Hip belt foam

[Eric Parsons]

Anyone have a good source for foam to make hip belts and back panels out of?
The one I'm working on right now I'm using blue closed cell from a sleeping pad and I wish it was a bit stiffer.
Thanks!

[Mireille Halley]

what are you using now?
My kid has a blue foam pad from wal mart that is darn stiff. I hate the thing, it's 1/2" thick & heavy.

[Joe Federici]

Dave at oware sells 1/8 mini cell foam that he got as a close out. The price is cheap for close cell foam. However just about any old sleep pad foam will work provided you can get it the thickness you want.

The last set of straps I made I used 3-D mesh I got at thru hiker. It's not cheap but really looks and works great. I used that with some 1/8 close cell foam I already had.

I posted some pictures here under "winter backpack"

JFF

[Eric Parsons]

Thanks Joe,
I have been wondering what 3D mesh was, I see it used in your shoulder straps.

The project is slowly coming along. Using Dyneema gridstop, spandura and a bit of SiNylon for internal pockets. Hip belt is done using sleeping pad foam with side pockets, and the back panel is done, I used sleeping pad foam and scholer material to make it, it came out awesome.. Next biggie is the shoulder straps.

Its going to be pretty sweet, like a cross between a Ula and my Dana Bomb pack, but much much lighter.

I'll post pics when its all together.. hopefully soon so I can have my life back.

[Author]

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