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FiberFix: The $6 tool every overlander should have

The modern four-wheel drive enthusiast carries many tools, but few are as cheap or versatile as a good old roll of duct-tape. From repairing hoses and reattaching broken parts, to the crazy extremes of patching an airplane, this silver miracle can almost always find a way to get you home, or at least to the repair shop. There’s no doubt that it has been the absolute king of odd-ball fixes since its invention, but now a new product is poised to usurp the throne. It’s called FiberFix, and with a touted strength more than 100 times that of duct-tape, it is finding its way into tool boxes across the nation.

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So what the heck is it? Simply put, FiberFix is a fiberglass based resin tape that is activated when soaked in water. It is resistant to temperatures up to 300° F, sand-able, paint-able, impact resistant, and even water-proof making it perfect for patching just about anything you could break off-road. Each package comes with a repair wrap, a set of gloves, strips of vinyl, squares of sand paper, and a set of instructions. The application is easy, requiring you to only wet the wrap and wait ten minutes for it to cure.

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The original variety is available in three sizes, 1″ wide, 2″ wide, and 4″ wide rolls to address your various needs, however a rigid square patch version is also available. With successful repairs completed on items like powerboats and bicycle frames, we’re beginning to wonder what field repairs we couldn’t tackle with these. From fixing a cracked steering component to patching a hole in a differential, it would seem that many problems are now just ten minutes from a solution. Heck, it is even safe for potable water once cured!

FiberFix Website Product Details Page 2FiberFix Website Product Details Page 2

Our one big reservation was high-heat applications, but it would appear that they thought of that too. FiberFix now offers an airtight waterproof roll rated up to a scorching 850° F, making it a perfect solution for cracked exhaust pipes or problems close to the engine block. We are particularly interested to see how this product performs, so we will be testing it on an exhaust leak currently plaguing our 300Tdi Discovery II. Look for that report in the next few months.

FiberFix Website Product Details Page 2

Unfortunately, there is no good solution for removing FiberFix once it has been used. The company states that they have tried everything from bench grinders to acetylene torches and it usually ended with them destroying the product they had fixed. So, needless to say that you’ll want to think twice before throwing one of these repairs onto your truck. It will definitely be harder to remove than the sticky crud left over from duct-tape.

Although individual small wraps can be purchased for as little as $5.99, we would recommend picking up a pack of all three sizes for $21.19 from amazon here. The heat wrap is also available online, and costs just $8.85.

FiberFix Website Product Details Page 2

Duct-tape will always hold a special place in my heart and in my tool box, but for those big jobs where a heavy hitting solution is required, I think I’ll be trying FiberFix.

The three types of FiberFix mentioned above are available at most major hardware stores, however Amazon has an affordable package deal and some lower prices.

FIBER FIX – Super Adhesive Tape – 3 Rolls: 1″, 2″ & 4″

FiberFix Heat Wrap

FiberFix Rigid Patch, 5″ x 5″

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Chris didn’t receive a real taste of the outdoors until moving to Prescott, Arizona, in 2009. While working on his business degree, he learned to fly and spent his weekends exploring the Arizona desert and high country. It was there that he fell in love with backcountry travel and four-wheel drive vehicles, eventually leading him to Overland Journal and Expedition Portal. After several years of honing his skills in writing, photography, and off-road driving, Chris now works for the company full time as Expedition Portal's Senior Editor while living full-time on the road.