Needle and thread for small gear repair kit?

[Jon J.]

Hello everyone, simple question: What exactly should I use as a needle and thread in my small gear repair kit. I’m confused because everyone keeps mentioning using dental floss as their thread. I guess I don’t get it – Why not just use a sturdy thread that’s made for sewing? Is it because you can also use the floss for well…flossing? All the floss I’ve encountered is coated with mint flavoring, which doesn’t seem ideal to me, and I guess I’m skeptical that it’s any stronger or functional than a thick thread from a craft store.

Also, as far as a needle, which should I use? I was thinking a larger, curved needle would be a good choice. It seems like pre-threading it would also be smart. Related to that, how do you store it so it doesn’t tangle and so the needle doesn’t poke through anything?

I know this is a simple and possibly even stupid question, but I was about to buy a needle and thread to complete my repair kit and I wasn’t exactly sure what to pick. Thanks!

[Nick Gatel]

People recommend floss because it is multi-use. If you use your floss for repairs, you have no floss left for your teeth. You can buy unflavored floss. On a short trip of a few days or a couple weeks, not flossing isn’t going to damage your teeth or gums, so it is unnecessary weight.

I can’t remember ever sewing something on a trip. Nowadays I bring some thread and a needle. The needle is good for removing stubborn cactus spines, ticks, and dealing with blisters. You could use it as a tooth pick, but I have never tried that.

I carried this for over 30 years and never used it.

[Jon J.]

Very true; I don’t expect to ever use it. I was considering just leaving it out all together, but I figured the weight was negligible. However, I do also have a couple diaper pins (more trustworthy than regular safety pins) in my kit in case I need to hold something together or dig out a splinter. Just thought I would get some feedback from you more experienced and knowledgeable folks and go from there. Thanks!

[Nick Gatel]

Everything weighs something, and the negligible things add up.

Before each trip inspect important things like pack strap attachment and your shoes. You probably can’t sew a separated sole of a shoe, but duct tape could temporarily repair it. A small amount of duct tape is probably more useful than needle and thread.

[Jerry Adams]

I bet that case weighs 10x as much as a needle and thread.

I forget, I think I have a needle and thread but if so, never use it.  I have some tweezers that have sharp points.  On my last trip I had to dig out a splinter.  The tweezers have a tiny plastic tube they go in and I think there might be a needle and thread in it.  Yeah, inspect your gear after each trip and repair it if needed.  “A stitch in time saves nine”.

Negligible weight adds up?  If your pack weighs a pound more or less, I can’t tell the difference.  Maybe 1/2 pound.  If I can get some negligible weights to add up to 1/2 pound then I’ve accomplished something, although not much.  No way am I going to get enough needle and threads or other small items to add up to 1/2 pound.

[jimmy b]

I also buy into the tape idea rather than needle and thread if choosing between one or the other. With some of the tenacious tape type products (IMO) its faster, easier and will work just as well on something like a down filled piece of gear or shelter netting until a more permanent repair can be made if needed.  If you choose to carry a needle/thread take a minute to think about what the heaviest material you anticipate sewing will be. That will determine what size needle you will need to push thru it. I would say any quality standard polyester thread should do in a pinch.

[Ed Biermann]

In 30 years I’ve sewn on a button and fixed some netting. But used the needle for extracting foreign objects more so.

[George F]

Needle and thread is better than tape when you blow out the crotch of your pants or a tie out on a tarp or tent. There are other repairs where tape is better and some where either would work for the short run. I carry floss because it is very strong for its size and you can do a heavy duty repair (pack straps, webbing, etc) without having to push a big needle through (and multipurpose). If you go that way embroidery needles are the ticket, big flat eyes that are easy to thread, perfect for floss.

[Nick Gatel]

For for damaged shelter tie outs, place a smooth stone in the fabric and wrap the guy line around it, it is stronger than any tie out. Years ago we used to use Visclamps for this and skipped tie outs altogether. This is how me made our tie outs in plastic tarps, plus they could be located wherever we needed them at the moment. You place the ball in the fabric, insert the fabric wrapped ball in the large opening, sliding it to the narrow end of the Visclamp and then tie to the large end. BTW, years ago I bought the clamps and the Chouinard sewing kit from REI. They used to carry all the “leading edge” gear.

A blown out crotch has the benefit of ventilation in the perfect spot, but can cause inappropriate exposure problems, so sewing makes sense, although it has never happened to me.

I carry a piece of Cuben tape for my Cuben stuff. You can tape an air mattress with tape (if it sticks); you can’t sew it :)

I do carry a bit of polyester thread with my needle, but normally find tape is preferable for most field repairs, which rarely happens.

What I really miss is the old aluminum 35mm film canisters that were perfect for carrying things like needle and thread, fish hooks and similar small items.

 

[Link .]

Jon, I know you have stated you are new to backpacking and are interested in lightweight backpacking and of course have many questions so not to answer your question on sewing directly but you might find a lot of useful info in the following articles videos and websites I have linked below, and welcome to BPL:
Mike Clelland(NOLs instructor and author, his books are very good),he has some great free videos on lightening up be sure to watch(his clothing system,the entire contents of his pack,water treatment and part 1 and 2 on the dinky stuff for ideas).This is pmags Lightweight Backpacking 101  and The Frugal Backpacker – The $300 Gear Challenge  andBackpacking: A Beginners Primer .These are some other articles and videos for you to check out

Backpacking for Cheap: Gear for the Gearless 

Backpacking Checklist (Gear List): 3-Season, 3-Day 

Lightweight Backpacking 101: An Introductory Manual for Lightening Your Load Today (1st Edition – August 2001) 

Cheap Ultralight Gear List 

Oregon Field Guide: Ultralight Hiking 

Lightweight Testimony: Lighter, Farther, Faster 

Jamie Shortt talks about his progression and shows his gear list for each stage,

Lightweight Testimony: My Journey into Lightweight Backpacking 

Clever Hiker’s whole website is very nice, but here are a couple to look at

CleverHiker Light weight Basic 

CleverHiker Trail Skills 

Andrew Skurka has a very good website with trips and gear lists and blog for you to check out

Andrew Skurka.com

here is a talk he gave at google

Ultimate Hiking Gear & Skills Clinic 

His book is worth checking out also

The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Techniques to Hit the Trail 

You can get little repackaging containers (like the ones you see in Mike Clelland uses in his videos) many places including your local stores and pharmacy but here are some examples

USPLASTICS  

USPLASTICS  

Ultralight Designs  

GossamerGear 

MountainLaurelDesigns 

You could make toothpaste dots like Mike C. shows or there are Archtek Toothpaste Tablets  so only bring exactly what you need in a snack size bag for any given trip instead of a whole tube and these are good for little things like pills, toothpaste, tablets ect. so you are not packing a whole bottle(you can also get these small repackaging bags very cheap at most pharmacies or craft stores ect)

 

 

 

[Paul Magnanti]

What I really miss is the old aluminum 35mm film canisters that were perfect for carrying things like needle and thread, fish hooks and similar small items.

 

If there is any silver lining in the obesity epidemic, at least for backpackers, it is that the diabetic test strip containers are a worthy substitute for the 35mm containers.

From Da Google image search:

More people with Type II diabetes means more people who need insulin… hence the regular availability of these containers. But that’s another discussion.  A little hunting on Ebay may bring up these containers.

I know this little tip because a friend of mine uses his wife’s containers in much the same way as the old 35mm containers.

 

As an aside, my friend’s wife watches her diet, exercises regularly. She did not get diagnosed with type 1 diabetes until after 50. It runs in her family. The doctor said her diet and exercise is what held off the diabetes for so long…

Finally, if someone really wants to buy 35mm containers (plastic OR metal) they are still out there in bulk. But, most of us probably don’t need twenty at a time…

 

[Nick Gatel]

I do have some the the plastic 35mm canister where the cap snaps on versus the aluminum ones that screw on. Paul’s suggestion looks like a more secure plastic container.

[jimmy b]

Blowing out crotches may be symptomatic of needing to cut some weight in another area besides your repair kit ;)

. 

Either way, take the pants off before going at it with a sharp needle.

[DancingBear]

To the original question, a #4 embroidery needle should be about right for gear repair.  Embroidery needles have the same profile as regular needles (AKA “sharps” needles) but a longer eye, which makes them easier to thread.  A curved needle could be nice too, but I don’t carry one personally.  I also have a finer needle in my first aid kit for dealing with blisters, probably a #6 or #8 sharps. Needle sizes get smaller as the number gets bigger, so a #4 is bigger than a #6.

There’s a nice chart here: http://www.jjneedles.com/downloads/JJ-Needles-Types-and-Sizes-Guide.pdf

As for thread, I carry about 10 yards of Coats Outdoor 100% polyester wound around a bit of thin plastic (the closure for a loaf of bread with two slits cut in the side to hold the ends of the thread).  I got orange thread so that I could find my field repairs easily when I got home.  That makes it easier to rip them out and do them more neatly if I need to.

But with all that said, in 20 years of backpacking I think I have used the sewing needle maybe twice.  The blister needle gets more use.

Walt

[jimmyjam]

I carry some 100% polyester thread wrapped around a small piece of foam with the pin stuck in it. It came in handy last summer when I hiked the AT from HF to Killington- along the way I lost enough weight I had to take in the waist of my underwear to keep them from falling off haha.

[Mitchell Ebbott]

Here’s my repair kit:

• Thread wrapped around a bit of corrugated cardboard (with two notches cut to hold it in place), with two needles stuck into the cardboard
• A few safety pins
• A few zip ties
• A few twist ties
• Tenacious Tape

All of this fits inside the tube that the Tenacious Tape came in, and it weighs a bit over an ounce. I really don’t need to carry a whole roll of Tenacious Tape, but I just haven’t bothered to cut off a bit and store the rest somewhere else… maybe I’ll do that today. That should bring it under an ounce.

[David Thomas]

My Safeway has this set for about $2.  Cheaper on line.  I like the “glover’s needle” for its sharp point for shoe uppers or leather and a curved needle so I can work from the outside of more items.  Their utility is greatly increased by bringing a thimble but in a pinch, any chunk of leather, a coin or piece of wood suffices.

To carry them, I embed them in a scrap of waxed, corrugated cardboard (found for free behind any green grocer / supermarket).  Which doubles as an emergency fire-starter.  And lengths of different thread can be wrapped around the 1″ x 2″ piece of cardboard.

[William Kerber]

I like to use braided fishing line. Very light and very tough.

[Dale Wambaugh]

I pack a hotel freebie style sewing kit. I had to get out the jewelry scale for this one: 1.5 grams!

If not that, some good Gutterman’s thread and needles to suit. Bobbins make a great way to carry small line. If you want dental floss on steroids, get some Spectra fishing line.

If you really want to get into sewing gear, Google “Chouinard Expedition Sewing Kit”.

Re: containers– plastic pill bottles come in all kinds of sizes and are great organizers. I would pick one the right height for the needles and fill it up with a bobbin of thread, a small tube of super glue, a spare shoelace or Spectra line, etc. Wrap the outside with duct tape.

[Jon J.]

Thanks for the input everyone. Glad to get so much response for such a simple question. I know I’ll likely not use it, and will probably use tape instead 9 times out of 10 if something needs repaired, but I ended up buying some heavy duty polyester thread and a needle variety pack. I took one of the larger (#4?) needles and the curved needle and stuck them into a small piece of foam and wrapped several yards of thread around it. It weighs almost nothing and I know it’s there if something comes up.

To the person who posted that wealth of info about ultralight backpacking in general: Thank you. I actually had already watched/read a lot of that material, but having it all in one post is convenient. I am trying to use everyone’s experience to streamline my kit pretty well right from the beginning so I don’t have to waste too much time and money buying key pieces of gear two or three times before I get to a quality item. Like I might as well look closely at your kits and start evolving from there, instead of starting with crappy, heavy stuff. Someone said “Buy once, cry once.” and I’m somewhat trying to do that, within reason. Of course not with every single item (that would be insanely expensive), but that’s the basic idea.

Pretty soon I’ll post my whole kit and load-out for my upcoming trip and let you guys critique the heck out of it so I can do some final streamlining.

[Nick Gatel]

The person who posted all those links is Link or the person previously known as Anna on BPL :)

She is always super helpful and much more valuable than the built-in BPL search function. So in addition to your Thank You, here is a big

THANK YOU, LINK

from all of us.

[Link .]

Thanks Nick, I really appreciate that :) I have pointed many people to your wonderful blog, just so you know. I am glad you found the Links of some use Jon and again welcome to BPL.

 

[Kevin Babione]

I’ve included a small thimble in my repair kit because the one time I needed to sew to fix a backpack strap I had a hard time pushing the needle through the webbing.  The thimble adds almost no weight at all but having it would have made my field repair much easier and less painful.

[David Thomas]

Kevin: if you also use the thimble as a shot glass (of ouzo or everclear?) than you can rationalize the weight as being multipurpose.

[Author]

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