Gear Repair and Maintenance

If you do a lot of winter hiking in high gaiters, sooner or later, they’re going to get punctured by self-inflicted crampon strikes or get hung up on vegetation and torn. Many people repair them with duct tape when this happens, which …

Tenacious Tape is the bees knees for patching rips and burns in hard shells and insulated jackets, inflatable sleeping pads, tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks. I’ve used it many times since to repair the gear and clothing I like and want to keep …

Here are 10 hiking and backpacking gear maintenance tasks to put on your to-do list this November. With the three-season hiking and backpacking season winding down, it’s worthwhile to maintain your hiking and camping gear before packing it away for next spring …

I have torn holes in the side pockets of many backpacks, enough that I now ding manufacturers in product reviews that include them on backpacks because they’re not durable enough. External mesh pockets are nice to have, but the only “safe” place to …

The Black Diamond FirstLight Tent is a four-season, two-person tent that weighs 2 lbs 9 oz. It’s a single-wall, free-standing tent that is a snap to set up, which is important in freezing weather when you want to get out of your …

If you want to save money and prolong the life of your backpacking gear, it pays to maintain it and repair it by yourself. Here are the commercial products I use to fix my gear as well as the replacement parts I …

I’ve been using Sno-Seal for over 40 years, ever since my father bought me my first pair of leather Raichle boots in Switzerland when I was 16 years old. I’ve used it on a wide range of leather shoes since then, from …

One of the main reasons people don’t reproof the DWR (Durable Waterproof Repellent) coating on outdoor clothing, hiking boots, and camping gear is that it’s inconvenient and requires multiple steps. For example, if you want to reproof a waterproof/breathable Gore-tex shell, it’s …

Do your trail runners or trail shoes smell like really bad breath? Do your housemates make you keep them outside because they smell so overpowering, like Dog-sh*t? Does the smell remain even after regular rinsing? Do you own a separate pairs for work and …

When I went backpacking last weekend, I experienced ideal conditions for developing hypothermia. I was hiking through heavy mist and light rain, which grew heavier as the day wore on. Temperatures were in the low 40’s F and the wind was blowing …

How many of you have holed hiking pants laying around the house waiting for a generous sewer to repair them for you? Did you know that you can just as easily repair them with Tenacious Tape? I’m not talking about rain pants, …

I like wearing fleece gloves for winter hiking because they’re inexpensive, they are warm, and quite breathable. The problem is that snow tends to stick to them and they wet out when the warmth from my hands melts it. While I am …

If you use a Camelbak Hydration Reservoir you’re going to want to keep it, its hose , and bite valve clean. If you just drink water, you can store it empty in the freezer or dry it out after each use and …

I wear a pair of Outdoor Research Crocodile Gaiters in winter to keep snow out of my mountaineering boots and to provide some protection for my legs against self-inflected crampon strikes. I’ve owned a pair for going on 4 years and they …