Of course, you will have inspected and replaced any worn equipment before departing on a great adventure. But remember Murphy’s Law and be prepared.
There are very few things as frustrating as having spent hours and hours planning and preparing for a wilderness adventure, driving a great distance to your trailhead and hiking a couple of hours to set up your base camp only to find that you have put a crampon through the side of the tent or ripped a hole in your sleeping bag or some other disaster. All the effort is going for naught unless you have the material or tools to effect a repair. In many cases, this may only be a temporary repair but it could save your experience, or your life.
Like other items in the Ten Essentials, a Repair Kit should be created based on the extent of your planned experience, the types of equipment you are depending on, the length of your time in the wilderness and what you can improvise. At the low end of the repair spectrum, you should, at least, carry a multi-tool. This is an instrument that has multiple purposes. One of the most well-known is the Leatherman. With this you can cut, scrape, use multiple screwdrivers, open a can of pork and beans, cut wire or cord, pull splinters and . . . open a bottle of wine. All of this depends on the model and extent of the tools offered.
