How To Fix Your Broken Backpack Strap? 2 Easy Methods!

A backpack or a knapsack is a sack made up of fabric, canvas, or nylon which one carries on its back, coupled with two straps that go over the shoulders. It is a frameless body sack, but it can have internal and external frames along with bodypacks.

Backpacks are preferred to handbags for carrying heavy loads or carrying any kind of accessories, given their (handbag) limited carrying space which makes them unable to sustain hefty burdens for long runs of time. Backpacks are mostly used by hikers and students, to carry their credentials along with them like hiking accessories and books respectively.

Backpacks are more often used by travelers and adventurers, who aim to carry only important stuff with them, to avoid heavy loads and trouble of maintaining and securing luggage, so that they remain uninterrupted in the course of their adventure.

A backpack allows you to stay organized and comfortable with your stuff. Some backpacks are waterproof, lightweight, flexible, and provide maximum protection allowing you to carry your belongings safely. Moreover, Backpacks are convenient, trendy, and can be carried for a long time.

But, what happens when one of your “How To Fix Your Broken Backpack Strap” is ripped off? What will you do if you are on your way and this accident happens to you? Probably you are going to stress out about your stuff and how you are going to handle it with one strap or you would be looking forward to your friends offering you help by allowing you to put your stuff into their backpack.

Or you may try to fix your backpack all by yourself. There are several ways you can repair your Ripped Backpack Strap i.e. by sewing, using glue, duct tape, and zip ties, etc. but the most reliable one is sewing, which lasts for a long time.

When it comes to sewing, not all of us are known by the art of sewing but don’t worry, here we have suggested the best and the easiest way for you to fix your torn-off backpack shoulder strap all by yourself.

We will go through all the possible and reliable methods of repairing your shoulder strap i.e. by sewing and without sewing.

See Also: How To Attach Backpack To Rolling Suitcase? 4 Helpful Methods!

How To Fix Your Broken Backpack Strap BY SEWING

Tools required

• Needle
• Scissors
• Nylon upholstery thread (you need only a little, depending on the size and width of your strap)
• Nylon cloth (approximately 2 x 5 inches)

STEPS OF SEWING

• First of all empty your backpack.

• Hold the backpack in a position such that the straps are aligned properly. It would be better if you remove the frame too.

• Cut any extra threads, frayed edges, or tape to get to the opening of the backpack’s strap completely.

• Thread the needle with 0.7 yards of nylon thread and make sure to align the ends of the thread and cut off the extra thread. This will prevent the thread from slipping off while sewing.

• Now, take 2×5 inches of nylon cloth and wrap it around your backpack’s strap, folding along the edges, making sure that the two edges of the cloth are linked. This will act as a protecting cover for your backpack’s strap and prevent it from ripping off in the long term.

• Using the needle start sewing the edges of the strap to the piece of cloth using the backstitching sewing technique. Ensure that the stitch goes right through the strap and the nylon material as you sew and it isn’t excessively near the edge. In case it is too close to the edge, it might sneak off, making the struggle in vain.

• Now you are done with stitching the whole edge, it’s time to close the stitch so that it lasts for a long term. Different techniques are used by different people for closing the stitches but here we will be suggesting to you the most easy-to-do method which would work for all, beginners and experts. All you have to do is to push the needle partially through. Then, at that point take the thread, and fold it over the head (sharp side) of the needle. Now, get the needle right through.

• Keep in mind, depending upon the size of your backpack and the width of the strap, you might have to supplant the string more than once. So consistently keep a thread roll convenient while sewing.

You are done with sewing the edges of your backpack strap, now proceed towards attaching it with the backpack. It also involves few steps which we have discussed below:

• Cut and remove the prior thread from the needle.
• Again thread the needle with 0.7 yards of nylon thread, aligning the edges and cutting off the extra one. Avoid threading too much to prevent it from tangling while stitching.
• Join the strap by applying pressing factors, and afterward start sewing with the backstitching sewing technique.
• Whenever you have finished covering all sides, push the needle partially through as we described previously and circle the string on the head side, guaranteeing a tight bunch on the spot. Do it a couple of times to firm it completely. At the end cut off any extra thread or frayed ends of the edges.
• Congratulations! You are now done with securing your backpack strap from any further damage.

FIXING A BACKPACK STRAP WITHOUT SEWING

There comes several ways of repairing your backpack’s strap without sewing and many tools are available which get your job done for you in no time. We will be discussing those methodologies.

TOOLS REQUIRED

• Duct Tape.
• Backpack Repair Kit.
• Sewing Kit.
• Scissors.
• Multi-tools/ Cutter.
• Spare Buckles.
• Zip ties.
• Superglue
• Tenacious Tape

1- Fixing with Duct Tape

• Firstly, eliminate all things from your backpack and lay them flawlessly altogether, on the off chance that you have kept one. This will guarantee that the tapes don’t adhere to any of your extras. A few tapes leave a buildup and are later hard to dispose of, so remember this.
• Clean the edges of both the backpack strap and the part where it has been segregated completely with a moist fabric.
• Let the strap and the bag dry completely.
• Cut some portion of duct tape long so it more than covers the region where the strap used to be. Then push this tape delicately inside the hole, ensuring enough of the tape stays inside it and holding the sides firmly.
• Now, place the backpack strap inside, and hold it tight, applying pressure with both your thumbs so it grasps the texture slowly and solidly. While inserting the strap, make sure that barely enough of it goes inside and not all that much since it will misbalance both of your straps.
• Cover the entire area, using duct tape, avoiding over-tapping which may lead to sliding off.
• Staple the region where the two edges meet. You can do this however many occasions as the space allows, the metal staples will hold the texture and the tape together solidly, leaving no additional room.

If you don’t have sewing knowledge or you are out of town then you can go for this quick and easy fix technique. But keep one thing in mind that this is only a temporary fix as no tape has a tendency to stick to any fabric forever and can tear off easily leading to further damage.

2- Backpack Repair Kit

This portable and versatile kit will keep you prepared for any kind of emergencies allowing you to save a lot of money.

This must-have kit can be easily handled in a pinch, containing ordinary household items taking care of any major disturbances. You should keep this repair kit in your backpack with you all the time.

3- Sewing kit

Duct tape and staplers are not a permanent fix for your strap and can be torn off anytime, so you must secure your backpack strap as soon as possible.

It is known that the most durable and reliable method for fixing straps is sewing which lasts for a long. For this purpose, you must have a sewing kit having all the essential tools in it.

A sewing kit must have a sewing needle, buttons, a set of fine quality threads or nylon upholstery thread, and straight pins.

4- Scissors and Cutters/Multi-tools

Some scissors come with folding models and are best in quickly snipping the thread and trimming the extra off. Some of them also come with blade guards which prevent you from cutting your hand. The scissors you are keeping with yourself must be lightweight, reliable, and strapping.

Multi-tools are a must-have item in any backpacker’s kit. This knife (not a knife) is known to perform several functions and the fascinating thing is that it comes in a size of a nail cutter.

It includes bottle openers, cane cutters, scissors, rulers, screwdrivers, pliers, wire strippers, hard-wire cutters, and the like, in one single body.

5- Spare Buckles

Most of the times buckles of the backpack undergoes breakage due to the heavyweight load of low-quality plastic. Having a bunch of spare buckles in your repair kit saves you from stopgap repair.

6- Tenacious Tape

Tenacious tape is an ultra-strong repair tape. It tends to stick to nylon, polyester, vinyl, rubber, neoprene, polyurethane leather, canvas, and plastic surfaces.

It can repair tears, holes in gears and clothing, and rip instantly. Having a roll of this handy tape is a must for any backpacker and can also be used to repair water-proof gears.

7- Zip Ties

The zip tie is a type of fastener or used for holding items together i.e. electrical cables and wires.

These ties can be useful for fixing loose buckles or can hold a ripped strap firmly. Note that it is also a temporary fix like duct tape which is not going to last for a long time.

8- Superglue

This agile item can form a strong bond with stuff like leather rubber, ceramic, plastics, and many similar materials.

This item can be used for fast and effective fixing of a broken strap. Due to its excessive adhesive property, it is used by many hardcore backpackers for repairing purposes.

Conclusion

Here go some tips for fixing your broken backpack strap y your own with the simplest methods. But going through these inconveniences you must wisely choose the backpack before buying it.

Going through the quality and space you needed for your goods will help you to last your backpack straps for a long time.

Nothing lasts forever but choosing your backpack wisely and using it with care will help it.