The best duct tape you can buy

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The Insider Pick:

• Duct tape can repair almost anything, as you’ll learn after about 5 minutes of watching Internet video. But if you want to make sure the repair work you’re doing will last as long as possible, the toughest and best duct tape on the market is Black Gorilla Tape. You’ll pay a little more for it, but it’s worth the cost.

Ask someone to start listing the greatest inventions in the past century or so, and you’re sure to receive a lot of high-tech types of answers, like computers, cars, and the brain implant that will convince you low-calorie brownies taste as good as the real thing. (Trust us, this last one is on the way and will be a big seller.)

Low-tech inventions have their place on the list, too, though. Sliced bread was a pretty good discovery. Today, duct tape ranks near the top of the best low-tech inventions. If the Internet has taught us anything, it’s that duct tape can do almost anything, making it a must-have household staple.

But not all duct tape is created equal … and we don’t just mean the difference between the hot pink and animal print duct tape rolls that seem to be the only options available in the house when you have a repair to make.

What to look for in a good duct tape

If you’ve ever tried to make a legitimate repair with some of the cheap stuff, you know what we mean when we say, all duct tape definitely is not created equally. Here are some things to look for when purchasing duct tape.

• Colors: As duct tape has grown in popularity, companies have created this product in almost any color and pattern that you can imagine. If you’re looking for a heavy-duty duct tape for performing repairs, you will have fewer color options. But the less expensive, decorative style duct tape rolls are great for arts and crafts.
• Layers: The best type of duct tape will consist of distinctive layers, as Ask the Builder explains. The outer layer may have a bit of a shine to it, giving it some weather resistance. This is the visible layer on top. The next layer is a fabric layer that is easy to tear but that also contains tough fibers. The bottom adhesive layer offers a component that will stick to almost any surface. The adhesive almost certainly will leave a residue behind if you ever attempt to remove the tape, however.
• Tearing: Although it seems counter-intuitive, a quality duct tape will tear fairly easily from the roll. It’s the way the fibers in the design of the tape work, giving it the toughness you want, while also being easy to tear. If the duct tape is difficult to tear and requires scissors, it’s probably going to stretch badly when it’s placed under stress. Duct tape should stretch just a little bit, but not excessively.
• Thickness: If you have a lot of trouble finding the edge of the tape on a roll, it’s probably a cheap type of duct tape. Quality duct tape will have enough thickness that finding the edge of the tape on the roll is easy.
• Weight: A good roll of duct tape is going to have some heft to it, according to The Boat Gallery. If the roll of duct tape feels more like a roll of masking tape in weight, it isn’t going to give you the toughness you want.

As Echo Tape explains, different grades of duct tape exist. Most duct tape must be able to stand up to heat and air pressure. But different models are available, including coated cloth, gaffer’s, and industrial style duct tape, as well as decorative tape that doesn’t offer the toughness of average duct tape.

The main reason to avoid using duct tape on certain projects is that it leaves a significant amount of residue behind if you ever attempt to remove it. Pick something other than duct tape when you know you’ll be removing the tape later or when you’re concerned about the surface of the object being taped. Although if you’re in the wilderness all alone with a sprained ankle and nothing but duct tape, we’re guessing you won’t mind the residue later if the duct tape helps you walk to safety by supporting the ankle.

If it's duct tape that you need, you should buy the Black Gorilla Tape. Read on in the slides below to learn why it's our top pick and why you should also consider the Gaffer Power Professional Premium Tape, the Scotch 3M No Residue Duct Tape, the Gorilla Crystal Clear Tape, and the Fortis Design Platypus Designer Duct Tape.

The best duct tape overall

Why you'll love it: If you’re more concerned about duct tape doing the job than looking pretty, Black Gorilla Tape offers the highest level of toughness.

The folks behind Black Gorilla Tape not only have a great marketing slogan and mascot, but they also offer an extremely durable brand of duct tape that will perform almost any kind of job you need it to do.

Gorilla tape uses a powerful gorilla as a mascot, and its marketing campaign says its tape is made for the toughest jobs on Earth. We don’t think Gorilla tape manufacturers are overselling their product, as others in the market cannot duplicate its toughness. One Amazon reviewer says the Gorilla tape lasts a long time, even when used in harsh outdoor conditions.

The Popular Mechanics review says Black Gorilla Tape stood up to its weight support and durability tests better than any other type of duct tape. Another Amazon reviewer agreed, saying it even works to perform a waterproof repair inside a bucket.

The Wirecutter says Gorilla tape had the strongest adhesive and fabric layers in its tests versus all other kinds of “tough” tapes.

The only downside any reviewers have reported is that Black Gorilla Tape doesn’t have much stretch-ability to it. According to the Gear Junkie, that may be a disadvantage versus other duct tapes in certain situations. It is also a bit expensive compared to what you'd find at the dollar store, but it is worth it.

Pros: 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

Cons: Doesn’t offer much flexibility or stretch-ability, you’ll pay more for a product of this quality

Buy Black Gorilla Tape 1.88 Inches by 35 Yards (1 Roll) on Amazon for $8.47

The best no-residue duct tape

Why you'll love it: Duct tape isn’t a great option when you have to remove the tape later, as it leaves behind residue … unless you’re using the Scotch 3M No Residue Duct Tape, that is.

If you want to stick – get it? – with a high-quality tape, look for one that comes from a major brand name manufacturer. And when it comes to tape, 3M is the king.

So when seeking a duct tape that doesn’t leave residue behind, you can trust 3M and the Scotch 3M No Residue Duct Tape. 3M says its duct tape will not leave residue behind for up to six months after applying it. It works on odd surfaces, too, including plastic and cotton, according to the Mom Start review.

In its video review, Money Pit Media says the Scotch No Residue Duct Tape worked as advertised during its tests. The Canadian Woodworking site agrees, adding that this tape is thicker than some other types of duct tape options, giving it a toughness that others can't beat. However, it is a little harder to tear from the roll than other options.

The main appeal of this tape is that it doesn't leave any residue behind, and buyers highlight this feature frequently. One Amazon buyer says this no residue duct tape is perfect for using on gear being stored for the winter, as it will stand up to tough weather conditions, yet it leaves no residue on the gear when it’s unpacked again a few months later in the spring.

Although the 3M duct tape is available at a reasonable price, some Amazon reviewers say parts of the tape toward the end of the roll don’t perform as well as the tape at the start of the roll, limiting this product’s value a little bit.

Pros: Excellent choice for duct tape that you know you’ll have to remove later, reasonable price point, thick type of duct tape that provides excellent toughness, stands up to use in all types of weather conditions

Cons: Thick tape that may be difficult to tear by hand for some people, some parts of the end of the tape roll may not be usable

Buy Scotch 3M No Residue Duct Tape 1.88 Inches by 25 Yards (2425-HD) on Amazon for $8.49 (originally $11.49)

The best transparent duct tape

Why you'll love it: Clear tape typically isn’t as tough as colored duct tape, but the Gorilla Crystal Clear Tape is the toughest type of transparent tape you can buy.

Transparent duct tape seems like a great idea, especially compared to the ugly silver/gray duct tape most companies offer. However, it’s difficult to create an extremely tough clear tape, because of the inability to add a thick fabric layer.

The top-notch Gorilla brand has found the formula to create an extremely tough type of transparent tape. The Gorilla Crystal Clear Tape isn’t quite as tough as traditional duct tape, but it still can perform most repairs that you want without yellowing when exposed to weather.

This tape is easy to tear by hand, as the edges are notched, according to the Extreme How To review. It's also very strong and long-lasting.

Product Reviews says this clear tape is waterproof, allowing it to be used for repairs in areas where moisture is present, but where transparency is required. However, the Gorilla Crystal Clear Tape may not stand up to an especially tough water blocking application, such as on a swimming pool, according to one Amazon buyer.

Another Amazon reviewer says this clear tape works great for repairing tears in screens on windows and doors because of its transparency.

This transparent tape works well for the majority of jobs, says one Amazon reviewer, but it won’t work as well as traditional duct tape on repair tasks requiring heavy-duty toughness. Still, if you need clear tape, this is the best roll you can buy.

Pros: Tougher type of tape than most transparent tapes, easy to tear this clear tape by hand, won’t yellow when exposed to tough weather, will work in areas where moisture is present

Cons: Not as tough as traditional duct tape, roll is shorter than other duct tapes at only 9 yards long

Buy Gorilla Crystal Clear Tape 1.88 Inches by 9 Yards (1 Roll) on Amazon for $6.77