~3500ci main pack/ 57L
~800ci for the 5 pockets
3/4 inch padded shoulder/hip straps with 3D mesh
With internal frame/back pad 18.95oz
Stripped weight 16.00oz
Zimmerbuilt/MLD Exodus inspired

Edited by KalebC on 04/24/2012 21:34:20 MDT.

Looks darn good bro!!

That is very impressive looking good job. Anything you would change if you did it again? I like the way you attached the frame at the top. I'm planning a similar project and I was trying to figure out a way to work the stiching for the top of the frame around the should straps. Looks like your design just wraps around the top of the frame between the shoulder straps. Thats ingenius.

That's fantastic. I definitely thought Zimmer when I saw it.
All made up as you went or did you base it off any type of pattern?

I just noticed the zippered pockets at the top on both sides. Very slick looking!! Do you have a pattern or any advice on how you made those pockets? I want to make my own hip-belt pockets. They would be nearly identical to what you did, only free from the bag.

I drew it up on paper and went from there, at some point you go freestyle as the measurements change. The fold over Velcro piece to hold the stays gets sewed into the triple layer reinforcement between the shoulder straps. The zippered pockets were a pain to figure out. I can't explain well how I did it. I'll take some up close Picts to show some detail.

Kaleb,
Very nice looking pack with fine craftsmanship. I really like the contour zippered top side pocket so you can get more in them. Verse my flat zippered side pockets I use on my packs you can barley squeeze a small flash light in . Great job hope you enjoy many miles with the pack.
Terry

Edited by socal-nomad on 04/27/2012 09:43:16 MDT.

Great design everywhere. For example the V-shaped top strap is much better than a single center strap.

Good frame design. I've retro-fitted factory daypacks with "upside down U" frames of three 1" flat aluminum bars, pre-bent and bolted to the pack with stainless bolts, washers & Nylock nuts. But your solution is lighter and just as effective.

Thanks for looking, if anyone wants to see any up close detail or more info let me know, I will post some up close detail of the pockets soon. I am almost done with my cuben pack, I will post tomorrow. I am going to retire from MYOG pack building as I got my first job post grad school. I thank and recommend Zimmerbuilt design and quality!

Kaleb,

SWEET!

Congratulations on the new job.

Your employer's gain is the MYOG community's loss.

Now you know me well so you should know what question I am going to ask. What kind of mesh did you use? Where did you source it from? What is the fabric weight of it? See I told you that you would have been able to guess the questions. L O L

Is the stay rod stock or tubular? Do you carry Platypus or some other kind of "flat sided" water bottles?

I really like the way you handled the CCF frame sheet and stay!

The grosgrain bound seam allowances really show the quality of this pack and the attention to detail.

Party On,

Newton

Sean, here are some up close picts. So the top and bottom pieces that get sewn to the zipper coil get sewn upside down, then folded over and sewn again. The width of the front portion of the pouch must be bigger than the back piece. The extra slack of the width is taken up, and folded over and sewn so eventually it is the same width as the back. I tried to show this in the picts.

Newton- went with the Rainshed coarse polyester netting Weight/sq yd: 4.3 oz, stay rod is 6061 aluminum, tubular, via Mr. Swihart. I do carry a flat Platy, but the pockets were designed for poweraide/Gatoraide/smartwater bottles. Thanks for noticing all the raw seam allowances are covered by cross grain. I went through an entire spool of DIY Gutter Tex 50 on 2 packs, stitching it McHale style, actually, I got the Dyneema straight from Dan himself- Thanks Dan!

Edited by KalebC on 04/28/2012 10:14:34 MDT.

K.C. tell me about the "Mchale method" for sewing on that grossgrain. Is it to add strength or just prevent fraying?

I learned to sew the crossgrain to the main 4 vertical seams and the horizontal seam where the extension collar connects from Chris Zimmer. It does add another line of stitching for reinforcement and also prevents all the thread from rubbing and the raw edges of the main fabric from fraying. The McHale method comes from his site "Count on our packs having twice as much thread as anyone else even claims." I sewed at least 4-5 lines of stitching where the hip belt and shoulder straps connect, at that point the dyneema is folded over once or strips of dyneema are added so there are 4 layers of dyneema at those points. The main vertical seams have at least 3-4 rows of stitching, either side by side or on top of each other. To do this you have to give yourself big seam allowances, at least 1/2 inch.

Amazing. I make bags for a living and this is amazing! VERY VERY WELL DONE!