Tips on Backpacks for Hiking Kids

• How do I select the best hiking backpack for my child?
• How much should a child carry on a hike? 
• Don't overpack on day hike with children
• Backpacks for adults who day hike with kids
• BONUS: When you'll need a backpack for a day hike

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

How to repair your backpack during a hike

When out on the trail, your backpack very well could suffer rips or tears. Unless you’re able to repair it right away, the damage likely will only worsen as you hike. You even may find yourself unable to use parts of the backpack, forcing you to carry or leave behind gear.

Prepare in advance by assembling and carrying a small repair kit that you can use to fix your backpack. It should include: duct tape; small scissors; sewing needle; thread or dental floss; safety pins; patches for tent or sleeping bag repair; and seam grip. With these few items, you can temporarily fix just about any problem that comes up with your backpack.

Rips
Microtears can be mended by using a patch for tent or sleeping bag repair on the outside of the bag. If the rip takes up almost the entire diameter of the patch, place a large swath of duct tape over the patch as well (Always cut the tape or patch in circles; this reduces the chances of it peeling off). Reinforce any patch by placing one on the inside of the bag as well. Long rips or tears will need to be resewed with your needle and thread; if you’re uncomfortable with the quality of your sewing job, patch over your sewing job with duct tape. Before placing any patch or tape, be sure to clean off the area it will cover.

Punctures
Seal them with a patch. If it’s a pinhole puncture, seal grip alone will work fine.

Buckle breaks
Cannibalize your backpack by finding another buckle, usually on a sidestrap, that you can do without. Cut off the broken buckle. Next, cut off then sew the working, cannibalized buckle onto the webbing for the broken buckle and then reinforce it with duct tape.

Flap snaps or zippers break
Use the safety needle to hold the two pieces of fabric in place. If worse comes to worse, use duct tape to hold the flap in place.

Seam coming part
Use seam grip to hold the backpack’s fabric together. If the seam has come part in an area longer than a half-inch, resew the seam.

Shoulder strap breaks
This probably is the worse damage that could occur to your backpack when on the trail. Your best bet is to sew the break, reinforce it with duct tape, then readjust the straps so the backpack fits comfortably.

Zipper pull breaks off
Fashion a new one using duct tape or use the safety pin. If the latter, cover the safety pin with duct tape so your fingers don’t accidentally release the pin when pulling on the zipper.

Be aware that if you use duct tape for any of your repairs, it’ll leave behind a sticky residue when later removed. Of course, if your backpack reaches the point where it must be held together by duct tape, a new one probably is needed.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Fabrics used to make backpacks offer competing positives, negatives

Most backpacks in the United States today are made of Cordura nylon.

Backpacks are made of different materials, and knowing the pluses and minuses of each can help you decide which fabric is the best for you.

Generally, manufacturers use one of four different fabrics: Cordura nylon; pack cloth; rip-stop nylon; and cotton canvas. The first three are synthetics and the fourth is a natural material.

By far the most common fabric used is Cordura nylon (aka Kodra). Offering a rough and fuzzy texture, it is resistant to abrasion. Since the material used to make backpacks is constantly stretched when the sack is loaded and often rubs against tree branches and rocks, abrasion is a significant issue with backpacks. The downside to Cordura is it is not as puncture resistant or as waterproof as other nylon fabrics.

An alternative is pack cloth. Somewhat shiny and slick to the touch, pack cloth is made from polyester. Its primary benefit is resistance to UV degradation, which can be a problem with backpacks as sunlight causes the polyurethane coating – the waterproofing material used on backpacks – to delaminate. Pack cloth also waterproofs well and is very resistant to punctures. The downside is it is a heavier fabric compared to any of the nylons. While once popular in the United States, today it’s primarily used in Europe and Australia.

A third type of fabric is rip-stop nylon. Made of a grid pattern of heavy threads, it’s stronger than standard nylon and so is unlikely to further rip if the backpack is punctured or torn. The downside is holes are more likely to appear from abrasion. Though common in Europe, in the United States is is mainly found in upmarket backpacks.

The fourth material is cotton canvas. Though rarely found in new backpacks, it was the most common fabric used during the last century. Because of the abundance of used military rucksacks, backpacks made of this material can be readily found as surplus and second-hand stores, making it a very inexpensive option. Cotton canvas, however, needs to be waterproofed, is heavy compared to synthetic materials, and if wet can rot.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.