Slipping backpack straps

[skippysjs]

Hi all. My wife and I just finished an 80 mile section hike from Pen Mar to northern VA. It was a great trip and all went well. The one difficulty that I had to deal with on an ongoing basis was constantly readjusting/tightening my backpack shoulder straps and occasionally my hip belt. This became more of an issue throughout the day as I sweated and my shirt and backpack became wet with sweat. I have a Kelty Red Cloud 110 and my pack weight was between 33 and 37 pounds most days dependent on food and water.

Any suggestions on how to remedy this? Thank you in advance for any help.

"Popeye"

[Wyoming]

Hi all. My wife and I just finished an 80 mile section hike from Pen Mar to northern VA. It was a great trip and all went well. The one difficulty that I had to deal with on an ongoing basis was constantly readjusting/tightening my backpack shoulder straps and occasionally my hip belt. This became more of an issue throughout the day as I sweated and my shirt and backpack became wet with sweat. I have a Kelty Red Cloud 110 and my pack weight was between 33 and 37 pounds most days dependent on food and water.

Any suggestions on how to remedy this? Thank you in advance for any help.

"Popeye"

Whether one has this problem seems to be more of a pack issue than a person issue. I have had it with a couple of packs also. Never could fix it as it just seemed that the straps or belt seemed to slowly slip through the buckles. So as long as I used those packs I was always adjusting the straps/belt. Must admit that I found it very annoying just as you seem too.

[Walkintom]

I have a belt that has this issue. In the case of the belt, it's a friction buckle and the belt is pretty worn from years of use, so it's become a bit slick and it gradually slips.

If I were serious about making it tighten up I would probably add a line or two of stitching along its length to give the buckle some new ridges to grip against.

[Dogwood]

Some readjusting is to be expected throughout a hike. Different ladder lock, sliding D-Ring, Duckbill, and Tension lock buckles found on shoulder straps and clasping male/female hip belt buckle styles use serrated raised teeth, roughened ridges, or a razor like sharp edge to bite into the webbing grasping it firmly holding tight. However, buckles can get worn. Sometimes these buckles need to be replaced but most often I find that sharpening up these areas reestablishing the grip by using a small very fine hobby file, Dremel tool with very fine tool head, or very fine emory board/nail file fixes the grip.

Additionally, check the webbing. Sometimes the webbing becomes slick from embedded sweat, trail gunk, dirt, etc making it hard for the buckle's biting area to gain a solid grip. Washing the webbing clean of all this buildup sometimes helps. Although I personally haven't done this I've heard of some backpackers spraying their backpacks, including their webbing, with various hairsprays to create a tackiness on the webbing that helps the buckle teeth gain a better grip and offer some waterproofing/ DWRing to the pack. Personally, since all backpacks and all hairsprays are not created/formulated equally I would sample test doing this before spraying more of or the entire backpack.

[Dogwood]

Make sure the friction areas of your buckles are clean too. Examine these areas carefully. Use a toothbrush and strong stream of water, maybe even a stiff wire, to scrub clean any gunk. I've remedied several slipping ladder locks on shoulder straps by simply doing this.

Since I tend to use one backpack as my go to backpack for the majority of my hikes these get well used and could easily get gunked up especially things like webbing, buckles, zippers, cords, cord locks, etc. To prevent this I occasionally, without hesitation, when I'm at town stops wash my backpack even if just rinsing and cleaning with a clean softish bristle brush the zippers, buckles, cord locks, etc. Since I've gotten more in the habit of doing this my backpacks smell better, last longer, weigh less as the sweat and dirt increase the kit wt, and function more dependably.

As a ULer I was astonished by the ounces of dirt, sweat, and gunk my gear was holding and I was needlessly carrying around and living with. Here I was nitpicking literally over a couple of ounces when considering a very pricey Cuben fiber shelter purchase when all I had to do was clean my current shelter and I saved twice the ounces and a whole lot of do re mi that contributed significantly to financing another LD hike.

[Another Kevin]

I have a related minor issue. I wear Champion C9 boxer briefs while hiking, and generic (EMS, REI, whatever) nylon convertible pants. I do carry a little bit more weight in the tum than I'd like - which I ascribe to having too little time to hike (compounded this year by a minor knee injury).

Anyway, I find that over the course of a day's hiking, the motion under my pack hipbelt gradually pulls my pants down until I'm nearly em-bare-assing myself (not really, my briefs stay in place, but I couldn't resist the pun). At that point I have to undo the waistbelt, loosen the ladder straps, hike up my pants, tighten the belt on my pants, and refasten and readjust the pack.

I don't ordinarily see hikers wearing suspenders, but most of them, some of whom are considerably rounder than I am, don't seem to be pantsed by their own packs. Am I doing it all wrong, or am I just not around when other people are dealing with the problem?

[Rain Man]

Any suggestions on how to remedy this? Thank you in advance for any help.

I have this same problem and have learned to live with it. I constantly adjust straps and tighten waist belt throughout the day. On one pack, it was so bad that I cut the stock buckle off the waist belt and replaced it with a cam/lever buckle (had to do some sewing), which helped but not 100%.

I know of no waist belt buckles that hold securely.

[misterfloyd]

Gotta agree with dogwood on some points.

I have never had this problem before. On the last long section Damascus to Buena Vista I experienced what you described. The weather weather was nothing but hot and humid and I was sweating like a dog. Mind you, this happens all the time I hike, but I was wetted out completely running shorts, starter compression undies and shirt. It really looked like I was in a shower.

My pack shoulder straps slipped but the belt was more noticeable. I finally had to tie a knot in it which seemed to help. When I got home I always, per ospreys instructions, let my pack sit in the bathtub with some mild dish detergent, and I scrub with a wash cloth. I make a special point to get the straps. A few weeks back I put 40lbs of rice in the pack and all was griping and staying like it should.

Next LASH, when I get into town I will clean the straps.

I never believed how slimy sweat can be regarding the griping of strap buckles.

Floyd

[Wyoming]

I have a related minor issue. I wear Champion C9 boxer briefs while hiking, and generic (EMS, REI, whatever) nylon convertible pants. I do carry a little bit more weight in the tum than I'd like - which I ascribe to having too little time to hike (compounded this year by a minor knee injury).

Anyway, I find that over the course of a day's hiking, the motion under my pack hipbelt gradually pulls my pants down until I'm nearly em-bare-assing myself (not really, my briefs stay in place, but I couldn't resist the pun). At that point I have to undo the waistbelt, loosen the ladder straps, hike up my pants, tighten the belt on my pants, and refasten and readjust the pack.

I don't ordinarily see hikers wearing suspenders, but most of them, some of whom are considerably rounder than I am, don't seem to be pantsed by their own packs. Am I doing it all wrong, or am I just not around when other people are dealing with the problem?

Studiously ignoring this post Hike naked day is only for those under 30 btw

[terryg49]

I had the same trouble with my Kelty Coyote. The problem was easy to solve. I replaced it with a Granite Gear pack.. no more slipping straps... Want to buy a used Kelty Coyote?

[Dogwood]

Also make sure the shoulder harness adjustment and hip belt webbing straps are properly looped through the slots on the ladder, tri glides, tension, hip belt, etc buckles or the buckles gripping areas will not adequately grip the webbing. They will have the often tendency to come loose.

One more thing that could easily be overlooked is that some pack buckles gain better friction when the tag end of the webbing(the excess webbing after it goes through the buckle) is laying flat against the rest of the webbing. This is usually not as critical with shoulder harness webbing as the tag end has gravity working to keep it flat against the rest of the webbing but with hipbelts the tag ends are horizontal and somewhat have gravity working against this desire. That's why there is often a small rectangular loop made of webbing, metal, hard plastic, bungee, etc that the tag end of the webbing goes through holding it flat to the rest of the webbing after it is looped through a buckle. It's rather easy for the webbing tag end, especially on hip belts, to slip out from this rectangular loop, easily being missed as to to these loops sometimes importance in keeping the friction and tension on the webbing.

Some of these loops are affixed in one place but some slide along the webbing. If your Kelty RedCloud 110 has sliding loops the webbing tag ends go through, one on each shoulder strap and one on each side of your hip belt buckle, try sliding each loop towards the buckle with the tag end still going through the loop. Sometimes you have to tug or hold onto the tag end as you slide the loop towards the buckle or a loop in the webbing can form which is not what you are after. You may find you gain better friction on the webbing and fix your slipping straps by making these small adjustments.

Sometimes, it's not the gear(pack) that is the problem. Sometimes it's our own lack of understanding in being more aware of how the gear(pack) functions. Been there myself many times. Imes ahh still wearning two.

[chiefduffy]

An old trick is to put hair ties or rubber bands around the buckles. This usually binds just enough so that the straps won't slip through.

[Just Bill]

Without going too far into the MYOG nerd realm... the webbing needs to be sized to the buckle. An easy thing to mess up.

For the MYOG nerd- cutout and replace the offending straps and buckles.

For everyone else... Leukotape.

Find the friction point on your offending buckle... The crossbar of the letter "H" typically. Cut a 1.5" by strap width piece of Leukotape and get you a pair of pliers or tweezers to help do the job. Clean well and completely dry the buckle. Carefully wrap the bar with no wrinkles or crinkles and fairly tightly. Let it sit 24 hours if possible before you rethread the webbing.

For you big thinkers... bonus points if you wrap the tape in the correct direction so that the webbing constantly tightens the tape.
Hint- think toilet paper roll. You want the over configuration, not the improper under.

The added bulk will create more friction through restriction.
Using Leukotape (a cloth tape) will also increase friction.
Duck tape is too slippery, and duct tape is completely inappropriate.

Kevin... you may simply have reached the age wherein pant waist has drifted closer to the ribs than the belly button.
Although... untucking your shirt(keeping it out of the hip belt area) and wrapping Luekotape in a few spots around your hipbelt may give you enough friction. Undies, pants, shirt, and belt is a few too many layers, especially in slippery synthetics.

[egilbe]

I have a related minor issue. I wear Champion C9 boxer briefs while hiking, and generic (EMS, REI, whatever) nylon convertible pants. I do carry a little bit more weight in the tum than I'd like - which I ascribe to having too little time to hike (compounded this year by a minor knee injury).

Anyway, I find that over the course of a day's hiking, the motion under my pack hipbelt gradually pulls my pants down until I'm nearly em-bare-assing myself (not really, my briefs stay in place, but I couldn't resist the pun). At that point I have to undo the waistbelt, loosen the ladder straps, hike up my pants, tighten the belt on my pants, and refasten and readjust the pack.

I don't ordinarily see hikers wearing suspenders, but most of them, some of whom are considerably rounder than I am, don't seem to be pantsed by their own packs. Am I doing it all wrong, or am I just not around when other people are dealing with the problem?

I pull the belt of my pants up underneath the buckle of my pack's waistbelt. Cinch the waistbelt tight and it holds up my pants.