I'm working on adding an attachable foot pad by using the existing snaps on my top quilt. I'd love to get everyone's feedback as I am a DIY rookie.
So far it seems like it will work really well!
If anyone else is going to give it a try, heads up, snaps rip foam really very easily. I'm thinking a sleeve for the pad with grosgrain edges to attach the snaps to might work much better.
Thoughts?
Interesting idea. Are you trying to save weight/material, just trying something different, or have you discovered a bump in your setup that you want to fix?
Perhaps some squares of leather or thicker material (e.g. plastic cutting mat) between the pad and snaps? Maybe holes/grommets in the pad, with some kind of quick lacing (shock cord and a cordlock?) to secure it to the quilt?
If you're going to use a sleeve, why not just slip the pad into the footbox after you close it up - keep it super simple?
I just slip my pad in/out of the sewn footbox of my TQ. Quick and easy is good for me, as I use it for a sit pad, a clean place to stand on in my socks, and a little extra support and padding in my pack. This also means that my footbox is still functional without the pad - good for warm nights.
Nice thinking!
Some version of this would definitely be a help to those of us who can't use short UQ's due to pad movement! I'll be watching.
One thing you might try: a toggle system a-la Montbell's sleeping pads. I've used it to attach my sit pad as an extension to a short sleeping pad and it worked great. I would tape (packing tape should work) each side of the foam where you punch holes to run the toggle thru - for durability.
I love the idea! I use a very similar variation. I glued a line of 3/4" wide omni-tape on the pad along the same line as your snaps and along the bottom edge. I then sewed matching omni-tape around the foot end of the quilt.
Since all my quilts are the same size, one pad is interchangeable with all the quilts. Eventually, the omni-tape peels off the pad, but the blue can pads are cheap.
I cut my pad in the shape of a baseball home plate, with the point toward the catcher cut off a bit.
Mike
"Life is a Project!"
A toggle system would work great I think (if your TQ footbox closed up via the same method). I have snaps on my TQ so that's what I'm having to add to my pad.
I want to keep my pad from moving is my main goal. Just putting it in the footbox does not work well enough for my liking. As a bonus, having the pad attach to the TQ will increase the size of the foot box. I also want to keep my TQ versatile as I only need my foot pad below 45*.
I tried out the snap on TQ pad last night on a simple trip. Wow! It made a huge difference! It was so nice to have my pad exactly where it needed to be all night long. I could pull my feet in and out for different laying positions and was always able to just put them right back into the footbox and perfectly onto the pad! Plus I had a little extra foot room
Some modifications will be necessary for a longer life of the pad (snaps will tear out soon), but the idea is sound and makes the whole experience a lot better!
Attachable foot-pad 2.0 about to commence!
Glad that the attached pad worked well for you. Nice looking camp!
Mike
"Life is a Project!"
Glad to hear it worked out for you.
Beautiful site selection!
interesting idea. On an ultralight pack it could even be a support pad.
clever solution.. If I had a pack that needed a support pad for its frame, I think this would be on my to-do list. Anything that can do double duty is worth the pursuit.
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