Ever notice that seemingly useless decoration on your backpack? It actually has a purpose—and you may wonder how you lived without using it for so long.
Here’s the Real Purpose Behind Those Diamond Patches on Backpacks
Updated on Apr. 24, 2025
You know that weird little leather diamond on your backpack? The one with the slits? That kind of looks like a pig snout? Or did you just now look at your backpack and realize there’s a patch? People all over the world have gone through that same process of staring at that oddly serious little patch and silently wondering: Is it a vent? A logo? A pocket for elves? A fashion prank?
We’re here to finally solve the mystery once and for all. Because knowing what that thing is actually for is the kind of secret knowledge that’ll make you a trivia-night MVP, a hiking hero or just that smug person at brunch who says, “Oh, you mean the lash tab? Classic design.” (You will be annoying. But you’ll be right.)
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What is the name for a diamond patch on a backpack?
It’s called a lash tab—because it’s used to “lash” things to the pack. Yeah, that probably just sparked more questions than it answered. Don’t worry, we talked to Ryan Lee, the director of product at JanSport backpack company and backpack designer Dan Vinson, the founder of Wild Gym rucking backpacks, to answer all your questions about the diamond patch or lash tab—what they’re for, how they got there, and what you should do with yours.
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Why do backpacks have a diamond patch?
The design is multipurpose, “it is both practical and fashionable,” Vinson says. “I discovered its value during my years as a firefighter and wilderness ranger—so much depends on how well your pack works and all of the design elements play a part.”
Originally, lash tabs were designed to help mountaineers, hikers and wilderness types carry extra gear—you know, back when backpacks held compasses, climbing ropes, and dreams of survival, not just half-eaten granola bars and crumpled Target receipts.
What are lash tabs used for?
Technically, they’re for “lashing,” aka tying stuff to your backpack. “You can thread rope or cord or a bungee hook through the holes and use it to tie a variety of accessories onto the pack,” Vinson says. “It greatly increases the functionality of the backpack.”
Need to carry gym shoes, a rain jacket, or your growing carabiner collection? Lash it on. Want your water bottle close enough to grab but far enough to leak on someone else? Lash. It. On. If you’re feeling especially daring, go ahead and attach an ice axe. (Just maybe don’t bring that setup to your next PTA meeting.)
That said, most lash tabs today are more decorative than daring. They’re basically the appendix of your backpack—left over from your gear-hauling ancestors, but now mostly just… there. Still, they do add a sort of rugged flair.
“I think they just look cool, they make a pack look high-end,” Vinson says.
Lee agrees: “It has become an iconic and expected look on backpacks. Now designers use it as a signature detail to nod to the past.”
So where exactly did these dohickeys come from?
What’s the origin of a diamond patch on a backpack?
Before it became a fashion statement, the diamond-shaped lash tab had a very cool origin—literally.
“Originally, the diamond lashing square was used to hold ice tools for mountaineering expeditions, particularly the ice axe,” Lee explains. “It was always paired with a loop at the bottom of the pack.” So that little patch was once a critical part of a gear setup that helped climbers not die on frozen cliffs.
The design first showed up on classic hiking and climbing packs from Gerry Outdoors, and other brands, like JanSport, quickly followed suit. Then came the commercial plot twist.
“JanSport sold their products at the campus bookstore at University of Washington. Students started buying JS hiking and mountaineering products to put their books in and carry them to class,” Lee says. “It was a repurposing of gear for everyday use.”
And just like that, the ice axe holder became the iced coffee holder. Fast forward to today, lash tabs aren’t even hauling school supplies—or much of anything—but they still give off a semi-adventurous vibe. It’s giving: “I’m definitely going hiking… after brunch.”
Is the backpack diamond patch still functional?
It is if you try hard enough! If you’re one of those people who likes turning everyday things into multitaskers, the lash tab is ready for you. While many backpack lash tabs today are just for show, they can still be useful—if you know what to look for. Vinson recommends choosing lash tabs made from real leather, with reinforced patches and dense stitching. Basically, they are built to actually hold stuff, not just look like they could.
And lash tabs are just the beginning. “When I first started designing rucksacks, I really underestimated how much people love being able to tie things onto their packs,” Vinson says. “We got a lot of customer feedback asking for more ways to add things on.”
So he gave the people what they wanted, adding not only lash tabs, but also daisy chains, webbing loops and built-in bungees. Those features are built to carry up to 200 pounds of gear. Or, you know, a human.
“We use special stitches, called bar tacks, that are very dense so the tabs won’t rip off the pack,” he says, adding “I once carried my wife in my backpack to show how sturdy they are.” (What a way to sweep a gal off her feet!)
Bottom line? Most lash tabs are just there for style points—but some are legit useful. And either way, now you’ve got a weirdly useful fact to drop on your next bus ride. You’re welcome.
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