Autumn in Wānaka is usually the time people start pulling their winter gear back out again.
The ski jacket that’s gotten you through the last six seasons, your warm merinos that make cold mornings bearable, your famous funky fleece that all your mates want to steal.
And while unpacking everything, you might notice a stuck zip, a tear in your puffer or a hole in your favourite woolly socks.
But small issues like that shouldn’t mean replacing a perfectly good piece of gear.
For a long time, repairing things became a bit of a lost skill, but honestly, a lot of repairs are far easier than people think.
These days, there are heaps of beginner-friendly tutorials online that only require basic tools, five minutes of your time and a little bit of patience. Sometimes the fix really is as simple as tightening a zip with a pair of pliers.
And with the cost of living being what it is, there’s something pretty empowering about learning how to make your gear last longer.
Not everything needs replacing. Sometimes it just needs a little care.
Before you give up on a jacket, try this zip fix
One of the most common reasons people stop wearing a jacket is because the zip stops working properly.
But often, the zip itself isn’t actually broken. The slider just loosens over time and stops gripping the teeth properly.
If you’re after a quick fix to get another season out of your jacket, sometimes all it takes is a gentle squeeze with a pair of pliers to tighten the slider back up again.
It’s simple, beginner-friendly and takes less than a couple of minutes. Watch a simple zip fix tutorial here.
If you’re wanting a longer-term repair, you can also properly replace the zip slider using a new zip buckle, zipper stops and a pair of pliers. It takes a little longer, but is still very manageable for beginners. Watch Patagonia’s zip fix tutorial here.
Down jacket hole repairs
If you’ve spotted a small rip or hole in your down jacket or puffer, it’s well worth patching it before the feathers start escaping.
One of the easiest ways to repair these kinds of holes is with products like Tenacious Tape, which is specifically designed for repairing outdoor gear and technical fabrics.
These repairs are beginner-friendly and don’t require any sewing at all. Usually, it’s just a case of cleaning the area, sticking the patch over the hole and smoothing it down properly.
A quick repair like this can help keep your jacket going strong for many more winters. Watch Kathmandu’s tutorial video here.
Don’t give up on your favourite woolly socks
We all have that one favourite pair of thick winter socks. The warm, slightly scruffy pair that somehow always end up being the first ones you reach for on a freezing morning.
And while a hole in the heel might feel like the end of the road, darning is actually a really handy skill to learn, especially for wool socks.
It’s an old-school repair technique that helps reinforce worn areas and patch holes using a needle and thread or wool. It might look intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a really useful skill to have.
And honestly, there’s something quite nice about squeezing another season out of a favourite pair of socks. Check out Swanndri’s sock darning tutorial.
Sometimes the best gear is the gear you already own
There’s something really nice about keeping a favourite piece of winter gear going for another season.
A patched jacket, darned socks or repaired zip might not look completely brand new anymore, but that’s kind of the point. Good gear is meant to be used, repaired, reworn and taken on many more adventures before it reaches the end of its life.
And if you do have something that needs a bit of extra help, bring it along to our next Repair Revolution event on June 28. Our volunteer repair heroes will be there helping people fix everything from winter woolies to household goods.
You can find more information about the Wastebusters Repair Revolution here.
And if a piece of gear really has reached the end of the road after many winters well spent, buying secondhand is always a great next option.
Wastebusters’ Winter Drop is back this weekend, packed with quality secondhand ski gear, warm winter layers, jackets, boots and snow gear ready for another season of adventures.
Because keeping good gear in circulation, whether that’s through repair, reuse or buying secondhand first, is what it’s all about really.
And honestly, the best winter gear usually comes with a good story attached to it.
