Repair & Maintenance
Temporary hole fixes for outdoor gear in the field
Gaffer tape or Tear-Aid over a hole in your pack, tent or jacket holds for the rest of the trip. Here is how to do it properly — rounded edges and clean fabric are the key.
When something tears mid-trip — the pack, the tent, the jacket — and you just need to get home first, gaffer tape or Tear-Aid is the quickest temporary repair. It often holds for the rest of the trip, and can last for weeks if you do not get time for a proper repair.
At home: switch to a permanent solution. Tape is not a final repair.
Materials
- Gaffer tape (duct tape) — universal, cheap, works on most surfaces
- Tear-Aid — better on technical fabrics (Gore-Tex, lightweight tent fabrics), holds longer
- Scissors
Carry both in your pack. Tear-Aid for waterproof garments and tents; gaffer tape for everything else.
How to do it
- Clean the area around the hole — get it as clean as possible so the adhesive sticks
- Cut a patch slightly larger than the hole:
- Round off the edges — round patches hold longer than square ones because the load is spread out
- For many small holes or a worn-thin area: cut one large patch that covers the lot
- Apply the tape with no air bubbles underneath
- Press it down firmly and hold the pressure for 30 seconds to activate the adhesive
Why rounded edges
Sharp corners concentrate load. When the garment or pack bends, it is the corner that comes loose first. Rounded edges spread the load evenly along the whole edge — the patch holds much longer.
When you get home
Switch to a permanent repair as soon as you can:
- For clothing: Sewing holes and tears or Gluing holes and tears in outdoor gear
- For tents: Tears and holes in tent fabric and hammocks or Gluing holes and tears in tent fabric
- For packs: Gluing holes and tears in outdoor gear
Tape can be removed by warming it with a hairdryer or ski-waxing iron — the adhesive softens and the patch can be peeled off carefully.
Tape — two types to carry
Gaffer tape:
- Standard duct tape
- Sticks well to most things
- Not waterproof over time
- Leaves adhesive residue
Tear-Aid:
- Specifically for technical fabrics
- Withstands washing and the tumble dryer
- Withstands water and UV better
- More precise adhesive that leaves no residue
- More expensive (~150 kr per pack)
For your pack: carry 50 cm of each. Gaffer tape is used for most things; save the Tear-Aid for waterproof gear where it matters.
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Text: Lars Peters and Snuitide (2022), revised 2026.