Get to know the UK’s coolest repair shop – Snowdonia Gear Repair

Hi! Can you introduce yourself and your team?

Hi! I’m Rosanna, the co-owner and founder of Snowdonia Gear Repair. The business first officially opened in June 2022, with three industrial sewing machines crammed into the spare bedroom of our house. We’re now a team of 4 (Jos, Ceri and Sadie) plus our very friendly spaniel Alma.

We specialise in outdoor gear repairs and alterations. We also sell second hand gear, repair supplies and a few upcycled products made from retired outdoor equipment.

How did you start a repairing business?

The business idea came to us on a trip to Llanberis visiting Jos’s parents. I’d been able to sew from a young age, and my mum made her own outdoor gear. Jos had come from a similar background, and we’d both worked as outdoor instructors, so knew the pain of trashing our gear all too well.

We realised there was a major demand for a repair service in North Wales, specifically for technical clothing and kit, and no one was offering it locally. I worked for an outdoor shop briefly, before setting up at home. And it grew from there.

We moved into our current workshop in January 2024, doing it up over the course of the year. The re-worked range is our most recent addition, as well as teaching classes for people wanting to repair their gear themselves.

Why is it important to repair stuff?

First of all it just makes sense. Outdoor gear is something that takes a long time to get right, and once you’ve found something that fits perfectly or works just the way you want to, it’s wild that a small tear might mean you give up on it.

I also think in a society where we’re forever being told we need more, repair can be an antidote to the exhaustion of forever feeling “not enough”. We all have too much stuff, taking time to care for your things is a vote for a simpler way of life. Less stuff, less waste and less buying for the sake of it. Take your time shopping, and then commit to caring for it. Most outdoor gear will live longer than you one way or another!

Should people be buying gear that can be repaired and what should they look out for when purchasing?

Yes absolutely! We’re big advocates for quality over quantity (surprise surprise…). Don’t worry about taking a long time to think before you buy something, and do your research. Outdoor Gear Advice UK and Reddit are full of honest reviews.

Big seam allowances are a good sign of quality. Also look out for small zips (5 or bigger is best for bags or main zips) or glued seams, they are a really common failure point. If a brand does their own repairs, that’s always a good sign.

What do you wish people knew about the outdoor gear industry?

How crazy the difference in quality can be or gear that looks (or is even priced) the same. Even in our short time in business we’ve noticed a decline in quality from a lot of the big brands.

But I also had no idea how many smaller brands there are making amazing gear. They’re not chasing big numbers or the mass market, just genuinely making a product they want to use themselves. When I first started, I was amazed there were still so many people making things in the UK!

Thank you Rosanna! 

If you’ve got gear to repair get in touch with Snowdonia, they can almost certainly help.

Or perhaps you’d like to attempt the repair yourself, in which case check out four easy tutorials put together by the repair pro herself.

All the lovely photographs are by Snowdonia team member Ceri.