Good temporary bladder patch

[kwhowell]

I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this but figured I'd share anyways... 

Got into a pinch this weekend when I sprung a hole in my water bladder backpacking around Perry Lake in Kansas. It was a last minute trip so my list didn't get as much attention as usual and I ran out of the house with out any duct tape, gear tape, pad patches or any other type of apparatus for stopping/slowing things from leaking. Feeling ashamed, as I view this an amateur mistake, I started emptying all the pockets of my pack hoping to find a random roll of tape or something to help stop the leak and came across my first aide kit. I always carry a couple of Glacier Gel band aids in case I get blisters and these things had almost worked their way out of my kit since I never do. Thankfully I still had them, though, because this thing worked like a charm! I finished the eight miles back to my car and pulled the bladder out once I got home after an hour and a half drive. It's still sitting on my kitchen table about a quarter of the way full of water I didn't drink NOT leaking. 

I'll plan to replace the Glacier Gel with something a little more permanent, tonight, but I wanted to share this with you TrailGroove readers since there may be a few things to take away from this. Any other stories about random gear mishaps and how you handled them?

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Good to hear the fix worked out! I had a last trip a couple years ago with a similar situation, but I was fortunate enough that I could position the reservoir in my pack such that the leak was at the top and the reservoir still worked without leaking as long as I kept it upright. Water suddenly pouring out from your pack as you hike down the trail is never a good feeling. Broke a tent pole last year...carried a stick around with me for the rest of the trip as a substitute, nothing too ingenious.   I always carry some Tenacious Tape and 50' of lightweight line as well, and both do come in handy on occasion for various mishaps. 

[HikerJ]

On 3/6/2017 at 0:03 PM, kwhowell said:

I'll plan to replace the Glacier Gel with something a little more permanent, tonight, but I wanted to share this with you TrailGroove readers since there may be a few things to take away from this. Any other stories about random gear mishaps and how you handled them?

This is actually a really good topic. One that would allow us to learn from each other. I haven't had any major mishaps yet (unless you count my hiking partner forgetting his tent at home 7 hours away) Anyway... during my hike last month in the Superstitions my hiking partner's (not the same person who forgot his tent) main strap between the shoulder and hip belt broke coming up a rather steep ascent. He did have needle and heavy thread with him but was able to just tie the straps together for the remaining 4 days. Could have been a lot worse.

[Dogwood]

I've also used the oval stretchy Band-Aid Blister  Ampoules for heels and the fingers and toes versions. A small piece of Gorilla Tape works if you dry off the Platypus polyethylene bladder first. Seam Grip and regular duct tape doesn't last. 

https://www.band-aid.com/advanced-protection/advanced-healing-blister/bandages-6-count

https://www.band-aid.com/advanced-protection/advanced-healing-blister/fingers-toes-8-count

Never leave on a hike without at least 24" of 1" wide  Gorilla tape.

Biggest gear fail turned into the biggest gear fail because I didn't attempt to rectify a loose faulty zipper slider  until on trail on a sleeping bag. The slide loosened up to the point it popped off.  On trail I attempted to bend open the slider track on one side so it would go back on the teeth  side it had slipped off and squeeze the slider  back tight again. I entirely broke the metal slider. This was significant because I was cowboy camping at 13K ft above treeline pushing the 35* temp rating to 8* that night. With the zipper breaking at 1 a.m. which is when I finally decided to stop and sleep already having eaten and in the bag  and having an elevation profile before me for the next 8 miles that didn't go below 10,700 ft with dimming batteries in a headlamp and out of stove fuel   it was significant. Fortunately I always keep  4 stainless safety pins attached to the outside of the pack. I wore every apparel piece I had, used what I could under me for insulation including unfolding maps, putting my feet into the empty pack, the flat minimalist sized tarp became my impromptu draft tube, and the 4 safety pins somewhat closed the bag's zipper. It was still a fitful night of cold sleeping always losing my warmed interior as a turned from side to side   but the crystal clear skies with the shooting stars and Mars and Venus  shining brightly  and two Big Horn males who walked within 100 ft provided entertainment.   Got so cold had to start hiking again at 5 a.m.