10 Indoor DIY Projects for Backpackers
Stuck inside? Then it's the perfect time to tackle one of these indoor DIY projects to set yourself up for a great hiking season.
Gear Repair
Gear repair and maintenance are essential skills for every backpacker. Not only can repairing a broken tent pole or flapping hiking boot sole in the backcountry save your trip, properly maintaining and repairing your gear saves your wallet long term.
How to Care for Your Backpacking Gear
Keep your gear going season after season with these tips.
How to Fit, Buy, and Repair Hiking Boots and Shoes
Is there a trickier piece of gear to buy than hiking boots? Pick the wrong shoes, and you could find them rubbing you raw deep in the wilderness. Avoid common footwear-buying mistakes and find your perfect pair with our buyer’s guide.
How to Make an Ultralight Shelter
Tyvek Home Wrap is a DIY backpacker’s dream. It’s cheap, sturdy, waterproof, and it weighs about .2 ounce per square foot—ideal for making your own A-frame tarp tent.
How to Buy and Repair Shells
There will be times when only a thin layer of fabric protects you from Mother Nature’s fury. Choose the right shell and take care of it.
How to Buy and Repair Sleeping Bags
It’s not just a bag. It’s a lifetime’s worth of beauty sleep. Learn what features you need, shop accordingly, and keep your bag in good repair, and it’ll keep you sleeping soundly.
How to Buy and Repair a Tent
Home is where you stake it out. Understand the ins and outs, pick the right shelter, and treat it like you would your bedroom.
How to Buy and Repair Backpacks
Understanding suspension and construction is key to finding the right fit—and proper maintenance and repair will ensure your load-hauler lasts thousands of miles.
How to Wash Your Outdoor Clothes
Getting out too much is a good problem to have. Stinky clothes from all the mileage? Not so good.
How to Fix Sleeping Bags
Take good care of your sleeping bag, and you could use it for years to come.
How to Fix Hiking Boots and Shoes
A little TLC will keep your hiking boots in shape for years to come.
Fix It: Repair a Liquid Fuel Camp Stove
Keep your liquid fuel camp stove—like the MSR Whisperlite—running smoothly with this step-by-step troubleshooting guide.
Fix It: How To Repair Hiking Gear
Repair hiking gear yourself to save time and money. Our gear editor demonstrates 16 easy DIY equipment fixes.
Hike Smarter: 7 Ways to Fix and Maintain Gear
How to fix zippers, wash a sleeping bag correctly, waterproofing and make boots last.
9 Easy Backpacking Gear Repairs Every Hiker Should Know
Master these easy repairs to save on shop costs and replacement gear.
The Gear Pro's Repair Kit
Our resident expert, gear editor Kristin Hostetter, assembles the tools to save any trip.
Adventure Updgrade: Make Gear Last
Learn how to fix and prep your gear so that it lasts for miles
Maintain and Repair Your Ski Gear
A broken binding or a skin that wont stick could mean a night spent out in a snow cave, or worse. Have your kit tuned up before you go, but make sure you know how to fix common problems in a pinch.
Winter Hiking Repair Kit
Pack this essential kit to handle your unpredictable gear mishaps.
The 5-ounce Fix Anything Kit
Build this light, affordable kit to repair any backwoods blowout.
Fix Anything: DIY Gear Repair
Build yourself the ultimate gear-cleaning and maintenance kit to keep performance at its peak.
Fast Fix: How to Maintain Technical Apparel
3 ways to make your high-tech apparel perform better and last longer.
Fixing a Tent Tear
I just returned from a trip to the High Sierra and found a 1/2 inch tear in the bottom of my Big Agnes tent. The fabric is silicone treated nylon. How do I fix it?