The Ski Tourer's Repair Kit

For a multi day trip or even a very large day, a repair kit is sometimes considered a valuable addition to the pack. Often one will decide to go disaster style, foregoing the R.K and just hope for the best, most of the time that will work but when you truly need a proper fix, some basic pieces are needed. Depending on the nature of the trip, you can add or take away ingredients like a witches brew, ie: Thermarest Repair, extra dynafit toe pieces, stove repair, etc.

Described is the 'backbone' of my kit...(there are many variations!)

A small stuff bag serves as a holder for the kit, I can add and take away pieces and it all fits into this bag, either way.

The backbone: sandpaper, Thermarest repair (hotbond and patches) - This stuff works awesome and very fast!

Thin metal sheet w/ pipe clamps - For ski pole and tent pole splinting

Bailing wire - Super strong thin wire has many uses (making a skin tip, fixing bindings, etc)

Sewing kit - Amazing how often you need a sewing kit

Zip ties, duct tape, safety pins (take a bunch!)

Stove repair kit, mini leatherman, #3 Phillips for binding screws (leatherman has a flathead, file, etc, etc), spare pack buckle 1.5''. spare skin clips, 10m of 3mm cord.

Things that are sometimes in the RK1000 - Spare ski pole basket, whole front piece of a dynafit binding including coils to reset the thing into the ski, epoxy. A whole backup stove pump for long trips.

For day trips I'll remove the stove and thermarest stuff but honestly I almost never bring it on day trips unless its a very very big one in the spring in some remote corner of some zone.

And last but certainly not least, the super amazing 2' voile ski strap. This little thing has saved the day so many times. Like in the above photo, being used on a boot that for a season or two, would eject buckles like cloves from a holiday ham, wrap this guy around the instep and keep skiing all day! If anyone in the group is on a certain type of binding I will always bring one as I have seen the heel pieces have a tendency to explode, never to be seen again - the things get some serious air time! Strap around the bar and over the boot and you can still limp out.


There are a lot of other things you could consider for your trip RK. Depending on type of bindings used, skins used, stove used, etc, etc. I know some people that bring a hand drill for full binding replacement capability. A tube of seam seal is nice if you foresee tent repair, its endless really. Take a good hard look at your team, the gear used, the duration of your trip and trim as much fat as possible.

Happy RK making to everyone!

R