While many of us love travel gear and see an outdoor shop the way a child sees a candy shop, we also know recycling and repairing is the key to traveling more sustainably. Jennifer Sizeland shares her tips on mending and looking after her belongings while she’s on the road.
With sustainability always high on the agenda, it’s important that travelers tread as softly as possible when they’re away. And one easy way to save money and lessen your impact on the planet is to repair your possessions while on the road instead of buying new gear. And I’ve also found it’s a mindful way to spend evenings or time waiting for trains or buses.
As well as not adding to landfill and buying new items because one small part broke off your old one, it’s incredibly satisfying to say you’ve owned certain essential yet treasured possessions for years. And as someone who has backpacked independently around 89 countries, it comforts me to take the same bags, clothes, tech and accessories that I know I can rely on.
From duct tape and mini screwdrivers to padded bags, here’s my list of essentials that give me the best chance of repairing on the road.
For minor holes in my backpack, clothes or packing cubes, it’s important to sort them out sooner rather than later, as they’ll only get bigger—and harder to fix. A simple in-and-out running stitch can close things up and then you can go over it to keep the mend strong—if you’re not sure what a running stitch is, it’s honestly very easy, and YouTube is your friend…
If you do end up with a large hole, you can easily sew a cloth badge over it, which you’ll find in all sorts of places, from supermarkets to souvenir shops. You could even buy a cloth badge of the country you’re in and cover up larger holes with a piece of memorabilia.
On a trip to Tanzania, I was taught how to mend flip-flops where the toe strap had come out.
Duct tape is incredibly durable, and another item I pretty much never travel without it. If you do get a large tear that can’t be sewn up, you can usually easily secure it with a piece of duct tape. It’s also handy if you need to seal over the cracked shell of suitcases, keep torn bag linings at bay, or to repair packing cubes and padded cases. And you can also use duct tape to prevent leaks in snorkeling masks.
High-quality tape is surprisingly strong and can last for weeks or months, or at least until you can get the item repaired by a professional. If you don’t want to carry an entire roll of duct tape, then you can wrap some around your water bottle to save space in your luggage. And of course, if your item is still in warranty, don’t forget to check and send it back for repairs once you return home.
In my experience, the things most likely to break are prescription glasses or sunglasses as they’re fragile and you tend to use them a lot. Taking a small screwdriver and spare screws that you can keep in your sewing kit can be a lifesaver and save you from having to look find an optician to tighten or repair—and who needs another pair of cheap sunglasses just because one little screw fell off your current ones?
Also, while it’s tempting to have soft cases for your prescription glasses and sunglasses as they’re lighter, it’s worth bringing a more robust case when traveling as glasses can be tricky or expensive to replace. Small screwdrivers are also a nifty way to get sand or dirt out of a camera casing or laptop keyboard, so you stop debris damaging your tech.
Even the sturdiest of sandals can break when you’re walking everywhere, especially if you’re traveling light and you’ve got just the one pair, and when you’re crossing a variety of terrain from sandy beaches to volcanic soil.
If the soles are coming away, simply stick them back together with superglue. Make sure you use something heavy like a rock to weigh it down, and leave it for a good few hours, if not a whole day, so that it sticks securely. I’ve also used superglue to stick the casing back onto my camera when it was peeling off, but obviously, use with caution to avoid it leaking out and damaging your equipment.
String is a backpacker essential; I’ve used it for countless reasons on countless trips. Not only can it be used as a makeshift clothes line, but it can also fix broken flip flops. On a trip to Tanzania, I was taught how to mend flip-flops where the toe strap had come out. You simply tie the string around the strap, pull it back through the hole it came out from, secure the string underneath the shoe, then use a dab of superglue to ensure it stays in place.
String also comes in handy if a cord on your backpack goes, and you can thread it through a broken zip to keep it usable, if the zipper comes off.
Ultimately, there’s something so satisfying about repairing something on the road instead of throwing it out and consigning it to a landfill.
There’s almost nothing worse than having a leak in your clothing, shoes or tent or where an item has lost its moisture resistance, so taking some sort of waterproofer is really handy—and since you can’t easily lug around an unusable tent or shoes in the hope you can get it repaired somewhere, being able to make do and mend is a lifesaver.
You can buy relatively small bottles so they’re easy to carry. Using it is pretty simple: You can wash them into clothes, use with a sponge on shoes, or spray on for large items like tents. Make sure the brand you buy is PFA-free (a toxic-forever chemical) so it doesn’t damage the environment—most outdoors stores sell a version like this.
A multi-tool or penknife can be a great addition to your repair kit. Tweezers can be used to fix broken zippers (thread the zip back on and squeeze the metal hook back in place), cut loose threads with scissors, and get rid of dirt with a small knife. The tools can also be used to open cameras and binoculars for cleaning, and some come with magnifying glasses so you see small repairs better.
If you’re taking a camera or binoculars, a brush is a must to remove grit from your camera sensor or eyepiece. I’ve learnt the hard way that even the smallest particles can ruin your pictures, and they can create permanent scratches if not removed. Once your camera is grit-free, use a small cloth to remove the dust that builds up underneath.
If you have your own wetsuit, make sure it dries thoroughly in the sun, then brush off all of the sand and salt so it doesn’t corrode the fabric, and wipe down with a wet cloth to remove any residue. Wetsuits aren’t that easy to repair due to the thick neoprene fabric so damage prevention is key.
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For more complicated repairs, I recommend finding a local tradesperson. In Australia, I took my camera, with a shutter that was stuck half-open, into a specialist store. The owner quickly fixed it as he had the right tool for the job (and in that case, he didn’t even charge me). You may be surprised at the things that can be fixed if you ask around in a market or shopping center.
And ultimately, there’s something so satisfying about repairing something on the road instead of throwing it out and consigning it to a landfill, and this is particularly important in places without robust recycling or waste collections. And you only need to pack a few small items (some of which you might have been taking anyway), and know how to use them, to play your part.
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Jennifer Sizeland is a freelance writer and assistant producer with 15 years of experience in the media industry. She has written for numerous publications including the BBC, the Independent, Metro, Manchester Mill, Fodor’s Travel, Gastro Obscura, Reader’s Digest, Stylist, and she writes her own sustainability blog called Land of Size.
