But the adhesive duct tape we know and love today didn't appear until World War II. A factory worker who was packaging ammunition sealed each box with tape and wax to make them waterproof.

XFasten Self-Fusing Waterproof Silicone Tape costs about $15 a roll. Otherwise, a tape from a well-known brand should do the job just fine, like Duck All Weather Repair Tape for just under $10 a roll.

It wasn’t just for gear repairs—duct tape became a battlefield essential in Vietnam. Soldiers used it for patching up helicopters, sealing wounds, and even waterproofing weapons.

A waterproof bandage could block those bugs ... Most of the bandages are rectangular and have adhesive strips with duct-tape-like fibers that sometimes stayed on skin when the bandage was removed.