So, after a couple years of slashing down my base pack weight, I bought a Golite Jam2 this winter on super clearance to replace my old REI UL60. Come to find out without a bear can I can't even get close to using the roll top with my solo gear let alone with the extra gear for hiking with Heather is still don't use the max capacity and generally am using the compactor system. After some deliberation and some complaining from BPL members in the "should I get a smaller pack post" I opted to redesign a Golite Ion to fit my needs. I didn't feel like carrying the extra 10oz if I'll never need it, and as much as I'd love to buy a Mountain Laurel Designs product I'm lazy and don't want to wait 6 weeks, I didn't want to pay well over $100 for another pack and I've come to like MYOG. I picked up an unused 2008 model Golite Ion for $25 off the BPL Gear Swap forum, and picked up all the fabric plus a ton of excess for about $35. So if you include the excess that will be used on several other projects the initial cost was $60 (minus any shipping on fabric).
The project design and goal.
Basically I wanted a pack that was well rounded, the Ion comes factory with no extra pockets or anything for that matter... I wanted to be able to use it on weeklong section hike this summer, fishing trips down the line. So I decided to add 2 deep water bottle pockets for my 1L platy bladders and hydration system on the sides and a large stuff pocket for my fishing rod an extra 2L or so of water, a hang line for clothes to dry, and also be able to carry a bear can if need be. The Goal was to be under 12oz after all the mods to a 9.05oz pack, but after cutting off the waistbelt, trimming the straps, removing the zippered lid in favor of a roll top... The finished product weighs 9.40oz!! (without the optional .40oz bear can straps). It barely gained a few grams and I am saving 10.6oz or so off the weight of the Golite Jam2 pack.
Materials
Dyneema-x fabric (10"x32")
Lycra 4-way stretch mesh (just a little bit)
3/8" flat elastic
3/32" elastic cord
2 micro cord locks
5 - 1/2" buckles
1/2" grossgrain ribbon (a few yds)
All pictures are taken with the pack stuffed with clean laundry, a box to simulate a bear can being strapped with the removable bear can straps, 2 - 1L platy bladders on the side one with the hydration hose, and my Cabela's 5 piece flyrod in the storage case with a full 2L platy bladder alongside the pole. There's still a ton of stretch left in the pockets if need be.
A no frills Golite Ion at the start.
Removing the lid.
Prototyping the back panel.
Stitching the panel to the pack to make assembly much easier.
The filled pack shots
Filled with the pockets stuffed with the stuff from the list above.
Filled with everything and the optional bear can straps deployed.
A look at the stretchiness of the lycra back mesh.
Some close ups of my wavy lined seams...
A few things to watch out for, lycra likes to stretch when being sewn and puckers some seams. I'd almost suggest finding some of the nylon that golite uses on their inside seams and lining the exterior edge of the pockets with it if puckered seams bother you. They don't really bother me since they add character in my opinion. Things left to do on this pack --> remove the last 2 Golite tags...
A few projects coming up this next week are a MYOG BPL 5yds to SUL solo spinnaker tarp, and a lightweight bivy to complement the tarp. There's also a backpacking trip on both the up and coming weekends so look out for a couple trip reports also.
Nice work.
ReplyDelete- http://jolly-green-giant.blogspot.com/
great work Jared! That is one sharp looking golite! I have the jam2 also and thought it was getting to be too much capacity for me. I like my ULA conduit but that ION is real temping!
ReplyDeleteStormcrow
Great stuff, I bought one a while ago with the idea to mod it but when I saw the stitching across the front panel and thought it too hard.
ReplyDeleteThanks
The stitching on the front you don't even need to touch. I just left it alone when disassembling the rest of the seams. Only 3 seams get undone, the 2 vertical seams and lid seam.
ReplyDeleteHi
ReplyDeleteonce you removed the front panel did you then sew the lycra to the front panel, then turned the whole thing inside out and stiched the front panel/lycra to the rest of the body?
So you stitch two peices together first then stitch again through three sections?
Thanks
After I undid the seams, I measured and cut the fabric for the front lycra panel. I then measured out the 3/8 flat elastic for the top of the panel, than I used a zig-zag stitch to stitch the elastic onto the Lycra panel.
ReplyDeleteAfter I had the Panel prepped I pinned it into position on the backpanel. The bottom seam of the lycra was rolled under about a 1/4" to 1/2", than I sewed the bottom seam of the lycra panel onto the pack.
After the bottom seam was sewn, I made sure the panel was lined up and still properly pinned to the dyneema panel than I ran a stitch down the length of the panel within the seam allowance that would be tucked into the seam that joins all the panels. By securing the lycra to the panels before assembling the pack, you'll make it simple simon to assemble since you remove the headache of trying to keep 3 or 4 layers of fabric lined up.
Also all the little pieces of 1/2" grossgrain for the elastic cordage on the backpanel were also pinned and stitched to the front panel before turning the pack inside out and stitching the pack seams back together.
I did essentially the same procedure with the water bottle pockets. The only suggestion I would add for the water bottle pockets is to make a hard bottom on the bottom of the pocket, like most companies do with their packs. It's not a big deal if the bottom of your pack is full. But I do notice from time to time when I use the pack as a day pack and it's not stuffed full the side water bottles hang down low.
I hope that helped, if not let me know and I'll try and clarify anything.