Blue Widow with functioning load lifters

jcodyc40

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
120
Location
Helena, MT
I thought I would post a modification that I did with my Blue Widow pack that has added functioning load lifters. I had a couple of aluminum stays laying around from an old pack that I had dismantled for various reasons so I decided to try and make this work without spending much money or actually doing something to the pack that couldn't be undone. I bent the extra stays to the same shape as the blue widow stays and taped them together with gorilla tape. I know this isn't ideal but it allows me to play with the highth to get what works best for me. I then simply took a 1 inch strap and put it up and over the stays and gorilla taped it in place so it wouldn't move. After deciding on a hight and weather or not this worked I put together an adapter that slides over the stays and has the 1 inch strap sewn onto it. I had velcro sewn on the ends to attach to the original flaps of the stay covers. This mod seems to work pretty well and doesn't change the pack, it can be reversed at any time. I did some hiking with one side moded and the other unchanged and it makes a pretty significant difference. Hope some of you find this useful.


Cody
complete mod.jpgcomplete mod 2.jpgmod adapter.jpgmod in use.jpgoriginal mod.jpg
 
Joined
Apr 10, 2012
Messages
570
Location
Rancho Cordova, CA
Umm Mr Eberlystock please take note of this great idea and design. Great pack, but needs some tweaking. Not all of the hunters out there are 5 ft 6 inches. Look forward to hear how well it works this season.
 

ozyclint

WKR
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Messages
1,743
Location
Queensland, Downunder
mate, as soon as i saw this i ran for the sewing machine! in under an hour i had functional lifters. what a difference it will make to my blue widow pack when loaded!
thanks for sharing your idea.

jcodyc40- you might be interested in a couple of mods that i have done to my blue widow.
i sewed some straps from the pack body to the waistbelt. these stabilise the pack alot!
IMG_5434.jpg


i also added a hook in the scabbard compartment. this is so i can hang my water bladder. this way it hangs in the center of the pack and from the frame sheet.
IMG_5436.jpg
 
Last edited:

dotman

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
8,201
Have you guys thought about putting Kifaru stays in the pack? The composite or aluminum.
 

T43

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
259
That's great do you have any idea how stable it is under a heavy load? From the pics I wonder if the top of the stays should be anchored to the pack body somehow to prevent flex or bending under heavy load. Are the stays strong enough to prevent that?
 

c h r i s

FNG
Joined
Dec 24, 2012
Messages
65
Location
Overland Park, KS
Have you guys thought about putting Kifaru stays in the pack? The composite or aluminum.

I've jimmy'd up a similar rig on my BW but resorted to crappy solid alum stock from the hardware store to get my length.

Dotman, if you by chance have any extra stays you could/would bring to the RMEF Bqt I'd love to try them out before I commit to purchasing a pair online.
 

dotman

WKR
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
8,201
I've jimmy'd up a similar rig on my BW but resorted to crappy solid alum stock from the hardware store to get my length.

Dotman, if you by chance have any extra stays you could/would bring to the RMEF Bqt I'd love to try them out before I commit to purchasing a pair online.

Unfortunately I don't, I'm without a pack till April. Took a day to sell my T1. Maybe send Aron a pm and see if he would bring a set for you to checkout.

Don't forget that Kifaru has a 30 day return policy so if they didn't work you would be out the shipping only.
 
OP
J

jcodyc40

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
120
Location
Helena, MT
Have you guys thought about putting Kifaru stays in the pack? The composite or aluminum
Dotman, I have thought of that but I wanted to make sure the mod worked as expected before I spent too much money. Seriously looking at the composite stays.

That's great do you have any idea how stable it is under a heavy load? From the pics I wonder if the top of the stays should be anchored to the pack body somehow to prevent flex or bending under heavy load. Are the stays strong enough to prevent that?
T43, I have used 55lbs so far doing workouts on my incline trainer between 20-40 degree inclines. I know it isn't the same as hiking a mountain but it has been snowing and melting here so it's been kinda muddy when I have time to go out. Stability seems to be fine, the strap extensions are attached to the original buckles on the pack and I have not cut the new straps because I was worried about the stays bending and thought I may have to use the extra to attach to the pack somehow but they don't seem to bend at all. I may have to try Ozyclint's mod for the waistbelt.
 

Blackcow

WKR
Joined
Jan 11, 2013
Messages
494
Location
central Az.
I've since sold my bw, but I did the same thing with more using longer stays from an old northface pack . One thing I did that helped was to sew a loop on the backside of the sleeve I made for the top of the stay and ran the straps that run across the top of the lid through them. That did two things. It kept the lid from flopping around and gave the load lifters something to pull against instead of just pulling the top of the stays forward. Pretty easy.
 
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J

jcodyc40

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 18, 2012
Messages
120
Location
Helena, MT
I finally had the chance to try the pack out with the mod on the trail. Did right at 4 miles up and around the mountain with 40 lbs. Plan on adding more weight this weekend but so far it is working really well. I am very pleased with the results. All the weight was on my hips, no pressure on my shoulders and stability was great.

Cody
 
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