Comments on: 9 ways to customize your backpack

By: Joe

Joe — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:46:00 +0000

Great stuff! I personally love the patches. Never used them as pockets though. I got them at http://www.backpackflags.com. Good quality and service and they protect my Osprey against some good old wear and tear. Found a discount code on their FB page.

By: Mary

Mary — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:40:27 +0000

25-year-old backpack customized itself with Kelso Dunes sand, San Juan river-bottom, Central Oregon basalt; sliding around on the filthy bed of pick-up trucks; enchilada sauce from a free supperl given by a Michoacan abulea on the bus from Kingman to LA; gritty carpet at the foot of too many slot machines; a long ride down a sandstone face up near Lake Foul in Utah.

By: Amy

Amy — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 20:43:55 +0000

I use S-biners to connect my zippers on my backpack and daypack. They are just small carabiners, but in the shape of an ‘S’ with two clips where the ‘S’ opens. They are small, discrete and while they don’t fully prevent break-ins, they do make it harder for thieves and more noticeable for me.

By: Pip

Pip — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 22:14:35 +0000

I think its attaching some strings of fabric from each & every region you backpack through is an awesome way to transform your traveling equipment.Just find the best threds and stitch it in.

By: Poi

Poi — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:38:41 +0000

Our packs are pretty boring at the moment so these are some great suggestions – we need to cut our straps down, hanging all over the place at the moment!

By: jonathan linn

jonathan linn — Sun, 16 May 2010 20:42:10 +0000

Two days before I leave Miami for a month plus around Nicaragua, I’m dragging my pack out of the trunk to catch a plane and it breaks. Sure I had it to full, but then there was room right? The beauty of BABYPINS! So I get home and have to find a pack quick, but have a bad taste for the gourmet. I did three months out of my high school backpack around Israel and Egypt so I know how to streamline. This time though was a diving trip so I was carrying my gear. (Later found that alI told I was hauling avg. 100lbs., but the diving is what I wanted.) So my solution is my happiest yet. Went to a local military resale and bought one of their duffels with backpacking straps ($30). Bleached it so the bag looked like it had been @ the world underneath a pack of elephants. (To give the appearance of a seasoned traveler with nothing to offer). My friend had brought one of those reusable grocery bags which we always loaded with lunch, water, and a book. I’ve taken scissors to the old pack and sewn all the comfort padding onto the military. Feels great, looks good, and WON’T fail. It’s topload to, so know sticky fingers. I’ll post a pic on my couchsurfing sight. Good Times!

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 05:05:44 +0000

I once saw a man walking through Vancouver with a backpack covered with places he’s been and dates he was there. It was pretty neat, and it looked like he had been to ALOT of places.

By: Alaina O'Brien

Alaina O'Brien — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 17:25:23 +0000

I used to decorate my bag with pins, but, naturally, they kept popping off. Maybe I should move on to patches…

By: Beth

Beth — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 21:24:31 +0000

I actually use those ice pick hooks on the bottom of my pack (but of course not for ice picks.) I use 2 carabiner clips to attach my sleeping bag so that a) I have more room in my pack and b) that weight is directly on my hips. I have a small collection of patches collecting dust, so maybe my pretty blue bag could use some accessorizing.

By: @AlexBerger

@AlexBerger — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:55:06 +0000

One of my favorites is a must for daypacks. I usually opt for the $15 school daypack from Walmart, then take superglue and reinforce the shoulder straps where they connect with the top of the pack. I’ve found that even extremely durable packs tend to be exceptionally weak here. The superglue bonds in a way that you’ll be hard pressed to beat with even the most thorough needlework. It’s relatively clean, hard to spot, and a great way to enhance your bag. It’s also great for on the go mending in case of tears, knife cuts, etc.