What do you do when small things break?

The Fix: How to Reattach A Pack Strap

Repair a busted backpack with this simple sewing technique

by: The Backpacker Editors

Tags:
• Gear
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• Backpacks
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• Skills
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Pop! The shoulder strap on your backpack just divorced itself from the packbag--and it wasn't an amicable split. You have three choices: 1) Slog back to the car cradling that 40-pound load; 2) sit and wait for a Sherpa to amble past; or 3) bust out the sewing kit. Assuming you'll choose the latter, here's how to proceed.

©Illustration by Supercorn Backstitch: Reinforce each stitch by doubling back over it.

[step 1]
Empty the packbag and turn it inside out (remove any stays or the framesheet if necessary). Using scissors or the tip of your knife, carefully cut away the protective seam tape to reveal the strap opening.
[step 2]
Poke the strap back through the opening where it was originally anchored. It should lay flat, sandwiched between the two layers of the pack's side seam.
[step 3]
Using your strongest needle and thread, sew three parallel lines of short, tight backstitching across the sandwiched strap. If you're carrying SeamGrip, apply a layer for added strength.
[step 4]
Check your warranty when you get home; most manufacturers will do a permanent repair for free.


OK, so I told you last week or so how backpacker magazine is not worth the ten bucks but, what is worth its weight in the inter-web gold is the daily backpacker email.  If they mad the magazine half as good as the daily email it would be the best magazine on the planet (or at least good).  Yesterday as I was perusing through the daily email I came across this article I posted above (is it copyright issues if it was in my email?) about how to re-attach a shoulder strap on a backpack when it breaks while on the trail.  This totally reminds me of when my brother and I were in New Mexico doing a week long backpacking trip and his waist belt clip lost one of its side thingies.  You know what I am talking about how you push in each side and the other side slips on and the two things hold it all together.  Well that one little piece on each side has to be there for the thing to work and his broke off halfway through the trip.  These plastic belt clips cost about three bucks or so but there are no walmarts on the trail so my brother had to improvise and what he did was tie one strap to the other the step into the circle, pull his pack up and I would hold it while he tied the other side in sort of a truckers knot.  I know what you are all saying is: why didn't he use a square knot, well webbing does not tie well using the square knot system so you have to do something like a truckers knot or a fisherman's to get the webbing not to slip.  After that trip I went out and bought a replacement buckle for my pack and ever since then have carried a sewing kit with me on trip.  Now I have lost the replacement buckle but I now use my dads full metal buckle from 1983 that he took from his job at the FAA.  I think it is some sort of jet buckle so if it can hold a man in a chair breaking the sound barrier it will hold my pack on.  This article was real neat how it talks about how a strap works and what to cut away and how to sew it back together.  They even discuss about how you should look into getting the manufacturer to repair it for you.  In life knowing stupid stuff like this will help you be able to logically think your way out of a situation and critical thinking is what put America here in the first place.

What does wind do to diabetes?

This weekend we were out camping at beautiful lake Texoma (yes, you guessed right it is on the Oklahoma and Texas border) where we had a campsite right on the water.  This would have been the perfect spot one weekend ago but instead that northern cold front had made its way to us and we had a solid 20mph wind on us the entire weekend.  Wind is something your diabetes educator, endo, or anyone besides myself will not discuss because lets face it how often are you just hanging outside in the wind but for athletes and campers.  We need to consult our diabetes almanac when it comes to breezy days.  The temperature for the weekend was also lower than normal, something like a solid 60 degrees average temp and add that to the wind I personally get low BG's constantly.  I was low so often my CDM (continuous Dave monitor) for several three hour periods would not go above 90, even as I was drowning myself in every sort of glucose pill, gummy worm, or sandwich there was little to combat the environment.  So this reminded me about how much energy our bodies use to keep ourselves normal in windy days.  Look at what it is trying to do with the heat loss, the moisture evaporation, and trying not to get sick.  Your body is in overtime burning sugars on its own much less me with my pump putting more insulin on top.  In the end we had a great weekend and I had a good reminder course on odd weather that makes your diabetes just that much more fun.

The bionic-diabetic in the woods

 This is my first weekend camping with my new Animas pingy pump and also a CDM (continuous Dave monitor).  I have had every issue on the planet with electronics and the wilderness but this is a new realm for me.  So far in like three weeks I love this CDM thingy and love to show everyone at work my roller coaster, flat-line, or rolling hills of my blood sugars.

 Now the CDM is absolutely quality so far and the glue they put on the sensor is out of this world, I think it is better than duct tape.  My first sensor lasted 15 days without even really trying to get it to last that long.  The one downside to this Dexcom system is their holster/clip thing.  I am a batman type of diabetic where I put all sorts of crap on my belt and now the CDM  goes there as well, just that the case Dexcom gives you is cheaper than dirt and in the three or so weeks the clip is already starting to look bad and wiggle.  I am worried that one day CDM will just fall off into nowhere and I will be left with nothing monitoring the inside of me like CDM does.

The zipper broke on day 5 and I have had several zippers brake on me in the past so I got it to work but it is nothing to feel safe about while being in the woods.  You can see in the photo above how the teeth just don't want to be together.  I am going to call Dexcom next week and see what I can do to get another clip (under warranty of course) but this makes me feel like camping is now at a new level of expensive diabetes crap to break.  I will let you know how it goes, wish CDM the best of luck!