You will find few articles dealing with this subject. There are 3 indispensable things that should never leave you during your outdoor outings, long hikes or camping trips to make all the necessary repairs.

I will try to share with you thousands of hours and kilometres travelled in Quebec, Canada, the United States, China, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, the Philippines and Europe. I have repaired everything that could be in my backpack or on me.

Each hiker's needs are different and the list is certainly not exhaustive. For the more minimalist or thru-hikers, you can take only these 3 elements with you. For other hikers, you can take more items for the repair of your hiking equipment.

You have to find the perfect compromise that suits you!

It's my favorite element. You can use the tape to repair any part of your backpack. 

- A hole in your shoe? 

- A hole in your tent? 

- A sprain? 

- A broken hiking stick? 

- A hole in your down jacket or sleeping bag? 

-· Leakage problem?

It's simple. Tape is your best friend. You can use it in any situation for all objects. Sometimes you have to be a little creative to fix it, but it will follow you everywhere.

The mistake I made was buying bad quality tape! I wanted to save a few bucks, but it didn't stick very well. Don't make that mistake again! You can buy it at any DIY or hardware store.

Anecdote:

In the mountains in Georgia, close to the border with Russia, the tip of my shoe opened in two. I had to show a certain ingenuity to deal with the unexpected.. I rolled up the end of my shoe with a strap, put some glue on it and added a lot of tape. This makeshift repair worked for a few days.

Notes : You don't need to bring a whole roll of tape with you - to save weight, you can wrap the tape around your hiking poles or lighter.

Instant glue is the second thing you need to bring along. in your repair kit. You can find this glue in any DIY or hardware store. You can use the glue to glue your broken items or to repair your equipment.

Here are some examples of use:

-· Repair of shoe wear

-· Repair of a seam of a tent or rain jacket with an addition of adhesive tape

-· Floor mat repair

-· Repair of sunglasses

-· Hiking stick (with tape)

For longer hikes, it is possible to take with you a stronger and more durable shoe repair type glue. This can be used to repair hiking boots, hiking poles, etc.

A classic of the good hiker. In spite of their obvious usefulness, many hikers do not take them with them when hiking. However, these two objects, which weigh only a few grams, can help you a lot.  

With a needle and thread, you can: 

- Take care of your blisters, 

-· Sew/repair your clothes,

-· Sew/repair your tent, sleeping bag and backpack,

-· Sewing/repairing a pair of shoes (yes, it is possible to sew a pair of shoes with tape support and glue),

-· Sew/repair a wound if you have nylon thread (this is not recommended, but in extreme emergency it can be done).

Needle and thread is a classic. It is important to have the right needle size. You will not use the same needle to repair your tent or hiking boots.

I often use a thin needle for clothes and tent and a thicker one for shoes or backpack. It's only a few grams more to wear.

Notes : In order not to lose your needle, you can wrap it in tape and put it in your first aid kit or repair kit. If you use your needle to treat a blister or other use on the body, remember to burn the tip of the needle to sanitize it.

These three elements are very useful to repair all the elements of your backpack. Sometimes you have to be creative or use two of the above to repair your equipment. I never leave without these 3 items.

I'm a fan of ultralight hiking.... I only use these 3 items for my hikes and expeditions. It is certain that it is not made for everyone and it is necessary to be able to know how to repair your equipment with these 3 items.

If you are not an expert in hiking, I advise you to take these 3 items and add more items in your backpack to have the perfect mix for a safe outdoor outing.

The Mount Trail Team