Source for good repair tape?

A quality House Wrap Repair Tape is as good as it gets for non glue options. It is high tack, water and air tight so it'sgood for pads, tarps, tents, jackets etc. You can carry strips because it has a peel off backing paper.

Some good info and options in this article

https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2022/06/30/choosing-the-right-construction-tape-for-the-job

Kai Larson wrote:

I have used Tenacious Tape.  I've used the Wiglav tape (similar to Tyvek tape, but made in Switzerland.)   They both work well.  

My current favorite is this stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OPO13M?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Sticks to fabric very well, doesn't seem to come off.  It's clear, which is nice.  

This tape came off in the 1st wash :(  

The pants are over a year old but originally had a water repellent coating so perhaps that's the problem.  

Can they be used to replace the old seam tapes of a tent?

I've had tenacious tape on a down jacket and down sleeping bag for like 8 or 9 years and the jacket has been washed a lot of times. The bag has been washed at least 4 or 5 times. It holds up great, did they change it in recent years? 

Kai Larson wrote:

I have used Tenacious Tape.  I've used the Wiglav tape (similar to Tyvek tape, but made in Switzerland.)   They both work well.  

My current favorite is this stuff:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OPO13M?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Sticks to fabric very well, doesn't seem to come off.  It's clear, which is nice.  

Have you tried the Tear-aid stuff on tent body/fly materials? Tried the Tear-aid on a tear in pleather in the spouse's Outback. It must get too hot in the car interior for the adhesive to fully cure, as it wanted to deform/shift all the time. Removed it and replaced with Tenacity Tape which is holding solid. Wondering if its worth trying the Tear-aid on a couple tent repairs, or just stick with Tenacity Tape or Seamseal. I like the pliability of the Tear-aid stuff, just wondering if it likes thin fabrics.

Ben V wrote:

I've always carried tenacious tape in my Repair kit when on long climbs, but have been interested in a blog post here. Tenacious tape works fine, but I have found that it sometimes doesn't hold up as well, especially if you're washing the garment ever. 

In it, a couple of tapes from Germany and Austria are mentioned (Betrafol, Ampicoll) as well as Tyvec tape for siding houses is mentioned as a much better alternative. 

This has gotten me thinking- has anyone used these tapes or something similar? Do you know where and how to get them in the US? Would sail repair tape be just as good? Would Tyvec tape be crinkley as a patch? 

Curious about people's experiences before I go out and buy a bunch of rolls of tape. If anyone has a hookup for where to buy the Betrafol tape let me know! 

Try StickyPatches Repair Tape. It can be found on ccrstickypatches.com It is very aggressive and waterproof, and can be colored with marker or paint

Try StickyPatches Repair Tape. It can be found on ccrstickypatches.com It is very aggressive and waterproof, and can be colored with marker or paint

I ended up purchasing some siga wigluv tape - so far it is awesome. It was pricy, but if you get a few people together it is a ton of tape and the cost per person goes way down. 

I was in Europe and tried to get some betrafol but was not able to, but this seems to be working really well. 

Resurrecting this, just to chip in regarding a potentially suitable alternative. 

It's DuPont AirGuard Tape. 

This falls under DuPont's Tyvek range but is not to be confused with alternative Tyvek tapes as the properties all vary. As a result, it's specifically the AirGuard that you want.

https://www.dupont.co.uk/products/airguard-tape.html

I can get it in the UK so surely it'll be available in the States as well. 

I've yet to receive mine but from specification, it looks very similar to Betrafol. 

I'll report back once I've received it and tried it.

Atis Krievins wrote:

Resurrecting this, just to chip in regarding a potentially suitable alternative. 

It's DuPont AirGuard Tape. 

This falls under DuPont's Tyvek range but is not to be confused with alternative Tyvek tapes as the properties all vary. As a result, it's specifically the AirGuard that you want.

https://www.dupont.co.uk/products/airguard-tape.html

I can get it in the UK so surely it'll be available in the States as well. 

I've yet to receive mine but from specification, it looks very similar to Betrafol. 

I'll report back once I've received it and tried it.

If that has a removable backing that looks pretty great! 

Ben V wrote:

If that has a removable backing that looks pretty great! 

It does indeed! 

Will report back findings once I've got it here and I've used it!

Atis Krievins wrote:

Resurrecting this, just to chip in regarding a potentially suitable alternative. 

It's DuPont AirGuard Tape. 

This falls under DuPont's Tyvek range but is not to be confused with alternative Tyvek tapes as the properties all vary. As a result, it's specifically the AirGuard that you want.

https://www.dupont.co.uk/products/airguard-tape.html

I can get it in the UK so surely it'll be available in the States as well. 

I've yet to receive mine but from specification, it looks very similar to Betrafol. 

I'll report back once I've received it and tried it.

Received the tape yesterday. 

It looks and feels virtually the same as Betrafol. 

The tape comes on a roll with a paper backing and is also reinforced with mesh.

Overall, the texture, tackiness and amount of stretch feel very alike and it appears that the main difference is the colour.

I will patch some gear with it and report back in a while, once I've had a chance to put some miles in.

I’ve had excellent results using Polyken Gaffers tape.  The stuff is very cheap, and on one of my jackets it is held up to at least a dozen washes before I threw out the jacket.  I threw out the jacket because it was becoming more tape than nylon.  

I would wipe down the surface to be repaired with alcohol, let dry, and apply.  I would also make sure to radius the corners so it wouldn’t have an easy edge to catch and peel off.

https://www.reddit.com/r/alpinism/comments/1b24g5b/comparison_is_the_thief_of_joy/

Ben Flowers wrote:

https://www.reddit.com/r/alpinism/comments/1b24g5b/comparison_is_the_thief_of_joy/

clickable link for everyone

For anyone who can't get Betrafol, I have used Rissan tape from the Swiss manufacturer Siga. It's 6cm wide instead of 5cm and comes in roles of 25m. To me, it feels at least on par with Betrafol. I've never had either of these two fail on me.

https://www.siga.swiss/global_en/products/rissan