Delaminating old pack... Repair???

I have recently come upon a old nylon pack and it is in really good shape besides the internals delaminating. Is there any way to stop further delamination/repair the coating? I'd hate to see a perfectly good old pack turn to dust.

Thanks!

Zach Powers wrote: I have recently come upon a old nylon pack and it is in really good shape besides the internals delaminating. Is there any way to stop further delamination/repair the coating? I'd hate to see a perfectly good old pack turn to dust.

Thanks!

What brand is it?  Many have a lifetime warranty and will replace them if they develop leprosy.  I've sent in several Jansport backpacks and they have replaced all that had this problem.  Only had to pay for shipping them the old one.  

Jay J wrote:

What brand is it?  Many have a lifetime warranty and will replace them if they develop leprosy.  I've sent in several Jansport backpacks and they have replaced all that had this problem.  Only had to pay for shipping them the old one.  

It's an old Kelty pack I'd only assume was from the 90s. Idk if they have a warranty.

Peel off as much as you can and leave it alone. Use a rain cover to keep your goods dry.

Best to buy a new one.

Bump

I saw a “hack” somewhere recently where this happened and the person bought garbage disposal bags for the inside of their pack. As an aside, my buddy has a “cut down sleeping pad” that makes “one roll” inside his pack for SAR use. 

Lining your pack with a contractor trash bag isn’t exactly a hack, people have been doing it for years. The fact is that if you want your stuff to stay dry, that polyurethane coating on a pack does almost nothing. The seams aren’t sealed, the face fabric soaks through really quickly, and the top closure on most bags isn’t anywhere close to waterproof.

What I’d do is check the stability of the weave on the parts that are delaminating and on the seams. If the weave is still stable, then there’s no problem and I’d keep using the pack. If you don’t want polyurethane bits in your stuff, you can gently use your hand and maybe a pair of tweezers to pull the worst bits of it off. 
When the pack does get threadbare and truly worn out, you can get it fixed at a shop for a reasonable fee. Most good gear repair shops will replace panels on packs. 

I have a Black Diamond 22 L bullet pack that did that. Like suggested, I just brush off the flakes of pack dandruff. I only replace packs when the holes in them are big enough to lose something valuable or the buckles and zippers are all broken.

I have several old packs that have delaminated. I just hand wash them rubbing the fabric so to remove the coating. After that one can use Nikwax to add some protection back.

M Z wrote: Lining your pack with a contractor trash bag isn’t exactly a hack, people have been doing it for years. The fact is that if you want your stuff to stay dry, that polyurethane coating on a pack does almost nothing. The seams aren’t sealed, the face fabric soaks through really quickly, and the top closure on most bags isn’t anywhere close to waterproof.

What I’d do is check the stability of the weave on the parts that are delaminating and on the seams. If the weave is still stable, then there’s no problem and I’d keep using the pack. If you don’t want polyurethane bits in your stuff, you can gently use your hand and maybe a pair of tweezers to pull the worst bits of it off. 
When the pack does get threadbare and truly worn out, you can get it fixed at a shop for a reasonable fee. Most good gear repair shops will replace panels on packs. 

Good advice. A poly bag keeps most of the polyurethane off the gear anyway. I find a second poly bag upside down over the main one overcomes a leaking top closure.

Mineral spirits to dilute silicone caulk and soak or brush on, solvents will evaporate & leave silicone embedded in fabric.  Several youtube videos on subject,

Here is one of my favorite youtubers,

https://youtu.be/HedRbIsM75M?si=aoUuHuF1SWXHUZHL

All the suggestions of either using a liner or a cover are best. Solvents are messy and a real hazard when inhaled. For anyone still wanting to repair an item that was originally PU coated (silicon is not suitable for that) then Seamgrip WP (PU based) diluted using acetone to a slow flowing honey texture works. It's a messy business all the same and best done outside and only to overhaul a much cherised item.

Patrick Hayes wrote:

Mineral spirits to dilute silicone caulk and soak or brush on, solvents will evaporate & leave silicone embedded in fabric.  Several youtube videos on subject,

Here is one of my favorite youtubers,

https://youtu.be/HedRbIsM75M?si=aoUuHuF1SWXHUZHL

I was about to post this.

I read a paper years ago that said Silicone treatments are better than PU for the tensile strength of the fabric so may also improve wear properties. 

I am not sure why this thread got necro'd, but GearAid sells PU coating in a bottle with a nice foam sponge tip. 

https://www.gearaid.com/products/seam-grip-sealant-tent-fabric