Lash Tabs and Pig Snouts

Have you noticed that many backpacks have a little leather square sewn on the front?

The little diamonds, called lash tabs or pig snouts have two parallel slits cut out of the center. This lets you weave a cord or string through and tie various items, such as shoes, a water bottle, etc., to your bag. The strong little square is built to hold your larger items while hiking or traveling, but it can also be used for smaller objects like earbuds or anything you want to get at quickly.