Quick Emergency Backpack

Turn a windbreaker jacket or sweater into a backpack, without any sewing. There are some situations where it would be extremely useful to have a backpack. Knowing these quick and easy DIY backpack ideas may be a useful skill, here’s why:

• Have you ever been in a grocery store that makes you bring your own bag for check-out?  These are common in Hawaii and California. There’s a health food store that I frequent in Idaho, that has this policy. Every time I go, I forget to bring my own shopping bag. Carrying out items to my car gets a little tricky with any more than five items.
• Have you seen pictures of refugees carrying their possessions in a flimsy plastic bag for many miles?
• Have you thought about having an emergency backpack for each member of your family but don’t have extra backpacks and would like an affordable option?

You never know when a skill like this may come in handy, and the best part is it’s so simple to learn.

Quick Emergency Backpack

Turn a Jacket into a Backpack

Windbreaker jackets with hoods are the easiest to practice turning into a backpack. They are thin and easy to tie in knots. If you have several options to choose from, use one that is baggier and less form fitting.

Step 1

Tie a knot in the hood. Make sure the windbreaker is unzipped a little so the zipper doesn’t get caught in the knot.

Step 2

Grab the end of a sleeve and a corner of the bottom of the windbreaker. If I’m working on the right side then I grab as much material as I can, starting at the right waist all the way to the middle zipper. Once I have the right sleeve in one hand and the bottom right corner of the windbreaker in the other hand, I then tie them together pulling out as I tighten the knot so it’s as close to the edges as possible. Repeat on the left side. This makes the straps of the backpack.

Step 3

The backpack is designed to be worn upside down. Make sure the hood is pointed down and start filling the backpack with the items you intend to carry.

Turn a Sweater into a Backpack

Items you’ll need:  eyelets, paracord, (2) double hole toggles, two carabiners, blade, and an old sweater.

1. Use the blade to make holes in the sweater where you want the eyelets to go. I used 9 eyelets on the bottom of the sweater, 5 around the neck, and 2 on each sleeve.

2.  Thread the paracord through the eyelets. Burn the ends of the paracord so they will easily thread through the toggles.

3. Use the carabiners to clip the sleeves to the bottom of the sweater. This will make the straps for the backpack.

Emergency Backpack Checklist