Duct tape is strong, flexible, waterproof and super sticky. It should be in your emergency kit at home AND on your packing list for when you travel.
You never know when you need to:
- repair a suitcase or bag
- make something water tight (leaky boat anyone?)
- prevent shattering glass during a storm
- keep a door or drawer shut / open to name but a few uses.
On one cruise ship the closet doors would not stay shut at night and kept banging open. Every time the ship rolled the door opened! Out came the trusty duct tape and we were able to sleep soundly…
But I’m packing light? I don’t want to lug a huge roll of duct tape “just in case”!
Hey – I hear you because I’m a carry-on only traveller!
What I do is I take a piece of thick cardboard or plastic (the cardboard backing from a small notepad works well), and I wrap the duct tape around it a bunch of times and make my own mini flat roll of tape. This method takes up almost no space or weight in your suitcase.
Another option is to wrap a few feet of duct tape around a pen/pencil.
Plus it comes in a myriad of colours – my personal favourite is pink duck tape. It also comes in different patterns and colours.
Another idea is this indestructible – on how to flatten a roll of duct tape. But to me, that’s way too much work, and I’d rather spend my time looking for travel deals!
Hey….you hope this doesn’t ever happen to you, but if it does the Calculated Traveller is always ready!
Check out the articles:
– Travel Supplies – 5 Items That Go From Kitchen Drawer to Suitcase
– From desk to suitcase – travel supplies from office supplies
That is great advice! Just like Dela previously mentioned, I didn’t think about bringing duct tape either. When I think back, there are so many situations that could have been fixed if I only had some tape. I will definitely bring in the future.
I didn’t know they had duck tape in different colours!
Good tip! I never would’ve thought to bring duct tape, but I can see how it could be useful. Anything for a good night’s sleep!
Thanks Deia for stopping by! Yes, you don’t need a lot….perhaps just a few feet in your bag will do the trick in a multitude of situations…