Backpack straps seems stiff

[TEOTWAWKI13]

So I was going through the garage, checking equipment, and I grabbed my old trail pack. It's a Kelty pack I used back in 2005 on an Appalachian Trail trip. I've used it a couple times since, but mostly I've used my smaller packs, and this one has been up on a shelf in the garage for a while.

The straps on it seem to be stiff, from lack of use obviously, not torn or frayed in any way, just stiff and hard to work through the buckles and such when trying to put it on and fit it.

Any ideas on how to recondition them? Replacing them is out of the question, as I can buy a newer model cheaper these days. It's a good pack, and I like it, so I want to make it useful again.

I may end up buying a 3 day assault pack or an Alice pack of some sort if I can't use this one anymore. But it's black and gray, so it's not too flashy or "look at me, I'm bugging out" in nature.

[bacpacker]

Tet here is a off the wall idea. I talked to the wife about this and kicking around some ideas, we came up with this as a try to recondition them. Take the straps off and get a warm, not really hot clothes iron along with a moist, not wet, towel. Put the towel on the strap, then run the iron over the towel, keep it moving quickly. ou don't really want to transfer much heat, just warm them up. The idea is to steam the straps and then work with them, bending, twisting, etc to loosen them up. You may have to repeat this a few times. I don't know that this will work, but it sounds good in theroy. Again just make sure to not get the straps too hot. Excess heat is a enemy of nylon.

Do you know what model it is? Any chance of posting some pics of the pack and straps? What size is the pack? How wide and long are the straps? Do they have a small strap that runs from the strap over your shoulder up higher on the frame than the main straps? Is it a internal or external frame pack.
I may have a set of straps from a pack I used to carry years ago. If you can answer the questions at least some of them and maybe send a couple pics. I might be able to help you out.

One last thing, I got my wife a new pack last year for use on long day hikes and very short over nights. It a Osprey brand. they make a bunch of different internal frame models and are really sweet packs.

[LUNCHBOX]

T, do you know if the pack was put away wet? Is it stiff the same way anywhere else? I don't know that them being dry will hurt them unless they are drying out to the point that they could break under a load. If its a external frame you could just replace them, if sewn I think your hit. The one good thing about military packs were that you could carry extra straps if you were concerned. Now everything is sewn together for a few years of use it seems. I run a Jansport Big Bear for hiking and strap breaks are always a concern of mine.

[TEOTWAWKI13]

It's a Kelty internal frame pack. I don't recall the exact model name, but they are sewn to the pack in places. My main concern is they may be too stressed under a load.

[bacpacker]

Before you put much time or effort into it, I would load it down and carry it around for a while and see how the straps hold up. It won't be comfortable prolly, but you do need to test it out to see if it's worth fooling with.

[TEOTWAWKI13]

Yeah, I think I'm going to do that. There's a few hiking trails nearby that I want to get on. Gotta get in shape anyways. So I may load it out a bit and see how it does. I'd be close enough that if I had to carry it back out I could. :)

[Tactical-Adventure-Gear]

Nylon is one of those things in the world that needs to be used. Probably the old style foam (not closed cell tech of today) just got old. I'm all for the hot water treatment as it might reinvigorate the foam. Thread is also your weakest link, dry rots first and shrinks. Hence the stiff feeling. Let us know how it turns out.

CC