DIY Gear that Serves Multiple Purposes

**Born_Old** · 03-14-2012, 22:23

I've always been interested in items that can work for multiple jobs, especially if I have to carry all the items myself.

Someone recently had a great post about doubling their hammock stuffsack as a ridgeline organizer. That will be one of my next projects and it got me thinking about other ideas.

Has anyone made a pack cover / gear hammock? I know JRB sells something but was wondering if someone has made an alternate cuban version yet.

Any other dual-function modders out there please let me know what you have made!

-Born_Old

**joemcc** · 03-14-2012, 22:50

I don't have any links or pics or personal experience making one....BUT I do recall reading about a pack cover doubling as a gear hammock. I was going to just set the cover on the ground with the pack on top.

**packeagle** · 03-14-2012, 23:02

I have a silnylon pack cover based off of Just Jeff's Directions on his site. I find I only used it as a gear hammock once. Just not my style I guess. I think it would be easy to make a pack cover gear hammock out of cuben fiber.

**StrawHat** · 03-14-2012, 23:06

DIY multi-purpose Camp Seat/Gear Hammock/Pack Cover/Signaling Device - I just made one like this!

**FLRider** · 03-15-2012, 06:42

Well, not so much a mod as a use in extremis, but my GI poncho serves quadruple duty depending on weather:

1.) Rain gear (duh). It vents better than any jacket I've tried yet, and that's important down here in FL.

2.) Pack cover. It's big enough to cover 90% of my pack, and the rest is water resistant anyway.

3.) Ground sheet. It's my doormat for my hammock. The GI ponchos are durable enough to use on anything short of sharp rocks (which I don't want to be hanging over anyway).

4.) Emergency Grizz Beak. I have to give up the use of it as a ground sheet for this, but with a little line I can close off one end of my tarp in bad weather. I did that in a monsoon at Black Creek Ravines last year, and I'm fairly happy with how it performed.

As far as DIY gear goes, my front pack is an example of that. It was designed from the ground up to be a water bladder carrier with some extra capacity for snacks and emergency gear if I want to use it as a bike bag or daypack. It's also a front bag, helping to stabilize the load on my DIY pack over my center of gravity.

Anyway, I'm sure there's more, but I'm only halfway through my first cup of coffee...

**Jazilla** · 03-15-2012, 09:16

**Rooster** · 03-15-2012, 09:42

I guess you could use one of your tree straps as a belt.

Hammock bag as a pillow with some clothes stuffed inside.

Reflectix footpad/sitpad/pack support.

**Muskrat** · 03-15-2012, 10:50

I recently had Chickenwing help me with a DIY Just Jeff's pack cover with some minor mods to it. I was in need of a pack cover and wanted one to be multi-purpose.

During dry weather it will perform as a gear hammock and in wet weather it will perform as an UQ protector.

I added 4 mitten hooks to the corners and just attach that to the UQ suspension.

**streamline** · 03-15-2012, 10:58

GRRRR! I just finished one of these. set it up with corner tie outs for a mini-tarp/tarp extension. But I like the mitten hooks you show here, great idea.

I have used this style pack cover as a water bag, bear bag, pack cover, gear hammock (love this application), mini-tarp shelter, and to block wind in a shelter in the GSMNP. I am brainstorming on making one double as a tarp door. I have also thought about adding strapping to the inside so that I could hang my pack under it when on the bear line.