MYOG Backpack X-Pac with frame

[And E]

**7/13/14 update** Couple of in use pictures (went for a 9 mile, 2700' gain day hike with actual summer gear and enough food for ~ 3 or 4 days).

Backpack is all finished!!
Roll top with Velcro closure, removable zippered pouch, hipbelt, frame, etc. Can combine the back pouch with hipbelt to make a day/lumbar pack.

11" x 8" x 31" (fully unrolled), about 40-45L max in the main pack. Hit my goal of < 32oz at 29.6oz with all pockets and pouches attached. It also fits my BV450 in it, any direction, but will probably have the flat top/bottom against the frame.

Lower side compression straps can be buckled over or under the power mesh pockets as seen below:

With the front (or is it back?) Pouch attached over the shockcord (will be using it with it under)

And now for lumbar pack mode. The pouch/pocket has Velcro "loops" on the back that sticks to the Velcro "hooks" side already on the hipbelt and the bottom pouch strap is tied to the hipbelt webbing and a mitten hook on elastic for the top side.

Materials: X-Pac VX-21 in gray and navy, TX-07 in light gray (white), aluminum frame from gossamer Gear, power mesh, 200D coated oxford, 3mm 3D mesh, 3/8" CCF, YKK #5 waterproof zipper (overkill, but it's what I had), nylon webbing and grosgrain, 3/32" shockcord, Thermarest Ridgerest

Pack turned out great. I underestimated my torso length/measurement so had to adjust the shoulder straps by sewing it to the pack another inch up from where I already had it permanently sewn on, but luckily the straps were longer than I needed and now they're perfect. It was a little difficult flat felling the seams that hold the sides to the back and the bottom (especially the bottom at the corners) of the pack, but I'm happy I did it, as it's stronger and I didn't use grosgrain to finish the seams like my other packs. The front vertical seams had one side folded over the other and sewn again so only one raw edge is exposed but it's X-pac so I'm not worried.

Thanks for looking!
-Andy

***** in progress pictures below*****

Currently, all the finished parts + pieces I've cut out but haven't sewn on are sitting at 1 lb 11.8oz. I'm hoping for it to come in under 2 lbs after I make/add on the removable hipbelt pockets.

****

Decided to try a little something different with the back panel on this one. My pervious frameless pack and my wife's framed orange pack had 3D mesh covering the whole back and a full backpack width pad. This one only covers where the frame would poke against me. I also made cut outs in the foam to increase ventilation

Also made a removable, zippered pouch that I'll be able to stick onto the removable hipbelt and have a lumbar day pack.

[Anonymous]

Looks like it will end up being a nice and "cool" pack (literally and figuratively).

[And E]

It's all done!! Final weight: 29.6oz

[terry a thompson]

Great job! Looks like you really thought it out as to how you wanted the pack to function for you. Super job on the hip belt pockets also.

[Darren Graff]

That is a sweet pack. Nice work. I'm inspired to finish mine. Thanks

[Ito Jakuchu]

Impressive!

[And E]

Thanks guys! I still need to load it up with actual gear and try it out, but it's been/is a busy month. I'm hoping to use it for my Wonderland circumnavigation at the end of August.

Darren: you should hurry and finish your pack! I'd love to see what you've got going on!

[And E]

Finally got to take it out for a spin on the trails. 4.5 miles up to Surprise Lake/Glacier Lake in Washington, and 4.5 miles right back down. Carried very comfortably. Forgot to weigh the pack before leaving, but I'm guessing about 18-20 lbs. I'm sure it'll be able to handle another 5-10 pounds just fine. Temperature was high 80's, possibly up to 90F, so I did sweat quite a bit despite the void cutouts in the foam.

I should just hook up some small, 20-40mm computer fans to a battery pack and make some sort of active air cooled back panel… hahaha

[Justin T]

Hey And E, I know this is an old post but I’m considering putting together a similar and am getting hung up on frame/suspension details. I’m leaning towards one of the gossamer gear frames like this but have questions and don’t want to sink the $40 bucks for no reason. Does your frame connect to hipbelt? How do you have it secured in your pack? Any help you could offer would be great!

[Brian R]

Hi And E – I have the same question as JustinT..How are you securing the GG stay into the pack:  Are they in sleeves inside the pack, or are they in the 3D mesh pocket with the pad, or something else?

[Author]

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