Yes, making your own gear is rewarding. Passing through a number of prototypes or ending up after much frustration with a successful completion.
I’ve completed a 4.7 ounce diamond shaped tent, 5 ft x 9 ft x 3.5 ft high of Dyneema material. The only negative is it’s high cost about $215 in materials. It sits in the palm of my hand.
As well, heat reflective clothing for Winter with 6 salient values: breathable, heat reflective, wind resistant, water repellant with wet-out to 5 hrs plus/minus, ultra compressible and ultra lightweight.
I’ve made anoraks, shoulder cloaks, beanies, mittens, socks for sleeping and leg gators. The anorak weighs in at 5.26 ounces, while one of the shoulder cloaks weighs in at 2.02 ounces and another shoulder cloak weighs in at 1.8 ounces, but it doesn’t include a full hood with zipper, it’s a zip turtleneck shoulder cloak permitting a full range of head wear.
Beyond those innovations, I’ve made an 8 component survival device adhered to a 2 in x 3 in substrate comprised of a retractable whistle, a modified Silva compass adhered to the top of a container w/ water purification tablets, a removable 650 lumen flashlight with hand lanyard, another container w/ tinder for 12 to 14 fires, a ferrocerium rod, a diamond hook & knife sharpener. The eighth item is the substrate itself, a survival mirror. Additionally, I’ve modified a trowel by removing it’s handle and cutting a slit in it for third & fourth fingers. The butt end rests in the palm of my hand. My pinky & index fingers sit on the back side of the trowel while my thumb rests on the inside of the trowel. It is far better than using a handled trowel because of the stress applied to the wrist vs the palm of the hand. Additionally lighter in weight and volume. I’ve also made an Esbit perforated titanium stove that sits in the bottom of my pot weighing 1.1 ounce. An Esbit stove weighs 3.2 ounces and couldn’t fit in my pot.
I have two patented packs that eliminate 5 to 8 bio-mechanical inefficiencies of the backpack. One is for hiking and the other is for running while the running pack stores all I require for a day hike and potentially beyond weighing 4.9 ounces, made of 1.9 ounce pack cloth and access to the majority of my gear without taking off my pack and on the go hydration.
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