Reflectix Construction Methods?

[Anonymous]

Pretty new at working with the Reflectix material – I've tried building a cooler similar to the Escape Pod. I'm using the Reflectix aluminum tape for joining the seams, and folded over to finish the edges. However, I've found this makes the edges pretty inflexible, and I the tape edges seem to catch and peel a little bit when I slide the two halves together and back apart again.

Is there a better tape to use, or an alternate construction method that may work better? It looks like the Escape Pod is sewn with some fabric ribbon (grosgrain or similar) for strength – has anyone tried that for their DIY projects?

[Jesse Anderson]

When making an insulating cozy for a bottle used for hot drinks I used Tenacious Tape. I only had the clear type on hand which is supposed to be removable. It's been a couple of months and it hasn't tried to peel itself off yet. It stayed pretty flexible as well. It's made in a variety of colors, and it works great for other gear repair.

[d k]

I made a pot cozy this summer, using duct tape (some contractor working on my house stole the reflectix tape that came with my roll! $^#*&$#&!!!) One thing that surprised me (but shouldn't have, if I was thinking ahead) was that when I got it up in the mountains, the air in the bubbles expanded, making the cozy way more snug than it had been at sea level – I could hardly get the pot out of it in camp, when I wanted to cook dinner! That's one thing to consider when making a cozy, if you hike at elevation.

[Mitchell Ebbott]

Duct tape works fine for me.

[Andrew F]

Clear packing tape also permanently bonds Reflectix. I've been using the same cozy for 3 years with no peeling or sticky goo.

[Anonymous]

The Tenacious Tape looks a little overpriced for what you get, but I'll definitely try some of the alternatives mentioned in this thread. Thanks for all the suggestions.

[David Moreno]

I'll second the use of clear packing tape. It stays in place very well and also stay flexible under most conditions.

[Author]

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