Survival/Camping uses for electrical tape?

Water proofing containers. I also use it to add grip to sheaths, flashlights and a few other things.

Heck...I've used electrical tape and duct tape to hold gauze on a good sized gash. Whatever works!

Be sure to get some with good adhesive! A lot of electrical tape has fairly weak stuff imo.

I've used it to help insulate the ends of metal cup/pan handles.

Also makes great band aids for fingers. Stretch it a little when wrapping and it applies pressure for you. Just monitor and don't turn fingers purple...

Overall its almost as handy as duct tape.

electrical tape has decent tensile strength .... bind it up and tie a knot ....

Thanks to all! I've made a list of your ideas on a 3 x 5 card and am keeping it with the tape!
Thanks again.

Should make fairly decent lashing material for primitive and regular shelters.

If you are going to use electrical tape please spend a little extra and get the good stuff. I have used numerous brands and types of tape pulling miles and miles of wires over the years. The best one that I have found is Scotch 35 tape. It comes in 10 different colors, stays sticky and is easily removed. Most tapes will leave a sticky residue behind if the tape has been in place for some time, not this stuff. I have used this tape for the past 25 years and won't use anything else. AAAA+++++

Just pull out a length of tape from the roll and begin to twist it until it becomes lightweight cordage. Not meant for heavy loads of course.

Colin said:

Be sure to get some with good adhesive! A lot of electrical tape has fairly weak stuff imo.

I've used it to help insulate the ends of metal cup/pan handles.

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Electrical tape is not duct tape... it isn't meant to stick by the adhesive alone. It's supposed to be stretched when applied.

Electrical tape has limited use. Cloth medical tape and duct tape are more versatile. Unless you're working with electrics.

Az

Lord Darwath said:

Electrical tape is not duct tape... it isn't meant to stick by the adhesive alone. It's supposed to be stretched when applied.

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I need to clarify this statement a bit more. Electrical tape is designed to be wrapped around something as it is stretched. It really will not hold to a single flat surface (beyond holding itself in place).

azb said:

Electrical tape has limited use. Cloth medical tape and duct tape are more versatile. Unless you're working with electrics.

Az

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It depends. Electrical tape is better if you want to maintain inward tension on whatever you're wrapping it around. Cloth tape and duct tape don't have that degree of stretch.
If I were lashing two sticks together to make a longer stick, I would probably go with a combination of electrical tape to tightly hold the sticks in relative position, wrapped further with duct tape for strength.

I use electrical tape to secure the spinning reel on my ice fishing rod.
It's stretchy properties allow a sure grip on the rod.

Lord Darwath said:

It depends. Electrical tape is better if you want to maintain inward tension on whatever you're wrapping it around. Cloth tape and duct tape don't have that degree of stretch.
If I were lashing two sticks together to make a longer stick, I would probably go with a combination of electrical tape to tightly hold the sticks in relative position, wrapped further with duct tape for strength.

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If you're looking to lash two poles together for one longer pole with more lateral strength, use cord. Leave a loop to run a third stick through. As you turn the third stick, it will tighten the cord and give you far more inward tension than you could ever get from electrical tape. It would also allow you to adjust the tension, or release it and retension, as in a touniquet. Not only would electrical tape break long before it could reach a fraction of the inward tension of cord wrapped this way, it can not be adjusted or reused as the adhesive loses it ability to stick with reuse. Dirt, humidity, and other factors can cause the adhesive to weaken and fail as well. Even the crappiest of cord can be reused a few times.

Az

Leave the electrical tape for electrical work. It's not ideal for the outdoors.

I guess I should have specified - if I were stuck using tape instead of cord.

azb said:

If you're looking to lash two poles together for one longer pole with more lateral strength, use cord.

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I've used E-tape to wrap around my boots when they got a hole in them.

Just a temporary thing.

I've read over all of the responses, and thought long and hard, and really, I don't think electrical tape has a place in my BOB.
After reading these responses, I'd be better served to use the weight/space for more paracord.
Thanks to all.

I get some duct tape from my airplane mechanic that is the toughest stuff I've ever seen.

It's kind of dark green colored duct tape. Like a military version.

When I find out exactly what it is, I'll come back.