February's Sewing Stories

Repair Heroes at Alpkit fix broken outdoor gear like zippers and jackets. They prolong gear life by patching and repairing every month

Our Repair Heroes are always working hard to prolong the life of our outdoor stuff. Your broken zips, holey jackets and too-long-trousers are not ready to go to Kit Heaven just yet. They keep hacking, patching and sewing. Every month, we speak to the Repair station to hear what they’ve been up to so we can share it with you. Here’s February.

A Yardy Repair - A Double Win

A customer was rooting around Yardy in Alpkit Hathersage. (If you’re new to Yardy, it’s the “upstairs bit” of our Hathersage store where we sell samples, products used once for photoshoots, pre-loved kit and last season’s stuff.) He found a backpack and asked Repair Hero Rob for a chest strap adding to the shoulder straps. It was a simple, secure solution which made a huge difference to his adventures.

A Really, Really Old Jacket. Really.

Abi and Kate at our Bristol Repair station have been working on a jacket older than its current owner. Our repair station has turned the jacket completely inside out. They removed all the old seam tape and glue and replaced it. The customer left a shining review:

"Thanks for mending the coat it's great to have it back and be able to use it as it was meant to be used. I was given the coat by my dad after he's stopped adventuring so much, as he's got older. It's been used for ski trips, hikes, and bike trips for more than 30 years and it was showing its age! It's so great that you've been able to fix it up so that it can continue to keep me dry and warm for my own adventures to come."

Modified Mountaineering Glove

Repair Hero Christoffer has been getting creative at our Repair station in Hathersage. He modified a Showa 282 insulated work glove for cold weather mountaineering. But first, he made a lovely bright orange prototype. The idea was to make a cuff with a drawstring that could be tightened with just one hand, making it extra handy for mountain use.

A Funky Patch

Repair Hero Rosanna at Betws-y-Coed has been working on a truly well-loved coat with a request for a funky patch. It’s a team favourite to rummage through the remnants in their selection box of samples and materials. It looks great!

Glossop Mountain Rescue Repair

Repair Hero Jess at Hathersage has been working quickly. She’s been repairing hems and retaping seams for Glossop Mountain Rescue. Hathersage are really excited that local Mountain Rescue teams are using their awesome local, British repair service.

What Now?

If you have any well-loved kit in desperate need of repairing, hand it into any of our eight stores or chat to our lovely repair heroes in Hathersage, Keswick, Edinburgh, Betws-y-Coed, Ilkley and Bristol.