STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATE DALY

What do you do when your favorite piece of outdoor gear or clothing gives out?  Patch it with duct tape and hope for the best, right?

A team of professional fix-it people are providing more permanent solutions at a new location in Ketchum, and they’re willing to tackle anything from Nordic ski boots to rock climbing pants, from bike jerseys to tents.  And, if your broken item is a Patagonia product, the fix is free.

Sue Baker founded Sawtooth Outdoor Gear Repair in 2022, and up until June operated out of the second floor of Sturtevants on Main Street.

Chyanne Stowell fixes a Patagonia puffy.

“We just outgrew the space,” she says. “We have a huge customer base, and it has definitely grown over the years.”

Her group of employees still offers Sturtevants’ clients a warranty on outdoor gear and children’s clothing.  As for the Patagonia connection, Sue initiated that 10 years ago when she retired from her job as a speech pathologist in the Reno area and was looking for health insurance and something to do.

She ended up working at the Patagonia Repair Center until 2021 when her son asked her to join him in the Wood River Valley.

After noticing so many stores selling Patagonia products in this area, Sue arranged a third-party relationship. Locals drop off their items at her shop and, within a few days, she and her crew repair them and charge Patagonia for the service.

Wren Egnew patches up a pair of shorts.

Baker and her team also process all the repairs that come into Patagonia’s Salt Lake City, Dillon, Mont., and Ventura, Calif., flagship stores.

Boxes and boxes full of gear and clothing are shipped to them at 640 North Main Street Unit C2, where they estimate they handle up to 600 items at any given time.  The volume reflects Patagonia’s mission to promote reuse and keep everything out of landfills.

As employee Wren Egnew says, “Job security is good here,”

The shop used to house Cowboy Ramen. And its serving bar has been converted into a cutting table and work bench where Aidan Dehan gets creative on his industrial sewing machine alongside Julian Kral.

Julian Kral works on well-worn rock -climbing pants.

Chyanne Stowell and Egnew usually work at stations set up by the front windows near a colorful display of large spools of thread, while Baker operates her home industrial sewing machine just inside the entrance.  

Juki and Janome machines crank out straight stitches, zig-zigs, and button holes.  Other tools of the trade include a serger, snap press, heat press, and irons. Additional necessities are good eyes, steady hands, patience and ingenuity.

“There’s a vast variety of things we fix…we’re constantly deconstructing something, taking it apart and reconstructing it, doing tons of patches and zippers and fixing lots of dog-chewed items, and lots of burn holes,” Baker says. “And sometimes we fix stuff we haven’t done before.”

On a recent morning, a thankful mom picked up her kid’s ski racing shin guards after a rivet and Velcro were replaced.  Another local smiled as he paid $65 and walked out clutching his motorcycle pants made good as new.

Sue Baker sews on a home industrial machine.

Whether it’s a float tube, cloth cooler, backpack, waterproof outerwear, or ski clothing repair, the experts appear ready, willing and able to tackle the job. That’s not all that surprising given they each bring different experiences to their work.

Aidan Dehan is a ski patroller who taught himself how to sew during the Covid pandemic.  He asked Baker if she needed an apprentice a couple of years ago, and he has found a niche in making such custom gear as medical kits for the Community School.  He just made last minute alterations on some XL baseball jerseys for a young team.

He also runs Ketchum Sewing Cooperative and plans to teach sewing classes this fall to children and adults. He’s thinking Sip n’ Sew might appeal to some customers.

Julian Kral is a mountain guide who learned how to sew from his father who in the past designed for Camelbak.

Wren Egnew’s brother and father--a rock climber--taught her how to make repairs. She enjoys long distance trail running, and used to work as a river guide.

Chyanne Stowell started sewing to adjust her sister’s hand-me-downs to her own size and then learned more basics from her grandmother. When she’s not sewing, she likes to gravel bike and keep bees.  

Sue Baker bikes and hikes when she’s not working “9 to fivish” up to seven days a week.

Every year, however, the group puts aside their gravel biking and mountain guiding to participate in two community service projects in Hailey. That’s when you’ll see them offering free repairs at Sturtevants’ Ski Swap in October and at the Earth Day event in April.