Broken equipment. If you have ever put your gear to the test in the field, you know what I mean when I say few things are more aggravating than when your gear gets jacked up out in the bush. Broken shoelace. Ripped straps. Buttons that seem to have a mind of their own and flee your body like a tick exposed to a matchhead. And before I go any further, I will tell you this: If you have never used your equipment before, you had better prepare yourself for gear failures. The more you use it, the more likely it is to break, tear, snap, or rip over time. And, like I always like to say, “AND THEN WHAT…”
OVERVIEW:
I don’t think I would’ve thought to write this article had one of my straps literally “snapped” off on my rucksack. I’ve had it for over eight years, rucked over 7k miles with it, and after 30k tugs and pulls, it had finally taken all it could. And “BOOF”.
Now I have a left shoulder strap flapping in the breeze and my 40-lb. ruck weight shifted to my right side. Nice.
But the fix? Well, I could’ve easily brought it somewhere to be professionally sewn back together. But then I decided to do an experiment.
How do I fix this so that it holds up long-term, using only the repair materials I have on hand?
ANSWER: JB Super- Weld Glue.
Now, before I go any further, I just need to clarify for the record that I’m not saying, “NAILED IT! Lookie how great THIS turned out!” On the contrary, it’s hideously monkey rigged… but it worked. And is holding up. And isn’t going to win any “BEST REPAIR OF THE YEAR” awards. It gave me an immediate fix and has served as a cost-effective long-term solution, which is the reason for the article. Yes, my stuff breaks too.
HOW TO BUILD YOUR OWN REPAIR KIT:
This isn’t going to be an exhaustive list, as everyone’s gear, repair style, and everything in between will be somewhat different. However, here are some items you can get now that may serve you well in the future.
- ROBUST SEWING KIT – Thread, needles (both heavy and common), buttons, and so forth.
- NOTE: I have purchased inexpensive military gear at thrift stores and pilfered the buttons and useful items so that I don’t have to buy an expensive kit.
- 10’ OF PARACORD – Shoelaces, lashings, etc.
- DUCT TAPE – It fixes pretty much anything.
- JB WELD / GORILLA GLUE – Delamination, boot soles, cracked equipment.
- ZIP TIES (Different lengths & thicknesses) – Holding anything together.
- RANGER BANDS – Like rubber bands, just better.
- NOTE: You can make these yourself from a tire inner tube.
- VELCRO – Broken zippers or straps.
- SAFETY PINS – You’d be amazed how well these work in a pinch to keep tears from worsening or to hold your fly together if your zipper breaks.
CONCLUSION:
Building a kit like this is completely Tertiary, as most people don’t think their stuff is going to break… until it does. Assembling the items now while you can still easily obtain them should be on your list of “things to do” in your preparedness plan.
Many blessings in building your kit. Stay frosty, keep the faith, and Godspeed.
Sgt. Silverman
DISCLAIMER:
This article is for educational and informational purposes only and reflects my personal experience with field-expedient equipment repair. Improvised repairs can fail, especially on load bearing or safety-critical gear. Inspect repaired equipment carefully before use, follow manufacturer guidance when available, and don’t rely on a field repair where failure could cause injury or create a greater hazard.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
© 2026 Sgt. Silverman / Tertiary Prepper. All Rights Reserved.
This article and all original works published under the pseudonym Sgt. Silverman are the exclusive intellectual property of the author. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, republished, copied, or adapted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author or publisher.
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AI-Assisted Visuals & Examples
If you’ve been reading Tertiary Prepper for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed charts, graphs, calculations, and visuals that explain preparedness concepts in ways you don’t normally see discussed. Many of those examples were created with the assistance of artificial intelligence—but only after I gave it very specific instructions on what I wanted to teach.
I don’t use AI to create my preparedness philosophy. I use it to help visualize it.
Many of the tertiary concepts discussed throughout this magazine—such as Sustainment Foraging, Pressure Testing, The Autonomous Recovery Kit (ARK), The Quiet Food Equation, and other original frameworks—are my own ideas and observations. AI simply helps me communicate those concepts through charts, graphics, and examples that make them easier to understand.
Preparedness is rarely black and white. There are very few absolute right or wrong answers—only different experiences, different priorities, and different ways of solving the same problem. My hope is that these articles simply give us another reason to sit around the campfire, challenge conventional thinking, and ponder practical solutions together.
