[holiday hacks] get stuck into those post-travel repairs

There's nothing like a trip away to leave you feeling refreshed - but the stuff you took with you may be needing a holiday of its own by now! Half an hour or so and a few sugru minipacks will keep those handy holiday bits and bobs in good condition, and have them ready for when summer rolls around again next year :)

To get you in the swing, we made a little list of things that sugru fixes beautifully after a summer of action...

1. Sunglasses

These are notoriously short-lived items - after all, if you managed to not lose them, you probably sat on them at some point. And even if they escaped either fate, they probably could use some improving...

Sarah from Norfolk told us that her favourite sunglasses had disintegrated, but wasn't getting any help from the company that made them - "warranty or not." So she applied some sugru. Her verdict? "They're better than new now :)"

sugru's really well suited to fixing shades - it was used to replace the nose grips on these sports Ray Bans, and to make the arms of this classic Ray Ban design sit more snugly.

2. Sandals

Dave in the UK helped some sandals live to see another day by applying a minipack of sugru around the sole's battered toe area. I confess that before I ever heard of sugru I had this exact same problem with a favourite pair of sandals, and threw them away. I wish I had held onto them now!

So if you have Birkenstocks that could do with being comfier, or Tevas that need a little extra padding, now is a great time to do it - and if you're lucky, you might even get some late summer sun to enjoy wearing them in!

3. Camera equipment

Cameras and their accessories are vulnerable to knocks and wear when they are taken on holiday and are subjected maulings by family members, dropped luggage and environments that feature plenty of sand and water.

To get things back in working order, you can use sugru to make new camera grips, seal up cracked casings or tighten up loosened lens caps, like sugru user Joanne:

"I was having trouble with the lens cap to the Canon G5; frequent usage over time wore down the plastic a bit and the cap no longer fitted snug or securely over the lens. Sugru to the rescue! I added a little to the inside of the cap, pressed it to the lens with a piece of plastic wrap between the two, and let it dry in place. The lens cap now stays on securely and I can toss the camera in my bag without fear of it popping off."

So now you're home and fully recharged, have a look through the unpacking and see what magic sugru can work for you - and share your ideas with us in the comments, or by email at [email protected] :)