Not revolutionary, nor did I invent the concept, but I think it deserves a periodic shout-out for the uninitiated. I do a lot of canyoneering, which is especially hard on gear…which I learned the hard way when I first started and wore out a pack in only a handful of trips. Reinforcing gear before problems start pays dividends.
Dave C. has a good piece on shoes here.
I just picked up an HMG pack, it hangs in the garage drying as we speak. Corners, edges, larger seams, bar tacks, and anything that might protrude and abrade gets a coat. I find that masking off the fabric with tape creates a much cleaner looking finished product (if that matters). Any nominal weight gain is certainly offset by gains in longevity. I also find it’s much easier to do a preemptive coat when a pack or piece of gear is new and clean rather than after things are dirty, worn, and threads are starting to fray.
