How To Repair A Hole In A Down Jacket
I can’t count the number of times I have ripped a hole in my down jacket. And given that you are here, I guess you have too!
Some are big, some are small, but they all leak feathers all over the place and ruin what could be a great jacket.
But before you throw that down jacket away because of a simple tear or hole, keep reading…
Repairing A Hole Or Tear In Your Down Jacket
It is actually quite easy to repair a tear or hole in your down jacket, all you need is
- a pair of scissors
- a patch repair kit
Actually, if your kit comes with pre-cut circles and shapes then you may not even need scissors!
- Long lasting repair patches for outdoor gear
Steps To Repair The Hole
The steps to repair the hole or tear are actually quite simple
- Clean the area around the hole with alcohol
- Poke any stray down feathers back in the hole (with a small long object)
- Cut or choose your patch to match the hole size
- Remove backing and apply while keeping the hole closed
Below are some helpful pictures from the process I used recently to patch a few holes in my favorite down jacket.
A Few Things To Watch Out For While Repairing
Just a few extra tips for repairing your down jacket that I noticed while doing mine.
Make The Patch Big Enough To Trim
Make sure the patch is large enough – especially if you plan to make a circle from a square patch. Usually, you have more than enough patch material to make it big enough.
Get Rid Of Those Pesky Down Feathers
Try to remove or poke the down back in as much as possible (see final repair down further – there is still some poking out ruining the look of the repair)
This is harder than it seems as they always poke their heads back out again. I used a pen to push them in as much as possible. You could also pull them out, but that sometimes leads to an endless game where more and more come out. Plus, you obviously want as much down as possible in your jacket!
Patch Tape Color
There are various colors you can get which is ideal if it matches your jacket, more or less. Otherwise, clear is the best bet for more unique colors (like my blue) but it means you have to get those features out of the way!
Down Repair Pictures
Hole in down jacket
Cut patch to size for repair
About the Author Roger Timbrook
Roger is a little obsessed with travel. He has been to over 40 countries, broken 3 suitcases and owned over 10 backpacks in 12 months. What he doesn't know about travel, ain't worth knowing!
