Pack thoughts

[DPS]

So my much beloved Serratus Genie is beginning to show extensive signs of wear throughout the fabric. I have already had it repaired once which cost me nearly as much as the original pack.

 

I have looked around and not found anything as simple, light, and functional as the Genie so I thought of having someone use the pack as a template to make a new one, using the existing shoulder straps and hip belt.

 

A number of years ago I took a couple of friends up Rainier who were competetive sailors and they both had stuff sacks made from left over scraps of sail cloth. They gave me one as a thank you and I have since used it to carry ice screws, pitons, v-thread hooker, extra picks, and other sharp objects. The durability and weight of the fabric is impressive.

 

Can anybody comment on the viability and cost of having the pack rebuilt using scraps of sail cloth? Does any body know of a person local to the Seattle area who could do this kind of sewing for a reasonable price?

 

TIA,

 

Dan

Edited May 26, 2010 by danielpatricksmith

[crackers]

Just quickly, as I'm a) sick and (always) stupid and b) waiting for an appointment.

 

I don't know anybody in Seattle who might sew what you're looking for, but I do here in Portland. I'd say that "reasonable price" would be about $25 an hour for 2 - 3 hours of work plus materials. YMMV.

 

Sail cloth could work, but it will be heavy and potentially very noisy and expensive (if the fabric is new) or of unknown durability and utility (if the fabric is used).

 

The person will have to take your pack entirely apart. This will take about an hour for most folks. Then they'll create patterns from what was your old pack. This will be another hour or so. They'll cut the material and then sew up the pack. Forget about using the existing shoulder straps and hipbelt (if it's removable)...doing so would probably (but not definitely) add an hour or so of work while making brand new ones probably would take less time.

 

Just as a FYI, almost all of the materials we use here at CiloGear had their birth in the sail cloth world.

 

If you want to get in touch with my friend down here, shoot me a PM and I'll get you in touch. Good luck!

[DPS]

Thanks for the feed back Crackers, having an actual pack builder's opinion is very valuable.

[Ziff]

have you seen MEC's new version of the Genie? the Genie DSL. If you take off some of the straps and bungee, it is very similar to the genie and the top pocket is more accessible.

 

http://bit.ly/aBsvSw

[Vickster]

http://www.mchalepacks.com/ultralight/detail/Merkebeiner.htm