Product: Gearsaver, The Essential Repair Kit

Description: A 5-ounce equipment repair kit stowed in a 5-inch-by-5.5-inch nylon pouch designed to enable field repair of tears and breaks in outdoor clothing, packs, tents and more. Each package contains two Kevlar Keprotec patches, two 1,000-deniercoated Cordura patches, one GoreTex patch, one heat-sealable packcloth patch, one stormproof nylon patch, two light ripstop nylon patches, one No-See-up netting patch, one 1-inch side release buckle, one 1-inch ladderloc, one 1-inch triglide, one cord lock, heavyduty bonded polyester thread, leather sewing needle, fabric sewing needle, Velcro strip, thimble, single-edged razor blade, Seam Grip adhesive and 10 inches of heavy baling wire.

Pro: Purchased individually, with judicious shopping, you could put together this kit for about $15. But why would you want to? Yardang has done the labor and packaged the items conveniently and compactly. The carrying case is well-designed and holds the items securely. Instructions are simple, easy to follow and printed on heavygauge paper. Every item in this kit has multiple uses and, short of rebuilding a stove, should provide most everything you’d need to patch up tears, stop leaks, hold together boots and jury-rig packs.

Con: Yardang makes mention of using a pre-cleaner for the Seam Grip to prepare the site for better adhesion. They also refer to using isopropyl alcohol in the clean-up. Yet, neither of these items is included in the kit. It would be simple, for perhaps another dollar, to add these items to the kit. A lighter is another needed addition. If you are cutting a nylon patch, you need to be able to melt the edges to prevent unraveling.

Comments: Finally, a thoughtful first-aid kit for your gear put together by someone who obviously is well-versed in gear repair. Although it works well enough, the Zip-loc packaging currently used is not ideal for storing things such as sharp needles or wire with jagged ends. I recommend using a plastic film container. The needles, thimble and wire tuck nicely inside. As a bonus, wrap a foot or two of a duct tape strip around the outside - duct tape is excellent for many quick repairs. This customized kit goes with me on every trip.

Suggested Retail: $19.95 Company: Yardang, P.O. Box 2133, Crested Butte, CO 81224; (970) 349-1047