Solo Travellers
DIY Gear Repairs on the Trail: Fixes with Duct Tape, Cord, etc
Trail Gear Repair: Simple DIY Fixes That Work
As soon as you enter the wilderness, gear issues can strike at the most inopportune moments. An unrepaired backpack strap, a tent that’s been torn, or even just a leaky water bottle could become an unexpected battlefield unless quickly repaired with tools such as paracord, duct tape, and multi-tools – such as those discussed here – which provide reliable repairs when miles from civilization.
This article will show how fast and trustworthy maintenance on gear can still take place when miles away from civilization.
Essential Repair Kit for the Trail
- Duct Tape is an effective solution for patching tears, breakages, leaks, and other issues that arise in everyday life.
- Parcord, also referred to as Strong Cordage, can be used for knotting to strengthen, retying, or fixing damaged straps.
- Zip Ties are significant for quick repairs on clothing and gear.
- Safety pins and thread/needle for stitching small tears or rips.
- Multi-Tools, or Knives as they’re more commonly known, provide cutting, prying, and equipment adjusting services.
- Super glue or Repair Tape can help to bond rubber or plastic parts together securely.
Breakage in Backpack Strap or Buckle.
This could become an inconvenience when carrying your bag, so quickly replacing a broken strap or buckle should be a priority.
For easy and swift solutions:
Duct Tape Wrap: The strap should be folded over and secured using duct tape as a temporary fixation to achieve this result.
Paracord Replacement: Should your strap become completely torn, paracord can be used to form another loop and fastened with its buckle.
Zip Tie Trick: Thread the zip tie through the buckle holes to support the strap independently and hold it in place.
Torn Tent or Rainfly
Issue: A Rip in the tent fabric can let in wind, rain, and insects; to seal it effectively, apply Duct Tape Patch around both sides of the tear to create an impermeable seal around it.
Tenacious Tape (if available): For repairs that last a long time, Tenacious Tape may provide the optimal solution.
Sewing and Tape Combo: For larger tears, sew the edges first before applying TapeTape as an added securement measure.
Leak in Your Water Bottle or Hydration Bladder
Trouble: A puncture in your water container could leave you thirsty.
Fix: Dry the area first before sealing any gaps with several layers of duct tape.
Super glue for small holes: Use with plastic bottles (allowing it to air dry before refilling).
Broken Trekking Pole or Tent Pole
A broken pole can quickly disrupt any trek, shelter, or trip. For immediate stabilization, use a strong stick as a splint in alignment with the damaged section and secure it using Duct Tape.
Tent Pole Repair Sleeve (if included): Slip it over any damaged areas for extra support and reinforcement.
Worn-Out or Blown-Out Shoe Sole
Issue: Losing a shoe sole while trekking can be devastating. For an easy solution, Duct Tape and Cord Wraps provide support – tape the sole back in place, then tie a paracord wrap to provide extra stability.
Zip Tie Lugs can provide temporary grip for worn treads.
Broken Zipper
Issue: A broken or stuck zipper can ruin clothing or backpacks. Rather than replace the entire zipper pull with paracord or keyrings, use one as an alternative pull tab option instead.
Use wax or lip balm to lubricate, which will help loosen any zipper that has become stuck.
Safety Pins serve as emergency stoppers: in case the zipper’s teeth become misaligned, the opening is prevented from occurring.
Conclusion
When in the wilderness and every gram counts, having the ability to quickly and efficiently make repairs on gear yourself may be more than just helpful; it could save lives. Be it broken straps, torn tents, damaged bottles, or worn soles, paracord, duct tape, zip ties, and various tools can prevent an otherwise enjoyable journey from becoming hazardous.
Trekup India frequently emphasizes “Prepare to tackle problems. Before setting out, bring along a repair kit, develop solutions, and proceed confidently – especially since in the wilderness, self-reliance is your greatest ally.
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Tracee Ellis Ross may have perfected the art of travelling alone. In her new docuseries, Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, she shows herself preparing for trips to Marrakech, Morocco; Cancún, Mexico; and Marbella, Spain.
Two things are clear. First, the woman is not a minimalist — she packs for every scenario as well as for her own comfort. And second, fashion is essential. Ross stocks multiple suitcases with shoes and clothes, many in statement colours, patterns and silhouettes, and all chosen for their ability to bring her joy.
“I am sharing my particular version of solo travel, which is not about adventure,” she explains in one episode. “It’s about how I can experience my own company in a joyful, holistic way — while still being in beautiful places and discovering new things.”
The actress, 52, first travelled alone in her 20s. She was a model in the early 1990s (which could explain the fashion fixation) and went on to star in the TV shows Girlfriends and Black-ish.
But it’s in Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, now streaming three episodes on The Roku Channel, where she lets viewers see her as she is in real life: vulnerable yet vibrant. Sometimes Ross muses about being single, childless and occasionally lonely. Other times, she’s feeling fabulous and revelling in it.
In Marrakech, for example, she shops for rugs crafted by the Berber tribe. In Marbella, she samples artisan olive oils. In Cancún, she dons bright pink spandex for tennis — later it’s a red bikini for swimming in the rain.
That’s not to say everything goes smoothly. Downpours in Cancún mean indoor pursuits, and a raccoon raids the fruit in her room. Then en route to Marbella, Ross gets food poisoning. She’s bed-bound and eats rice cakes for supper. Phone calls to her brother and mother (singer Diana Ross) help her through.
For Ross, it’s all part of adapting to whatever life brings.
“So much of what travelling is about is, for me, not waiting for something in order to walk towards my life, in order to be in my life, in order to experience my life,” she says.
Ross then reflects on the time Oprah Winfrey called her the poster child for singledom.
“I don’t want to be that,” she explains. “I want to be the poster child for being an inhabitant in your own skin. For living in your own skin.”
Solo Travellers
Jalan Research Center shares the latest domestic travel trends in Japan, showing increases in ‘solo traveling’ and ‘local experiences and interactions’
Jalan Research Center recently shared the results of ‘domestic travel trends 2025 survey’ in ‘Tourism Promotion Seminar 2025’ for local governments and DMOs.
The survey finds that the ratio of Japanese people who traveled in Japan in FY2024 ending March 31 2025 was 49.3%, slightly lower than 49.5% in FY2023. By generation, 40s or younger travelers reduced, while 70s travelers increased by 5 points. For people earning 4 million yen or more, domestic travelers increased, with the exception of those earning 8 million yen to 10 million yen. For those earning less than 4 million yen, domestic travelers decreased.
The average travel frequencies were 2.76 times a year, almost the same frequencies as a year ago. The total number of domestic travelers was 128 million, and the total number of nights was estimated at 223 million.
By prefecture, Tokyo had the most overnight travelers at 11.5 million. The highest growth of overnight travelers was found in Nagano (+410,000), followed by Hokkaido (+290,000) and Niigata (+240,000). In terms of growth rate, the highest was found in Ibaraki (+14.2%), followed by Okayama (+10.0%) and Niigata (+9.4%).
Travel cost rose, and young male travelers spent more in destinations
The average travel cost increased from 60,600 yen a traveler to 64,100 yen a traveler. Accommodation and transportation cost and local spending increased to 37,000 yen and 27,100 yen respectively. In terms of local spending, 18 to 29 years old travelers spent more money in destinations than other age segments did, and spending by 18 to 29 years old male travelers was 31,900 yen, much higher than other age segments.
The total amount of travel expenditure was estimated to increase by 3.4% to 8.2 trillion yen, out of which 7.2 trillion yen were expended by individual travelers. Local spending accounted for 42.4% of the total travel expenditure.
When asked why they did not take a domestic overnight trip in the past year, there was a slight increase from the previous year in the reasons given: “I couldn’t spend money on travel due to financial constraints” (22.0%) and “I was worried about the future and wanted to cut down on expenses” (8.9%).
Young travelers have higher interests in local experiences and interactions
The survey results also shows that 18% of the respondents chose ‘solo traveling’ as travel companion, and the ratio was particularly high among 18 to 29 years old male travelers and 50s male travelers. Jalan Research Center researcher pointed out that the trend results from an increase in unmarried people, saying that solo travelers will increasing in the future as a typical travel style of Japanese people.
The survey results discovers that both male and female travelers of 18 to 29 years old had high interests in local experiences and interactions, and also among 30s and 40s male travelers, the ratios were high.
The satisfaction rate was down 1.7 points overall, and the reduction rate was especially high at 4.9 points among 18 to 29 years old travelers.
Social Spotlight: Women Travel Solo FOX 13 Tampa Bay
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