Feature Creep: why you should all be MYOGers

Allison:

I think a lot of us are simply schizo — going both directions!

Backpacks — I always cut off excess straps and loops — but will add hip belt pockets.

Tents — I hate droopy mesh material in tarptents — esp. the door side — and will take out the excess material. I also can't stand more than one pocket in my solo tents. OTOH, I have added closable/zippable windows to improve venting in my inner tent.

Weight gained or lost? Insignificant. But I still do it — it's a sickness, I tell you!

I don't think it's a sickness to want to improve things. I don't just tinker with gear, but with anything I think could benefitf rom some changes.

I just gotta say – three cheers for hipbelt pockets!

I don't know if its cheating or not, but I don't even count the weight in my HBP's anymore as part of my base weight, seeing that the weight is not on the back, but rather on the body.

I also add hipbelt pockest to every pack I've used. One for camera and the other for sunglasses. Some features are just too handy to do without, extra weight be darned!

Allison, oh how I wish I could MMOG. I have tried on several occasions but always end up failing miserably. It takes a certain talent to sew that I clearly lack. Actually, it's probably more of the measure twice, cut once, principle that I usually fail at first.

Some people would rather sell their gear to buy improved gear rather than modify it because if it hasn't been modified, it's worth more money used. If you attempt to modify it and fail, then your gear is not only not improved, but worthless to resell. So some people are afraid to make modifications because they want to protect the value of their stuff.

I like to modify stuff myself. I don't have a sewing machine, though. So it's a hand needle and thread for me. This limits what I can do.

> don't have a sewing machine, though. So it's a hand needle and thread for me. This limits what I can do.

Yikes. I guess some people don't have, don't want, or don't know how to use a sewing machine. That would be a major hinderance to me getting the most out of my gear.

Yeah, sometimes a modification looks too risky, and the cost of failure too high. If you haven't been 'taught' how to sew, then you would really need to practice on cheap stuff first, just to learn what you can and can't do. Or take it to someone who is an ace at alterations.

Of course, Roger would just say "why not make it all yourself from scratch" ! I guess we all have different skills and different free time to work with.