First DIY Backpack

[aion2come]

I have wrestled with finding a whitetail pack that did everything I wanted so I decided to build my own. Very happy with the results. Only a couple of minor tweaks left to do. The stitching wasn't always pretty, but I learned a lot about sewing, about my machine, and about building packs. In the end, I have a pack that works for whitetails and also is sufficient for going out west. Here are some of the uses I wanted to cover with the pack along with some features.

• at least 3000 c.i. for carrying my winter clothes. I sweat like a pig and typically only wear light clothing in.
• I had to be able to strap a stand to it.
• It had to be able to "shrink down" to nothing and also to blow up big and carry meat out for out West.
• Tough as nails.
• It had to work with both the Exo and the Kifaru frame systems as well as work for both lid systems.
• It had to be adaptable so that I could use it in other hunting situations like elk hunting and camping.
• It had to be able to add "bat wings" to it later (similar to Exo's Horn Hauler). I love that feature from packs like the Eberlestock x2 ... and like to be able to sandwich climbing sticks between those batwings and the main bag.
• It had to have a front zippered opening.
• It had to have pockets on the back similar to the Kifaru DT series.
• It had to have PALS webbing for adding Kifaru pockets to it later.

All in all, I hit all of these things. The main bag is 3200 c.i. with the pockets on the back adding another 300 c.i. for a 3500 pack. It will separate from the frame to sandwich things between the bag and the frame, and ... with the ability to add "batwings" and it could easily become a 6500 hauler.

Here are some pics with it mounted to the Exo frame.

 

[aion2come]

Not sure how to rotate pictures to being upright or blow them up to larger size. Any suggestions on that??

In the meantime, here are some specific features...


Bottom attachment for Exo frame.


D-rings for horizontal compression straps from a home made cargo panel. Will use these to attach stand to pack.


D-rings for installing straps to attack a Kifaru lid as well as for straps to be installed when hauling treestands. I'll mostly use this with the Exo for whitetails and I don't always haul a stand, so I didn't want to have those straps permanently installed and always hanging off the pack.


When the Exo frame isn't in use, the straps for the lid clip into buckles on the bag so they aren't just hanging free. Also, I put in tabs there to connect in split-bar buckles from the straps from the lower D-rings for when I haul stands.


Internal D-rings for attaching Kifaru water bladder holder.

 

[aion2come]

These loops are sewn in for attaching batwings with split-bar buckles.


On the back you can see the attachment points unique to the Kifaru frame and lid, as well as the tabs for connecting the batwings and also the appropriate connections for the meat shelves for both the Kifaru and the Exo systems.

 

[Beendare]

Nice!

 

[Lockster]

Some pretty amazing features built in to your first pack, great job

 

[mrbillbrown]

Wel done!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[doncarpenter]

Nice work bud! I need to learn more about zippers. Did you use coil zippers? Dual pulls?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[aion2come]

Don, yes to both questions. I thought about putting the water-resistant zippers in the pockets, but decided to just go with standard #8 coil zippers from rockywoods.

 

[5shot]

Looks good!

 

[paleraider]

That is very well done!

 

[Upcountry]

Really nice work. At some point this off season I'm going to put together a new bag for my Exo frame too. I'm thinking a bit bigger than the 3500 main bag... narrower and more cylindrical, most likely with a roll top and a few pockets on the back, similar to yours. I like my Exo pack, but don't love the long side pocket access.

 

[AnnaStev]

What type of material you have been used?

 

[aion2come]

AnnaStev. I used Cordura Nylon.