Padded Shoulder Straps

Instructions for building Padded Shoulder Straps

Materials:
    Top Strap: Dyneema X, Xpac, cordura.
                Bottom Strap: 3D mesh or the same fabric as the top can be used.
                Closed Cell Foam(CCF) – 1/4" - 3/4”

Notes: The materials above are just suggestions of what I have had good results with.

Material Sources:
                Dyneema X and 3D Mesh: Thru-Hiker - www.thru-hiker.com
                Closed Cell Foam (FY20): Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics - http://www.owfinc.com/
                Also check out Rockywoods.com for outdoor materials

1.

Trace your backpack strap pattern onto your selected top and bottom fabric. Make sure to flip the pattern over so you have opposite facing pieces, a left and right strap.

2.

Cut the top and bottom pieces out. I prefer to use a rotary cutting tool and cutting mat.

3.

I then place the two right sides of the Dyneema X and 3D mesh on top of each other and pen them together.

4.

Sew the two pieces together, make sure to leave a 1/4" seam allowance on the edges.

5.

Turn the strap right side out, make sure that the corners at the bottom of the strap are pushed out all the way.

6.

Start from the open end of the strap and roll it wrong side out. Stop rolling when you get about 1” or so from the bottom tip as pictured. This cup is where you insert the bottom tip of the closed cell foam.

7.

Trace out the foam pattern on the sheet of CCF, and cut it out. I like to cut the bottom tip of the foam at an angle on each side so the tip of the strap has a smoother taper.

8.

Make sure to position the foam insert in the correct direction as the cut of the strap. Place the tip of the foam insert into the pocket of the strap.

9.

Gently start to roll the outer fabric of the strap up the foam so that the seam of the fabric is in the middle of the foam. I sometimes use a ruler or a piece of cardboard to help make the foam a little more rigid and the process easier. Also I like to make sure the the outer seam material is pointing down toward the 3D mesh, as in the photo on the right, this makes the seam of the strap much smoother when it is right side out.

10.

Your strap should look something like this when you are finished rolling the fabric over the foam.

11.

Cut your webbing for the shoulder strap. (I normally cut the webbing 22” for a non-load lifter strap and around 32” for a strap that is going to have a load lifter). Place the webbing through the ladderloc and place on the shoulder strap so the bottom edge of the ladderloc is at the bottom edge of the shoulder strap.

12.

Sew your first bar tack as close as you can to the ladderloc. Sew a second bar tack about ¼” from the first.

13.

The next bar tack is place 6” up from the last bar tack and this is to allow adjustment of your sternum strap. I then place a bar tack every 3" all the way up to the top of the strap.

14.

Your shoulder strap is now complete and ready to add to your pack.