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Building a carry-on travel pack


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  • #1322535
    Mateo Hao
    BPL Member

    @math

    Locale: SF Bay Area

    Hello folks,

    I'm building a lightweight convertible backpack/suitcase pack for travel, with serious suspension for long walks or even the occasional hike or two at destination, but sleek in looks as well so that I could saunter into conferences with it. I subscribe to carry-on/one bag only travel to keep things cheap, fast, and headache free, but it is very apparent I will be asking a lot of this 22 x 14 x 9 inch box as a result. A fun challenge.

    This will be a rather long build for sure, so I'll be updating this thread periodically. First off, I'd like to solicit commentary from the community that knows how for the initial design.

    Laptop compartments use up a lot of volume and weight, what with all the integrated organizers and exterior zipper going round the whole of the bag. I'm thinking of reducing the laptop compartment to a camelbak-type pocket accessed through a zippered slit on the top of the pack, the computer to be kept in its own neoprene sleeve. This I think would keep things reasonably accessible, especially at airport security.

    For protecting the suspension, I'm going with a zippered fabric panel rather than hide-away straps/hip belt because I would like to protect the back panel as well, for occasions where the bag is put under trains, planes (the dreaded gate-check), and buses. I rather dislike the tuck-away panel, however, because it involves a large amount of zipper, and it isn't very neat, usually involving a hook-and-loop secured pocket on the filthy bottom of the pack. If anyone has experience with a better strap/hip belt hide-away/protection solution, I'd like to hear it.

    I do have occasional access to a vacuum bag, so I may try my hand at forming my own frame sheet. My expertise is limited to wood veneer. Any suggestions for composite materials?

    Finally, anyone know where to get VX42 fabric? Heavy I know, but I like its stiffness, and it is apparently significantly more durable than VX21.

    That's it for now. Thanks for taking a look.

    #2150114
    Nick Smolinske
    BPL Member

    @smo

    Locale: Rogue Panda Designs

    Missed this the first time around.

    Regarding suspension, I had an idea for a climbing pack that I never got around to making – maybe it'll happen in the future. I think it could work well for your application. The plan was to have a two-piece framesheet. The first piece would go to below the top of my shoulders. The other piece would fit in a sleeve (overlapping by a few inches with the first piece) and make the suspension tall enough to be really useful. That way I could climb with it small, but have good load carrying capacity for the approach.

    Quest Outfitters has VX 42, and it's discounted due to a cosmetic issue (the issue is only on the inside, I can post a photo of it if you'd like). I think it's a great choice for a travel bag. In general, with cordura fabrics (which the outside layer of Xpac is), doubling the denier means doubling the strength, but only a 25-30% increase in weight.

    You could always make the hipbelt totally removeable (with buckles or velcro) and stow it inside the pack.

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