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Backpacker Magazine – December 2007
Make Your Gear Last Forever
Backpacker's Ultimate Fix-It Guide
Replace a broken buckle
The buckles that control a pack's suspension are often sewn into the webbing–in other words, not easy to fix in the field. Fortunately, a complete fracture is fairly rare, so there's no need to carry spares. (Hipbelt buckles are a different beast; if one pops, rig a carabiner to tide you over.) If a buckle does break, here's a simple solution devised by Mountain Hardwear's Eric Hamerschlag that should hold until you get home:
- Remove the damaged buckle from its webbing (1).
- Find and unthread a buckle elsewhere on your pack that matches the orientation of the broken buckle. (If there is no match, resort to duct tape.) >> Using a lighter or stove, heat a blade until it is hot enough to sever plastic. (2)
- Press the blade into and through the base of the buckle at a 45-degree angle. Make the angled slot in the spot where the webbing will need to slide through to attach the buckle to the strap. (3)
- Insert the new buckle in the webbing. (4)
Mend a fabric tear
Self-adhesive ripstop nylon patches or repair tape (applied to both sides) will fix smaller rips and holes in low stress areas that receive little abrasion. But in high stress areas like the pack's bottom and sides, a dime-sized hole will expand to quarter-sized and larger if not patched promptly. Here's how to plug them using a combination of polyurethane and fabric patches.
- In the field, empty the pack, remove the stays, and turn the entire bag inside out to wipe away any dirt. (1) Tape over both the inside and the outside of the hole with ripstop nylon repair tape. (2, 3)
- Back home, buy a swatch of Cordura at a fabric store that is similar in color and weight to the damaged area. Cut out a patch that is about 15 percent (or an inch) wider and taller than the hole you need to cover. Remove the repair tape from the outside of the packbag (leaving the tape on the inside). (4)
- With a clean cloth and rubbing alcohol, wipe away any dirt and tape residue. (5)
- Place the pack on a hard, flat surface. Cover the underside of the patch with Seam Grip and press it onto the packbag, smoothing it from the center toward the edges. (6)
- For extra waterproofing, paint the patch's edges with Seam Grip. (7)
Remove duct tape residue
The gummy remains attract dirt and can complicate further repairs. Rainy Pass Repair manager Julie Parker says you can remove the goo with 3M Adhesive Cleaner or rubbing alcohol.
Refresh a dirty pack (Online Bonus)
After a muddy or sweaty trip, spray your pack with a hose or dunk it in a tub of warm water. Use a toothbrush to work out dirt, paying particular attention to zippers. Avoid using soap unless the pack is stained with oil residue–like olive oil or sunscreen; in those cases, use a mild, unscented detergent like Ivory Flakes. Rinse and dry thoroughly. For funky odors, use Mirazyme.
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READERS COMMENTS
When cleaning a hydration system, pull out the hose from the balader, with a pair of pailers, so you can clean the whole hose,
Posted: Apr 29, 2009 ryan b.
Contemporary fabric softeners tend to be based on quaternary ammonium salts with one or two long alkyl chains, a typical compound being dipalmitoylethyl hydroxyethylmonium methosulfate.[2] Other cationic compounds can be derived from imidazolium, substituted amine salts, or quaternary alkoxy ammonium salts. One of the most common compounds of the early formulations was dihydrogenated tallow dimethyl ammonium chloride (DHTDMAC). I looked it up. see Wikipedia cut n paste. no animal fat here.
Posted: Apr 27, 2009 hoosurdaddy
Under "Pole problems (Online Bonus" it should read "splint the broken pole," not "split the broken pole."
Posted: Mar 03, 2009 Jefferson
no, eric's right - the first posting says mentions washing in a top-loading washer. the second posting specifically says to never do this. (the second is the right one; never wash a sleeping bag in a top-loading washer)
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 sol
A point about dryer sheets, the main ingredient in them is rendered animal fat (look it up people) so you may smell pretty good to a bear. In areas with uber predators, keep smell to a minimum, in camp and on your person.
Posted: Jan 19, 2009 Sean Columbus OH
Uhm, not really Eric. It just says to wash them.. sparingly. And then it tells you how. :B
And no, Anon, I don't think dryer sheets would attract bears. They smell more chemically than delicious or even edible.
Anyway, this article is great! Wow, so many tips. I suppose it's okay to store bags and pads rolled/stuffed if they're clean and dry and in a dry indoor closet, right? Plus my Thermorest doesn't have foam.
Posted: Dec 14, 2008 oki
"Wash Synthetics Sparingly" and "Wash and Dry a Sleeping Bag" on Page 6 have contradictory statements. Any thoughts there?
Posted: Nov 03, 2008 Eric
As a Scout leader I store a lot of gear in a special shed we built for that purpose. For storing the good sleeping bags I've hung a net hammock from the walls and lay the bags out on it. Same for the self-inflating mattresses. It allows air to circulate around them and helps them keep their loft.
Posted: Sep 03, 2008 Graybeard
toe caps can be made a spray can of undercoating for cars , prep with alcohol and mask
Posted: Aug 28, 2008 rusty j
Generally Salami works best fighting back against bears.
Posted: Jul 07, 2008 Anonymous
If you store your Camelbak bladders in the freezer, make sure to leave the bite valves on or defrost the bladders before you want to use them. Trying to cram a bite valve back into a frozen/smaller tube can turn into a wrestling contest when you'd rather be outside.
Posted: May 29, 2008 AJ
A toe cap can be made as described above using Performix Plasti Dip,( Home Depot) which is a liquid plastic type paint that one dips one's tool handles into to create a durable and insulating rubber like coating. It comes in six colors including black.
Just mask the boot toe and paint it on, several layers work best.
Posted: May 11, 2008 Tom McDaniel
Wouldn't this add a scent that might attract bears?
Posted: Apr 23, 2008 Anonymous
I store my tents and sleeping bags with a few plys of dryer fabric sheets, I prefer Bounce, for a fresh smell after storage.
Posted: Apr 06, 2008 Ron Pope
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