Bushwalk Australia

My old daypack disintegrated so I picked up a new one, pretty cheaply, in a sale at Rays Outdoors. It's a Black Wolf 30L and seemed the least crap option out of what was there.

I've used it on a few walks now and it has one big problem: it SQUEAKS. Eee eee eee with every step I take, like squeaky shoes only situated much closer to my ears.

The problem seems to be with the light, curved metal frame that keeps the body of the pack away from the mesh back for ventilation. It runs into two pockets (cordura or something like that), top and bottom, and is under tension. It's rubbing inside those pockets and that's what's making the squeak.

Any ideas for how to fix it? I was thinking maybe lubricating with a paraffin candle or something, though it'd be tricky to reach down into that tight tensioned pocket to do it. Whatever I use I'd rather it wasn't too dirty/messy as it might stain my bum and shoulders!

Soap/detergent?

I would try silicone spray.

Earplugs.

Try squirting in some talcum powder (baby powder) it stops all sorts of things.
I even use it to de tack excess adhesives.

Silicone spray will fix it.

Ok I'll try baby powder first, and if that doesn't work I'll get some silicone spray. Is that a hardware store kind of thing? I've never used it before.

AlexB wrote:Ok I'll try baby powder first, and if that doesn't work I'll get some silicone spray. Is that a hardware store kind of thing? I've never used it before.

Baby powder might do the trick, and cheaper if you already have it. Silicone spray can be bought at Bunnings/Masters/Autobahn/SupercheapAuto etc. I have the WD40 300g can and I think it was around $10, but it goes anywhere between $10-$20 a can.

I use mine for the car squeaks. The WD40 one has a direct spray hose thingy that make it easier to avoid overspray, but you can fix this with a straw attachment.

Oh, just saw that Autobahn has it on sale now https://www.autobarn.com.au/motortech-s ... f507-mt184 for $5.99 for a 330gram can.

WD40 would be a bit 'yucky' for this.

GPSGuided wrote:WD40 would be a bit 'yucky' for this.

I think there is a wd40 silicone spray, which was what was being referred to.

Ok.

It's annoying, our OP Mungo had it bad! In that case at the upper end of the stays were to blame.
Lanotec (Lanolin spray) works well enough too (or is the only lubrication spray I use)

Lanotec lanolin is incredible stuff.

Never though of using it on packs but i dont doubt it would work well. You would certainly need to give it some time to air out and loose the smell before heading off on a hike with it!

Silocon spray would be my first choice for this application.

Travis.

I would much rather smell of sheep than silicone!

Didn't know silicone has a smell...

A tiny amount of silicon spray isnt going to smell on your packpack.

A drop of lanotec still stinks and if used on fabric id imagine it would remain for a while.

Travis.

I was mostly joking - silicone doesn't have a smell AFAIK but I'm pretty fond of the smell of natural wool with the lanolin in it. I even used to like the smell of a classroom full of wet woollen school uniforms on a rainy day I'll need to look up lanotec and see what other uses it has, but if one of them is "spray lanolin on my jumpers to make them more water resistant and more sheepy smelling" then I'm sold I'd actually just been researching lanolin treatments for woollen stuff (it seems most of the info comes from the cloth nappy scene) and though the standard process seems to involve dipping in a tub with a thin skim of lanolin on the surface, I'd like to hear about other methods!

Ok, having checked the product info sheet (http://lanotec.liveserver.com.au/wp-con ... 0Sheet.pdf) lanotec smells not just of sheep but also of solvent (ick) and they don't list fabric treatment among their various uses. Ah well, back to the tub-dipping plan for the woollies, and silicone for the daypack (if talc doesn't work).

I kinda like that sheepy smell too lol

hey, yeah, I was just adding one to the list, the silcone spray may be a better option.
Really, if it's just the tip of the harness frame/stay rubbing, as I found, a smear of wax (as you say) just on the tip first, dab of olive oil now and then.. etc etc? it probably wont take much of- anything. Can you remove the stay to lubricate?

If I was to buy a can of 'something', it would be Lanolin spray/liquid. The solvent smell goes pretty quickly, even the lanolin looses it's smell (to my nose) At the risk of coronary.. It's actually got a heap of other reasonable applications.. some iv'e tried on a wing and a prayer, leather boots, they lap it up (drys dull but great for cleaning) and sleeping bag zips (run along with something to catch the overspray).. so on. The car interior smells like a shearing shed for a few days

The entire underbody, chassis and leaf spring packs included on my old Landcruiser are completely treated with Lanotec every year and at 37years young it is still like new.

After treatment my garage smells like a sheering shed for months

Travis.

Hi all! Just an update on what worked: I couldn't figure out how to deliver talcum powder into the place where it was needed, but the silicone lubricant spray (WD40 brand, with the squirty straw nozzle thing) worked a treat. Thanks for the tips

AlexB wrote:but the silicone lubricant spray (WD40 brand, with the squirty straw nozzle thing) worked a treat. Thanks for the tips

That's a good result. I like the silicone spray as it dries pretty quickly, and doesn't leave a sticky residue, so doesn't attract dirt and dust.

The WD-40 branded silicone spray is great as it comes with their flip straw nozzle applicator thingy that makes it easier so it doesn't overspray. I don't know why none of the other manufacturers use this on their spray cans.

In the car it lasts pretty long, but I wonder how long it lasts with constant movement. Update on how long it lasts before squeaks come back on your pack.

Will do

Travis22 wrote:The entire underbody, chassis and leaf spring packs included on my old Landcruiser are completely treated with Lanotec every year and at 37years young it is still like new.

After treatment my garage smells like a sheering shed for months

Travis.

And my boat trailer - great stuff, but I would have gone for the silicone here to I think.

Good outcome.