Tools · 5 min read

The emergency repair kit: tape, cordage and fixing things that break

Paracord, tape, cable ties and a few fasteners fix most of what fails in a crisis. Here is the compact kit and how each item gets used.

Updated 20 August 2026

Key takeaways

Tape, cordage and cable ties handle the majority of field repairs.
Gaffer tape holds better in the wet and peels cleaner than duct tape.
Wrap tape around a bottle or a pencil instead of carrying the roll.
Include a needle and strong thread — pack straps and clothing fail at seams.

The compact kit

A repair kit should fit in a small pouch. The value is in versatility: a few metres of tape, five metres of paracord, a dozen cable ties, a needle and heavy thread, a couple of adhesive patches and a short strip of wire.

Each of those fixes a category of failure — sealing, tying, bundling, stitching, patching, binding. Together they cover a torn tent, a broken strap, a leaking container, a shoe coming apart and a hundred other small crises.

Gaffer or duct tape, wrapped around a card or bottle
5-10 m paracord plus a couple of carabiners
Cable ties in two sizes
Needle, heavy thread, safety pins
Adhesive repair patches for fabric and airbeds

Cordage is the most-used item

Paracord takes real load, splits into inner strands for fine work such as sewing or fishing line, and doubles as a boot lace, a washing line or a ridgeline. Ten metres weighs almost nothing.

Two knots cover most of it: a bowline for a fixed loop and a taut-line hitch for anything you need to tension and adjust. Learn them properly once and they stay learned.

The survival scenario: the pack strap fails mid-evacuation

A hip belt tears from its stitching two kilometres into a walk. Without a repair kit that pack becomes a shoulder-only load and the walk becomes miserable. With cable ties, cord and a needle, it is a ten-minute roadside fix.

The same kit covers a tent pole splinting with tape and a tent peg, a leaking water container, and a boot sole starting to separate. Small, cheap, and disproportionately useful.

Frequently asked questions

What should be in an emergency repair kit?

Tape, paracord, cable ties, a needle and strong thread, safety pins and adhesive fabric patches. That combination fixes most gear and clothing failures.

Is paracord worth carrying?

Yes. It holds real load, the inner strands work as thread or fishing line, and ten metres adds negligible weight.

Duct tape or gaffer tape?

Gaffer tape sticks better in damp conditions and removes cleanly. Duct tape is stronger and cheaper. Either works; carry it wrapped around a card rather than as a roll.