Total weight gain +4oz :)
My pack came stock with two floppy pieces of foam, each weighing 1 ounce.
In the pics you can see my ABS plastic sheet that I drilled holes in.
Net weight of ABS plus 1 (1oz) foam piece = 8.2oz
Unsatisfied with the ABS I found a metal shop selling a 6 foot section of 1/4 rod for $11.72 after taxes.
Steps-
1: Eyeball where the rod needs to be bent, bend accordingly using your hands and feet.
2: Figure out what pattern you want then cut the rod using a saw of some sort.
3. File down the one end you cut.
4. Put the finished frame in your pack, figure out a way to secure it.
– Since I had the two ends meet together in the center of my pack, I thought about sewing some 1 inch fabric over the two ends and gluing.
Then Ah Ha, I grabbed my pole repiar sleeve (which I never bring) and it fit over the ends not allowing them to compress.
Then I cut off my hydration bladder hook and feed the top of the frame through the nylon loop.
Whole thing took about 2 hours with driving to get the 6 foot section of T6 rod.
Cliffs: You do not need a pipe bender!
