In 2025, KORE Outdoors’ Re-Hub Mobile Repair Trailer completed an ambitious season, travelling across the Kootenays to provide free outdoor-gear repairs, share circular-economy knowledge, and support local makers and adventurers.
Powered by a combination of skilled technicians, community partnerships, and grassroots engagement, the Re-Hub initiative delivered measurable social, environmental, and economic benefits throughout the region. With more than 500 items repaired, hundreds of residents engaged, and strong demand for permanent repair services, Re-Hub has become a cornerstone of KORE’s mission to build a thriving and sustainable outdoor-recreation sector in southeastern British Columbia.
Below is a qualitative and quantitative summary of the entire 2025 initiative.
Impacts Across 12 Kootenay Communities
Over the course of the spring, summer, and fall, the Re-Hub trailer visited 12 communities across the Kootenay region, making stops at farmers markets, sporting events, and outdoor-rec festivals. Each visit offered residents free repairs on everything from backpacks and jackets to tents and sleeping bags.
The trailer functioned not just as a repair shop, but as a mobile hub for skills training and sustainable-gear education. Everywhere the Re-Hub arrived, it attracted curious families, seasoned backcountry enthusiasts, and newcomers eager to learn more about extending the life of their gear. Local governments, tourism groups, and community organizations consistently emphasized how valuable the service was, both as a practical offering and as a visible symbol of sustainability in action.
2025 Program’s Annual Statistics
This year’s program delivered significant and measurable results. According to participant data, Re-Hub completed 509 gear repairs and served 365 residents across its tour.
The quality of repairs was a clear highlight: 86 percent of participants reported being “highly satisfied” with their repair outcomes, demonstrating the program’s technical credibility. More importantly, Re-Hub shifted long-term behaviour: 73 percent of participants said they are now much more likely to repair rather than replace damaged gear. This is evidence that the initiative is having a lasting environmental and cultural impact. Additionally, 87 percent of respondents expressed that a permanent gear-repair service is “very important” for the Kootenays, reinforcing the strong regional appetite for sustainable solutions.
Re-Hub Campaign’s Online Metrics
The 2025 season generated unprecedented digital engagement for KORE Outdoors. The Re-Hub page on KORE’s website was the third most popular landing page after the Summit and homepage. Across all platforms, Re-Hub content accumulated more than 345,000 organic views, 281,000 organic reach, and over 7,200 post interactions.
Instagram Reels showcasing repairs, community stories, and behind-the-scenes footage proved especially effective, generating hundreds of shares and saves while driving steady growth. Paid campaigns extended this reach even further: targeted ads promoting key tour stops produced more than 31,000 additional views, 223 link clicks, and nearly 100 new followers at extremely cost-efficient rates. Combined, Re-Hub’s organic and paid digital presence amplified awareness of the program, reinforced key circular-economy messages, and supported turnout at each community event.
Partnerships and Regional Collaboration
The Re-Hub program’s success was made possible through a strong network of regional partners. Municipalities, tourism organizations, makerspaces, colleges, and local outdoor-gear businesses collaborated to promote tour stops, host events, and provide additional community programming.
Many communities paired Re-Hub visits with climate-action initiatives, sporting events, and festivals, turning each stop into a multi-partner sustainability event. This collaborative environment not only increased turnout but also strengthened KORE’s long-term strategy of building a connected, outdoor-gear ecosystem across the Kootenays.
Most items were repaired on site in the trailer but more complex fixes were taken off-site and completed by partner technicians such as Snowpatch Repairs in Kimberley and OG Repairs in Nelson. In addition, the program also assessed fixes on hard goods such as ski gear, snowboards, or bindings. With support from Selkirk Innovates and Selkirk College’s Technology Access Centre, items were examined for repair viability and potential circular business opportunities in the region.
Partnerships and Regional Collaboration
Re-Hub’s success was made possible through a strong network of regional partners. Municipalities, tourism organizations, makerspaces, colleges, and local outdoor-gear businesses collaborated to promote tour stops, host events, and provide additional community programming.
Most items were repaired on site in the trailer but more complex fixes were taken off-site and completed by partner technicians such as Snowpatch Repairs in Kimberley and OG Repairs in Nelson. In addition, the program also assessed fixes on hard goods such as ski gear, snowboards, or bindings. With support from Selkirk Innovates and Selkirk College’s Technology Access Centre, items were examined for repair viability and potential circular business opportunities in the region.
Two institutions played a key role in the 2025 Re-Hub initiative. The College of the Rockies provided both research support and the trailer used as the tour’s headquarters. Selkirk Innovates contributed expertise in gear diagnostics and business model development for a circular repair economy.
KORE Outdoors gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia and Alacrity Canada through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. We also thank these funders for helping make the Re-Hub program possible: ETSI-BC and 1% for the Planet with donations from Gear re-Store, PBJ Merch Co, and Autogrowth Inc.
Future of the Re-Hub Program
Looking ahead, KORE Outdoors intends to build on the momentum of the 2025 tour. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and demand for repair services point clearly toward the need for a permanent or semi-permanent repair hub in the region.
KORE plans to explore new partnerships, expand technician training, and develop additional mobile-repair capacity to reach even more communities. With continued support from funders and regional partners, Re-Hub is poised to become a flagship program that strengthens local economies, reduces waste, and empowers the Kootenays to lead Canada in sustainable outdoor-recreation practices.
KORE is also looking to expand on the Re-Hub Tour for 2026. Interested communities and organizations can fill out the form below to express interest.
Learn more about the Re-Hub program at koreoutdoors.org/rehub.
Host a Repair Event for Summer 2026
