Hawai'i Pack, Part V

[Part Four] Here we go...I think it's done! 42" circumference, ~33" long, pictured. X-Pac & 1000d Cordura. Some accessory pockets. I should've sewn more tri-glides on the pack to attach pouches to, like on my last alpine pack. Next time... Shoulder Straps So these are the first straps I put on the pack. I was going for a simple old military design, but since I used 1/2-inch foam (which would be considered fairly thick for shoulder padding) I was getting some pressure points at the end of the pad. Not good. I also made the sternum strap a little too low...whoops. So I cut 'em off and made these: Curved shoulder straps: pretty much the standard for backpacks these days. Also note the removable backpad/seat pad. Small Stuff Tiny hip pack for cameras & knives and what have you. ~5x5x2" X-Pac water bladder sleeve. This was going to go on the other side of my belt but I forgot to sew the loops on it. Ha. Sometimes I slip into autopilot while sewing.... This is a little beach backpack for my girlfriend. Another hip pack. 1000d Cordura & X-Pac. Velcro loop attachment. So, this concludes my Hawai'i Pack series. I leave tomorrow. Hope everything works out. Ha! Here're some links to some sweet pack-makers: McHale Packs Mystery Ranch Cilo Gear Wilderness Equipment

X-Pac Mess

The lightest messenger bag ever. 16x12", 12x4" bottom. One layer of X-Pac nylon/poly.
This is one of my carry-on bags.


Got more of a waist belt here...better for walking around.
This black X-Pac is a little more crinkly than the silver for some reason. It's somewhere in between that plastic tarp material and a Gore-Tex jacket. Hmm.

Small Things

Takin' a break from pack-building to make some small things for Maude Vintage (downtown CoMo).
Hip pack!
1000d Cordura, acrylic-coated poly. ~9x5x2".


Super simple...the way I like it.
I'm gonna start putting a third loop in the middle there. Sometimes, if you're wearing a pack on a belt that's not in your pants it can kinda bunch up when it's full. Not that big of a deal, but this should fix it.

Wallet!
Some people don't like to fold their paper monies...or stick 'em in the coin pocket...so this is what I've got. I've made one like this before (it's in Holland right now), but no more...till now. Though, you probably won't see any more exactly like this. I think there's too much fabric on the left side. I think next time I'll just sew a strip in the middle, instead of putting it in the seam. That probably doesn't make much sense to you...but I'm kinda tired and don't feel like fixing that sentence. You'll just have to wait till I make one. Ha.
Put yer bills here.
Boom.
What a rude cat. Gawd.

Hawai'i Pack, Part IV

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[Three]
Making some progress...it now looks like a pack. I just have to finish the shoulder straps and make some small accessory pouches & stuff and it's done.

This doesn't have anything in it. The fabric's airtight and stiff enough to hold this shape. Ha.
Half Cordura chisel bottom. If I were going on a more rugged trip I'd add some more Cordura to the bottom. But since this is a prototype, and for simplicity's sake, it looks like this. I probably should've put a layer of X-Pac on the inside to waterproof it...but I didn't.
Sewin' the lumbar pad on.
Lumbar pad + belt. I think next time maybe I won't have padding in the belt under the pad...so the pad and belt are more flush...thus increasing flesh/bag contact. We'll see how this design works out.

I think I set the shoulder straps a little lower than I should have. I didn't quite have the belt attachment worked out when I sewed the straps on, so I didn't realize the pack would sit so low... Not a hard thing to fix if it's a problem. The stays still go above my shoulders so I don't think this'll be an issue.
This fabric's been a blast to work with...it's so interesting. X-Pac nylon sailcloth laminate from Dimension-Polyant. Timbuk2 has been using it for a couple of years. Rickshaw picked it up a year or so ago...and some other companies have started to use it too. Sweet-looking stuff. We'll see how it holds up.

Broke

Every once in a while I get to change a broken buckle on a friend's bag and put it up on this blog. So far all of 'em have been Duraflex buckles. I'm assuming this is because of the great prevalence of their buckles and not some weakness defect. But you never know. In any case, I use Fastex/ITW Nexus buckles. Though, I do use webbing clips from D-Flex, which are great.
This unfortunate soul met his end in a car door. So young...

Hawai'i Pack, Part III

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Here's my big fat hip belt. I think it turned out pretty well...as far as I can tell at this moment.
1000d Cordura on the outside. 100-weight fleece on the inside. The fleece isn't slippery, so it helps the belt stay put. Also, since it's stretchy, it doesn't bunch up as much along the curves. This = comfortable.

Loops on the sides for little pockets.
1.5" buckles.
Ladderlock buckle there will attach to the back of the bag.
This is the pack/belt attachment system. The loops on the belt enmesh with the loops on the pack via an aluminum bar. Swift. We'll see how it works in the field. So far so good. Shloop. Just like that. Some Velcro keeps it in place.

And here it is attached to the pack. You won't be able to see it when it's done, since there'll be a pad sewn here. I have a feeling it's going to be a pain to attach. Ha.
Notice the LL buckles on the belt. I put them too close to the pack. Es la vida. I haven't yet sewn the webbing that'll go in those buckles though. Here're the parts of the belt. Nylon, 1/2" closed cell foam, fleece.
And coming up next... Gonna put a lumbar pad right here.