How to Make a Duct Tape Backpack

green insulation tape image by green308 from Fotolia.com

If you are out on the trail and need an extra bag, as long as you have plenty of duct tape with you, you can make your own. Any seasoned backpacker knows that you can never have enough duct tape. It can be used for anything from patching holes in an air mattress to closing wounds in the event of an emergency. Problems with your hiking boot? Nothing a little duct tape won't fix! For the space it takes up in your pack, it's worth carrying extra duct tape on every backpacking trip.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

1 piece of 12-inch by 12-inch cardboard
2 pieces of 6-inch by 12-inch cardboard
2 rolls of duct tape
Scissors
Shoelace

Step 1

Apply duct tape to both sides of a 12-inch by 12-inch piece of cardboard. Cut a 32-inch piece of duct tape and attach it to your 12-inch by 12-inch piece of cardboard so that four inches are stuck to what will be the back side of the backpack. Line the sticky back of the duct tape with another piece of tape immediately after applying it. Continue overlapping additional 32-inch pieces of duct tape until the entire front section of your cardboard square has a pouch formed over it made of duct tape.

Step 2

Attach both 6-inch by 12-inch pieces of cardboard to the sides of your backpack with duct tape to fill the gaps. Cover both pieces of cardboard with duct tape.

Step 3

Affix 8-inch strips of duct tape to the top of the back of your duct-tape backpack with duct tape. Line them with additional duct tape so that they do not stick to anything. Continue placing these strips across the top of your backpack to form the flap that will hang down over the front of your duct-tape backpack. Once the flap is complete, cut a 12-inch strip of duct tape and cover the length of the flap "seam" on the back of your duct-tape backpack.

Step 4

Cut off a piece of duct tape 80 inches long and fold it in half so that the sticky side is stuck together. Repeat. These pieces will form the straps for your duct tape backpack. Secure the straps temporarily with duct tape, and try the backpack on to see whether the straps are adjusted correctly. Make any adjustments necessary, and then secure the straps with additional duct tape.

Step 5

Poke two holes in the center of your duct tape backpack flap while it is closed so that the holes go through the flap and the backpack pouch. Insert a shoelace from inside the backpack and pull one end out through each hole. Tie the shoelace in a bow on the outside of the backpack to keep your duct tape backpack securely closed.

Tips & Warnings

If you are creating a duct-tape backpack for fun rather than necessity, you can use multiple colors of duct tape to dress up your backpack.

Be sure to line any exposed duct tape backing with additional tape, sticky side to sticky side, or you will end up with a sticky mess.

Resources

Trails: The North Face Jester Backpack

Article Written By Elizabeth Grace

Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Elizabeth Grace is a freelance writer. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in public relations from Pepperdine University, and has 15 years of experience developing marketing campaigns for universities and multinational corporations.

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