Episode 82 | Fabric Repairs in the Backcountry
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Summary
This episode features fabric repair kits for hiking and backpacking, including various fabric repair scenarios, strategies, and supplies.
In this Episode:
- Live event: Gear Q&A on Tuesday, May 23, 4 PM US MDT
- Email newsletter updates – signup for the new newsletter format!
- BPL philosophy for making gear recommendations
- New REI Gear Guide
- News: BLM to consider conservation as a viable land use
- News: GPS watches underestimate trail distances
- Question: what’s the difference between breathability and air permeability?
- Online course library updates: Condensation in Shelters & Tenkara
- Introduction to fabric repair
- Types of gear repairs – punctures, tears, seams, lamination and glue failures, fastener failures, structural (stress-bearing) component failures, hardware failures
- Repair strategies for fabrics – tapes, glues, and sewing
- Fabric repair scenarios – Dyneema Composite Fabrics shelters, rain jackets, sleeping pad punctures, sleeping pad valve stem seams, soft water bottles, backpacks, packrafts
- Ryan’s basic fabric repair kit
- Listener Q&A – noseeum mesh repair, finding pinholes in sleeping pads, repairing sleeping pad holes near seams, tape choices
Featured Products:
More Repair Kits and Supplies: ZPacks • Hyperlite Mountain Gear • Garage Grown Gear • REI
Ryan’s fabric repair kit contents:
- Dyneema Composite Fabric patches with adhesive backing (3 x 2.5-inch squares) – tent repair
- Dyneema Composite Fabric seam tape strips (4 x 5-inch long x 0.75-inch wide) – tent repair
- Tenacious Tape repair patches (2 x nylon for fabrics, 1 x clear tape for water bottles) – sleeping pad, apparel, and water bottle repair
- 4-ft roll duct tape – backpack and packraft repair, first aid
- Tube of Seam Grip WPÂ or AquaSeal FDÂ – water bottle and sleeping pad repair, also to secure patches for major fabric repairs
- 5×4 Loksak bag for storage
- Precision scissors
- ZPacks Sewing Kit
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Credits
Executive Producer - Backpacking Light; Show Director and Host - Ryan Jordan; Producer - Chase Jordan; Theme music: Look for Me in the Mountains written by Chris Cunningham and Ryan Jordan, performed by Chris Cunningham (acoustic guitar, lead and harmony vocals, harmonica), Chad Langford (upright bass), and Tom Murphy (mandolin), produced by Basecamp Studios in Bozeman, Montana.
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Disclosure
Sponsorship Policy: Backpacking Light does not accept compensation or donated/discounted products in exchange for product mentions or placements in editorial coverage, including any podcast episode content not excplicitly identified as sponsored content. Some (but not all) of the links in these show notes may be affiliate links. Learn more about affiliate commissions, influencer marketing, and our consumer advocacy work by reading our article Stop wasting money on gear.
Discussion
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Companion forum thread to: Episode 82 | Fabric Repairs in the Backcountry
In this episode, Ryan walks through fabric repair kits for hiking and backpacking, including various fabric repair scenarios, strategies, and supplies.
Curious to know what others do – when you perform fabric repairs in the backcountry, do you try to do a quick and temporary repair there, and then a permanent fix back home, or do you try to do a quality, permanent repair in the backcountry?
For non-silicone coated nylons and polyesters (bags, quilts, puffys, wind jackets/pants etc) I find the Challange Sailcloth repair sheets from Enlightened Equipment are much better than Tenacious Tape. Its adhesion qualities are far superior. Simply round off corners and thoroughly rub patch onto fabric. Provides a permanent repair after it cures (about 12 hours). https://enlightenedequipment.com/repair-kit/
Works great on DCF too, just doesn’t blend in very well. Same with ripped clothing if you don’t have a sewing kit or don’t want to spend the time doing a tedious sewing repair. Again, adheres better than Tenacious Tape.
Yes, those Challenge repair patches are fantastic. The sheets are unwieldy to pack in the field (although are the right size if you blow out a down jacket or sleeping bag and need a huge patch), so you’ll precut the patch sizes you want so it packs better. Tenacious Tapes make for impermanent repairs, which I actually like, so I can peel off the patch and do a proper repair at home. I’d like to see individual patches.
The Sailcloth sheets from EE have 14 assorted sizes you can cut out of one sheet and the other is just a solid 8″ X 10″. You can see when you click on link.
Got a lot out of this podcast, thanks Ryan.
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