An unconventional MYOG pack

Jan—Oh, that makes sense if you’re keeping it covered in the rain. I just wondered since you used a waterproof fabric.

I’m planning on my “final” version (#3) to be made of X-Pac, which is also waterproof. Yeah, water-resistant zippers are less smooth. I have no idea what their lifespan is. Guess I’ll find out!

Jan,

Really like that light green material used used for the pack exterior.  And looks like you may have been able to stitch it, which can be a problem with X-pac.

Any chance of your posting a link to the product page?  If so, thanks.

Sam,

The green fabrics is 2.9 oz DCF hybrid i bought some years ago from z-packs. I think it’s still available elsewhere.

Thanks for posting the pack. I think it’s an interesting solution for keeping the load close to your back. I agree that thinner, wider packs carry better than thicker packs.

I went with horizontal dividers.  So far I am liking it.  Here is a video of the layout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btJNGcEKIAQ&t=14s

Nice looking pack and good translation of the classic Jensen pack… my question revolves around the perforated foam, i.e., why only the waist belt? Seems it would also be very functional for use in the shoulder straps and especially against the back… I’ve been looking for a source in the US but with no success which made me wonder if you did the perforations yourself or found a readymade source?

Dan, I’ve got scraps of the perforated foam (actually, it’s not just a foam, it has light mesh fabrics laminated on both sides) from a guy who was using it in making back protectors. But it was something like 15 years ago.

It would work in pack straps, but they are not as large area as the hipbelt, and I’m OK with non-breathable ones.  It won’t help much at the back unless there was an empty space behind it.

AIRING YOUR SLEEPING BAG

A big advantage of the Jensen-like design of Scott Nelson’s pack above is that you can get quick access to your bag/quilt during the day to air it if the sun comes out.

I do a lot of walking in wet country, and having a damp bag inaccessible at the bottom of the pack is a significant hassle. Do you leave it damp, or do you unpack the whole sack to get at it?

Jan’s design would just about offer that too, if you used a double-ended zip.

The other solution I’ve seen is Colin Ibbotson’s innovative Tramplite pack which has an opening at the bottom – an idea that avoids the use of a potentially troublesome zip:

Not sure about the Aarn packs, because it’s hard to see what’s inside the pack from photos.  Also, the Aarn packs were best known for the front over-the-shoulder chest packs that kept the center of gravity forward.  However, the weight still remained on the shoulders and torso.

There have been many approaches to making frameless packs flat and contoured, and most all work to some extent.  But for me they did not address putting virtually all of the weight on the hips, and ultimately the legs.  Still working on an ultra light sidearm pack to address that.

Still, when looking at many photos of folks carrying packs, so often the centers of gravity are too far back.  That’s been addressed in a couple ways.  One, with an internal butterfly, or hourglass frame.  L.L. Bean put out a pack named AT55 that does this well, especially in the pack’s lighter first edition.  This approach uses the least amount of frame that will create a suspended mesh back band that protects my time worn back.  Added to that are relatively narrow side panels, and a zippered drop panel flap that allows stacking the more bulky gear in stuff sacks that run horizontally across the pack.  Added to that is a folded camp chair that is buckled on the back with straps attached to the frame.  When the straps are cinched, the chair frame pulls the rear of the pack forward, sandwiching the pack contents between between the frame and the chair.

A picture of the folded chair is on this post:  https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/81152/

The back leg portion of the chair back is strapped up top, allowing zipper access inside the top of the pack; with the protruding front chair legs strapped on the bottom and providing a shelf for a sleep mat rolled up around carbon poles for the tent, which are very light and do not move the center of gravity back appreciably.

These are parts of the frame, including Easton 340 tent tube, prebent to shape, to be assembled with  nylon hose fittings:

While the Easton tubes and inserts are heavy when used in tents, the smaller lengths of tubing are much less so, and are estimated to bring the empty pack weight down to <2 lbs.

So that’s another suggested approach to some of the issues raised in this thread.

Hi Sam

We’ve been over this before, but I don’t want anyone to be misled so I’ll correct it again.

In a well adjusted Aarn bodypack there is close to zero weight on the shoulders. That’s one of the key selling points – and the reason why so many people with shoulder and neck problems swear by the design. I’m not sure why you don’t seem to believe me?

The front pockets have stays that transfer the weight to the hips. Your experiment with front pockets omitted this key element.