Gear Repair - Needle and Thread

[TopherBean]

One kit that I think is undervalued in the bigger picture is a sewing kit. Often, folks (myself included) are quick to seek out what's new and purchase new gear rather than breathe new life into an old piece of gear.

With practice and patience, I've had a lot of personal success repairing, improving, and creating gear that I use daily and others that I carry with me when hiking and camping. I did all of this with just a needle and thread and a high level understanding of how to sew (I am certainly not highly skilled but I can get functional results).

Here is an overview video of the simple tools I use and what I have accomplished with them:



I picked up this pack from mountain girl on a great deal. It had a couple of holes in it but nothing that was beyond repair. After spending a few dollars at a craft store, I was able to fix up the pack and restore it's original functionality.









And here is a close up of the dump pouch I made.



Thanks for looking and let me know if you have a similar philosophy.

[Lerch]

Yep in an age where most folks throw a shirt away if a button comes off there is something rewarding to being able to mend your own clothes and gear. I have a heavy duty repair needle stuck in the sheath of my Leatherman which is almost always with me and it combined with some inner strands from the ever present 550 cord has saved the day on a few occasions. Everything from jacket buttons to a rather embarrassing trouser blowout.

[TopherBean]

I agree, Lerch. Button repair is a big one. Can't tell you how many buttons I've put back on over the years and it's nice knowing that when I out it back on its on stronger than the original.

[Spiffyguy]

I would like to think I have decent sewing skills. One of the very important skills in my opinion. I make quite a bit of my own gear, just finished up a chest pouch all hand sewn for quite a bit less than in the store. Good job.

[Hawkcreek]

Guys used to laugh that I kept and upgraded my issued sewing kit. They'd take stuff out in town to get buttons sewn back on or whatever, I'd fix it myself. Still carry a small sewing kit in my toiletries bag when I'm traveling. Maybe I should stop calling it a needle and thread. Is "old school hand operated manual thread injector" more tacticool?

[Lerch]

I would like to think I have decent sewing skills. One of the very important skills in my opinion. I make quite a bit of my own gear, just finished up a chest pouch all hand sewn for quite a bit less than in the store. Good job.

I've seen your stuff. You are indeed skilled at sewing. Making your own gear is very rewarding.

[Seeker]

Sometimes i'd make something, just to prove i could, but then bought it's replacement because it looked better... a knife sheath was one such item... stuff sacks too. but i learned from each 'failure', and now i'm pretty happy with the stuff i make. it's still mostly stuff sacks and simple repairs (like pants, hemming, buttons, rips in packs, that sort of thing), but i did make an anorak i'm proud of (it's a little small, but i like how it looks! most importantly, i learned from it.)

the very first thing my mom taught me to sew was a button. we then moved on to darning socks. after that came embroidery. i never could get the hand of knitting, and a recent thread on the subject of crocheting has got me thinking about trying that again.

i carry a few sizes of needles in both of my repair kits (small for hiking, larger for canoeing) and in my PSK.

[Zoev]

Thanks for the great topic.

I love to sew things together, always by hand. I've made pouches, backpacks and some basic clothing articles. My backpacking/bushcrafting jacket has more repairs I can count. It's something I've just gotten into recently, and only with cotton cloth, but it's a truly wonderfully useful skill.

[mechtec]

I agree it's a very valuable skill!! I recently somehow tore the sole loose off of a fairly new pair of work boots. I used my awl for all to sew them back on and they are still holding after a month and a half of daily wear. My sewing doesn't look the greatest but I'm glad to have the skill to pull it off.

[troutfisher13111]

I have done quite a bit of sewing myself. Another piece of handy equipment is a sewing awl. Really makes working with heavy duty materials easier.