DIY - Fix that rip with seam grip
Repairing small tears in your outdoor gear is a fact of life. Some folks like the old standby, duct tape, but the results are usually Less Than Ideal - an unsightly blob of grey tape on your gaiter, pack or jacket, peeling adhesive, and usually a short life span.
A better alternative is to use Seam Grip, an adhesive available in most any outdoor store. Or, most general purpose household clear adhesives like Shoe Goo work as well. Plus, Shoe Goo dries a bit faster and comes in small sized tubes you can treat as single use, see below.
To fix a tear, put some tape (most any kind will do) on the outside of the gear you’re fixing - in this example, a gaiter. Next, turn the gaiter so the inside is facing toward you, and reposition the flapping piece by pressing it down on the tape so it’s temporarily held in place. Now, put a good layer of adhesive on the tear, spit on your finger and rub it in, let it cure overnight, and then remove the tape. You’ll have a fix that’s durable and almost invisible.
For a more substantial tear in a thin fabric that's going to have some tension on it, such as a tent fly, try this:
Tape the edges together with duct tape on the outside of the tent.
On the inside of the tent, put down a layer of seam grip, then smoosh in a section of cut mosquito netting, and then put some more seam grip on top of that. Read more on this technique at this tip.
