I'm not new to backpacking but I am kind of clueless when it comes to fixing up my gear. I have a Granite Gear Vapor Trail that has a large rip along the seam and its getting bigger slowly. I was just wondering what you hiking veterans have found to be the best way to fix up rips and tears in your packs. Also the it has a string that is used to cinch up the top of the bag that managed to come out, any idea on how to get that back in there? Thanks

The string is easy. Straighten a hanger and slide it through. Duct tape the string to the hanger and pull it through.

The pack doesn't look that old (the blud trim dates it withing the last few years?) Are these issues that might be covered under their warranty? I had a hipbelt start to come unstitched once, and GG repaired it under warranty, no questions asked.

One thing I have been doing here lately with silnylon stuff sacks (where I was nervous of the hanger snagging something) is using a piece of heavy gauge weedeater line and doing the same thing. The way my grandma taught me years ago to fix the strings on hoods is to clip a long safety pin on the end of the string, and use it to sort of. . . inch worm the material back onto the string. I dont really know exactly how to explain the process, but honestly the weedeater line works way better anyway in my experience.

Well the coat hanger did the trick for the drawstring, so thanks for that! I guess I'll use some crude combo of sewing plus duct tape to fix the rip for now. The bag is a bit over a year old so I'll contact GG when I get back from my hiking trip, but I don't have enough time to try and get a replace at the moment.

I'm not a seamstress (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last month.) If I were doing this "right" I'd use thread they use on parachutes or go to a sewing shop and ask for the right thread.

But since I'm not, I'd use dental floss. First I'd re-enforce the area that is not ripped yet by 7 circles close together through the edge. Then I'd sew another piece of strong cloth (Maybe from that bag you just got the string back in) over the hole. Duct tape sounds more like I'd probably actually do it.