DIY Packa?

**smalls** · 04-05-2011, 21:15

I'm curious if anybody has tried to clone the Packa yet?

I've been investigating rain gear, and I really like the concept, but $110 is more than I'll willingly pay for just about any piece of kit, save maybe my pack and sleeping bag.

It seems like a light weight nylon rain coat could be pretty easily modified to include the bag cover. The clever stowing method might be harder to duplicate, but I've got some ideas. Anyone who owns one willing to comment on how easy it looks to copy?

-Smalls

**Two Tents** · 04-05-2011, 21:22

Hey Smalls, I have one you could look at if you get down my way. It looks like it could be done esp. if ya saw one up close.

**ExPXGUY** · 04-06-2011, 05:57

Do not own one but Quest sells plans and kits of something similar. scroll down to parcho

http://www.questoutfitters.com/patte...ket%20Patterns

Believe there is a post here somewhere on the plans

**Hawk-eye** · 04-06-2011, 07:29

Can't fault anyone for wanting to DIY anything. Heck it's a massive amount of fun. My favorite hammock is a DIY variation-clone of a clone of a WBBB that JerryW designed.

But $110 for a Packa is money well spent. It's well made ... it's durable, multi-functional and works better than I had really hoped it would. There is a lot of work put into the seams, zipper placements and the pack cover area. More work than I'd personally wanna put in to a DIY project of that complexity. Cutting the pattern and fitting together out of sil nylon ... is a pretty complex operation especially if you're not really up to par on thread injecting in sil. Maybe if you were ZQ ... but I wouldn't even begin to undertake a Packa myself. The Parcho is close but not as form fitting as the Packa. That makes the Packa easier in bushy not so open trails. But hey if you can and wanna ... go for it might be a lot of fun.

But if it's just the cost of the gear ... don't let that be an issue. You'll have more in a DIY one with materials, learning curve involved and your hours of labor.

Just one old fart's opinion ...

**Cedar Tree** · 04-06-2011, 11:35

Originally Posted by smalls

It seems like a light weight nylon rain coat could be pretty easily modified to include the bag cover. -Smalls

Actually, combining an existing jacket and packcover is pretty easy and a good way to make a well fitting Packa. I often tell people how to do this, especially if they are very small folks and my small Packa is too big for them.

1. Buy a rain jacket with pit-zips and a packcover that fits your pack.
2. Put the packcover on your pack. Put the Jacket on. Put the pack on.
3. Have a friend draw a line around where the packover hits the back of the jacket.
4. Cut out the hole in the back of the jacket and sew the packcover into the hole.

This is how I made my very first Packa prototype.

Good luck,
Cedar Tree

**pgibson** · 04-06-2011, 11:43

At the ID hang last fall OldGringo let me borrow his Packa as I had forgotten to grab a pack cover and it had been raining. Got to say it is one sweet piece of gear. I really liked it.

**smalls** · 04-06-2011, 12:04

Originally Posted by Hawk-eye

But if it's just the cost of the gear ... don't let that be an issue. You'll have more in a DIY one with materials, learning curve involved and your hours of labor.

Time I've got, and I genuinely enjoy DIY. I'm an engineer, it's kind of what I do.

What I don't have, is money to spare. In general, my DIY endeavors have mostly ended pretty favorably cost wise.

Originally Posted by Cedar Tree

I often tell people how to do this, especially if they are very small folks and my small Packa is too big for them.

Small certainly describes me. Hence the moniker

. I'm 5'7" and about 145lbs, give or take a meal.

Thanks for the insight Cedar Tree. I've been kicking around a number of different types of rain gear, and none of them really seem to do everything I want. The Packa is probably the closest thing I'll get to a perfect solution. I was really hoping to come up with something that would also function as my tarp, but I decided I didn't really like the notion of setting up my tarp in a rain storm with no other protection.

-Smalls

**Shug** · 04-06-2011, 12:09

This may give thought to the subject)))))))))
Grizz, Hawk-eye and Shug in Packa Pillow Talk.
Shug

**dragon360** · 04-06-2011, 12:36

Originally Posted by Cedar Tree

Actually, combining an existing jacket and packcover is pretty easy and a good way to make a well fitting Packa. I often tell people how to do this, especially if they are very small folks and my small Packa is too big for them.

1. Buy a rain jacket with pit-zips and a packcover that fits your pack.
2. Put the packcover on your pack. Put the Jacket on. Put the pack on.
3. Have a friend draw a line around where the packover hits the back of the jacket.
4. Cut out the hole in the back of the jacket and sew the packcover into the hole.

This is how I made my very first Packa prototype.

Good luck,
Cedar Tree

Amazing to me how the creator of the Packa comes out and offers advice on how to copy his design. Bloody fantastic! Tremendous forum and kudos to you Cedar Tree.

**Two Tents** · 04-06-2011, 12:45

Originally Posted by dragon360

Amazing to me how the creator of the Packa comes out and offers advice on how to copy his design. Bloody fantastic! Tremendous forum and kudos to you Cedar Tree.

That's what I was thinking. Ask a big corporation a question something along these same lines and you won't even get an answer I'm sure.