Amazon.com Review It's not often the word revolutionary can be associated with duct tape, that old, sticky standby used in plumbing repairs, hockey stick augmentation, and homeland security protection. By getting the gray out--and avoiding the "sore thumb" look of typical duct tape repairs--3M's Scotch Transparent Duct Tape can indeed lay claim to a revolution of the toolbox. But seeing through it is just the start. This duct tape can be easily torn by hand, is UV resistant, and, through accelerated weathering tests, has been shown to last six times longer than its old-school namesake.
Duct tape has been around since 1942 when the military needed a waterproof tape for sealing ammunition boxes. Originally colored green, it was referred to as "duck tape" due to its moisture resistance as well as its cotton duck construction--the same ribbed cloth used in bandages. After the war, it was adopted by contractors working in the booming housing industry, where it got its "duct" name for easily connecting heating and air conditioning ducts.
History's fine, but what can 3M's new, clear duct tape do for us? Virtually anything. First, we noticed its powerful stickiness--the roll itself adheres to just about any surface when laid on its side. As advertised, the tape was easily torn from the roll by hand with minimal force. 3M also seems to have ironed out one of the biggest complaints about duct tape: wrinkles. In our testing, we applied it repeatedly and evenly without the tape sticking to itself and without creating odd bumps and creases. And while the tape is rather sticky, it doesn't go overboard, easily lifting off surfaces when we needed it to and not leaving the tacky, viscous residue often found with other duct tapes.
As for its transparency, the tape blended well into just about any surface we applied it to. It was never "invisible" but did have the chameleon-like quality of reflecting the surface beneath it and only calling attention to itself when caught in direct light. Also, we placed bands of the tape over our computer monitor before writing this review (don't try this at home, kids). Peering through the fabric ribs was a nuisance, but we were able to compose the description you're now reading. How's that for transparency?
Our only complaint is that, as with most transparent tapes, finding where to start peeling the roll can be difficult. While this certainly isn't a showstopper, we did find a solution: mounting the roll onto a tape gun.
Tape, by its nature, is not a terribly exciting product (or topic). But 3M's Scotch Transparent Duct Tape is truly a tipping-point entrant, one that may someday become ubiquitous and banish gray duct tape to the nether reaches of our tool sheds, and memories. --Agen G.N. Schmitz
Pros:
Transparent, easily blends into the surface background
Easily torn from the roll with minimal force
Sticky, but not too sticky
Adheres smoothly without wrinkles or creases
Cons:
So transparent that finding where to start peeling the roll can be difficult
Product Description Scotch, 1.88" x 20 YD, Transparent Duct Tape, Makes Your Repair Less Obvious, Will Not Fall Apart In Extreme Temperatures Or Harsh UV Conditions Like Other All Purpose Duct Tapes.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best things ever, made betterAugust 12, 2007 3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Everyone knows how useful a roll of duct tape is. But did you ever think how much more useful it would be if it didn't look so lousy? (I wish I had! Doh!)
They've had different color duct tape for a while - the white was handy for a lot of things. But that doesn't quite do it, and they don't make every color, and I'm not going to buy every color!
But the clear tape is almost like having a roll of every color - since it (somewhat) blends into whatever you use it for. So go ahead and use it on your running shoes, your childrens' books (to repair the spine or stick down the popups again), and so many other new uses.
I can't vouch that it lasts as long outside as they claim it does (6x longer). And it is expensive - this is just 20 yards. So as mentioned, when you're taping up ducts in the basement, you're still probably going to want to use silver duct tape.
The Amazon description above is pretty accurate and useful, if you want more info. By the way, to find the end ... just run your fingernail around the roll, you can feel the end. The tape is thick enough that works well enough.
For a few bucks, everyone should have a roll of this at home, you'll find a hundred ways to use it. Maybe not on ducts. Or ducks. But you'll use it.
Works. And it's clear.November 30, 2006 0 out of 1 found this review helpful
It seemed to disappear quickly though. I'm not sure if it's shorter than other rolls.
Switch to this and never go back!September 19, 2005 1 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is incredible stuff. It has so much going for it: 1. It is duct tape. you all know what that means it can do. 2. Good quality adhesive. Some tapes have cheap, lousy adhesive, or stuff that will never come off (gooey). This is very strong, but comes off clean. 3. Clear! Can be used on the outside of things, so instead of using rolls to do surface to surface tapes, you can just run along the edge. Also helps if used as wart remover. 4. Long lasting outside, due to new formula. 5. tears well. Some cheaper stuff can't be torn easily, this is very nice. 6. Self sticking has been reduced; can acutally be salvaged from a self curl now.
Cons: 1. Quite expensive. I use two rolls, one this and one gray, then trade them off when clear is needed or not.
