Not all tapes are the same. When you’re looking for a duct tape that can stand up to use and abuse, look no further than this list. By evaluating reviews from experts as well as real consumers, we’ve come up with 11 duct tapes that will get you out of a sticky situation.
Duct tape has been used in homes across America since the end of World War II. It is a thin-gauze-based and hand-tearable tape coated with waterproof material on one side and a strong adhesive film on the other. Duct tape is laminated with low-density polyethylene, making it more resistant to wear and tear than standard masking or clear household tape. It’s about as durable as tape gets and has even been used by NASA to make emergency repairs during both the Apollo 13 and Apollo 17 missions.
Check out these top products:
1. Gorilla Tape
Price: 8.49
Black Gorilla Tape is the #1 product on our list for a reason. It’s 3x stronger than the “leading” brand and mounts using double-thick adhesive. Use it outdoors to repair everything from boat seats to children’s toys; its all-weather shell will stand up to rain, sun, and snow. Gorilla Tape even works on rough surfaces, including wood and brick, making this an all-purpose tape for both your tool box and junk drawer. Gorilla Tape can be applied in temperatures up to 120 degrees and can withstand up to 200-degree heat. The Gorilla Glue Company is a name that’s become synonymous with long-lasting repairs and is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Top Product Features
- Weather resistant
- Available in 1” to 2.88” widths
- Double-thick adhesive sticks to rough surfaces
- Made for tough jobs
Product Reviews
- "Double-Thick Adhesive; Grips smooth, rough and uneven surfaces. Tough, Reinforced Backing; the tight weave contributes to the heft, but Gorilla Tape can still be ripped by hand. Rugged, Weather-Resistant Shell; Withstands moisture, UV rays and temperature extremes." – PopularMechanics.com
- "Gorilla Tape is manufactured with a highly concentrated rubber based adhesive – two to three times as thick as traditional duct tape. The result is a tape that fills gaps and penetrates Rough surfaces. It sticks to Rough and uneven surfaces, including wood, stone, stucco and brick." – Amazon.com
- "Made with double thick adhesive, strong reinforced backing, and a tough all-weather shell, it’s the biggest, strongest, toughest thing ever to happen to duct tape. To us, it’s made the way tape should be: The toughest on planet Earth." -- Top10HomeImprovementBestSellers.com
- "Outstanding toughness and durability, extremely thick tape that offers good strength and water resistance ratings, black color looks better on most repairs than silver/gray of standard duct tape." – BusinessInsider.com
- "This double thick adhesive tape surpasses ordinary duct tapes, making the list of uses virtually endless. Made with double thick adhesive, strong reinforced backing, and a tough all-weather shell, it’s the biggest, strongest, toughest thing ever to happen to duct tape." -- WonderfulEngineering.com
- "The abrasion resistant backing cloth is tougher than others as well, with a tighter weave, but still can be torn by hand. UV and water resistance round everything out, making this tape perfect for just about any need." – Bestcovery.com
2. Gorilla 6003001 Tough & Wide Duct Tape
Price: 11.97
The name says it all. Gorilla Tough & Wide tape is a heavy-duty bonding tape for your most difficult repairs. Use it to mend a torn tent, a leaky umbrella, or scuffed up patio chair cushion. This water-resistant, 2.88-inch wide tape grips fast and strong and can handle changing temps on everything from metal to vinyl to stone. Like its brand predecessors, Gorilla Tape Tough & Wide is manufactured with a tight weave scrim and layered with double the adhesive of regular pressure sensitive tapes. This is the tape for difficult repairs.
Top Product Features
- 2.88-inches wide
- Weather-resistant and rugged
- Use on smooth or rough surfaces
- Bonds quickly and effectively
Product Reviews
- "Great for indoor or outdoor use and made to stick to rough, uneven, unforgiving surfaces like wood, stone, stucco, plaster, brick and more." – Amazon.com
- "Tough, Reinforced Backing; the tight weave contributes to the heft, but Gorilla Tape can still be ripped by hand. Rugged, Weather-Resistant Shell; Withstands moisture, UV rays and temperature extremes." -- Comparaboo
- "Great for indoor or outdoor use and made to stick to rough, uneven, unforgiving surfaces like wood, stone, stucco, plaster, brick and more. Double-Thick Adhesive; Grips smooth, rough and uneven surfaces. The tight weave contributes to the heft, but Gorilla Tape can still be ripped by hand." -- Top10HomeImprovementBestSellers.com
3. REAL Professional Premium Grade Gaffer Duct Tape
Price: 16.18
Set the stage for your repair’s success using REAL Professional Premium Grade Gaffer Tape by Gaffer Power. Originally designed for stage lighting professionals, this non-reflective and ultra-strong tape sticks to most jobsite and household surfaces; but, unlike most tapes, Gaffer Power brand tape won’t leave a sticky, scummy residue. Use it for permanent fixes or to secure wires and cord to the floor temporarily. Keep a roll in the garage and one on your boat or RV for quick fixes in a pinch. Made in the USA, Gaffer Power makes the best tape for your job and in a rainbow of colors to match your environment or mood.
Top Product Features
- More than a dozen colors available
- Tear by hand, no tools requires
- Safety secures cords to the floor or wall
- Leaves no residue at removal
Product Reviews
- "Good performance level tape that doesn’t leave residue behind, more flexible and stretchable than common duct tape, offers waterproof capabilities, multiple high visibility colors available for different situations." – BusinessInsider.com
- "This tape is what the pros use. It's industry standard, premium grade gaffer tape. Whatever you use Gaffer Power on, it holds it down solid but is very easily taken off, leaving no residue. The adhesive will not peel back up. Your gear will remain protected and completely undamaged." – WonderfulEngineering.com
4. Gorilla Clear Repair Tape
Price: 6.77
Gorilla Clear Repair Tape is the clear choice when you want an inconspicuous yet effective fix around the home or office. Use it outdoors, even on wet surfaces, to bond with an airtight seal. Perfect for patching camping gear, water floats, and even cracked tail lights. A notched-edge design makes it easy to tear by hand. This extra-thick tape won’t yellow like clear packing tape and resists UV rays and everything else Mother Nature tries to throw in its way. There is a reason Gorilla Tape makes up four of the top 11 and this 1.88-inch wide tape easily proves why. Gorilla Clear Repair Tape is easy to use but hard to see when you don’t want your DIY repair job visible.
Top Product Features
- Clear for hidden repairs
- Airtight; use it on pool floats and more
- Waterproof
- Thick, durable, and long-lasting
Product Reviews
- "It’s fairly unique in that it’s a thick clear vinyl tape, also for temporary repairs. It’s designed for fixing tents, air mattresses etc. It can also be used as a type of helicopter tape for protection of your mountain bike paintwork for instance. It's Weather and UV Proof " – TheTechnologyMan.com
- "This clear tape is waterproof, allowing it to be used for repairs in areas where moisture is present, but where transparency is required. It works great for repairing tears in screens on windows and doors because of its transparency." – BusinessInsider.com
5. Bazic Fluorescent Colored Duct Tape
Price: 11.86
Bazic Fluorescent Colored Duct Tape comes from a long line of quality school and office products. This bright and highly-visible line of duct tape isn’t as tough as some on the list, but is an affordable option for color coding boxes, books, and shelves and for temporary fixes around the home. Makes a great tape to set boundaries between workstations and can easily be written on by permanent marker to customize any smooth surface. Ideal for crafting. Bazic is a value-driven company with strategic manufacturing partners across the globe.
Top Product Features
- 6 extra bright colors
- Easy to use
- High-quality
- Perfect for home, school, and office
Product Reviews
- "Assorted Fluorescent Colored Duct Tape Multipurpose that tears easily, resists breaking and is durable." – Comparaboo.com
6. Duck Tape Max Strength Duct Tape
Price: 7.99
With three interlocking layers, Duck Tape Max Strength is strong enough for hard-core jobsites but affordable enough for home. Its strong adhesion makes it the perfect tape for the toolboxes professionals and DIY-ers working with wood, glass, plastic, masonry, and more. An always-reliable tape for outdoor applications, Duck Tape features extreme conformability, meaning you can use it around curves, bends, and corners. Designed with an aggressive rubber adhesive, this highly-flexible tape works where you need it, when you need it. Duck Brand, a subsidiary of the ShurTech family of products, was founded in 1950 and continues to uphold a strong tradition of quality.
Top Product Features
- All-purpose product for general repairs
- Strong adhesive; tensile
- Standard 1.88-inch width
- Perfect for waterproofing
Product Reviews
- "It has a material strength of 62 pounds, outdoor durability and strong adhesive and high material strength. Though it still manages to be flexible enough to wrap around corners and is easy to tear in a clean, straight line." – TheWireCutter.com
7. 3M Scotch 1160-A Multi-Purpose Duct Tape
Price: 6.4
Scotch is a household name that homeowners have come to trust and the company’s iconic silver two-inch duct tape reinforces the brand’s reputation. Scotch brand duct tape is a multi-purpose tape that can be used to make repairs both indoors and out. Its strong, tightly-woven material is waterproof and can stand up to repeated use in the elements. Ideal for permanent repairs or temporary fixes, Scotch Duct Tape is at the top of its class. Manufactured by the 3M Corporation, the Scotch brand was launched in 1930 and takes pride in offering products for everyday use.
Top Product Features
- Iconic silver color
- Multipurpose for home and work
- Strong and long-lasting
- 60-yard rolls
Product Reviews
8. Gorilla Tape 1-inch Handy Roll Duct Tape
Price: 2.99
Gorilla Tape To-Go’s handy 1-inch rolls means you can easily repair wear and tear anywhere. This all-purpose tape offers the same power as standard Gorilla Tape but has been downsized to fit in pockets and small toolboxes. As duct tapes go, you can’t get any better than Gorilla brand, which is three times stronger than the competition and doesn’t limit you to smooth surfaces. Gorilla Tape To-Go sticks to vinyl, metal, stucco, stone, and wood and can handle uneven surfaces with ease. Its reinforced backing is incredibly strong and withstands UV rays and moisture so you can make repairs on outdoor equipment, swing sets, and more.
Top Product Features
- Extra strong for a lasting hold
- Double-thick adhesive
- Use inside or outside
- Makes repairs on smooth or rough surfaces
Product Reviews
- "This is over double the thickness of the other tapes and truly stands alone. It rips very cleanly, has a very grippy adhesive and is very strong. It’s also releases cleanly from a lot of surfaces." – TheTechnologyMan.com
9. Aluminum Foil Tape
Price: 10.99
This highly-flexible epoxy-resin-coated aluminum foil tape features an easy-release silicone paper liner and is perfect for repairing hot and cold air ducts. In addition to being an excellent HVAC tape, this ultra-reflective material resists UV degradation, flames, and moisture. For use in high or low temperatures, this tape is pressure sensitive and can be applied to irregular or smooth surfaces for a long-lasting bond. At 1.9-inches wide, each 50-yard roll can be used for a number of applications in spaces both big and small.
Top Product Features
- Weather resistant
- Reflects heat and light
- Thermally conductive
- Perfect for HVAC applications
Product Reviews
- "Resists flame, moisture / vapor, UV degradation, odor, weather, some chemicals and smoke transmission. Good for both indoor and outdoor use. Chemically resistant, thermally conductive (helping cooling/heating efficiency), heat and light reflective." – Amazon.com
10. ProTapes Pro Duct 100 PE-Coated Cloth Economy Duct
Price: 7.3
ProTapes Pro Duct 100 PE-Coated Cloth Economy Duct tape is a well-priced option when you need a strong material on a budget. At 7-mils thick, this tape features extra adhesive but is still thin enough to use around curves and corners. Ideal for holding down cables, bundling, sealing, packaging, abatement, and HVAC applications, this is truly an all-purpose tape that is an all-around good value. ProTapes specializes in tape and has been manufacturing the best rolled adhesive products on the market for the arts and entertainment industry since 1977.
Top Product Features
- Use for maintenance or general repairs
- Available in three colors: black, white, silver
- Resists curling and twisting
- Bonds quickly
