Survival Equipment

How to repair a tent fly

You are laying there at night and the heavens open up. The sound of the rain on the tent lulls you off to sleep and then, splat!. A drop of water drips on your face and you discover that tent you borrowed from your "friend" has a hole in it. The following is how you can repair that hole the next morning.

Equipment needed:
-Packing tape.
-Urethane glue such as Freesole or SeamGrip.
-A piece of tent netting fabric that covers the rip and extends 5mm past each edge.

This repair is almost invisible from the outside when used for tears, but a transparent spot will remain when used for larger holes.

1.On the outside surface of the fabric, cover the hole or tear with clear packing tape. Hold the edges of the tear together while placing the tape. Do not use duct tape - it will leave a sticky residue when you remove it. 2.On the inside surface, spread a thin layer of glue over the tear, extending about 5mm past the edges. If the fabric is lined, open a seam near the tear to access the inside of the shell fabric.
3.Place the piece of netting over the wet glue to add strength to the repair.
4.Allow the glue to dry for 24 hours.
5.Remove the tape from the face fabric. If there are any loose fibres or threads remaining, you can carefully flash burn them away with a lighter.
6.Dust the dried glue with talcum powder or cornstarch to prevent the repair from bonding to itself when folded. Re-stitch the seam if you're working on a lined garment. 

How to power your camera on expedition
While on our expeditions, you will encounter alot of amazing things. One thing you won't encounter is power, or if you do it will be very unreliable. The No Roads team don't really mind this until we need to charge our camera batteries. We have overcome this small problem by designing a solar charger that can charge just about any type of video and still digital camera battery on the market. With a very basic system consisting of a flexible solar panel, small 12v charge battery and a 12v battery charging unit we are able to go on extended expeditions such as the Mera Peak, Everest Base camp via Amphu Labtsa and not have to worry about missing that once in a life time piece of video footage or that awe inspiring still photograph. Speaking of the Mera Peak trip, we were able to keep batteries charged for three digital compact cameras, a Pro digital SLR camera and a Pro Digital video camera. Being flexible, the solar panel can be tied to a back pack and conform to the shape of the pack and not be a nuisance. The charger fits neatly in a small ventilated bag that can be attached to the outside of the pack while charging. The basic idea is to charge up the 12v battery with the solar panel during the day and then recharge the camera batteries with this 12v battery overnight, while you sleep. This allows for a more reliable charge of camera batteries. If you're interested in finding out more about our remote area charging system drop us an e-mail at peter@noroads.com.au

How to look after your Gortex equipment
GORE-TEX fabrics are the most durably waterproof and breathable fabrics available, however it's very important to wash your GORE-TEX outwear regularly to maintain its performance. DWR or Durable Water Repellency that GORE-TEX garments have, is the ability of water to bead up and roll off the outer fabric instead of being absorbed. It is an ultra thin treatment that changes the surface tension that can be easily restored by applying heat. The simplest way to restore DWR is to tumble dry or iron. Over time the DWR will require replacing due to flex, abrasion and dramatic temperature changes. Use a fluropolymer based water repellent spray on treatment available at outdoor shops.You should always consult your individual garments care label to be completely sure.

Here are the dos and don't's for caring for your GORE-TEX garment:

• Don't store your garment when it's dirty and sweaty because ground-in dirt and sweat are harder to remove the longer they remain on the garment. Be sure your garment is clean and dry before you put it in storage to prevent mould and mildew.

• Store your clean GORE-TEX outwear in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight.

• Machine wash on warm (40C) using pure soap, double rinse and spin. Pure soap products are recommended as they are less likely to leave residues that affect the DWR finish.

• Do not use Bleach or fabric softener. Prewash stain removers can be used to treat stains on your garment. Treat stains as quickly as practically possible for best results. Ensure your garment is rinsed well after washing. Re-treat with DWR finish when required.

• Tumble dry on warm setting (55C) until dry. Heat from the tumble dryer helps to enhance the DWR on the surface of the outer fabric as it is heat activated.

• Ironing. Tumble drying is recommended, however ironing on the lowest steam setting will achieve a similar result.

• Dry Cleaning is recommended for well used, dirty,sweaty and stained garments. Occasional dry cleaning won't harm the GORE-TEX membrane and thoroughly cleans your garment. Ask your dry cleaner to use clear solvent and to apply a flouropolymer based water repellency treatment to the outer fabric.

What about salt water I hear you ask? GORE fabrics say that salt water does not affect the properties of GORE-TEX fabric. However just like dirt and sweat, build up of salts can 'mask' the DWR of the fabric and cause the absorption of moisture.

To Chamois or not Chamois
It's just the little things that can make the difference between a great expedition and a pretty ordinary one. Take the chamois for example. This small piece of cloth is fantastic to dry your body after a shower or wipe your brow when your sweating. It is small and compact and a far better alternative to taking a large cotton towel. For them to work however they need to remain moist, which is fine when your in the tropics but when you are at high altitude or in a sub zero environment, the good old chamois freezes and becomes useless. To overcome this take a small quick dry sports towel, it doesn't need to be wet and remains useful in all conditions. So next time your off on expedition, think about what sort of environment you will be travelling through before you pack and you will surely have a great time.