I guess I started doing this over 50 years ago before I was 13 (or so). One of my first projects was (what is now called – there was no name, or thing then) a bivy bag (or swag) which I sewed out of PU coated 2oz green ripstop nylon as I didn’t have a tent, and my (kapok, Yes! – how many today know what that was – or could recognise a kapok tree?) sleeping bag and any available tent would not have both fitted in my A-frame pack! Quite some years I didn’t have a tent. One of my first was a sort of one boy GI ‘Pup Tent’ something like those ex-WW2 affairs, also in PU ripstop mayhap called a ‘Rancho Poncho’.
Gossamer Gear’s G4 Pack 60 + litres, < 500 grams.
First few times I took Della camping (on my Honda CB175 motorbike!) we just slept under the stars with maybe a nylon poncho over us to ward off heavy dew. I have slept under a poncho many times since then. Finally we bought a two-person hiking tent, the forerunner of many. Now, in old age, we are back to some sort of tarps again such as THIS homemade one: (http://www.theultralighthiker.com/tyvek-solo-fire-shelter/) I posted about the other day. Instructions have been updated. Others 2 + person ones are in preparation.
There IS a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction to be gained in MAKING and USING your own gear, so we do. Here and there in these pages you will find other suggestions for homemade gear; I have had a lot of fun making various hiking stoves such as you might find here: http://zenstoves.net/ or in earlier posts. We have made quite a lot of clothing over the years, as well as hammocks, hammock insulators, quilts, tarps (obviously), tents, a variety of bags, pouches, pockets, leashes, belts, harnesses, ponchos, fishing gear…all sorts of things. For example, you can make a pot which weighs a couple of grams from a beer can which you can boil with an esbit on a stand made from some 1 cm mesh. A wide rubber band will prevent you burning your mouth when you drink your coffee.
I have copied and pasted a printable version of Glenn’s free pattern for this pack here: http://www.finnsheep.com/Ultralight%20Hiking.htm
Quest Outfitters (http://www.questoutfitters.com/ http://thru-hiker.com/materials/index.php) have some very good patterns (and kits) and are very helpful and expeditious in sending materials. For example, their ‘Bilgy Tarp Tent’ looks quite interesting. I will adapt some of its features for a new two person ‘fire shelter’. Obviously it would be much lighter in cuben, or more fireproof in Tyvek.
Their G4 pack pattern and kit are excellent. The G4 was my first ultralight pack, a brilliant concept (approx 450 grams & 60 litres!) from Gossamer Gear founder Glenn van Peski – one I still use when I am packrafting, as it is a huge pack. Della sewed two webbing tubes into it vertically on each side into which we slipped carbon fibre arrow shafts to simulate a pack frame for weight distribution. This added less than 40 grams and worked quite wonderfully. The pattern (for the gvp or g4 pack here.
Gosssamer Gear have some GREAT ultralight gear (and an interesting website – eg see ‘Tips & Tricks). I have spent quite a few dollars with them over the years. Their featured product this month is an 18 gram trowel. Well, if you need one! Their carbon fibre hiking poles are wonderful!
This guy’s experience making and modifying his own G4 are worth a read: https://backpackinglight.com/forums/topic/myog-my-modified-g4-backpack-project-very-long-post/
Gossamer Gear now sells and updated version of the G4 (for $US195 – Mar 2022) at 40 litres (plus 8 litres extension collar?) in Robic nylon (from 578 grams). This makes the body of the pack more robust than the original and whilst the external pockets are also in an improved fabric, blackberries might be still a problem. They have added an external zipped pocket (something to go wrong) and pockets on the hip belt (if you are able to reach such things – I cannot). I would have preferred it had no hip belt (I would have added a 10 gram waist belt of my own (as I did here: Pimping a Gorilla). They have also dispensed with the pear shape. A mistake. Putting the weight into the hollow of your back is absolutely essential. Nonetheless if you are the sort of person who is only ever going to buy a pack anyway this pack would be very hard to beat.
I do intend to make one myself. I do not need it to be quite as big as the original but it will definitely have the pear shape – perhaps in both directions. Mine though will have s- shaped side panels to conform to the body’s shape. The lack of this is the main reason practically every backpack is hopeless.
I happen to have an old G4 in Size = Small. Pack sizing (as I have commented before) is almost universally wrong so that this pack is slightly too big for me. I will try modding it before I begin a complete new pack making project. I will try to dispense with its hip belt and switch it for a waist belt to see if this works. The pack volume is (probably) more than I will ever carry any more but I may be able to overcome this with some side compression. Unfortunately the mesh pockets will tear to pieces in the blackberries in no time but I will get one trip out of it to see how it will work then I will make the new ones with tougher side pockets.
Ray Jardine (http://www.rayjardine.com/) pretty much ‘invented ‘ the ultralight pack (and concept). He is known as the ‘father’ of ultralight. He has a kit for one, and an excellent tarp. I still use his ‘Bomber’ hat (30 grams) every time it’s a really cold night. His quilt kit was an original great idea too. His website details his many amazing adventures, including skiing to the South Pole when he was over 60! He also sells some of his own excellent hiking books.
Ray Garlington was one of the first to devise a ‘wood gasification’ stove for backpacking: http://web.archive.org/web/20130820032105/http://www.garlington.biz/Ray/WoodGasStove/ I have spent many hours trying to make this work. Another guy perfected it with his ‘Bushbuddy’ stove: http://bushbuddy.ca/ (well worth the C$120) – or you can make your own, eg http://www.instructables.com/id/Woodgas-Can-Stove/ or http://www.treehugger.com/clean-technology/build-ultra-efficient-diy-wood-gasifier-backpacking.html A 150 gram stove which does not require any fuel (other than what you find on the trail) is a great idea. This guy has a lighter – 86 grams – (and more expensive) one: http://www.suluk46.com/products.html
Here is another site which has some interesting plans and kits: http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html, likewise this one: http://jasonklass.blogspot.com.au/search/label/DIY%20Backpacking%20Gear There are many others, but these will be enough to get you started. Have FUN!
Pictured above: Gossamer Gear G4 Ultralight Backpack
See Also:
http://www.theultralighthiker.com/60-diy-ultralight-hiker-ideas/
