, you use less. I put a single 3" wide strip over an extension cord in the garage. Ten years later, it hasn't worn through in one spot. Of course, I used to get it FREE at the conventions. Never bought a roll in my life, but it is spendy, and that's for the low end stuff.

Steve

[Monte]

replying to notbob, Monte wrote: If the duct is UL listed it is generally of better quality but... as philo said the aluminum is generally better. The tape that sticks the best to a verity of surfaces is the tape use for house wrap (Tyvek)>