Suston

Repairing is Caring

- BY MATS NYMAN ILLUSTRATI­ON NADIA NORBÖM

For our grandparen­ts, it was just something they did on an everyday basis. Today, we need to rediscover how to take care of our favorite gear. Suston gives nine great tips to start with.

Be prepared!

It’s always a good idea to keep a repair kit with you in case the unexpected happens. A multi-tool, a needle and roll of extra strong thread, patches for clothes and sleeping pads and a small roll of silver tape can do wonders when misfortune occurs. Keep in mind that many manufactur­ers and retailers also offer both repair services and spare parts for their products.

Save the down

Down jackets and sleeping bags often have thin and delicate outer shells. A glowing ember from a fire or a sharp twig can easily make a hole or rip where the down could find its way out. This can be temporaril­y repaired with a piece of silver tape. Be sure to push in the down that is sticking out before applying the tape. For a more permanent repair, there are ready-to-use patches available for purchase. Cut the patch to cover the hole leaving a slight overlap. Lay the jacket or sleeping bag as flat as possible, remove the protective film on the patch and attach it to the fabric.

Good for a night’s sleep

When you’re out on a tour, a leak in your sleeping pad can be a nightmare. Make sure to always have a repair kit for your sleeping pad with you. The repair will depend on the sleeping pad material. There are self-adhesive repair patches available for certain ones while others require glue. If the leak is difficult to find: Inflate the sleeping pad, fold it in half to increase the pressure and immerse it in water and see where the bubbles are coming from. Carefully clean the area around the hole. Repair kits often come with a cleaning agent. Cut a decent-sized piece of the patch off and attach it carefully according to the instructio­ns.

Keep moisture out

Soft-shell pants and jackets that have gotten torn should be repaired quickly to keep the hole from getting larger. Silver tape often works well as a temporary fix, but it’s a good idea to make a more permanent repair later on. To ensure that the shell garment remains waterproof, it’s a good idea to fix it on both the inside and outside. Start with the inside and attach a patch that holds the rip together. Then attach a patch on the outside as well. Rounded corners ensure the patch sits better.

Zipper repair

Zippers are a common headache. If the zipper doesn’t close properly, it’s likely that the slider is broken. Use a pair of pliers and cut off the zipper stop at the top. Thread on a new slider and gently attach a new stop using pliers. If the zipper has lost teeth, the entire zipper will need to be replaced. Those who are handy can do it themselves by removing the old zipper and sewing on a new one. Otherwise you can leave it with a tailor or repair service.

Patching boots

Going on a hike in leaky boots is no fun. But rubber is often easy to fix. Which method is best depends on the kind of rubber that is used in the boot. Real rubber can be repaired with a bicycle tube patch. Make sure that the boot is cleaned around the hole and rough up the surface using sandpaper before spreading a thin layer of solution on. Allow it to dry a little and then carefully attach the patch. If the boot is made of mixed materials, there are different types of rubber adhesives available such as Liquisole, Shoe Goo and Rubberfix.

Take care of your stove

Gas and spirit stoves are relatively maintenanc­e-free, but Multi-fuel stoves can get covered in soot. When you’re out in the field, it is easiest to clean the burner with a needle. At home, compressed air works great for cleaning.

Repairing the arch

A cracked tent arch can be repaired by first bending back the damaged section to make it as straight as possible. Tent manufactur­ers often ship a piece of tubing that fits over the tent arch. Thread the pipe over the damaged part and secure it with silver tape. To replace the entire damaged section: Remove the plug at one end of the tent arch.

This will allow you to loosen the elastic cord. Pull out the cord and replace the damaged section. Thread the cord back through all the sections and reattach the end plug.

Longer life for your backpack

The plastic buckles on backpacks are often the first to go. New buckles can be purchased and are often easy to replace. Sometimes a little sewing is required to attach the buckles. If you don’t have a sewing machine that’s strong enough, leave the backpack with a tailor or shoemaker to get it repaired.

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