BRICKS-AND-MORTAR SERVICE

If sending your gear off for a factory refit sounds like unwanted hassle and expense, try the high street first. Simple fixes and alterations, from trouser hemming to zipper replacements, are bread and butter to local tailors and nationwide chains such as Timpson. Craghoppers offer free and convenient apparel repairs at Timpson branches through a voucher scheme.

For complicated repairs involving technical fabrics and equipment, you’re better off heading to an outdoor shop. You can drop off broken gear (in a clean state) at branches of Cotswold

Outdoor, saving you the additional outlay of posting it to the repair and care team at the retailer’s HQ. Likewise, damaged Rohan gear can be taken to any of the company’s 54 stores for dispatch to their service centre. There’s a 14-day turnaround time.

Leading the pack when it comes to convenience is Alpkit. Alpkit has been repairing clothing and equipment from

any brand since 2004 and now has repair stations in six of its stores. Repairs can take between two and six weeks, depending on their complexity.

Country Walking dropped by the Hathersage branch for a peek behind the scenes. We met ‘repair heroes’ Rob and Jess, who have an impressive array of tools, fastenings, cords, patches, tapes, fabrics and threads at their disposal. Their industrial sewing machine was making light work of re-stitching a rucksack when we visited.

Practically everything (except footwear) falls within their mending capabilities. And anything they can’t give a new lease of life to can be upcycled. Down can be washed and reused. Salvaged fabrics become patches and panels. Rob’s ingenious handiwork includes baby bump inserts for down jackets and customised gloves for a customer with no fingers.

Find out more, including prices, at:

alpkit.com/pages/repair-station