If Aspirin is a wonder drug, duct tape is the “wonder adhesive.”

No survival kit or tool chest is complete without at least one roll; here are some practical uses in a survival setting.

Repair a tent

You open your tent at the campsite and oops — a little tear. No problem as long as you’ve brought your duct tape along. Cover the hole with a patch; for double protection mirror the patch inside the tent. You’ll keep insects and weather where they belong.

Make a rope

Twist one or several lengths of duct tape into a cord or rope. Of course paracord would be a lot better and you do have some of that, right?)

Hold the feathers in your sleeping bag

If you have a hole in your down sleeping bag, you can patch the hole with duct tape. No more feathers flying out all over the place.

Reseal packages of food

Use duct tape to seal up partially opened packages of food. Fold over the top of the package and seal it tight with a piece of duct tape. Works for cans, too. Simply fashion a lid out of duct tape.

Hold your tent closed

A damaged zipper could leave your tent door flapping in the wind. Stick the door shut, and keep the bugs and critters out.

Wrap a sprained ankle

If you trip and sprain your ankle, wrap the ankle with duct tape to give it some support.

Make a sling

Fold a length of DT down the middle, so that it is half the original width and no longer exposing a sticky side. Use the strap to make a sling for a busted arm.

Affix bandages

Place a sterile dressing over your wound, and strap it in place with DT.

Blister care

Cover the blistered area with a bit of cotton gauze, and tape over the cotton. Make sure that the duct tape fully covers the cotton and doesn’t touch the blister at all.

Create a splint

A broken ankle or leg can be stabilized with ample splint material, padding and duct tape. Pad the crotch of a forked branch with some cloth and duct tape to fashion a quick crutch to go with your splint.

Make a bandage

Fold tissue paper or paper towel to cover the wound and cover this with duct tape.

Tape a broken window

Before removing broken window glass, crisscross the broken pane with duct tape to hold it all together. This will ensure a shard does not fall out and cut you.

Mend a screen

Have the bugs found the tear in your window or door screen? Thwart their entrance until you make a permanent fix by covering the hole with duct tape.

Repair your glasses

If your glasses break while you are out in the wilderness, tape them up. You might look a bit nerdy but at least you will be able to see.

Fix your rain gear

Keep the dry stuff dry, and keep the water out, by mending your ripped rain gear with a few strips of duct tape.

Repair your clothing

Repair rips and tears in your clothing by slipping a piece of tape inside the rip, sticky side out, and carefully pressing both sides of the rip together. The repair will be barely detectable.

Mark a trail

Use duct tape to blaze a trail or signal for rescue, especially if your DT is brightly colored or reflective.

Make emergency repairs on your Bug Out Vehicle

Repair leaking hoses, broken tail lights, windows that don’t stay and even bullet holes with strips of duct tape.

Hang perimeter or security lights

String lights around your camp with a rope make of duct tape.

These are just a few uses for duct tape, which if you have ever completed a project around your house, you likely already know.

Every survival kit, bug-out bag or tool collection should have at least one roll of the stuff and it makes more sense to have a few wherever you go.

To learn more about the versatility of duct tape, please visit Wake Up World.