Favourite pack types/features

[Bluegum Mic]

Howdy

I'm about to make my first pack and I thought whilst I'm still brainstorming I'd put it out there to see if anyone has some gems. What are peoples favourite pack designs or quirky features that they'd love to put on a custom pack. My personal favorite has been the water bottle pockets on the one planet packs. I wish I still had mine so I could look at it when designing the hip belt/pack interface.

The pack is going to be a quirky blend of robust and ultralight (sounds like my gear in general lol). It will have 500D cordura base and reinforcements but will also have panels utilising the hybrid cuben.

[Strider]

Balance Pockets

[Giddy_up]

There has just been a really interesting post made on BPL on this subject. Guy has built his own pack and it has drawings and pictures which could be of help. Not sure if you need to be a member or not to view but here is the link.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... BECDl6Uxs4

Edit, pack was made by Zimmerbuilt based on customers plans and ideas.

[Bluegum Mic]

Yes I was reading that this morning. I'm hoping to make this a little larger than that one. They were some great detailed diagrams.

[simonm]

Hey Mic

Have you seen Xtrekkers DIY series on making a pack? It has some good info in there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qefT2cH-Fzo&list=PL3Z3l3nNQ_JoFuFSn_O9pS4YDwZCeorWH

[Bluegum Mic]

No I hadn't. Great link. Some great stuff on there. I can relate as I have this growing pile of fabric and hardware for it in my sewing room. I'm still not sure which things I'll use.

[walkon]

Top cap comes off to make a small day pack
Bungee cord on back of back with mesh bottom, hate jackets or other stuff falling through but like drying stuff
Pockets on hip belt
Map pocket on side of pack that can be reached when walking?
Waterproof flap that comes out of the bottom of the hip belt that makes a seat with pack as back rest, seen it tried it liked it, done nothing about making it happen will now though.
Reflectors to find or see easily in the dark/low light

Wishful thinking
A tent that folds out of and incorporates the pack. So many positives, quick, stuff is covered dry and already inside tent.

[andrewa]

This design has suited me very well for my pursuits....7-10 day walking/fishing/Packrafting trips to NZ, and weekend ski touring, where I need to fit my tele boots inside whilst we walk up Bogong. Harness is very comfy. Body size can be altered according to need. About to make a second one

viewtopic.php?f=53&t=8363&p=142115&hilit=Andrewa#p142115

A

[Moondog55]

Single compartment with a back sleeve for a CCF mat or folded Thermarest
Daisy chains everywhere [ or 'PALS to attach MOLLE gear]
If you want retro-reflective tape just ask as I have plenty spare, ditto on 25mm polyester webbing

[ofuros]

Personally, I'd like hydration sleeve on the outside of my pack...maybe squeezed in between
the alloy pack frame & shoulder straps. Hate having to unpack the top of my bag to refill my camelback.

The little yellow cord keeper that keeps it in place is a good idea too, so it doesn't deflate when empty & drop to the bottom
of your pack.

camelback sleeve 058 (Small).jpg (35.28 KiB) Viewed 24038 times

Have a liking for the Berghaus Bergbuckle for all my hipbelts, easy single finger release.
From memory they come in sizes 40 & 50mm for webbing.


Sent from my GT-I9100T using Tapatalk 2

[Bluegum Mic]

Andrew I've admired your pack many a time. Top workmanship. And I'm glad you re linked it as I'd forgotten about the kathmandu straps (which I have from an interloper). Im going to use the hipbelt off my ula pack as I find it comfy and the pockets are huge.

Ofuros I agree it would be handy to have the bladder external to the pack.

[Nuts]

Andrew did a great job with that.
I like a pack you can wear a wide brimmed hat with (if you wanted) .. guess that means 50L or less


Took a passing interest in a pack project on BPL mic, http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... anner.html
.. not sure how much of that you'll be able to see?, it looks like this:

I like the cord sleeve on the side pockets.
One interesting idea from the discussion was the use of an airbeam pad for the internal frame (apparently Granite Gear/Klymit make something along those lines (?))
The pad used is only a tiny thing, designed for the purpose but I was ruminating over the use of a neoair (on its side), making the main compartment designed to fit...

Anyhow, it's a good read, working through the guys previous packs to reach 'the worlds best'
pm if you want..

[perfectlydark]

Looks like something youd take on a bushwalk on the moon

[walkerchris77]

Looks like something youd take on a bushwalk on the moon

Lol, my backpack has landed

[beean]

I love me a roll top, makes it easy to turn a big pack into a little pack

[Bluegum Mic]

Thanks nuts (and for the offer..I'm a member so I've got access). Im going to give this pack a proper frame vs inflatable/carbon hoop stay. I'm torn between an v aluminum stay like Andrews or I also have the materials in my sewing kit from stripping down an old pack to do a similar frame to my north face alteo which is part trampoline style with an aluminum stay. Ive got some thin carbon rods I can use to make the tramoline section with.

[andrewa]

I also like a roll top pack, which was the way mine was originally made (which was for a walking/packrafting/flyfishing trip but I then made a removable top pocket for it, as I find the additional storage from a big top pocket useful for ski touring -gloves, skins, water etc.

As to the stays, I used Bunnings 2mm aluminium which was ?12 mm wide. It works fine, but tends to straighten out during the trip. The next one will have 3 mm aluminium, but still 12 mm wide.

Also, I used an adjustable frame design, so I could share it with the family. If you know what back size you need, then you can remove a lot of webbing and fluffing around (and some weight). My next rucksack will be made specifically for me. We now seem to have enough packs for the growing females in the family.

A

[Bluegum Mic]

Ive puchased some 16mm x 3mm (off ebay..I think they are in Melbourne from memory). Comes in a post tube overnight.

[Nuts]

Ah, right, I see that pack already got a mention.
Yes, the stays weigh so little. My crux pack has a open hoop frame and I think the stays are better in being able to shape them somewhat to your model back.


ps. mountainsmith 'cross country' (iirc) had side pockets with a draw opening facing forward (as well as from above). Could easily access the pockets on the move, best iv'e seen.
I liked the trampoline on the Osprey Exos (you may have had one?) better when it worked out that a water bladder fits nicely behind the mesh.. not that we get the hottest weather.

Good luck, interested to see what you come up with.

[Bluegum Mic]

Thanks nuts. I'm waiting for one last thing to ship in and then I'll get cracking. I've got to re-do my sketches etc as I've completely changed my mind again (and will likely again

[Moondog55]

http://www.granitegear.com/outdoor/back ... frame.html

I seem to remember experimental packs from the UK in the 1980s that used a similar system but looking more like a Klimate X-Frame sleeping mat, this was at the same time most climbers were using the Joe Brown type pack with a Karrimat rolled inside as the frame
I'm really interested in what you come up with as I really do need to replace my Tour-Jour and want to get exactly the same balance and fit but a full kilo+ lighter

[Bluegum Mic]

Here's some very dodgy drawings to show my thought process (or lack there of lol). The blue is 500D cordura and is the entire back panel the sides to underneath the side pockets and the front for sewing the roll top buckle to. It continues all the way and forms the top edge ie its going to almost be a structural fabric frame vs relying on the cuben. The orange panels (which I might use grey as I have both colours here) are the hybrid cuben from zpacks. Ive not yet decided on the colour/fabric of the throat of the roll top (I have a couple of options but I think the hybrid cuben is too rigid and the cordura too heavy over the top) and hence why I haven't coloured it. I've also drawn a mock up of how that piece of cordura would look cut as a piece.


Please note I am not artistic and I have a 1 year old jumping on my feet =D

[Bluegum Mic]

There will also likely be a front stretch/cuben pocket and a y strap running over the roll top to a buckle on the top of the front pocket.

[Bluegum Mic]

Well I've finally worked out my harness system. Its two verticle aluminium stays. The shaded area is spacer mesh connecting to a robust/plastic mesh which makes the trampoline (this is only slight not dramatically off the back panel of the pack. Simply for some air flow whilst keeping the pack close). There are two thin horizontal carbon rods. One where the the straps emerge from under the trampoline. The other two inches above where the load lifters insert and makes a T with the verticle stays.

[andrewa]

Suggest you design a larger lumbar pad. It makes a big difference to comfort. I can send some photos if you remind me by pm. Other than that, your harness system looks similar to mine, and I was very happy with it.....except that it now doesn't need adjustments so a fair bit of webbing can be removed if I'm the only one using it.

A

[Bluegum Mic]

Thanks andrew. I'll widen the lumbar pad and some foam will go in there too under the spacer mesh as my hip belt is not padded there. I've also realised a couple of things now I've stopped drawing. I also need to angle my stays too more V shaped and widen that carbon stay too.

So the trampoline/mesh panel will look more like this now