Choose your repair kit
Choose the materials your gear needs first. The UL Repair Spool carries tape and sewing supplies. The full Repair Spool adds wider tape, a second needle and two types of repair patch. Compare those contents with the gear you will carry.
The two spools side by side
Current product contents and prices, checked October 2 2026.
| Contents | UL Repair Spool | Repair Spool |
|---|---|---|
| Assembled weight | 14 g | 42 g |
| Price | USD 11.99 | USD 18.99 |
| Gorilla Tape | 1 yard, 1 inch wide | 1 yard, 1.88 inches wide |
| Bonded nylon thread | 3 yards | 3 yards |
| Needles | 1 | 2 |
| Threadlock fabric patches | Not included | 4 |
| Airlock TPU patches | Not included | 2 |
Choose UL when you already have the patch side covered
The 14 g UL Repair Spool makes sense when you want compact tape and sewing supplies, or when you already carry the repair patches specified for your gear. It does not include a fabric or inflatable patch.
If you sleep on an inflatable pad, check its repair instructions before choosing tape and thread as your entire kit. A kit can be light and still omit the one material your pad needs.
Choose Repair Spool when you want both patch types together
The 42 g Repair Spool includes four Threadlock fabric patches and two Airlock patches for TPU substrates, plus the tape and sewing supplies. It costs $7 more and weighs 28 g more than UL.
That is a straightforward upgrade if those are the materials your gear calls for and you prefer them in one assembled kit. It is not a reason to assume every tent coating, sleeping pad or water bladder is compatible.
Match the patch to the material
Threadlock is the fabric option. Airlock is designed for TPU. Look up the actual material and coating on your gear rather than choosing by the item’s name alone.
For silicone-coated tent fabrics, valve failures, damaged tent poles or load-bearing damage, check the gear maker’s repair instructions. A small adhesive patch may not be the appropriate repair. Our patch selection guide explains the two Igneous patch types; fixing gear on the fly covers the wider repair decisions.
You can keep a kit you already built
If you already carry suitable tape, thread, a needle and the patches your gear needs, you do not have to buy another kit. Choose a spool if keeping those materials in one compact unit solves a problem for you.
Keep first aid as its own decision
Neither spool is a first-aid kit. Plan your first-aid supplies separately for the trip, and know how to use what you carry.
Check current contents before buying
Choose UL Repair Spool for tape and sewing supplies, or Repair Spool when its included fabric and TPU patches match your gear. Check the current product contents before ordering.
Answer 6 quick questions and we’ll recommend the best-fit kit for your style of backpacking. No fluff, just a clear call.
Why field repair matters
On a long trail, the cost of a small failure isn’t just gear. It’s time, safety, and miles. A torn pad the night before a high pass, a blown shoulder-strap seam 40 miles from town: these are the moments a repair kit pays for itself. A good system is light, specific to the failures you’ll actually see (fabric tears, inflatable leaks, frayed seams, abrasion), and fast to deploy without turning your hip belt pocket into a toolbox.
This page is the hub for our repair content. The quiz above picks your kit. For the hands-on side, see how to execute repairs on trail, the material science behind Threadlock and Airlock patches, how to find and fix a sleeping pad leak, and the at-home maintenance that prevents failures in the first place.
Kits at a glance (contents and weights)
- Repair Spool, 42 g assembled: Gorilla Tape 1.88 in × 1 yd, bonded nylon thread 3 yd, 2 needles (34 mm × 0.6 mm), 4 Threadlock patches (36 × 28 mm), 2 Airlock patches (36 × 28 mm).
- UL Repair Spool, 14 g assembled: Gorilla Tape 1 in × 1 yd, bonded nylon thread 3 yd, 1 needle (34 mm × 0.6 mm). To our knowledge, the lightest repair kit with both tape and sewing available.
- First Aid & Repair Kit, 70 g: weatherproof DCF pouch (130 × 90 × 20 mm, YKK Aquaguard zipper) holding a full first-aid set plus the UL Repair Spool, 3 Threadlock, 3 Airlock, super glue, and 10 water purification tablets.
Repair Spool: full capability in pocket form
Repair Spool combines tape, sewing supplies, four Threadlock fabric patches and two Airlock TPU patches in a 42 g unit. Choose it when those patch types match your gear and you want them stored with the rest of the repair materials. Check the detailed contents above and the product page before buying.
UL Repair Spool: bare minimum, still real fixes
UL Repair Spool keeps tape, three yards of bonded nylon thread and one needle together at 14 g. Choose it when you want those essentials or already carry suitable patches separately. Compare the weight of everything you will carry, including any patch kit required by your pad or shelter.
First Aid & Repair Kit: one pouch, real coverage
- Pouch: weatherproof DCF, YKK Aquaguard zipper, 130 × 90 × 20 mm, 70 g total.
- First aid: adhesive bandages (6), alcohol wipes (8), antibiotic ointment (4), hydrocortisone cream (2), ibuprofen (3), antihistamine (2), anti-diarrheal (2), Skinshield blister patches (20).
- Repair and utility: UL Repair Spool (1), Threadlock patches (3), Airlock patches (3), super glue gel (1).
- Survival: water purification tablets (10).
One pouch that handles blisters, cuts, fabric tears, and pad or bladder leaks without hunting across pockets.
Patch selection: Threadlock vs Airlock
- Threadlock (woven fabrics): packs, garments, and tent canopies made from woven polyester or nylon.
- Airlock (TPU substrates): inflatable sleeping pads, water bladders, and TPU-coated fabrics.
Apply to clean, dry surfaces. Use immediately if needed; bond strength keeps increasing as the adhesive cures. The full substrate-by-substrate reasoning is in Patch Science: Threadlock vs Airlock.
Application workflow (fast, repeatable)
- Locate and prep: wipe with an alcohol wipe until clean and dry.
- Choose patch: Threadlock for woven fabric, Airlock for TPU and inflatables.
- Apply: center the patch, press from the middle out to purge air.
- Pressure: burnish firmly with a thumb or smooth tool to seat the adhesive.
- Set: use right away if needed; the bond continues to strengthen as it cures.
Failure modes and edge cases
- Contamination: oils, sunscreen, DWR residue, and dust reduce adhesion. Alcohol wipe first.
- Moisture and cold: wet surfaces interfere with pressure-sensitive adhesives, so dry before patching. Extreme cold can make the adhesive feel less tacky during application.
- Silicone-coated fabrics (silnylon/silpoly): poor adhesion for most patches. Sew first, then tape over the stitches for abrasion protection.
- High-shear zones: patch edges at tight seams and flex points may lift. Choose a larger footprint or combine stitching and tape.
- Inflatables under pressure: deflate fully before patching, and avoid creases at seams and corners where stress concentrates.
Tape and sewing: when to use which
- Tape first for fast reinforcement, fraying edges, delamination flaps, and shoe or sole issues.
- Sew when it’s structural (load-bearing straps, webbing bar-tacks, panel seams), then tape over the stitch lines to protect the thread from abrasion.
Maintenance and resupply
- Most used first: alcohol wipes, bandages, tape, and Threadlock patches go fastest.
- Storage: keep kits dry and accessible, and keep loose fabric lint off patch surfaces.
- Restock cadence: replace used patches, wipes, and meds after each trip, and keep the UL Repair Spool intact inside the First Aid & Repair Kit.
FAQ
Will Threadlock stick to silnylon? Not reliably. Stitch first, then tape as abrasion protection.
Can I patch a bladder or pad while it’s damp? No. Dry the area fully before applying Airlock.
How strong is the patch right away? Strong enough for typical trail use. Bond strength increases as the adhesive cures.
Why two tape widths? 1.88 in covers larger tears and supports splints; 1 in targets seams and saves weight on the UL kit.
What are the needle specs? 34 mm length, 0.6 mm diameter: small enough for precise work, stout enough for webbing bar-tacks.