A sugru repair to a boot

Our eye was caught by a different outdoor product at the recent Reliable Outdoor Kit Show at Kendal.

One stand had a collection of gear with bright bits of what looked like a cross between rubber and plastic attached.

sugru is the invention of Jane Ní Dhulchaointigh and is described as self-setting rubber.

Originally from Ireland, Ms Ní Dhulchaointigh studied at the Royal College of Art in London, where she had an idea that led to the first version of sugru in 2003.

Six years and 8,000 lab hours later, the formula for sugru was complete. Made in London, sugru launched in December 2009 and its community of users has continued to grow, reaching almost 300,000 customers worldwide.

Now, the company is pushing the material for use in the outdoors world.

sugru is soft but cures in about 24 hours

It will stick to Gore-Tex, boots, items such as camping cup handles and walking poles.

sugru said: “Think of it as 3D rubber glue that can extend the life of your gear.

“Form it by hand into any shape and overnight it turns into a strong, waterproof and flexible silicone rubber that bonds to almost any material: glass fibre, wood, aluminium, steel, glass, ceramics, plastics, and fabrics like Gore-Tex, cotton and neoprene.

“Once cured, sugru withstands extreme environments, from the deserts of Mongolia to the ice flows of Antarctica. It’s sweatproof, weatherproof, heatproof, and removable if required.

“sugru is perfect for getting the very best from the gear you already have: use it to patch a camping mat, mount a GoPro, create custom grips, or fix surfboard dings.

“Whether you’re a full-time explorer or weekend adventurer, sugru’s versatility makes it a smart addition to your kit for those inevitable ‘oh no’ moments.”

Company reps at Kendal said the material works as low as –50C and up to 180C and is electrically insulating.

From taking it out of the wrapper, you have about half an hour to shape and form it and the self-setting rubber sets at a rate of about 3mm per hour.

Unwrapped sugru has a life of about six months, which can be trebled by keeping it in the fridge.

A 5×5g multi-colour pack of sugru retails at £9.

And in case you were wondering about the origins of the name, súgradh is Irish for play.

More details are on the sugru website.