Pack straps damaging clothes

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Removed User 06 Jul 2021

Hi, I changed packs recently to a Lowe Alpine Airzone Trail 30 and the straps are damaging my tops / jackets causing them to wear / bobble. Only my toughest Gore Tex seems not to be affected. Anyone else had this and any advice as I'd rather keep the pack but if it's got to go so be it. I never had any issues with old Berghaus Freeflow 35 no matter what I wore. 

 dread-i 06 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

I guess it depends on what your jacket is made from. Super lightweight material, wont be as tough as heavy goretex.

I recently bought a Montane Minimus Stretch Ultra jacket (pertex shield). I used it in a long race and its started to wear/ bobble where my race vest was. Also the inner membrane seems to have worn away under the arms. It's with the retailer at the moment, but I expect they will say 'normal wear and tear'.

I'm not happy, but is this the price we pay for light weight kit? It doesn't last as long.

Removed User 06 Jul 2021
In reply to dread-i:

Thanks, I just contacted Lowe Alpine and they've asked for a photo of how I wear pack (I'm pretty sure I wear it in right position though). Google searches suggest keeping pack tighter to body to stop movement so I'll try wear it a bit tighter. The straps are definitely less abrasive on my old rucksack but I'd expect a good brand like Lowe Alpine to have good straps too. Meantime I'll wear clothes that I think can take a bit more wear and tear until I decide what to do long term. Was planning on spending £300 on a Sprayway Torridon so will decide before then if getting a new pack or not. Thanks for getting back to me. 

Removed User 06 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

They got back to me. Very quick reply and good customer service from them I've got to say. I'll adjust my shoulder straps as they advised below:

Hi John,

Many thanks for the additional information. 

The pilling in your photos is generally caused by wear and tear and/or abrasion. Shoulders and the hip/lower back areas are where a lot of the load is concentrated and therefore where we might expect abrasion to occur.

Lightweight fabrics and durability don’t go together so on occasion you will get a piece of clothing that shows signs of pilling because the fabric has been rubbed by a more abrasive material. Back packs use harder wearing fabrics and so when these meet lightweight clothing, pilling can occur. The webbing on a backpack straps in particular can roughen up fabric or an unevenly loaded or adjusted pack can also exacerbate the problem, and in this instance there appears to be a gap between your shoulders and the backpack straps, so adjusting the straps a little could result in less movement less movement and therefore less abrasion between the straps and your clothing.

As you have noted the problem has not been present with your Gore-Tex jacket and this is likely due to it using a harder wearing face fabric, and I suspect therefore you would not have an issue with the Sprayway Torridon jacket either as this is uses 75D fabric.

I hope that helps but please come back to me if you have any other questions and I will be happy to help.

 Forest Dump 06 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

I bought a Craghopper nosilife backpacking / hiking / expedition type shirt that was trashed after a single hike wearing a Lowe Alpine backpack..

I known there's reasonable wear and tear to expect but significant bobbling after one use takes the piss a bit. Especially when the garment is designed for the exact purpose you use it for!!

Never complained at the time, should have..

 Doug 06 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

only time I've really had this problem was with a lightweight top from Lowe Alpine when carrying a fairly heavy sac (camping gear for one plus food for several days on part of the HRP). Annoying as I'd bought the shirt specialy to have something cool on hot days.

 LastBoyScout 06 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

My Arc'teryx day sack bobbled the back of my fairly lightweight (and otherwise undamaged) Marmot waterproof in a single day of hiking through the Cairngorms!

Never experienced that before with any other top/jacket/rucksack combo.

 johnt 06 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

I'm not convinced that friction is the issue - i had a similar problem (coincidentally with a Lowe Alpine pack) and it appeared the pack fabric was actually pulling out fibres from the base layer i was wearing. This was on the back of my shirt so not associated with high wear points on the shoulders or waist. I just think some manmade fibres don't work well together. 

 RobertKett 06 Jul 2021
In reply to johnt:

I'm of the same opinion as you. My experience is that the material on the back of the 'sac, and on the 'inside' of the shoulder straps is a factor, not just that of the garment. As you say, some combinations don't seem to work well together.

It's annoying if a relatively-expensive garment in a supposedly 'technical' fabric breaks out in a kind of bobbly rash (!)

Removed User 07 Jul 2021
In reply to Forest Dump:

I've decided I'm going to walk this year with the pack and same now-bobbly clothes and get a new softer strapped pack and more durable tops next year. 

 deepsoup 07 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

If you like the pack otherwise maybe you could sew a layer of softer fabric on to the face of the straps, or make stretchy 'sleeves' to fit over them.  (Or find someone to do it for you.)
Sacrifice a pair of knackered old Ron Hills or something to provide the material.

 Toerag 07 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

Car sealtbelts make my Guernseys bobble

 99ster 07 Jul 2021
In reply to Removed Userjockburnett:

Just had to return a (special recycled synthetic fabric) t-shirt to Mammut - I wore it once and the inner surface of the fabric had 'pulled' all the way around the waist.  And that was just from wearing it once over a pair of jeans!  Great customer service as they refunded me immediately.  But it does make you think - how do they test these fabrics if normal everyday use wrecks them?


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