Need advice on riveting fabrics

[Arden]

Hi;
My backpack tends to slip down over my hips - because I really don't have any hips... So there is no ridge for the pack's belt to rest on.
I have tried pulling the hipbelt tighter, but I can't get it tight enough to stop it from slipping. I believe that the pack is a bit too large for me. Anyway, last trip I used a weight belt under the pack's hip belt, and it was better. Now, I want to add some CCF padding under the weight belt. I purchased a can of Weldwood contact cement, but reading the can, I'm thinking that this is not the proper method to join the fabrics, as the cement would just pull away with all the flexing of the belt.
So, my new plan is to rivet the two materials together. But I think that if I rivet the soft foam to the weight belt, the rivet will pull through the foam and it (the foam) will come off. I'm sure there is a method to accomplish this type of job - rivets designed for soft materials, large washers under the rivet head, or perhaps a piece of nylon webbing between the rivet and the foam.

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Arden

Edit: Maybe I should be looking at Double Cap rivets, and not pop rivets?

[Odd Man Out]

You can by snaps that could possibly work. Attach the male piece to one side and the female piece to the other side and snap them together. I seem to recall finding snaps at the hardware store that could be attached without sewing or tools.

[DuneElliot]

I've had to add some padding to the belt of my Arc Haul...the lumbar pad moves too much and just isn't quite big enough. I actually used industrial strength Velcro and so far it has worked well to keep the pad in place due to it being a lateral pull under compression between my back and the belt. Leather or fabric glue (good for flexing) was also used to add some strength to the sticky side of the velcro...and it works well. It would be easier to remove to wash the waist belt.

I used part of a yoga mat cut out for the correct shape to add a little padding wrapped in faux sheepskin (for breathability) vs the CCF pad. Either would work but I found that the yoga mat moulded better to my pack and my body...the CCF pad felt really stiff without much give to it. I tried that first before finding the yoga mats of the same thickness...they also come thinner too.

[Arden]

You can by snaps that could possibly work. Attach the male piece to one side and the female piece to the other side and snap them together. I seem to recall finding snaps at the hardware store that could be attached without sewing or tools.
Thanks for the snaps idea. I hadn't thought about washing.

[Arden]

I've had to add some padding to the belt of my Arc Haul...the lumbar pad moves too much and just isn't quite big enough. I actually used industrial strength Velcro and so far it has worked well to keep the pad in place due to it being a lateral pull under compression between my back and the belt. Leather or fabric glue (good for flexing) was also used to add some strength to the sticky side of the velcro...and it works well. It would be easier to remove to wash the waist belt.

I used part of a yoga mat cut out for the correct shape to add a little padding wrapped in faux sheepskin (for breathability) vs the CCF pad. Either would work but I found that the yoga mat moulded better to my pack and my body...the CCF pad felt really stiff without much give to it. I tried that first before finding the yoga mats of the same thickness...they also come thinner too.
Snaps vs velcro... I haven't had all that much luck with glues - and that's why I decided I probably shouldn't use the contact cement. But I used to buy some "super-lock" fasteners at Radio Shack that were much stronger than Velcro, and the adhesive was very strong. I don't know how well that would stick to the fabric cover on the weight belt. The problem is that the weight belt is not leather, but fabric covered something or other.
The "CCF" pad I have is very flexible. Maybe it's not really CCF. It is a gray foam sleeping pad I bought long ago, and no longer use since I bought the ThermaRest Ridge-Rest pad.

[Just Bill]

I'd have a hard time believing the rivets or snaps wouldn't rub you wrong at some point.

Probably a Gossamer Gear pad they have grey foam.

Best bet is to sew a few bar tacks or button hole stitches. While not fun, these can be done by hand too if you don't have a machine.

You can also cut the toe off of a gym sock and slip that over the hipbelt (assuming it doesn't interfere with pockets) to secure the foam while in use, but still be able to remove it.
Ace bandage wrap works also if you cut it and sew loops of it similar to the sock trick- these can be placed to avoid the pockets if needed.

[DuneElliot]

Snaps vs velcro... I haven't had all that much luck with glues - and that's why I decided I probably shouldn't use the contact cement. But I used to buy some "super-lock" fasteners at Radio Shack that were much stronger than Velcro, and the adhesive was very strong. I don't know how well that would stick to the fabric cover on the weight belt. The problem is that the weight belt is not leather, but fabric covered something or other.
The "CCF" pad I have is very flexible. Maybe it's not really CCF. It is a gray foam sleeping pad I bought long ago, and no longer use since I bought the ThermaRest Ridge-Rest pad.

Leather glue is basically the same thing as fabric glue but slightly stronger...they use it on western saddles which stand up to a lot of rigorous use. I have used it extensively on my ren faire gear and unless I was sticking shiny to shiny, or something metal onto leather or fabric the stuff is like flexible epoxy...it never lets go!

Under pressure from your pack and against your body there won't be any perpendicular stress on the velcro...it just has to stay put. Still, if you're worried about it I can highly recommend Fiebings Leather Glue (https://www.amazon.com/Oz%252e-Fiebings-Leathercraft-Adhesive-Fiebing/dp/B005OXY2IO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1472063741&sr=8-1&keywords=fiebings+leather+glue) (available on Amazon).

I think the issue you may run into with rivets or snaps is that you now have metal pressure points in certain places. Even if you don't feel them to start with, they may cause issues you can feel after a few hours. Anything that is going to be snug against your body like that probably shouldn't have snaps or rivets.

[DuneElliot]

Sorry, hit Reply before I was done.
The leather glue is extremely flexible and you'd be safe and secure with gluing the CCF pad to the waist belt without velcro too, if you weren't worried about removing it. You can always hand wash both anyway. With my leather gear I always use some clothes pegs to hold the edges together while it dries and with a larger piece I would lay something heavy on top of it also.

[V Eight]

I have used Barge Cement on many things throughout the years with great success. These days I would go with the infinity type. It is toluene-free and VOC-free,
so it stinks a lot less than the original.

V8

[atraildreamer]

Try Goop Glue. Very flexible, very strong and waterproof. They have several varieties for different applications.

[zelph]

I would try the Contact Cement. Use per manufactures instructions. Experiment with a small piece of fabric and foam. Contact cement was developed to adhere leather to the soles of worn shoes. It's super flexible. You just need to test it before doing the entire project.

[Arden]

I decided to use velcro straps I had around to secure the foam and the weight belt to my pack's hip belt. It has worked before with only the weight belt, so it should work with the added foam. I also added two straps, for a total of four.

[Dogwood]

Sounds like you may have nailed it yourself: "I believe that the pack is a bit too large for me."

If your pic is of you I'm of the same slim lean ectomorph body type. You should be able to cinch down your hip belt so that it doesn't slip past your hippos. We all have hips to some degree. How about demoing a pack with a smaller hip belt in the store to see if this is right. Some options I can think of at that pt is to amend the pack ya have making it bulkier/heavier(???), not hauling so much wt in the oversized pack ya currently have, switching to a pack that allows customized hip belt sizing, switching to a pack the right size(smaller likely less wt and bulk), and/or finding a hip belt on a pack that has some greater hip belt adjustment straps.

[Dogwood]

Ohh, one pack manufacturer's med or LG size hip belt may not offer the same size/fit as another.