Become a Member

Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more.

Already have an account? Sign In

Become a Member

Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more.

Already have an account? Sign In

Brands

Skills

Wired For Anything

Texas reader says plastic-coated wire ties are essential item for backcountry emergency kits.

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.

Reader Ed Storey of El Paso, Texas, swears by plastic-coated wire ties, available in the electrical department of most home improvement and hardware stores. Once, while Ed was snapping pics of a mountain goat in Montana’s Glacier National Park, a ground squirrel chewed through his pack in search of salted cashews. He “sewed” up the hole with a few of the little plastic ties. “They’re light, strong, and versatile,” says Storey. “They can be used individually, doubled for strength, or looped in a chain for length.”

How to Pack for Backcountry Skiing

Get to know the winter safety gear you need in your pack.

Keywords: