Gear Repair and Maintenance

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 cold damp clothes and into warm dry ones. …

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 scrounge or purchase to restore it. If you …

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 cross-country skiing boots to hiking boots and wingtips. …

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 put them so they don’t get ripped up …

Buying a backpacking or camping tent is a big investment, but you can extend your tent’s lifetime and get many years of use from it by spending a little time on tent maintenance, repair, and cleaning. While there are many types and styles of tents, the techniques and tools required …

Whenever you get back from a hiking and backpacking trip, it’s important to hang up your tent, backpack, footprint and other gear and let it dry off so that mildew doesn’t form on it. But mildew can also grow on gear that is stored in a damp place like your …

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 best to wash it first and then spray …

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 using. Tenacious Tape comes in two forms: as …

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 socializing because the trail running/hiking pair can’t be …

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 at about 20 miles an hour. After a …

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 Tenancious Tape? I’m not talking about rain pants, but regular nylon hiking pants. I wouldn’t have …

You can’t use a water filter or water purifier when temperatures dip below freezing without risking the integrity of the filter element. Filters and purifiers can be expensive to replace, so it pays to take a few simple steps before you store them so they’re fully functional and ready to …

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 very careful to brush off any snow that …

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 nothing bad will grow in it. But if …