Preface

The way I see it, there are two types of hikers: those who love gear with a slightly bizarre passion (aka “gearheads”) and those who barely even acknowledge its existence.

Gearheads call their backpacks by name, they get a little weepy-eyed talking about their boots, and they’ve sewn up their favorite jacket so many times that it looks like a patchwork quilt. They also swoon over the latest and greatest gear; even if they don’t buy it, they love learning about it.

For those folks in the other camp—the ones who are nonchalant, maybe even a bit cavalier about their gear—it’s simply the means to the end. They just gather up their stuff and hit the trail. They don’t covet shiny new gizmos, fawn over the latest technologies, or give it much thought at all … until something goes wrong.

Whether you fall into one of these extreme camps or somewhere in the middle, this book is aimed at you. Your outdoor experience will be a lot more comfortable—and fun—if you know how to “MacGyver” your way out of a sticky situation. Plus, you’ll save boatloads of money and lessen your environmental impact if you keep your gear in good repair, rather than ditch it and buy something new when a problem strikes.

For this book I wanted to really get my hands dirty. During my fifteen-plus years as BACKPACKER magazine’s gear editor, I’ve written about gear repairs more times than I can remember. It’s funny how repairs look so easy when you read about them and look at the nice clean line drawings that show you the steps. The reality of gear repair is far grimier, which is why I solicited real gear from real people for this book. I wanted to make all the repairs myself and shoot photos in the process. So I launched a campaign on Facebook and backpacker.com, asking readers to send me their busted-up, worn-out gear to work on. And they did, by the box load! I learned a lot during this process, and it made me feel great to be able to lend a hand to my fellow hikers.

This book is cram-packed with not only all the repairs and fix-it tips I’ve learned along the way, but also a ton of general gearhead advice:

• Tips from the Field: These sections include ideas for keeping your gear in good working order, staying comfortable and safe in the wilds, and preventing problems when the conditions are less than ideal (as they often are out there).
• Pro Fix: While I’m a firm believer in tackling all the problems that I can, I also know that sometimes you have to call in the big guns. The Pro Fix sidebars throughout the book will teach you when to wave the white flag and send something back to the manufacturer or a gear repair shop for a professional fix.
• Splurge!: I’ve also included shopping advice throughout the book. Because at some point it might be time to throw in the towel and splurge on something new. These sidebars will help you make the right buying decisions, based on your trips’ needs and your budget.

I’d like to thank the many people who contributed in myriad ways to the building of this book. This was a massive team effort, and I couldn’t have done it without the support and help of so many of my friends and colleagues in the outdoor industry. Thanks to Steve Roy, who worked alongside me through many of these repairs, with his camera at the ready. A huge thanks to Meg Erznoznik, who dodged Hurricane Irene and sacrificed the best days of summer to shoot more photos and keep me impeccably organized. For their expertise along the way, thanks to George Farkas, Drew Williams and Bill Gamber from Big Agnes; Julie Parker from Rainy Pass Repair; Chris Felix at CRK Enterprises; Cheriss Faiola and David Wiggs from McNett; Gregg Fischer from Leki; Curtis Graves, Doug Heinrich, and Joe Skivran from Black Diamond; Rick Vance from Petzl; Gary Fraze from Duraflex; Diane Leavy and Kerri Dellasanti from Cascade Designs; Matt Wilson at American Recreation; RJ Hosking and Jess Clayton at Patagonia; Kate McCabe from ZRK Enterprises; Julie Atherton with Steripen; Mike May with Gerber; and Sue Minichiello with DMT.

Thanks to many of my colleagues (past and present) at BACKPACKER: Julia Vandenoever and Genny Fullerton for their photo expertise and perpetual willingness to help; Katie Herrell, Ben Fullerton, Kim Phillips, Andrew Bydlon, and Steve and Jen Howe for donating some of their shots; Dennis Lewon for proofing the final draft; and Jon Dorn for supporting me throughout the project.

A huge thanks to all the loyal BACKPACKER readers who entrusted me with their beloved pieces of gear and sent me their awesome stories and photos: Bill Brown, Scott Rohrig, Julie Ellison, Steve Roy, John Fulton, James Dziezynski, Matt Vellone, Melanie Robinson, Abby Baur, Max Katzmartsic, Meg Erznoznik, Mike Browning, Gary Colvard, Rod Goldhahn, Mike Nancarrow, and Paige Boucher. Without you, this book could not have happened.

Thanks to my editor, John Burbidge, for letting me chart my own course. And lastly, thanks to my family: my husband, Shaun, and my two boys, Charlie and Joey, for putting up with all the craziness and for letting me take over the garage for six months, turning it into a giant gear workshop and storage space.