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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Home is where you stake it out. Understand the ins and outs, pick the right shelter, and treat it like you would your bedroom.
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.
Getting out too much is a good problem to have. Stinky clothes from all the mileage? Not so good.
Take good care of your sleeping bag, and you could use it for years to come.
A little TLC will keep your hiking boots in shape for years to come.
Blizzard out there? Then it's the perfect time to tackle one of these indoor DIY projects to set yourself up for a great hiking season.
Keep your liquid fuel camp stove—like the MSR Whisperlite—running smoothly with this step-by-step troubleshooting guide.
Repair hiking gear yourself to save time and money. Our gear editor demonstrates 16 easy DIY equipment fixes.
How to fix zippers, wash a sleeping bag correctly, waterproofing and make boots last.
Master these easy repairs to save on shop costs and replacement gear.
Our resident expert, gear editor Kristin Hostetter, assembles the tools to save any trip.
Learn how to fix and prep your gear so that it lasts for miles
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.
Pack this essential kit to handle your unpredictable gear mishaps.
Build this light, affordable kit to repair any backwoods blowout.
Build yourself the ultimate gear-cleaning and maintenance kit to keep performance at its peak.
3 ways to make your high-tech apparel perform better and last longer.
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?
So your trusty backcountry home is looking a little beat up. That doesn't mean it's time to throw it away. Learn what can and can't be fixed on your tent with our handy guide.
