Need to thread a buckle onto your sling or baby carrier? Buckles can come off or get damaged now and again. Sometimes people get in touch to say that their rethreaded baby carrier buckle is ‘slipping’. Usually slipping buckles have been incorrectly threaded.

This video gives a great quick demonstration of rethreading a buckle. Check out this simple video on rethreading a ladder lock buckle.

How to thread a buckle onto your sling

Before threading a buckle onto your sling check which way up is correct. You want to position the buckle so that the textured surface on the central ‘rung’ of the ladder lock buckle faces upwards.

Then take the strap and threading it from below up through the slot closest to the prongs of the buckle, and then back down through the outermost slot. The webbing should travel back on itself towards the sling or carrier. If correctly threaded then when you tug the sling side of the webbing where it enters the buckle it will not move or slip. When you pull the excess webbing the strap should tighten.

Tips and tricks for threading a buckle on your sling

When replacing a broken sling buckle you may have a thick wedge of doubled webbing to thread. Firstly, push a corner through diagonally, then work it back and forth to ease it through.

Some buckles are designed never to come off. In order to thread a new buckle you may have to cut off the doubled webbing. You will then need to thread the new buckle onto the sling, and then restitch the webbing. This will invalidate any warranty. However, it may allow you to continue using your carrier safely for a long time to come.

Please, never do this on one of our rental carriers. We will repair any damage if needs be. We would not want you to cut a strap because we would no longer be able to hire out the carrier.

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Find out more

If you’d like any help at any point on your sling journey, why not get in touch by email, or call us on 01133 206 545 to book a FREE 15 minute phone consultation or a longer phone or video consultation. We can help you find the right sling for your situation

Meanwhile, find out more about slings, carriers and carrying in the carrying section of our Knowledge hub