Pack Cover

[Zorminster]

I've got some extra material laying around that's got a pretty good coating on it. I figure, i need a pack cover and I can save 28$ by using this material as opposed to buying one. Sure, this one may turn out a couple ounces more than one i could buy, but the cost saving will be well worth the extra ounce.

Anyway, question- anyone got patterns or directions for making a pack cover? Ive got a 3600 ci Granite Gear Vapor Trail. If no one has directions i'll wing it and see what I can writeup about the process. This will be my first project so it's probably going to come out rough- oh well, gotta start somewhere.

[slowhike]

check this out...
http://www.tothewoods.net/HomemadeGe...arHammock.html

[Zorminster]

...funny... i've been on every page of that site in the past 24 hours and must have missed (or already forgotten) about that particular one. Lol; thanks slowhike.

[lvleph]

Maybe, this item is too simple, but I still don't really understand how to make one.

[Zorminster]

got mine made, just dont have the cord for it quite yet. plan on picking it up tomorrow. It's a pretty heavy pack cover though. without cord the piece of fabric alone is 6.4 oz

[slowhike]

that is pretty heavy duty. but then it was almost free, right?
maybe you'll run across some lighter fabric later (silnylon) & can make another one.
but it feels good to know that you can just use what you have on hand to make something.

[NCPatrick]

I recently made a pack cover (Just Jeff style) from some extra silnylon scraps I had lying around. I measured my pack (stuffed full of pillows to full size), and sewed together two big pieces of leftover sil, added some 550 paracord and a cordlock.

I haven't had a chance to test it yet , but was planning on also using it as a gear hammock in camp. I need to seal the one seam I ended up with too.

I may also make a noseeum mesh stuff sack for it. Just for the heck of it, and because I already have the mesh.

[lvleph]

I think I need to see one in person, again, to really figure out how it works.

[headchange4u]

The dimension given on Jeff's site makes a really big pack cover. My suggestion would be to use Jeff's instructions for an All-In-One but size it down for your particular pack. I would stuff pack out, including outside pockets, and take measurements to make your pack cover.

[Cedar Tree]

In my limited experience sewing, I would say you have 3 design options. All of which suffer from the same problem. The hardest part of a packcover is the seam around the edge that your cord goes through to cinch it down. I find an oval shaped hole is easiest to sew. For all designs fold the edges over around the perimeter and use a buttonhole or a grommet for your cord hole.

1. Jeff's design or a modified Jeff. Instead of a single piece of rectangular fabric, use an oval. This is easy, no seams to leak. The drawback of this design is possibly too much volume which flaps in the wind.

2. Box design. Cut out a big cross shape where the sides fold up, and the top and bottom fold down. This is also very easy, but it leaves a rectangle hole.

3. Cylinder design. Use a piece of fabric long enough that will wrap all the around your pack. Basically make a cylinder, sew in the top and bottom (oval shaped) and cut an oval out of the long vertical seam to place your cord. This is what I use for custom packas, but it is by far the hardest to make.

I suggest option 1.
Cedar Tree