My backpack zipper died halfway through a trip in Portland

I was walking through Powell's Books downtown and the main zipper on my 25 liter daypack just gave out. Everything fell out onto the floor, three people helped me gather up my stuff. I ended up buying a roll of duct tape at a nearby hardware store for $4 and taped the thing shut for the rest of the trip. Has anyone else had a bag fail on them mid-travel and had to MacGyver a fix?

2 comments

2 Comments

margaretrivera4d ago

Duct tape is a classic move, but the real pro tip is hitting up the lost and found at a nearby hostel or coffee shop. Portland has so many travelers losing random stuff, you might snag a whole new bag for free. I once found a barely used duffel bag with a broken strap at a bus station and just tied it up with a shoelace. Plus, Powell's is dangerously tempting to fill a busted backpack with more books you now have to carry differently. At least the strangers who helped you gather your stuff probably got a good story out of it too.

finley_bennett284d ago

So you're saying my next travel hack is just to show up empty-handed and hope a stranger's trash fills my bag? Guess I've been overcomplicating packing all these years.