Gear List: Emergency Repair Kit

What's in my Emergency Repair Kit

Today’s post I will be sharing a part of my gear list.  While, I am not an extreme weight watcher when packing my gear, I do try to keep my total weight low while being functional.  The same is true for my gear repair kit.  Fortunately, I have never had to make a repair with my current kit, but I have used its similar components throughout my outdoor and Army life.

My Gear Repair Kit

Gear Repair Kit

Here are the contents of my repair kit and their weight in grams.  For those of you who like ounces, it weighs approximately 2.5 oz.  If you noticed the weights are not precise, it is because my little scale is only sensitive down to .01 kilograms or 10 grams, but this should be close enough for such tiny gear. 

Item	Grams
Duct Tape	10
Safety Pins	10
Needle	10
Super Glue	10
Tenacious Patches	10
Stuff Sack	20
Total Weight:	70

Duct Tape - duct tape is a very versatile item and is part of my first aid kit and repair kit.  I cut 2-inch sections of straw and wrapped 24 inches of tape around the straw or you can get it pre-rolled.  Duct tape can be used to hold together a blown out shoe (I have fixed boots like this on Army hikes), a quick repair on tears or rips, or hold items together.  Plus, duct tape is waterproof, so it can be used on waterproof items for temporary fixes.   

Safety Pins – safety pins are an essential part of a field sewing kit.  The main use for safety pins is to hold fabric together while you are sewing.  Other uses would be holding together broken zippers or hanging up wet clothes on a line.

Needle and Thread – I carry two needles wrapped in a small amount of duct tape, so I’m not stabbed when I reach my hand in my repair kit.  In addition, I carry one small roll of thread; however, many people carry only floss instead of thread and floss.  Needles and thread can be used to sew up any rips and tears or reattach buttons.  Moreover, needles can be used to remove splinters or pop blisters. 

 

A close up of my small sewing kit

Super Glue – I carry one single serving tube of super glue in my repair kit.  Super glue is similar to duct tape and can be used to repair almost anything.  It can be used to seal seams, hold together blown out shoes, or make minor repairs to broken gear.

Tenacious Patch Kit – Tenacious Patches come with multiple precut circle patches.  The patches can be applied to any material, but I keep them in case I need to repair my sleeping bag or sleeping pad.  I consider those two items high priority, and the adhesive patches are the best method I have found to make an airtight patch with no sticky residue.   

Stuff Sack – The stuff sack has no function in the repair kit other than It keeps my repair kit and first kit together.  

Supplemental Items

Knife - while my knife is not specifically in a part of my repair kit, it is essential for making repairs.  If any item needs to be cut, you need a knife or scissors to get the job done.

Rope - I always carry a little extra nylon rope for tie downs and hanging my food to keep animals away.  However, it can also be used in gear repair.  Rope can be used as a belt, shoelaces, or to hold items together.

Possible Future Additions

There are a few additions I would like to make to my kit, but I always seem to forget about when I’m ordering off Amazon or in a store that will have the items.  Hopefully I will remember to pick them up before I learn the hard way.

Zip Ties – zip ties are plastic fasteners used to hold two items together.   Possible uses include securing a pack to your frame after a rip, make shift shoelaces, and holding a broken buckle together.

Fabric Tape – fabric tape is a quick way to make repairs to cloth items without sewing.  Fabric tape permanently fuses with the material it is applied too.  Also, It is important to get a non-iron version to make field repairs easy (it is not recommend to hike with an iron).  Fabric tape can be used to repair rips and tears in non-waterproof items such as pants. 

Silicone Glue - silicone glue is a type of glue used to seal and waterproof seams.  If there is a rip in your rain gear or waterproof section of your tent, use a sew kit to repair the damage.  Then you seal the new seam with silicone glue to ensure that section is still water proof. 

Final Thoughts

While, I can't tell you exactly what you need in you repair kit because everyone has different gear, I do highly recommend carrying at least some type of repair kit. It is true that the kit will be rarely used, but it will make a much better trip if you have at least some items available to make repairs.

What are you carrying in your gear repair kit? Also, if you like the blog, please follow us on Facebook.

Jarrett Morgan