Sewing Gear Yourself

[Jarred_Jackman]

Has anyone made their own pack? I'm thinking abbout sewing a little pack similar to the Lowe Summit Attack Pack, super light little pack. But if that works well I'll be more curious about larger packs along the lines of the Black Diamond Ice Pack. The body isn't a problem but have any of the solved the problems of the padded harness areas, shoulders, belt, etc? Also, has anyone done seam-taping at home? The sewing is the easy part but getting the waterproofing back on, I'm not too sure about.

 

take care

[allison]

I've done a ton of sewing of outdoors stuff, and I can tell you that you will probably end up spending more than you want to on materials, it will take a lot of time, and you may not be happy with the results of sewing your own pack. Matter of fact, I was thinking of making that very same pack, but talked myself out of it due to the above factors. For the time and effort, I would consider sticking to simple clothing, things made of fleece, hats, and all kinds of stuff sacks. One of my finest sewing accomplishments is an exact knockoff of the TNF Denali pants, down to the 3-piece Taslan overlay on the knees, and honestly if I had it to do over again, I would buy them off the rack. They look great, but between the cost of materials and the time they took me to make, it wasn't worth it. Stick to smaller stuff and you'll be happier.

 

A book you might find helpful:

Sew and Repair your own Oudoor Gear , Louise Lindgren, Mountaineers Press.

 

Good Luck!

[max]

I'll second what allison said. It's probably not worth it. A few other things to consider:

-The availability and quality of outdoor related materials. Most of the fabrics you'll find only look like they should be used for outdoor gear. Often they're pretty low quality and fall apart ("I spent a week sewing this and it just fell apart!") Many of the plastic parts you might want (toggles, sliders, snaps, clip-locks, web patches, etc) will either be impossible to find or of poor quality. The binding you'll get at JoAnn's sucks. A solution to this problem is going to one of the specialty fabric stores in SEA, but then you've spent $5-8 bucks on gas and at least another $15-30 (if you work for slave wages!) in time. In the end, it's going to be more expensive.

-Outdoor fabrics (even the crappy ones) are very hard on sewing machines. Unless you've got an industrial machine and KNOW HOW TO USE IT, you're probably going to cause some serious wear and tear and/or break your machine (high chance). Just sewing two layers of web and a couple layers of ripstop is pretty hard on most machines on the market these days.

-Do you consider you're sanity worth anything? If you do, don't try building even a simple, nice pack from scratch. I've spent quite a bit of time screaming, groaning, and throwing shit cause I couldn't visualize the right pattern shape to make a good shoulder curve or I just spent twenty minutes pinning and sewing three panels together with the middle one backwards.

-Three words: Absolutely no warranty. Jansport/SchoolGear/Walmart brand stuff is pretty crappy, but I bet you 50/50 it last longer than you're first project. And all you're left with is a pile of threads.

 

I've said "no more" to complicated sewing projects and any more, only sew stuff sacks and harnesses for my friends (just joking).

[AJ]

Jarred, I'd also agree with Allison and Max. Unless you need something so specific you can't find it you should just save up the $ and go to the store. Since you are in Bellingham why not go to MEC and get a Serratus Genie. It is very similar to what you are proposing (for your first project) and I think it still retails for $49 CD. If you really want to make your own, try sewing some shoulder straps and a simple waist belt (not load supporting) onto a large stuff-sack. It is no frills, but it works. Unpadded 1" or 2" shoulder straps (think flat webbing) will work for light, quick trips.

[freeclimb9]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jarred Jackman:

Has anyone made their own pack?

---

I've sewn a few. One has been my crag pack since '90. They're more durable than storebought since I used a heavier thread, 1000 denier nylon cordura, and sewed each seam at least twice (just simple seams). They're custom sized to my specs, and very comfortable. I knocked-off the pattern from a prototype made by a former employee of Gregory (a pattern maker). I still feel the waistbelt is a better design than anything on the market, but the commercial designs are coming along. Padding is extraneous in the hipbelt, IMO, but the pattern is crucial. For dimensions, it's pretty easy to measure commercial packs, then cut your own pattern.

 

Also, has anyone done seam-taping at home? The sewing is the easy part but getting the waterproofing back on, I'm not too sure about.

I am confused as to what you mean by "seam-taping". If you're thinking about the heat-sealed seam tape that comes in some shell garments, you won't have the specialized equipment for that. Few packs are actually waterproof anyways. And there's always liquid seam sealer.

Materials (cordura, webbing, hardware, thread) can be purchased in small quantities --by the 1/4 yard at some places-- from several suppliers (eg. http://www.thru-hiker.com http://www.seattlefabrics.com/ etc.) and are the real deal. Use nylon thread. Gudebrod is the best, and can be found also at fly-tieing shops. If I were to sew another pack today, I'd probably use Spectra gridstop for most of the body to save weight.

You might actually find a pattern online. The ultralight backpacking crowd are way into making their own gear, and share patterns freely.

good luck

[arlen]

Another vote in favor of giving it a shot. Check out these links:

 

textile outfitters

Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics

Specialty Outdoors

Ultralight Backpacking (look for Make Your Own)

 

Controlled Exposure made a pattern for an alpine-style pack (~2200 cu) with patterns and instructions for straps, etc.

 

Allison's right--the materials wind up being a little more than one might think--but there's some value to having something you made, if you're into that. If you just want to save some cash, it may turn out that the time and frustration are more important expenses. On the other hand, I've made a few things I'm proud of and have taken lots of abuse.

 

Arlen

[Jarred_Jackman]

Thanks to all...I understand about the materials and frustrations adding up, that was the case when I made a SKY CHAIR, a type of one person hammock actually made in Boulder. Anyhow, thanks for the personal accounts!

[Jarred_Jackman]

Thanks to all...I understand about the materials and frustrations adding up, that was the case when I made a SKY CHAIR, a type of one person hammock actually made in Boulder. Anyhow, thanks for the personal accounts! I think I might stick to trying to get stuff on sale then modifying it as needed, seems to be working well so far.

 

take care

 

Also, if any are interested, the Speedy Stitcher sewing awl is about the coolest thing on the market for altering large packs and heavy material.

[stuck_in_new_england]

I make a lot of my own gear, like others in this thread, i suppose. i admit that sometimes, when im done wiht a project, i have to take a deep breath and really understand that there is something to be said for having made it yourself. if you consider your time worth money (lets say i think my time is worth 12 dollars an hour..) then some of the thigns ive made have been pretty expensive.

 

i actually disagree with what people say about materials costs. i think materials costs are generally really low. really really low. and that doenst assume non-domestic rip off cheapo fabrics. also- if you cant find some elusive incredible buckle duraflex makes, sometimes a local diostributor will just sell you one or two- as a sample. or just beucase they're nice. theyve done this for me.

 

ive made all kinds of junk. some of the more complex stuff im glad i did, but will never do again. its up to you.

 

im not sure what you would wnat to seam tape on a pack. ive never seen a pack seam taped, unless you want to make some kind of dry bag. seam taping is definitely doable at home, although is much easier with 3-ply (fabric lined) waterproof fabrics, instead of fabrics with the laminate or coating exposed.

 

cheers

[haireball]

another vote for your goforit approach: I've done very well fabricating from scratch, and also modifying stuff that I've bought. Simple stuff, like gators, I never buy. However, I've also fabricated tents, packs, sleeping bags, fleece and shell clothing, and seat-harnesses. I found it worthwhile to invest in a commercial upholsterer's sewing machine after burning up a few lesser machines in my college days (late 70's). there's something to be said for having exactly the fit and features you want/need on a given item - no more, and no less. best of luck!

[dbb]

I agree w/ allison, buy the pack! I bet materials (with 1/2 yard minimums) would equate the cost of the alpine attack ($49). Go to Jim's shop and get it today, that's what I did. (great pack BTW)

 

I've sewed quite a few things, but mostly because I couldn't find exactly what I needed or because it was actually cheaper. Replicating good, already cheap gear is probably not worth the time..

 

my 2 cents..

[mwills]

i'll have to disagree with a few people on this one. i say make your own gear. spend a couple hundred and get a nice walking-foot machine that can pound through multiple layers of 1000 denier and have some fun.

 

try to pm Ibex, he made a pack last year. very nice light alpine pack - ~3000 cu in. analogue in style, but functional and carried nicely - very mchale looking. rumor has it, he made it as a gift for his finace (now wife) but it turned out so good he kept it for himself .

 

from what he said it didn't take much time, and what you gain from making the pack is worth it.

[allison]

dbb, my AA pack has (had) mesh straps, which pulled out of the edging material. If they are still making the straps this way, expect for it to happen. I got some scraps of heavy ripstop from Sea Fabs (remnant section), completely took apart the straps, and replaced the mesh with two layers of the nylon. It was a big pain in the butt, but seems to be holding up nicely.

 

My AA pack is a few years old, and I'm hoping later models of this great little pack have improved on the original design.