Slipping Strap Adjusters: How a QC Issue Can Make It Into Production
With the latest version of our flagship travel backpack (The Pakt One) and one of our everyday carry packs(The MODE 22L), we encountered an issue in the first production run where the strap adjustment hardware — technically known as tension locks or ladder locks — wasn't gripping the webbing tightly enough, causing shoulder straps to slip from the user's set position. Super annoying, and not the experience you want from a higher-end bag.
We've seen reviews and online chatter wondering how a brand could let something like this reach production. As a product designer with many years of experience bringing bags to market, here's how it happened.
When we built prototypes for testing, our hardware supplier sent us sample tension locks that worked great. After a couple months of testing, we approved them and placed our full production order — thousands of bags, each using at least two tension locks.
What we discovered during production QC is that the supplier used a slightly different finishing technique on the sample hardware versus the bulk production run. The sample pieces were laser-cut and quickly tumbled; the production units went through a process that left the metal edges marginally more rounded. That microscopic difference was enough to reduce friction on the webbing. The problem isn't even consistent — it varies bag to bag, and sometimes even between the left and right strap on the same bag.
By the time we caught it, roughly 2,000 completed units were already in shipping containers headed to our warehouse. We stopped the production line immediately. Because of how the bags are constructed, we couldn't swap hardware on units already sewn — so for remaining production, we switched to a thicker webbing that holds firm with the existing tension locks.
For the units already en route, we developed a set of replacement straps that customers can swap in themselves. That meant selecting the right webbing, testing it, ordering production quantities, and dyeing it in three colorways to match the affected bags — all on a tight timeline. We also worked quickly on customer notifications for anyone who had already received the product or had an order on the way.
We're still shipping through the affected inventory, but each unit now includes the replacement straps and swap instructions. Not ideal, but the best available option for a small brand that can't simply return thousands of packs to the factory.
We did our best to get ahead of it with proactive communication and strong customer support, but inevitably, the notifications did not make it to all customers and some were caught off guard by the issue — and every time we hear that, we cringe. We hold ourselves to a high standard, and slipping straps are the last thing we want associated with our product.
Here's what we've taken from this:
- Always confirm with suppliers that prototype hardware and materials are identical to what will be used in production.
- Test the very first units off any production line before letting it continue to run.
- Start new production runs with the smallest quantity possible — it's much easier to contain a problem at small scale.
- When issues do arise, over-communicate. Keep customers in the loop clearly and proactively, knowing some will still miss it.
I geek out on product development and sourcing stuff, so, I’m happy to discuss this experience more if anyone has any questions.
