I made a backpack this weekend, it is almost finished. Some pics:

http://cruisenews.net/backpacking/Backpack.html

I made my 6 oz pack buying it from REI. A REI Flash UL, cut off 4 oz of extra. Total cost $25 and 30 minutes of time.

Wolf

http://community.webshots.com/photo/253492996/1253561187059664855wOGLnE

Thanks for the great pics. I really like the simple design and as I'm trying to make most of my gear (to save money and weight) this looks like a great design to start with.

Good luck on the homemade packs. I guess if you had to replace it once a month it would be no big deal. I just wonder how your back, shoulders, etc is going to feel carrying one a long distance, day after day.

looks like it will be hell to carry. good luck!

This photo is killing me. :eek: http://cruisenews.net/backpacking/images/backpack/23.jpg.
That pack looks like my worst nightmare. For your sake, I hope it's just the way you packed it.

skylark - a suggestion from one who has made several miserable packs before finally coming up with a 5.5 ounce winner - the webbing shoulder straps won't save you any weight. Webbing is heavier than you think! Also, you'll have to take a lot more care in how you pack these frameless silnylon bags - they can be comfy up to 15 pounds, but that is probably the absolute comfort limit without some kind of additional support from your hips or back. Even 15 pounds is pushing it, and unless you have steel shoulders you'll need 3-inch wide shoulder straps to make it feasible.

Here are a couple of pics of my pack - it's a gossamer gear g6 ripoff, 5.5 oz, mostly 1.1 oz walmart silnylon. Some 1.9 oz uncoated nylon, and a little mesh and netting to finish it off.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/browseimages.php?do=member&imageuser=6255

Let me know if you have any questions - that sewing machine must present some interesting challenges! I made mine on a hand-me-down cheapo $100 Singer.

Ben

oops, almost forgot! Forget packing comfort unless you put a foam pad against the back panel. I fold up my torso-length z-rest, but you can use any foam pad. It makes it more comfortable, sure, but mostly gives it some structure - might help with carry dynamics and load balance that vipahman seems concerned about ;-).

Ben

Good Lord those look rough. And you hike long-distance with those things? Y'all are hard core. I admire ya, but you're hard core.

rumbler - it'd be rough with much weight, no doubt. With 12 pounds for a weekend? Nothing's rough with that little, my friend :D

Ben

Har Har

yup its only for lightweight packing... When I put a pad in it and let it unroll, then stuff the stuff sacks inside the pad, it fits great. I also duct taped some closed cell padding onto the straps. I haven't used it yet, its still too frosty here.

i would steal some nicer straps from a good will or otherwise cheap pack and put a hipbelt on it!

I made a backpack this weekend, it is almost finished. Some pics:

http://cruisenews.net/backpacking/Backpack.html

wow,thats an interesting pack,i need to lern to sew:cool: neo

http://community.webshots.com/photo/253492996/1253561187059664855wOGLnE

i was looking at your photo,s,this poncho tarp you have is cool.did you make it,or buy it.thanks:cool: neo


http://community.webshots.com/photo/253492996/1253558973059664855OKnpkD

skylark - a suggestion from one who has made several miserable packs before finally coming up with a 5.5 ounce winner - the webbing shoulder straps won't save you any weight. Webbing is heavier than you think! Also, you'll have to take a lot more care in how you pack these frameless silnylon bags - they can be comfy up to 15 pounds, but that is probably the absolute comfort limit without some kind of additional support from your hips or back. Even 15 pounds is pushing it, and unless you have steel shoulders you'll need 3-inch wide shoulder straps to make it feasible.

Here are a couple of pics of my pack - it's a gossamer gear g6 ripoff, 5.5 oz, mostly 1.1 oz walmart silnylon. Some 1.9 oz uncoated nylon, and a little mesh and netting to finish it off.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/browseimages.php?do=member&imageuser=6255

Let me know if you have any questions - that sewing machine must present some interesting challenges! I made mine on a hand-me-down cheapo $100 Singer.

Ben

bugbomb - can you provide a materials list and some rough dimensions... what is the in^3 capacity and what is the load bearing capacity - nmt 15#???
thanks F

We need to know more about the poncho tarp you have in those pics.

Frequency - materials - shoot. I guess a yard of silnylon, half a yard of uncoated (if you go that route for the back/bottom panel), maybe a foot of mesh for the shoulder strap backs, a couple of feet of shock cord for the bellows pocket, some foam (I used a foam winshield screen) for the shoulder strap padding, a couple of feet of webbing and two buckles, and maybe a foot of velcro for the top closure.
Oh, and a little bit of grosgrain for the "loops" for compression cord on the back and some cord and a cord lock for the top drawstring closure.

Dimensions - 12 wide, 6 deep, and 24 tall, 10 inch extension collar. So that makes... roughly 1750 cubic inches for the main pack bag and maybe another 300 practically for the extension collar. Not big, but you could make it taller or wider to gain some room. I'd say it's comfortable to 15 pounds - but it's really up to your shoulders. The wide shoulder straps help a LOT. Unless you're compressing the crud out of everything, it would be hard to load more than 20 pounds into this pack, and then you'd be risking the seams with this light material.

Ben

hey bugbomb - thanks. since you are the closest thing to a reference i know - how are folks getting 30# capacity in their 10oz packs? is it with 2.2 oz ripstopnylon + 330d cordura or is it with expanded volume ...? Appreciate the reply! F

Freq - not sure I completely understand the question, so let me know if this doesn't come close. When using lighter materials, the seams are the limiting factors - so yes, using slightly heavier materials would be good to increase the pack's strength. For me, 30 pounds would be about 7 pounds of gear and 23 pounds of food. Food is much more dense, so it wouldn't be a stretch to say that you could get 30 pounds into about 2500 ci. Not big volume at all. But with 30 pounds, you'll probably want to have a more substantial suspension, which would push you out of the sub-pound range... and so it goes. At backpackinglight.com there's a thread with a guy who loaded up a SMD Essence pack (13 oz) with over 30 pounds - it looked a bit miserable to me. My grey pack (see gallery) is comfy to about 15 pounds (no hipbelt), but I wouldn't be worried about the pack at weights in the 20-22 pound range. However, at 2000 ci, it wouldn't have the volume for much more. My red pack, slightly larger, maybe 2300? with hipbelt and aluminum stays is completely comfortable at 25 pounds, and can handle 30 with relative ease, in my experience. A stiffer hipbelt and shaped stays (my next projects) would probably let me take it higher - but why?

Ben

thanks for the reply - that clarifies it ...
Can you tell me if you are using any guide to measure height of pack...top of hip to top of collar bone or some other body-based metric? also - how far apart are the straps...do they cross over at an angle such that they bisect your the angle where of your armpit as they cross over the shoulder?
^
Geometry is everything!
V

:-? looks like a stick with a bandana tied on the end of it would be more comfortable:D

Frequency - the maroon pack is too short for me. I actually put it together for my wife, but I've used it a few times with no disastrous results. The way I measure it is the distance from the centerline of the hipbelt to the attachment point of the shoulder straps should equal the distance from my hipbone to the top of my shoulders. In future packs, I'll probably usually add an inch at least to account from pack collapse.

Honestly, as far as the shoulder straps, I just eyeballed them. If the pack was taller (i.e., a better fit for me), I'd want them a bit further apart. If the pack is sized well, I'd think you'd want the straps about as far apart as your neck is wide. The angle - no clue. I just guessed - with light loads, I haven't found that there are any super-crucial factors. It's really kind of nice.

Ben

I made a backpack this weekend, it is almost finished. Some pics:

http://cruisenews.net/backpacking/Backpack.html

One word. Ouch!

Wow, nice jobs on those packs. I have tried three times, but the bag either rode too low on my butt, the straps were not comfortable, and stitching gave way. Golite packs work well for me. I leave the sewing of packs to the experts!

Skylark, what a great machine. Does it fold away into a table? Does the cloth feed through as you peddle? Is it easy to keep at an even pace? One feature I would miss is the ability to sew a sleeve with the material able to move in a circle below the needle. Having a light is helpful, too. Any idea on the age?