I'll bite, having no experience with this question. In my personal experience there is no equipment malady on the trail that can't be addressed with the application of duct tape or 100 MPH tape, at least enough to get the hiker back to the TH. Tape can be used alongside and interchangeably with straps, the type you use to hold things to your packs. Improvise, adapt, overcome.

Comfortably, that's the question. I ended one 50 miler with a Scout carrying his pack contents on a sling over his shoulder, for want of a sewing awl.

For actual repair as opposed to Scout torture, I recommend the simple awl with Kevlar thread that I found in my Dad's camping kit while I was cleaning out his stuff. You can see where he had hand stitched every hole or mule kick in our Korean War vintage canvas tent used as our desert basecamp, and those stitches have held up famously. Something like this -

http://www.rei.com/product/602118/speedy-stitcher-sewing-awl

Although I've never packed an awl along on the trail, despite needing one at least once.