So your shoulder straps snapped while removing the pack, or you carried too much on your back. Nothing to worry about, you can easily sew it back with a simple back stitch technique. Not only does this save you the cost of packing up your backpack for repairs, it also saves you the expense of buying a new one. At the same time, it also saves you a lot of time. Let's start with this guide on how to sew backpack straps.
These are the tools you will need to sew backpack straps.
- Needle
- Nylon upholstery thread (you require only a little, depending on how wide your strap is)
- Nylon cloth (approximately 2 x 5 inches)
- Scissors
First, completely empty your backpack. This is to keep the pack in a comfortable position so the straps are properly aligned. If you can remove the frame piece as well, that's nice. Put the backpack aside for now.
Fixing a Backpack Strap by Sewing It
1 Thread the needle and nylon thread together and line up the ends of the thread. This is to ensure that the thread does not slip off while sewing. Once done, cut off the excess thread.
2. Trim frayed edges or any loose threads from the backpack straps.
3. Now, take the nylon cloth, line it up with your backpack straps, and fold it over the edges. This will act as an edge to protect your backpack straps. Make sure the two sides of the cloth line up.
4. Using a needle, begin sewing the edges of the backpack straps to the nylon. When sewing, take care that the nylon thread goes through the strap and the fabric, not too close to the edge. If it gets too close to the edge, it can slip off, making this exercise pointless.
5. Once you've finished the straps and the edges of the fabric, you'll need to sew. Different people have different methods, but we will show you the easiest way. Put the needle halfway through, take the thread, wrap it around the tip of the needle (the pointed end), and thread the needle all the way through.
6. Keep in mind that depending on the size of your pack and the width of your straps, you may need to change the cord more than once, so it doesn't hurt to have some on hand.
You have secured one end of the backpack strap. Now we're going to attach it to the backpack.
1. Thread more nylon thread on the needle if needed. Just remember not to thread too much thread as it may tangle as you sew.
2. First, you need to align the backpack straps with the end you want to attach it to. This should be along the shoulder of the pack.
3. Hold the strap in place and put pressure on it by holding it, and start sewing. There are many types of stitches that can be used to do this, but adventure experts around the world recommend that you use the backstitch. Not only is this stitch extremely durable and reliable, it is also redundant.
4. Once you've wrapped all the sides, thread the needle half way through as we described earlier and make a loop around the pointed side, making sure to tie the knot in place. Do this a few times to make sure it's completely safe.
Once you've done this, cut any loose or frayed edges off the pack so your pack doesn't suffer further damage. This is the first tip for securing backpack straps.
