Make Your Own Gear: Essential Tool List

MYOG is short for "make your own gear." It is the practice of sewing and building your own outdoor equipment instead of buying it, usually to save money, cut weight, or get a fit no manufacturer offers.

I've been making my own gear for a few years now including stuff sacks, packs, mid-layer mods, and running accessories. Below is the list of tools and supplies I often use, organized by how essential they are to getting started.

Tools

You don't need much to get started. A cutting mat, a sharp blade, and some clips will carry you through your first few projects. I've grouped everything into three tiers so you can build up as you go.

• Must have
  • Arteza cutting mat – Self-healing surface for cutting fabric. Get at least the 24"×36" size so you have room to lay out full panels. This one is multi-sided vinyl so it lasts longer.
  • Fiskars rotary cutter – Clean cuts with minimal pressure, especially on curves. The 60 mm blade handles most fabric weights.
  • Fiskars Fabric Scissors (8 inch) - left handed – For cuts where the rotary cutter won't reach (notches, tight corners, trimming seam allowance).
  • Clover seam ripper – You will make mistakes. This removes stitches without shredding the fabric.
  • Westcott metal ruler (18 inch) – A straight edge for marking and guiding the rotary cutter. Metal won't get nicked by the blade.
  • Generic plastic clips – Hold fabric layers together without leaving pin holes. Essential for laminates like DCF that shouldn't be pinned.
• Should have
  • Generic thread scissors – Small and sharp for snipping thread tails at the machine. Faster than reaching for your fabric shears.
  • Sharpie metallic markers – Show up on dark fabrics where chalk won't. I use the silver marker for black and navy materials.
  • Quilting ruler 6×24" – Transparent with grid markings so you can align seam allowances and cut parallel lines without measuring twice.
• Nice to have
  • Wonder tape – Dissolvable adhesive tape that holds stretch fabrics in place while you sew. Washes out completely.
  • Clover white chaco liner – Chalk wheel for marking light-colored fabrics. Lines brush off cleanly when you're done.

Supplies

These are the on-hand materials I restock between projects:

• Gutermann Extra Strong Thread - Black – Heavy-duty polyester for high-stress seams: pack straps, hip belts, webbing attachment points.
• Gutermann Sew-All Thread - Black – General-purpose polyester for everything else. I use this on most stuff sack and garment mods.
• Micro cord (1.18mm) – Lightweight drawstring cord. Used it on my tent and stake bags.
• Grosgrain 3/8" ribbon – Seam reinforcement and binding for raw edges on non-stretch fabrics.
• Nylon 1" webbing – Shoulder straps, compression straps, daisy chains. Strong and abrasion-resistant.
• Shock cord (3/32") – Stretchy cord for cinch closures, bungee lashing, and roll-top adjustments.
• Elastic band (1") – Waistbands, cuffs, or any edge that needs to stretch and recover.

Final thoughts

Start with the must-haves and add from there.

If you have questions about any of these or want to suggest something I'm missing, drop me a message on Instagram: @andrewtpham or get in touch.

Thanks for reading.