Field
Report: McNett Tenacious Tape
Jennifer
Koles
July
18, 2006
Reviewer
Information
Name: Jennifer Koles
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Height: 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)
Weight:
140 lb (64 kg)
Email
address: jennksnowy at yahoo dot com
City,
State, and Country: Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
Backpacking
Background
I
started taking overnight
backpacking trips last
year in the Uinta Mountain Range in Utah. I
found myself taking entirely too much gear. I am finding
out slowly how
to minimize my needs and not require extra luxuries. My previous
outdoor
experiences consisted of 4-wheel-drive camping in primitive areas and
day
hiking. I use a four season convertible tent or a
three
season
tent for my shelter. I plan to take more trips, increase my
duration, and
reduce my two to three day pack weight (food and water included) from
26 lb (12 kg).
Product
Information
The
Tenacious Tape comes packaged in a blue transparent plastic cylindrical tube. The tape is
rolled into a cylinder and held in position with a rubber band. The
tape has a paper backing that is removed prior to application to expose
the adhesive.
Manufacturer:
McNett Corporation
Year
of Manufacture: 2006
Manufacturer’s
Website: http://www.mcnett.com
Listed
Weight: not listed on manufacturer website
Weight
as Delivered: .80 oz (23 g) including container and roll; roll .50 oz
(14 g);container .30 oz (9 g)
MSRP: $3.50 US currency
Color
Available: clear
Color
Tested: clear
Dimensions:
20 in x 3 in (50 cm x 7.5 cm)
Product Description
Manufacturer Description:
- Removable - Leaves No Residue!
- High Strength Adhesive - Better Than
Duct Tape!
- Clear Matte Finish - Works on Any
Fabric Color
- Long Lasting Repairs
- Lightweight and Compact
Directions (noted by
the manufacturer):
Prep: Clean and dry area to be repaired.
Trim loose threads. Join torn edges of material. Cut patch to overlap
damaged area by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) in all directions. Round patch
at corners.
Apply: Peel off backing and apply to
damaged area. Apply pressure from center out to eliminate air bubbles.
For maximum strength on large holes, apply matching patch to opposite
side of material. Product can be used immediately; adhesive will
continue to strengthen over time.
For Permanent Repairs: Use Seam Grip
Field Repair Kit or Aquaseal Water Repair Kit
Initial Impression
and Testing Strategy
My initial impression of this product
can be viewed on my Initial Report.
The Tenacious Tape was applied to four
items (torn
jacket sleeve, inside a leather hiking boot, windsurfing sail, and a
bicycle tube) during this testing period. The details on the
application of the tape to the jacket, boot, and the windsurfing sail
are available on my Initial Report
Testing Location
The product was tested in the Utah
Wasatch Mountain
Range in elevations between 6,000 and 10,000 ft (1829-3048 m). The
temperature ranges during the testing period were between 10 F (-12 C)
and 80 F (27 C). On various days the tape was exposed to sun,
wind, dry conditions, snow, and rain in this geographic area.
The product was also tested in the Salt
Lake City
Valley area with an elevation of approximately 4,330 ft (1,320 m).
During the testing period I experienced weather on various days
that was dry, sunny, partly cloudy, and rainy. The temperatures ranged
from 45 F to 95 F (7 C to 35 C).
Testing Performance
Initially the Tenacious Tape was applied
to a tear in
a jacket, inside of a leather boot, and a tear in a windsurfing sail.
The tape was applied to three punctures in a bicycle tube during this
testing period.
| Tested
Performance Areas During the Field Reporting Phase |
Results |
|
Determine how long the tape stays adhered to different
fabrics and materials (leather, cloth, plastic). Does the tape peel off
when it becomes wet or with quick changes in temperature? Does the tape
peel off the jacket when washed? Does the tape peel off the windsurfing
sail after being exposed to water?
Repaired area on jacket after four months of testing.
|
Tear on Jacket: The Tenacious Tape stayed
adhered to the
jacket for four months. The jacket has been washed two times in warm
water. The jacket was not dried in the dryer. The tape does show some
peeling around the edges but, it is minor. The area that had the tear
in the jacket is still covered by the tape.
Inside of Leather Boot: The tape did not stay
in place
on the inside of the leather boot. This was a difficult repair and I
encountered difficulty having the tape adhere properly to the inside of
the boot during the initial testing period. When the tape pulled way
from the inside of the boot and lost its adhesion there was no gooey
and sticky mess on the inside of the boot.
Tear in Windsurfing Sail: The tape was applied
to a tear
in the plastic on a windsurfing sail. The tape was placed on the sail
to prevent further tearing. The tape remained in place after four
months and did not show signs of peeling around the edges. The tape
adhered very well to the cloth and the plastic and is showing a strong
bond to the plastic surface.
|
|
I will evaluate if the tape remains clear in color or if
there is any discoloration noted. Does any water seep between the tape
and the item it was applied to?
|
The tape did remain clear in color on all surfaces that
it was
applied to. There is no discoloration noted. There was no noted water
under the tape on the windsurfing sail and the jacket. The jacket does
have an air bubble under the tape. This is due to poor application on
my part. I had difficulty removing all the air bubbles under the tape
on the jacket.
|
|
Bicycle Tube Repair: I
cut some small circular
pieces of the tape and stored them in my bike pouch for when they are
needed.
Determine if the patch adheres to
the tube and how long the
patch remains on the tube.
Two pieces of
tenacious tape applied to puncture in bicycle tube
|
I stored 3 circular patches of Tenacious Tape in my
cycling
pack in a small plastic bag that stores my other brand of tube patches.
Some of the tape did lift from the adhesive backing, but I believe this
is from
cramming the tape into my pack. There was no dirt noted on the adhesive
after removing it from the backing. I repaired a bicycle tube in three
areas during the testing of this product. There were no instructions on
how to repair a tube so I followed my standard protocol. I cleaned the
area with an alcohol wipe, I let it dry, then I applied the tape. The
tape adhered better with the tube inflated. The edges have lifted off
slightly on one of the patches
that was placed on the tube when it was not fully inflated. However,
the patches are still holding the air in the tube. I
did find it tedious to peel off the backing when attempting to patch
the tire. I would rather have the tape patches on a flat sheet of
backing that I can just peel of the patch. One of the patches on the
tube has been intact for a month.
|
|
To make repairs in the field I would carry the tape with
me in my backpack placed in the cylindrical tube provided. I would like
to test the effectiveness of the tape after being stored in a backpack
for at least 3 months. Does the cylindrical tube keep moisture and dirt
away from the tape?
|
There was no dirt or moisture noted in the cylindrical
tube
during the testing period. When the tape is rolled and placed in the
container there are areas of tape that are lifting off the
backing
where there are small creases from not rolling the tape and keeping it
into a perfect cylindrical rolled shape. If the rolled tape is exposed
to dirt some of the particles are able to adhere to the area that is
lifted off the backing. When dirt or particles are stuck to the
adhesive the tape does not form a strong bond when used for a repair. I
had no problems using an area of tape that
showed lifting off the adhesive. However. the tape was clean.
|
|
I will evaluate if water seeps in the the container when
submerged in water. I will complete this potion of the test with a
small amount of tape in the container, to determine if the tape remains
dry.
|
Water does seep into the container when it is submerged.
The
tape that was stored in the container became wet during this portion of
the test. Some of the water came into contact with the adhesive that
was exposed in the crease of the roll. When the adhesive became wet the
tape was still able to bond to a surface when it dried. However, the
bond is not as strong as using dry tape that the adhesive never became
wet. The container does protect the tape from drops of water and
condensation.
|
Summary
The Tenacious Tape product
works well for
temporary repairs in the field. The tape does peel away clean with no
gooey residue left on the surface of the item that was repaired. The
tape does work for a bicycle tube repair and has stayed intact for one
month. The tape can be difficult to remove from the backing to expose
the adhesive. The tape does not discolor over time and there has been
no fabric discoloration noted during this testing period.
Things I Like
Things I Do Not Like
Remarks
Thank
you McNett Corporation and Backpack Gear Test
for providing me with the opportunity to test
the Tenacious Tape.
Read more reviews of McNett Corporation gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Estrella
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