El Gallo
06-14-2016, 19:38
I have a ULA Catalyst which I like but sometimes it is a bit big. One day searching online I found the Mountainsmith Scream 55 on sale for a bit more than a 100 bucks. Nice little pack for the money. I added some water bottle holders made from shock cord to the straps and some shock cord webbing to the front to hold a jacket or whatever. The pack comes with an hour glass shaped foam frame sheet. More of a pad than a frame sheet and at bit more than 25 lbs the pack starts to sag some. Not the packs fault. I cut a new frame sheet from those grey 25”x 25” interlocking foam sections one can buy at auto stores or Harbor Freight. This helped a lot but I was still looking for more stiffness as I want the pack to carry 30lbs. I also tried using corrugated plastic sign material but that just creased horizontally so a no go for that idea. Finally I decided I needed some kind of stay so I glued with contact cement a 1.75 “ by 21” by 1/16” piece of aluminum down the middle of the grey foam frame sheet. That idea really helped and with 29 lbs it is a different pack. The pack weighs 2.5 lbs. (Not ultralight I know) I am hoping the contact cement holds up. So far so good. Anyone have an idea I can try ?