Utility wire lashes, binds and repairs gear when you have left home for good and must make do with what you carry. Use it to mend a pack or boot, secure a shelter, hang a cook pot and fasten loose items in place.
Utility wire is the small coil that fixes what breaks once you are on the move: a torn pack strap, a loose tarp line, a pot that needs a hanger over the fire. Pick wire that bends by hand and holds its shape.
- Gauge: Choose 16 to 20 gauge, which twists with your fingers yet still holds a load.
- Material: Pick galvanized or stainless steel so the wire resists rust in a damp pack.
- Length: Pack 50 to 100 feet per bag, which covers repairs and shelter lashing without much weight.
- Storage: Keep it on a flat spool or tight coil, and tape the loose end so it stays put.
- Tools: Pair the wire with pliers or a multitool that cuts it cleanly.
- Coating: Choose bare or galvanized wire over painted craft wire, which flakes and weakens under strain.
