3M 2120 Scotch Transparent High Performance Duct Tape

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 p

• 3M 2120 Scotch Transparent High Performance Duct Tape