2017 Dry Pack

This is the pack I used for my 2017 thru-hike from Boulder to Durango. The main compartment was a dry bag that held all the items I wanted to keep dry such as my quilt and clothes. The back pocket was for items that generally could be wet such as my tent and rain gear.

Features:

• Pack weight 4.9 oz.

• .67 camo Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) to hide contents

• Dry bag main compartment

• Internal sleeve to hold a NeoAir mattress as a “frame”

• Padded shoulder straps and hip belt

• Light weight Velcro hip belt buckle

• Mesh back pocket

Features:

• Pack capacity 26 liters

• Pack weight 4.8 ounces

• .67 camo Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF)

• Dry bag main compartment

• Padded shoulder straps and hip belt

• Light weight Velcro hip belt buckle

• Solid fabric back and side pockets

• InReach Mini and snack/lunch pockets

2021 Dry Pack

The 2021 pack is a derivative of the 2017 pack with a dozen or so improvements. I reused the the shoulder straps and hip belt from the 2017 pack since they proved to be just about right. The changes to the pack are as follows:

1. Increased the circumference of the main compartment to accommodate the size of the odor-proof bag I now use. This made it easier to get the food bag into the pack

2. Improved the design of the dry bag roll-top closure to make the attachment of the buckles have a very neat and professional look

3. Shortened the height of the heavier bottom fabric to save weight. When my quilt is stuffed into the pack the bottom bulges out making the taller side walls unnecessary for protection.

4. Made the back pocket much taller to make it easier to pack the tent, rain gear and other items

5. I replaced the outside pocket mesh fabric with DCF fabric to save weight and improve weight distribution. The mesh fabric would bulge out at the bottom resulting in a lower center of gravity away from my back and an unsightly look. The DCF fabric also does not snag on branches like the mesh fabric tends to do.

6. Added a dedicated pocket on the shoulder strap for my inReach Mini. This gives the Mini clear access to the sky to get better reception and to increase battery life.

7. Added a medium size hip belt pocket just large enough to hold the day’s snacks and lunch. Remember the goal is to not get into the main compartment during the hike, especially if it is raining.

8. I narrowed the distance between the shoulder strap attachment to the main compartment. This reduced the feeling of the straps sliding off my shoulders making the pack more comfortable without the need of a sternum strap.

9. Improved the hip belt attachment point to the main compartment to add a little more stability.

10. Decreased the size of the internal sleeping pad sleeve to accommodate a lighter weight pad. I find I no longer need the sleeve and will not add one to my next pack.

11. Inspected the 2017 pack after 500 miles of use for locations that exhibited stress and reinforced them.

Pack Design and Fabrication

This section describes some details of how I designed and fabricated my latest two packs. I used .67 camo Dyneema Composite Fabric for the main body of the pack, pockets, hip belt and shoulder straps. Major stress points and the bottom of the pack use 2.2 oz. HEX70 XL fabric.

Hip Belt: At the weight I carry most people wouldn’t need a hip belt but I really like carrying most of my pack weight on my hips. It just feels better.

I cut out several lengths of poster board until a found a shape that perfectly fit my torso. The shape is a weird looking s-shaped curve and is truly custom. While it probably would fit many people I suggest you figure out your own shape.
The hip belt is a composite of several materials. The inside of the belt is made of 1/4” closed cell grey foam. The outer shell is made of .67 camo DCF and the inner shell is made of a square patterned mesh. The square pattern does not stretch in the horizontal or vertical directions adding strength to the belt. The outer shell is taped to the foam core with transfer tape to keep the shell from twisting around the core. It was tricky to apply the tape since it was applied after the shell was sewn and turned right side out.
Instead of a heavy plastic belt buckle, a plastic loop is used on one end of the belt. A 2” x 4” patch of Velcro hook and a length of 2” Velcro loop are attached to the other end. This “buckle” design saves a measurable amount of weight in a sub-five ounce pack. The Velcro buckle is quick and easy to adjust and is plenty strong enough. A small patch of Velcro loop was sewn on the side of the belt opposite of the “buckle” for keeping accessories such as the snack/lunch bag from shifting.

Shoulder Straps: The shoulder straps use the same construction as the hip belt. The straps are attached to the main compartment of the bag very close together for comfort and to eliminate the need for a sternum strap. UL Ladder Loc Adjusters are attached to the other end of the straps. I am not very happy with these adjusters because they required frequent adjustment and I finally just tied a knot in the webbing at the desired length. I may look into Tensionlock Lite hardware in the future. Small Velcro patches are located at shoulder height on both straps for keeping accessories in place such as the inReach Mini pocket.

Pack Main Compartment: The main compartments is a dry bag with a roll top closure. One side of the roll top closure uses boning as a stiffener to make the pack easier to load. The roll top closure makes a good handle for lifting the pack onto my back and eliminates the need for a dedicated handle. All of the seams are taped on the inside of the bag.

Back/Side Pockets: The back pocket and side pockets are sized to fit the gear I carry that can get wet in the rain. I use toggles and cord instead of elastic to keep my items secure. Various cord loops are provided for holding my trekking poles when not in use and to hang clothes on safety pins to dry.

inReach Mini Pocket: This pocket is custom fit for the Mini and is made of .67 camo DCF. A Velcro patch in the pocket’s sleeve keeps it in place on the shoulder strap.

Snack/Lunch Bag: This bag is made of the same .67 DCF and is sized to hold the day’s snacks and lunch. Again a Velcro patch keeps it in place.