Attaching Cuben hip belt to Cuben pack

[Bri W]

I’m interested in purchasing a ZPacks Zero Extra Small and a separate ZP Cuben small hip belt (ZP does not take custom orders anymore so I’m unable to just purchase an XS with a hip belt on it). I have a 16″ torso, so I don’t think I’ll have an issue with the hip belt being too high. The pack will never hold more than 10 pounds, but I still would prefer the comfort of a hip belt.

Assuming ZPacks is willing to sell me a hip belt separately, the problem lies in my lack of abilities to sew! Would bonding with double-sided Cuben tape be too weak? My ZP Zero Small hip belt is bonded and sewn into a reinforced section of the pack, which makes me think just bonding would be insufficient. Does anyone know a company or person who’d be willing to help me out with the sewing part (I’d pay labor of course). I would try it myself, but I tend to ruin every crafty project I touch. I thought about asking Zimmerbuilt, but I’d basically be asking if they could assist me in purchasing another company’s pack! So any other ideas?

Bri

[Hoosier T]

I would think that a couple two or three layers of 1.43 bonded together then the hipbelt sewn to them, then the whole thing bonded to the pack would do fine. The bonded piece would need to be longer than the contact area of the hipbelt, I think. So, you cut the cuben pieces with the same or slightly more height than the hipbelt. Let’s assume the contact area where the hipbelt remains attached to the pack is nearly the full width, so 8-9″. I would say cutting the reinforcing cuben to be longer by a few inches on each side would reduce peel force, which is the weak point of bonding. So the bonded patch that the hipbelt is sewn to would actually wrap around the side of the pack by a few inches on each side. Make sense? I would consider doing this for you but can’t guarantee the hipbelt would stay adhered perfectly as this is strictly theoretical. At least it would ruin the pack since the hipbelt wouldn’t be sewn through it. I have both green and blue 1.43 cuben. Thoughts?

[Hoosier T]

For the record, I think I have decent craftsmanship. Here are a few samples…

Mid-panel tie outs for my cuben “mid”:

Custom dry bags to hold a guy’s camera:

Cuben wrapping zipper tape and sewn so it could be taped into my ‘mid:

 

[Don Burton]

Bri,

Since the belt won’t really bare any weight I think that bonding it and reinforcing it with cuben fiber tape would be fine. Check out the Suluk46 YouTube videos. In one of his videos he shows the bonding technique and epoxy he uses.

-Don

[Bri W]

Thanks, Hoosier! Those look great. I’ll PM you with questions.

Don, thanks! The only bonding video I could find by Suluk46 was one of a Cuben stuff sack, but I didn’t see anything with epoxy.

After looking at more ZPacks Zero Cuben pics online, it looks like the Cuben hip belt straps might not have a Cuben cover at the attachment point, which would make bonding only out of the picture. That means I would have to see it to the back of the pack, right?

[Don Burton]

Yeah, i think you’re right. The webbing belt would have to sewn. It’s worth a call to Zimmerbuilt. Also, check out the MLD Core which you can get in cuben. I don’t work for them. ;-) Their stuff has better craftsmanship in my opinion. I love zpacks stuff but I’ve always felt their strength was design and not craft. Ron at MLD will do some custom stuff. I think the Core will be just under 7 oz in cuben including sternum strap and removable belt.

http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?cPath=25&products_id=224

[Hoosier T]

FWIW, I can’t say enough about how helpful Chris @ Zimmerbuilt was. He customized a quickstep to my exact needs. He could easily replicate an XS Zero and put whatever kind of hipbelt you want on it, whether it be foam/padded, 3d mesh (what I went with and love) or just basic webbing. And…the craftsmanship will be better than Zpacks. I have no affiliation, just a very happy customer.

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