DIY Repairs

Zippers are on just about everything and over time they wear out. At Rugged Thread, we repair about 200 zippers a year on jackets, tents, sleeping bags, pants, motorcycle gear...

Zippers are on just about everything and over time they wear out. At Rugged Thread, we repair about 200 zippers a year on jackets, tents, sleeping bags, pants, motorcycle gear…

If your tent zipper is not functioning properly, you may be wondering whether it needs a slider replacement or a full zipper replacement. This step-by-step guide will help you identify...

Washing & Drying a Down Sleeping Bag It might seem scary to put your beloved down sleeping bag in a washing machine, but this step-by-step guide will help! Down sleeping...

Got spaghetti on your favorite down jacket? Just pop it in the wash! We’ve been washing ours (and other people’s) down jackets this way for years. It’s tried-and-true for the...

What is Tenacious Tape? Tenacious Tape is a stick-on, easy to use DIY patch that comes in a wide range of colors. It works great on just about everything from...

As much as I use tape it’s no surprise that as a technical outdoor repair expert I also use a special tape to repair down jacket and sleeping bag rips, water-proof ski and snowboard pants, tents and backpacks. But I don’t use packing tape, NO to duct tape and NO to other funky sticky tape as it will leave a mess that is impossible to remove.  You want to get a roll of McNett’s Tenacious Tape for $5, cut off what you need from the 3″x18″ resealable tube that can be tossed in a pack for repairs in the field. My favorite repair using Tenacious Tape is down jackets.