I put together some new hip belt pockets for my HMG pack yesterday. These are made with grey WX20. It's a bit lighter than the blue VX21 I used previously and these are made with #3 water resistant zips vs the #5 I had on hand and used with the blue pockets. The attachment on these is also a lot better using webbing, velcro, and Slik clips. To attach these I also had to modify the hip belt on my pack by adding 2 grosgrain loops per side.

You can see all of the photos here.

Edited by simplespirit on 07/29/2011 08:46:24 MDT.

where did you get those triglides???

Those look nice!

Ben - I ordered in bulk from pksupply corp. They're pretty cheap but you have to be willing to deal with batches of 100. If you just need a few send me a PM and I can sell you some fairly cheap.

Brad - Thanks! They're not perfect but after another build or two I should have it down and plan to make a pattern. I also need to get an industrial machine. My home model, while all metal, still struggles some.

Chris,
Those are some nice looking hipbelt pockets! I've got some WX20 coming so I might have to make my own. Will you show some details on how the attachment to the hipbelt works? I could imagine a few ways of going about it based on your description.

Just out of curiosity, how do you plan on carrying your water in that HMG pack?

PM sent on the Slik Clips.

Edited by wilke7000 on 07/29/2011 14:21:07 MDT.

if the zipper above is the #3 water resistant stuff i am used to it looks like you may have put it in backwards. with a normal zipper the teeth go on the outside but with the water resistant zip the teeth go on the inside. IF i am misunderstanding the pictures i apologize.

-Tim

Tim - technically, I put in on right. Someone at some time decided they looked cool inside out and everyone followed suit. It's water resistant either way (I've tested it this way in a heavy downpour).

Chris - I'll get some more pictures as soon as I get back home (visiting Atlanta for the weekend).

With the previous version of the pack I carried a bottle on the shoulder strap. I'm planning to sew up some side/bottle pockets eventually though.

"if the zipper above is the #3 water resistant stuff i am used to it looks like you may have put it in backwards."

But if you installed it the other way, the pull tabs would be on the inside.

Are there just different styles of waterproof zipper?

Jerry - The zips I have are double pull (pull tabs on both sides).

you can also buy reverse tab pulls to use with this zip so the pull is on the side opposite the teeth.

good to know it is water resistant both ways, i didn't realize that.

-Tim

Yeah there's a story about the uretek zippers, that I don't remember all the details of. Apparently one of the big manufacturers, NF, Arc Teryx or someone started putting the shiny side out years ago and it's pretty much become ubiquitous with "waterproof", to the point that most consumers assume a jacket isn't waterproof if they don't see the tell tell shiny zipper bodies.