Sometimes practical things (you know … rent, mortgage, groceries) can all but slaughter your new-gear fund. Instead of just rolling over and declaring your outdoor-life dead, you start to flirt with the idea of fixing that broken backpack strap and tackling the unidentified smell that took up residence in your tent. The power to repair and lengthen the life of your gear is all yours—we’ll just provide a few tips to get you started.
Backpack Repair | Tent Repair | Zipper Issues | Washing Shoes and Gear | Storing Gear Safely | Ski Tuning | Make Your Own Gear
Broken Backpack Strap (Uhoh. Soooo … how many miles are left on this hike?)
Some repairs can be made at home or on the trail. Stash a needle and thread in your first-aid kit so you’re ready to make on-the-go repairs, or bring a separate repair kit (more on that later).
If your backpack is for light or moderate loads, a lap joint will work.
You’ll Need:
Needle (a regular one if that’s all you have, or you can look for a leatherworking needle or even an awl)
Thread (heavy thread or waxed dental floss if you’re in a pinch)
- Trim and square-off the two broken ends of the strap. Then sear the ends with a lighter or match so they won’t unravel.
- Overlap the ends at least an inch and a half.
- Grab the needle and thread.
- Sew.
If the strap is for a heavy-load pack
baseball stitch
You’ll Need:
A needle and thread
Scrap webbing (cut these scraps off an old pack you don’t use anymore, or rifle through packs at the thrift store for parts)
- Do Step 1 from the light-load instructions above.
- Put the two ends up against each other, and use a baseball stitch to sew the ends together.
- Get two pieces of scrap webbing.
- Cut the pieces in two four-inch sections, and do step 1 (trimming and searing). Then place the sections on either side of the strap.
- Sew.
A Rip in your Tent (Hmm … so this is what it’s like to sleep in your tent and stargaze at the same time. Brrrr.)
You’ll need:
Waxed thread, scissors, and …
For a nylon tent: ripstop nylon repair tape, seam sealer for nylon
For a canvas tent: taffeta repair tape, seam sealer for canvas
(these can be found at camping supply stores or in a gear repair kit.
Small tear:
- Clean the torn area, and make sure it’s dry.
- Cover the area with cloth repair tape (on both sides).
- Smooth the edges of the tape to prevent leaks, then coat the edges of the patch with seam sealer on both sides of the tent.
Large tear:
- Cut two patches of nylon or taffeta (tent-material) cloth at least 2 inches larger than the tear.
- Coat one side of each patch with seam-sealing glue, and let them dry until the glue becomes tacky. Then apply one patch to each side of the torn area (make sure the tent material is as flat as possible).
- Stitch around the edge of the patches and then stitch through the middle (through the middle in a large zigzag pattern, just for extra support), either by hand or with a sewing machine.
- Apply seam-sealing glue to the stitching on the inside and outside of the tent.
Droopy Tent Poles (Well, maybe we shouldn’t have used the poles for that sparring match after all.)
Worn shock-cord:
You’ll Need:
A cord replacement
Cut the old cord and pull it out. Make sure you keep the sections of pole in the right order.
- Take one end of the new shock cord and knot it, feed the non-knotted side through all pole sections, and put the pole segments together.
- Pull the cord tight and tie a knot at the end, and let go of the cord (the knot should slide back into the pole, and there will be some excess hanging out after the knot).
- Break down the segments, then put them back together to test. Readjust the knot if the cord seems too tight or loose.
- Cut off the excess cord.
Split poles:
Or a tent repair kit.
Zipper issues (I feel so exposed)
Replacing a zipper slider
You’ll Need:
A zipper repair clamp kit for parts
- Loosen the stitching at the end of the zipper (where the slider goes when the zipper is fully unzipped)
- Free the end from the seam, and unzip the original slider off the track
- Fit the new slider on, then re-stitch the seam.
Broken zipper teeth – this is a temporary fix to keep things together until you get home.
- Move the zipper slide above the break if you can.
- Stitch across the zipper (horizontally across where the break is).
- Make your stitches through the zipper fabric on either side of the zipper rather than through your sleeping bag or backpack fabric (that’ll help with zipper-replacement or repair later, and keep you from making excess holes in the main fabric).
Basic Repair Kit
Round up some of the items below and stash them in a small container for your next jaunt outdoors:
Cloth repair tape
Small lengths of backpack strap (webbing)
Squares of various fabric scraps for patches (Cordura, packcloth, taffeta)
A spool of thread (double-duty thread, extra-strong button-sewing thread, or hair-weave thread)
Safety pins
Buttons
Hand needles (ideally one fine and one beefy)
Tube of seam-sealer
This way, when your climbing pants get a rip that’s fairly indecent, you’ll be able to do something about it. It’s handy to have old packs, jackets, and material that you can cut up and use for spare parts in your kit.
General Care
Hiking Shoes (That red dirt on the toe is from last summer, and the darker mud there is probably from three weeks ago…)
Safe washing and effective treatments for water-resistant stuff
- Wash the insides and outsides with cool water (take the insoles out and hand-wash those with mild hand soap). You can also use footwear cleaning gel. Let the boots dry in a warm place, but not in front of a heater or in direct sunlight.
- Choose a waterproofing treatment that matches your boot material (leather, suede).
- Follow the waterproofing treatment instructions. Some instructions will have you heat boots first in a low-temp oven. It can seem strange (if not downright offensive) to stick your hiking shoes in the same place as your casseroles, but the heat opens the pores, so it’s all good.
- Consider doing a second or third coating if you live in a swamp.
- Don’t put hiking boots in the washing machine or dryer.
Running & Climbing Shoes (So, how’s that triple-plastic-bag quarantine going?)
Running:
Take out the insoles and wash them, by hand, with gentle detergent or soap. You can also hand-wash the shoes, or put the shoes in the washing machine on a gentle cycle and with gentle detergent. Then air dry.
Climbing:
Grab an old toothbrush and slosh some hand soap (or mild detergent) and water inside. Then scrub the insides, and let them air-dry.
Stinky Pack (Huh, so that’s where those bananas spent the last two months.)
Forgotten food, mildew, mold, general sweatiness—it can all leave a stink in your pack.
- Fill your tub with warm water.
- Put in a little detergent, then add a bit of white vinegar.
- Scrub the pack with a soft brush on the inside and outside, rinse the pack, and let it air-dry.
Climbing Rope (Are my hands supposed to be black after one belay?)
- Fill a clean (clean as in no soap scuz) bathtub with cold water.
- Uncoil your rope, and put it in the tub (use a tiny bit of non-detergent soap if you want).
- Swish the rope around, then pull it out and lie it loosely over a laundry basket or drying rack (not in the sun). Let it air-dry for a few days.
- Or, put your rope in a large mesh bag, and spray it with a garden hose (on clean cement).
Wool Shirts and Skivvies, Synthetics, Jackets, and Sleeping Bags (Oh … I’m supposed to wash those?)
Conventional detergent can damage the water-repellency, breathability and wicking properties of wools, synthetics, and outerwear. The cool thing about Nikwax wash is that it safely lifts dirt out and refreshes properties like breathability and wicking. Plus Nikwax works with hand-washing or machine-washing. It’s also water-based and earth-friendly. Match the type of wash up with the fabric, and follow the instructions.
Down drying advice:
Hanging down (jackets, sleeping bags) outside on a warm, dry day is the safest way to dry them. Otherwise, set dryer heat to low and stick a few high-quality tennis balls in to help keep the down from clumping-up. Check on it every 10 or so.
Tent (What a lovely smell you’ve discovered.)
- Set up the tent and wipe it down with mild soap (liquid hand soap) and lukewarm water.
- Rinse thoroughly and let it air-dry completely.
- If you’ve been camping with lots of sand and dirt, dip the zippers in water to get the grit out.
- After the tent dries, loosely roll it up, store it, and cover it with a tarp instead of jamming it back into the stuff sack.
- Ideally, tent poles should be stored in their fully assembled state to reduce tension on the shock cords.
- Detergent, a washing machine, and a dryer are not your tent’s cleaning friends. Don’t use ’em.
Restoring water-repellency
You might have some old gear that seems to have lost its way in the water-repellent world. These Nikwax treatments can help restore and maintain water-repellency for your softshells, downs, gloves, tents, ropes, and even
Storing Packs, Climbing & Camping Gear, & Jackets (Turns out humidity is bad for curly hair and gear.)
Store your gear in a dry, cool place.
The hot trunk of your car is not ideal, and neither is your garage if you live near salt water (salt pervades the air even if you live a few miles from the beach).
Run a dehumidifier in your gear closet if you live in a salty or humid area. Make sure all your gear is totally dry before putting it away.
Down jackets and sleeping bags do best when they can hang in a closet. If you don’t have the space, an extra-large cotton storage bag will work (don’t store a sleeping bag in its stuff sack). Waterproof jackets and pants can be hung on padded hangers, or stored on a shelf or drawer (roll them rather than folding, and change the way you roll them
Ski Tuning (You mean elves didn’t sneak into my gear closet and tune my skis over the summer? Damn.)
Rusty edges aren’t going to help the life of your skis (not to mention your actual ski performance). Check out this do-it-yourself ski tuning video and article for instructions on how to put your very own touches on your planks.
Bent Ski Poles (Life after the bends.)
If the bend in your pole isn’t too bad:
- Roll the pole on a flat surface and gently tap the bent area with a hammer, or use a vice to slowly bend the pole back.
- Slow and gentle are the key words … and you’ll want to test the pole after—once there’s a bend, the pole will be weaker in that area.
- Fiberglass tape might strengthen the area
- If you have any doubts, or if your poles are a key life-saving element in any of your cliff
jumps, heli rides, or general body-hucks, it’ll be best to to replace it.
Making Your Own:
Ski tuning / bike maintenance apron (click on images to enhance).
more instructions
measurements and instructions
Flips
When water sandals would be ideal, but you only have flip-flops and a roll of duct tape:
- Tear strips of tape.
- Fold the middle of the strips in half so the sticky side won’t touch your skin.
- Fold the strips that go around the straps of your flip-flops in half as well (don’t just stick the tape directly to the strap). Make a loop around the strap with the folded strips. This way the tape won’t leave sticky residue on your strap.
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Tags: backpack repair, DIY, do-it-yourself, gear repair, how to repair gear, how to repair tents, zipper repair
I like your blog a lot. Will read all. Keep up to briliant posting on it. Thanks
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