All XPac Body: Lime, Bottom and Pockets: Black, Trim and Extension Collar: Blue

Weight: 502g 17.7oz (maybe under 17oz-16.5oz once a few more straps are trimmed)

The demensions are 35" Tall X 10"across the back x 6" Sides X 8 Inch Front, I made the front panel smaller in an attempt to keep more weight to the back creating a tighter virtual frame, similarly the bottom is sewn 3" out from the back then angled up to the bottom of the front pock creating a lower body. I did this to put more of the weight up high

It was a great first project, there are some things I will change in the next version. Still have to poke some holes in the outside pockets for drainage

Comment welcome and thanks for the inspiration to do this, seeing others projects has been an awesome part of this process.


Attempting a Blue trim inverted V from front pocket to hip belt tip, You can see that the Blue did not exactly match up. The other side is slightly better. This needs some improvementBack/ Hip Belt

Bottom, Tried angling up towards the front pocket making the bag thinner on the bottom.IT was not until later that I changed the roll top closure from closing on top to down the sidesOriginal way Side strapsNext to an MLD Prophet 2010 (bottom closed)Exstention CollarClose UpHave a good day!

Edited by WalkSoftly33 on 09/23/2011 17:04:37 MDT.

Cool little ruck Clint, it looks good.

It has that Dave Chenault inspired wrap around rear pocket, that's a neat configuration for gear storage.

nice job!
i'm in the process of making a pack from xpac, the vx21, but i have had a heck of a time sewing the material. what size needle do you use?

Thanks!

The rear pocket does not wrap around the pack to the side pockets, there is a seam dividing the two. I looked up Dave's Jam mod pack and it seems his does not have a seam there. Hmmm maybe a future project design?

What inspired me was another pack design I saw on here that had the top strap coming over the top and attaching to the front pocket, the front pocket had a panel of xpac in the middle coming to a point with two sides of stretchy material to give the pocket a very clean tight look. I have searched but could not find the post.

From there I just came up with the idea of doing an inverted V trim all lined up from front to back, trying to give the pack some flair.

Thanks Steve!

I used a size 100/16 needle.

The thread I used was a bit to much for this project. Coats and Clark Extra Strong Upholstery 100% nylon. They recommend to use a size 18 needle with this thread, but unfortunately when you are buying needle and thread at walmart selection is limited.

In addition I purchased a Singer Simple Sewing machine. It is not the strongest machine out there by a long shot. When there were multiple layers and webbing or shock cord the machine struggled

The combined storm above created some interesting times while sewing this pack. I think two needles broke and countless jams.

The proper needle size to thread size is important. Next time I will purchase some thread (Not Coats and Clark) and needle sizes that are more in line with each other and the project. I think that will mitigate some issues. Also I might eventually purchase a more robust machine now that im in to it.

I Hope that helps, maybe some of the more experienced on here could chime in on proper needle and thread size for ya.

Clint,

If anyone would have suggested to me making a pack out of lime green, black and dark blue XPAC I would have felt a cold chill run up my spine. But I have to say that after seeing your finished product in these pictures it works for me.

You scored a bulls-eye with the angles, colors and shape of this pack.

I am impressed by the fit of the pack on whom I can only assume is the intended user. The angle that the shoulder straps take from your shoulders to the front panel of your pack is IMHO just perfect.

There is plenty of evidence in your pictures that shows great attention to detail. I see top-stitching on the vertical seams, bar-tack reinforcements on the webbing attachment points and beautifully sewn shoulder straps.

The horizontal orientation of the fabric on the side panels versus the vertical placement on the rear panel gives the pack an impression of 3D in the pictures, nice. The "horizontal" side panels also compliment your compression webbing straps.

Nice to see another bombproof roll down top closure. ;-)

I see what looks like some grosgrain used on the edge of the closure. Did you just roll the fabric over onto itself? Is that a grosgrain reinforcement that I am seeing? How did you make the roll down closure? How long did it take you to make this pack?

It looks like you had a really good day! ;-)

Party On,

Newton

That is a nice pack. I think the pack with the front pocket that you mentioned might have been one of mine, so if you are still interested in it you can check under my name. If you have any questions about it, send me a pm and I'd be more than happy to help.

Maybe this one?: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=50725

Very nice first pack for sure. Keep them coming.

Edited by mpd1690 on 09/24/2011 08:06:35 MDT.

Also, I like to have my pockets offset like you accidently did here. It may be for the best that you accidently did that. My thinking has always been that you have one point of stress (the top of the pocket) pulling away from the other point of stress in the same spot in opposite directions makes for a weaker seam. Although since your pack uses a drawstring on the pocket instead of elastic, it may not matter as much.

Edited by mpd1690 on 09/24/2011 08:02:28 MDT.

"If anyone would have suggested to me making a pack out of lime green, black and dark blue XPAC I would have felt a cold chill run up my spine."

I just cracked up when I read this. Thanks I new I was deviating from the norm especially my own, Most of my hiking gear is brown, green, gray, black. I am very happy with the way the colors came out as well.

Yes that is me the intended user and I took care to fit the dimensions of this pack for my body. Last year I used a medium MLD Prophet for a thru hike. It was not until after the trail back on BPL that I realized while being only 5'9.5" I have a long torso and needed a pack to match. 20" from bottom to shoulder straps versus the 18.5" (I think) of the Med Prophet

Yes I tried ligning up the side straps with the angle of the Xpac on the sides

For the Roll Top I Used two pices of fabric one 16x9 one 16x6 to end with the lower side at 5inches and the top at 6. I used gross grain on the lower section folding back over the fabric to the out side after folding and edging it with gross grain. The top of the Closure or the taller side does have 3/4 webbing through out. I folded over once and sewed a single line and then folded over two more times to get to the point in the picture. Then at the sides were the buckles are I reinforced with a bar-tac as part of the feld seam(on the side not pictured against the cabinet). I will probably sew an edge aka rectangle wear the webbing is But my sewing machine was acting up at the bar-tacs on the buckles so I decided to quite while I was ahead and test it out.

The time to make this pack was fairly great since while also making this first pack I was learning to sew for the first time. Every time I put the needle down I learned something new. I watched a few you tube videos of middle aged to old women that came in handy alleviating some of my frustrations and helping my learning curve.

Process:
1. Hand Drawn.
2. Google Sketchup (to get measurements my brain would not calculate, like the bottom angles)
3. Gathering measurements off sketchup adding in seam allowances
4. Transferring measurements by hand onto fabric
5. Cutting all fabric pieces
6. Making Pockets, Straps and Belt
7. Sew it all together!

All told Probably 60hrs or more I really have no idea! Even when I wasnt sitting working on it I 50/50 I was thinking about it. Over the course of a few weeks no joke! I played with my design alot and learning to sew was a huge part of that time. But hey when your unemployed time is all you got.

Newton, thank you for commenting it is nice to hear feed back from the community that inspired me to do project.

and yes I did have a good day, slightly giddy upon completion!

Edited by WalkSoftly33 on 09/24/2011 09:24:22 MDT.

Thanks Michael!

I do not think that was the pack. In fact now think about it I think it was made of cuben fiber and the designer did not want to create another seam so he used the attachment to the front pocket instead.

Just like your design though only White Cuben Fiber. Did you make another pack?

Im not sure I understand what you are referring to as being off set?

Is it the angle up of the pocket from the back panel to the front panel you are referring to?

It's interesting that you say you made the torso longer, because it sure looks like that hip belt is riding above your hips.

Clint,
I really like your pack design and sewing skills. The pack is great looking and the black and blue xpac tone down the bright florescent lime green xpac.
Terry

sorry about the double post I don't know what happened?
Terry

Edited by socal-nomad on 09/24/2011 16:04:13 MDT.

Yes I made the blue cuben with white stripe one and the green one as well. They are all the same design. I think you will like the closure. I have for sure.

Congrats! Very impressive first project. I was wondering what inspired you to make the change from a top-clip closure to a side clip closure (what did you see as the pros and cons). I've been debating which way to go for my first backpack project.

Chris,

Yes the pack is riding higher than how most wear it. I enjoy having the pack this way 2 thirds or more of the belt above the crest of my hip and only 1/3 below. For the same reason I designed the bottom of the pack angled and not flat. I do not enjoy the sagging or pulling down feeling I get with some packs. I wanted the bottom to ride high and be thin compared to the top.

With that said I may have missed my mark a little and you are right another half inch to an inch may perfect the fit me.

Just imagine how high up my 18.5inch torso prophet rode. That was for six months so at this point im kinda used to that position.

Thanks for the observation.

Hey Clint,

"I used a size 100/16 needle.

The thread I used was a bit to much for this project. Coats and Clark Extra Strong Upholstery 100% nylon. They recommend to use a size 18 needle with this thread, but unfortunately when you are buying needle and thread at walmart selection is limited."

Been there, done that on all counts save the needle size! ;-)

I have had much good luck with a 90/14 sewing needle and standard or HD upholstery grade Gutermann 100% polyester thread. Although I do find that the HD thread tends to give me a few problems that the standard weight thread does not. I suspect a larger needle size could eliminate a few of these "stoppages".

"Yes the pack is riding higher than how most wear it. I enjoy having the pack this way 2 thirds or more of the belt above the crest of my hip and only 1/3 below."

Whatever works for you, DO!

Call me crazy but 2/3rds above and 1/3rd below the iliac crest is where I wish I could keep my hip-belt riding. Too many beers and steak-burgers tend to make my hip-belt ride a wee bit lower these days. ;-P

Take a guess at who said this particular quote about himself.

" Most of all I like to mold and create things."

If you look really hard at your last post on any of these forum threads I bet you'll see the answer staring back at you.

"...and yes I did have a good day, slightly giddy upon completion!"

It sounds to me like that is a trait of yours also. ;-)

Party On,

Newton

Edited by Newton on 09/24/2011 14:25:42 MDT.

It seems like most of the companies making frameless packs don't know how to build a pack with a correct torso length. Ex. The medium GoLite Jam measures at 16.5 inches from where the straps mount to the middle of the belt. Yet, for some reason they recommend it for 17.5 - 19.5 torsos. The large Jam measures 18.5" but they recommend that one for 19.5 - 21.5 torsos. My only guess is that they assume you wear the bottom of the belt right at or above your iliac crest. I'm not sure how they think you can get any weight transfer without at least some portion of the belt wrapping your hips.

Chris,

At the risk of hijacking this thread about Clint's new pack, I have to say that I agree with your statement.

"I'm not sure how they think you can get any weight transfer without at least some portion of the belt wrapping your hips."

But I also agree with Clint's 1/3 below and 2/3 above so that the weight can be supported by the belt taking a semi-cupped shape. This only works if the wearer doesn't have a severe case of "muffin top". ;-)

I had a size large, GoLite LiteSpeed panel loader that left me with neck and shoulder pain at the end of a day of hiking. You make me wonder now if the torso length on that pack was shorter than what was correct for my 20.5" torso measurement.

Party On,

Newton