Spring a good time for repairs Do-it-yourself fixes for equipment abound

For outdoor enthusiasts this time of year is easy to like. Soon, hiking trails will be snow free and we can descend on our favorite locales. Until then, there’s still time to get equipment repairs done.

That tent with the hole in the no-see-um netting, the stuff sack with the blown out seam, or the boots with the delaminated sole need repairing now, if you plan to be ready for the upcoming season. In no time at all the snow and cold of this past winter will be gone and just a memory. Spring will have come and gone and hiking trails will be open, while you could be still waiting for the repairs on your pack.

It doesn’t have to be that way, however. With a little know-how and some time over the next few weeks you can have all those repairs done before setting your boots to the trail for that first late-spring hike. Start by inspecting every piece of your gear for needed repairs. Look over your boots for the signs of delaminating soles. Check stoves for needed repairs or parts. Inspect zippers on packs, outerwear and sleeping bags for broken or missing teeth.

If you find broken or missing teeth, you have to replace the zipper. It’s not easy to do yourself and you may need to pay a seamstress who’s good at replacing zippers. Some zippers don’t have broken teeth, but still won’t work. That’s usually a worn slider. You can buy a replacement slider for your size zipper and replace it yourself. Fortunately packs, stuff sacks and some outerwear all have one thing in common – seams – that are fairly easy to fix.

To repair a stuff-sack seam, just turn the bag inside out so you can see the original seam. Cut off or rip out any loose thread from the blown seam. Stitch the seam back together with a sewing machine or by hand. Carefully cut any loose or frayed threads and you’re done. For outerwear if you sew seams on waterproof, breathable fabric you may have to use seam-sealer liquid to waterproof the needle holes.

Pack cloth is stronger and thicker than sack cloth, so home sewing machines may not be able to handle this stitching task. If your pack seam is split you may need to take it to a repair shop. Some local outdoor shops may recommend a repair service that they use. It could be a shoe repair shop that has some knowledge of packs and will do a good job for a small fee. You may need to send your pack to the manufacturer for a major repair like a rip in the fabric, but usually they can be patched locally in less time and you won’t wind up paying shipping costs.

You can repair holes in tent no-see-um netting yourself by using a patch kit, available at most outdoor shops or through equipment catalogs. If you want to use a catalog service, plan to send for it soon, or else you may not get it back in time for your first outing. If you have a broken tent pole, call the manufacturer and see if they have a replacement service. Again, allow for shipping time to get the poles here.

There are a lot of repairs to your equipment you can make yourself. If a sole on a hiking boot is starting to show the telltale gap that indicates delaminating from the boot, get some shoe glue and squirt it in the gap. Clamp the boot and sole together for curing the glue overnight and the boot could last the summer.

Various repair kits are available for each type of stove on the market and are usually brand specific, meaning parts aren’t interchangeable between brands. If you try your stove out now, you’ll be able to order the parts to fix it before the season begins. If you have to send it back to the maker, call them for specific shipping instructions. Plan on emptying the stove of any and all fuels before you send it out.

Once all the repairs to your equipment have been done or sent out to be professionally completed, you may want to plan a few trips. Check your collection of trail maps and guidebooks for locales and hikes. If you find maps that have worn-through creases making them difficult to read, either replace them or repair them with cellophane tape. Some waterproof map treatments can hold them together for at least another year. If you’ve checked your guidebooks and can’t find one for the trail you’re planning, you may have to shop for a new guidebook.

Look for a guide that has mileage descriptions that are clearly written. They should identify locations on the trail, such as intersections with other trails, water sources and campsites to within a 10th of a mile. Some guides come with at least a rough map, some have detailed maps, it depends on the guide. A guide book should also be small enough to pack, the smaller the better.

Finally, once you’re finished your gear repair and guidebook planning, all that’s left is to wait for the arrival of that first hiking day. It’ll happen soon enough. A warm wind out of the south will rustle new leaves that have sprouted green on the trees. The snow will be gone and the mud will have dried up on the trails. With all new repairs to your equipment you’ll be ready to go out and explore the spring landscape.