Scotch/3M makes transparent duct tape, it's supposed to last 6X as long as what they call "typical heavy duty duct tape". It looks like clear packing tape you'd use on boxes, but, it's a lot more durable. I don't have any long term experience with it yet, but, it's as sticky as "traditional' duct tape.
My wife likes it, because it "looks" better than the silver stuff when you have to fix something that might be seen by anyone in the neighborhood. Heaven forbid that someone might think we'd repair something rather than throw it away and buy a new one! <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
http://www.3m.com/us/office/scotch/transducttape/