2 New Packs (Roll Top and Panel Loader)

[Clint Wayman]

So I finally lit a fire under my own rear-end and got down to sewin'. This is what followed:

In hindsight, both packs are probably TOOOOO big, but no worries. It just means I have to make some more =D!

Pack 1:

No fancy name
Front/back/bottom: XPAC from rockywoods.com
Sides: 1.9 oz coated ripstop nylon
Size: 12"x6"x36"
Weight: 13.4 oz.
Nothing special– just a basic roll-top pack. The shoulder straps are rectangular, but sewn at an angle. The shoulder straps are sewn to the pack using a flat-felled seam and all other seams are finished with 7/8" grosgrain.

Pack 2:

Still no fancy name
Entire pack is rockywoods XPAC with heavy-duty mesh pocket against back for sit/structural pad.
Size: 10"x7"x22" with a 3" lift from front to back.
Weight: 11.4 oz.
This is my first panel-loader and I feel really good about how it turned out. The shoulder straps are just a layer of XPAC against one layer of 3D mesh form thru-hiker; they are finished with grosgrain, but I think in the future I will sew them inside-out, flip them and then put a line of stitching down each side. Again, they are just rectangles sewn at an angle.

[Brian UL]

Nice clean designs!

[Michael Duke]

Nice clean designs. I think you will like the closure on the first one. I have a similar design and I really like it. You might want to look into raising the bottom of the first one. Mesh is not very durable typically. Having it start at the bottom may lead to premature wear. Also a lineloc might be worth considering for the compression instead of a cord lock.

[Ozzy McKinney]

Possible to see a detail shot of the flat fell seam on the shoulder straps?

[John Donewar]

Hi Clint,

"So I finally lit a fire under my own rear-end and got down to sewin'."

Down here in Louisiana I thought it was the marsh fire. ;-)

Nice pictures, especially the ones with the plants. It gives one a really outdoorsy feeling. ;-)

Seriously, I really like the very simple, gadget free design of these packs. The curved top edges of the mesh pocket are very attractive. It's nice to see another panel loader being made on this forum.

"…with a 3" lift from front to back."

I'm confused, but at my age that is nothing new. Do you mean that the rear panel is 3" taller than the front panel?

Can we see some more pictures of details like the shoulder strap attachment points at the top and bottom of both packs?

What kind of mesh is that "heavy duty mesh" that you used for the pocket?

Well Done!

Party On,

Newton

[Clint Wayman]

Thanks for all of the posistive and constructive feedback!

"Possible to see a detail shot of the flat fell seam on the shoulder straps?"

-Sure it is! Just not while I'm at work =) Pictures will follow this evening

"…nice to see another panel-loader"

Thanks, I generally like the look of panel-loaders–simple, clean, no extra fabric to fiddle around with. I think my next pack will be along the lines/size of a golite ion with the zipper going across the top like on this one.

-"… three inch lift"

The pack is slanted from back to front a net total of three inches:

Side Section- Not To Scale

On the panel-loader, the shoulder straps attach to the bottom of the pack along the side-diagonal seam (lower edge of red triangle in picture). My thinking is that instead of pulling out on the seam as it usually would, the straps will sort of pull up on the bottom of the pack– time will tell.

"… which heavy-duty mesh"

I ordered it from rockywoods.com last fall (yup, that's how long I've had this stuff lying around!). I cannot remember what the exact name was, but the Mil-Spec Heavyweight Mesh on their site looks to be the closest fit. It's pretty stout stuff.

[Terry Trimble]

Clint,
Really nice job on your packs, I really like the clam shell I notice the right off the bat the way you attached the shoulder straps. I have seen this method used on 20 liter or less Patagoinia and Sea to Summit ultra lite pack that fold up in to a little pouch.
Keep on sewing,
Terry

[Keith Bassett]

I dig the panel loader. Very nice.

I have got to get over my fear of sewing in zippers and try one like this. I keep talking about one that has a full zipper up one side that curves across the bottom face, but is basically the same as yours other than that.

I like the simple bags best, and you hit the sweet spot with these. Nice work.

K

[Christopher Zimmer]

Clint, nice job on the packs, they look great! You must have been busy behind the machine to pull out two great looking packs. Really like the zipper of the panel loader. Zippers can be tricky, but it looks like you did a good job.

[Clint Wayman]

Hey guys (Terry, Keith, and Chris) thanks for the kind words.

@ Chris, these packs were actually finished about ~1 week apart. The roll-top was finished on the afternoon I was leaving for an overnighter– The day prior, I had decided to make it/ cut the pieces/ sewed the majority or it and then finished it literally an hour before I wanted to walk out the door. The pieces for the panel-loader, however, had been cut out for several months, sitting next to my drafting table waiting to be assembled and I was so fired up after finishing the other that I just said "well shoot, if I wanna make another pack, I might as well finally put this bad boy together!"

Pertaining to a previous question, here are some pics of the flat-felled seam attaching the shoulder straps

1: The bag opened and the top lip folded inside-out

2: The inside shoulder strap seam.

3: The outer shoulder strap seam.

Note: Since the time these pictures were taken, all interior seams have been finished with 7/8" grosgrain.

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