I am going to basically repost something I posted in the "gear list" section because it really belongs here.
I am posting photos of my homemade gear. For the most part, I am done making stuff for the season... Hopefully I will still have time to make a quilt, and maybe a one man tarp... but maybe not. Although I probably wont be making too many changes to what I have already got done, comments and suggestions are definitely welcome! I can always learn, and might start up the sewing again in the fall/winter.

windshirt- This is made out of double calendared ripstop (I think that is the term... calendared on both sides) and I am a little skeptical about its breathability in active conditions, but we will see.

insulated vest- Notice the pockets on this one, the only one I bothered to include pockets on. The liner is uncoated ripstop, insulation is Climashiled XP 2.5oz., and shell is a lightly coated silnylon from walmart that is not waterproof. (I tried to make all these projects on the cheap when possible)

insulated jacket-Same materials as vest.

tarp and bivy- Sorry, these are both in their stuff sacks. They could be compressed more if I had smaller stuff sacks, but I dont think it matters. Tarp is just a flat 9' long tarp that is 10' wide tapering to 7', I think. (This silnylon was purchased from Noah Lamport) Bivy is made of silnylon bottom, top is half sil (I know, not the best choice) and half noseeum.

pack- I couldnt get good photos of this, but it is a pretty simple pack. Compression along the sides, daisy chain on the straps for attaching water bottles, pocket inside to hold a small blue pad for back support... not too complicated, because I tried not to include anything I would not use.

Edited by karacolor on 04/24/2008 12:44:26 MDT.

Here is the link to my gearlist for those interested. I am still a newby, but trying to get into things this season.
Peter's Gear List on Google Docs
This is a link to the thread I started in "gear lists"
Peter's Gear List Thread at BPL

Edited by karacolor on 04/24/2008 12:48:25 MDT.

Great looking gear! I have to make time to try the ideas in my little brain!

those all look great. very cool. how about a picture of the tarp and bivy set up so we can get a better idea? and let us know how they all end up working out for you. thanks!

Peter can you tell us a little more about your pack? That is fabric used, size etc.

I am impressed by your commitment to DYO

Thanks

Roger, the pack is made of 2oz ripstop, and fully extended has a volume of aprox 38 litres. I used a very simple pattern with only three pieces (but one of them is cut twice). One piece is the extension collar, one piece is the front and sides, and the last piece is the back and bottom (this piece is cut twice to provide double reinforcement on the bottom, and to form a pocket for a pad in the back).

Possible add ons are:
1. A removable top hood piece that could be either just a single piece of fabric to help protect the opening from water etc. or a hood with a pocket.
2. Water bottle pockets could be attached to the sides, but at this point I hope to be just using AT style water bottles on the strap daisy chains.

The total weight is about 12 ounces including the 2 oz blue sit pad/back support. I think this pack will serve me well, but it has not actually been used in the field yet.



And I will try to get some photos of the tarp/bivy set up, but we just got pounded with a snowstorm again this weekend and I dont want to set everything up in the wet snow.