What Gear Have You Modded?

[Eric Blumensaadt]

As most here know I've modded my Tarptent Moment and a backcountry ski pack. OK, perhaps I've mentioned the Moment mods ten times too many. But the point is the mods have worked very well.

As soon as my new Scarp 2 arrives I'll begin modding it to better withstand winter snow and high winds. (Yes, I'll "attempt" to keep mention of them limited to two posts.)

My gear modding career goes back to the '60s. I do it to get better use from my gear, make it fit better or wear longer. Plus using modded gear give me satisfaction not found using purely "OEM" gear. Sometimes I must ask a tailor, shoemaker or awning shop to do sewing jobs for me. But most are my own handiwork.

For example, the mesh at the toes of my GTX Merril Mids and Merrill Moabs were getting little holes so:
> I duct taped off the toe area to be repaired, colored the area black with permenant marker to match the adjoining rubber toe caps.
> Then I covered the taped-off and blackened area with an even coat of Shoe GOO, working it into the mesh and smoothing it. Then I removed the tape.
The shoes look good, almost "factory", and are now well reinforced against wear.

What gear have you modded or had modded? (And why?)

[Erik Basil]

Well, not so much lately, but…

–I took the sparker off my XGK-II stove, because it was heavier than the Bic lighter I preferred.

–I Dremeled grooves into the EVA sides of my first-gen Raichle Eco's (an early lightweight boot), so that my instep crampons would fit snugly without crushing the boot.

–I re-siped my Lava Domes to keep them grippy after the nubs wore down. Cutting wheel with the Dremel.

–My shoulder straps hardened on the Kelty, so I replaced them with a set of 2010 Kelty shoulder straps that are contoured and have an integral sternum strap… after A/B testing, I agree: the new ones are nice!

[Ozzy McKinney]

I needed a puffy for Rainier on a tight budget, so I got a michelin-man style down puffy from Cabelas and hacked off half of the zipper, the liner, interior pockets, replaced the rubber zipper pulls with z-line, and replaced the draw-cords with some strips of lycra, bringing the weight from 29oz down to 20. And it was fabulously warm :)

[Matt Dirksen]

Years ago, I added a pair of poles to my old TNF Junebug to make it freestanding and hold off snow. And in the warmer months I'd leave the pair of poles behind. I seriously thought I had made the first "convertible" tent at the time. Of course I didn't know that it would eventually stretch the fly out in a way to allow it to take on water…

I'll stick to Moss tents for the winter now.

:)

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