Sleeping Bags: How to Buy, Repair, and Maintain Them
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.
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.
5 Easy Swaps You Can Make to Be More Eco-Friendly On The Trail
Next time you have to resupply your gear, make one of these swaps to reduce your waste and impact on the planet.
Latest in Gear Repair
Backpacking Tents: How to Pick the Perfect One for You
Home is where you stake it out. Understand the ins and outs, pick the right shelter, and treat it like you would your bedroom.
Backpacks: An Owner’s Manual
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.
Hiking Boots and Shoes: How to Buy, Fit, and Repair Them
Footwear tech is more complicated than it looks. Maximize your mileage by learning how to pick the right boots and make them last.
How to Fix a Separated Zipper In 60 Seconds
Don't let a busted jacket, tent, or pack ruin your trip. Follow these steps to get your zipper working like new.
How to Wash Your Down Jacket
Eliminate grime and odors and restore loft to your favorite puffy.
How to Repair Almost Anything in Your Pack
Save time, money, and the planet with these 16 simple gear fixes you can do at home.
How to Care for Your Backpacking Gear
Keep your gear going season after season with these tips from Boulder Mountain Repair technicians Sam Goodhue and Matt Wintston to prevent little problems from becoming big (and expensive) ones.
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.
Shells: An Owner’s Manual
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 Wash Your Outdoor Clothes
Getting out too much is a good problem to have. Stinky clothes from all the mileage? Not so good. We tested 16 cleaning products to find the best treatments to prolong the life of your favorite layers.
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.
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
The 5-ounce Fix Anything Kit
Build this light, affordable kit to repair any backwoods blowout.
Fast Fix: How to Maintain Technical Apparel
3 ways to make your high-tech apparel perform better and last longer.
Can I Fix My Tent?
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.
For Broken Gear, Don't Despair…Repair
What you can and can't fix: How to breathe new life into tired old faithfuls.