Favorite Pack Features to Include

aion2come

WKR
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Jul 31, 2013
Messages
501
Location
Joplin, MO
I love sewing my own bags. I'll be sewing another one soon, Lord willing. I'm wondering what features you have found that are favorites that you would be sure TO include in any pack build. We are talking a pack bag of about 5500 inches. Also, what features have you found that looked great, but turned out to be ones that weren't as nice as you thought?
 

snowplow

WKR
Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Messages
693
Location
Washington
I absolutely love the two big pockets on the back of a Kifaru AMR. If it were me I would add one at the bottom also for a total of three all the way up the back of the bag. They're just the perfect size for everything it seems. still small but big enough for you can fit darn near anything in them without being a giant pocket things float around in. I would add a rolltop and either a side zip along the sides of the pockets, or a U-shaped zip running up the sides of the pockets and up and around the top of the middle pocket and back down for a panel loader. this would keep it accessible when the roll top is folded down or if you were running a lid. The AMR pocket style is Soo good when compressed you just have what looks like three big pockets on the back of your frame. Then you have the big bag tucked up in there that you can stuff a coat in or meet or something like that. But almost everything fits in those pockets readily accessible.

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WoodBow

WKR
Joined
Jul 21, 2015
Messages
1,744
Im a big fan of pockets on the sides of the bag at the bottom. Good for a nalgene, tp, a shed clothing layer, or whatever. Also holds the bottom of my tripod and trekking poles when not in use.

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WoodBow

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Jul 21, 2015
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My newest bag is a roll top and i prefer it over a cinch closure. It also has a horshoe zipper that opens up the entire bag. I wont go to that trouble again because i never open it all the way up. I will throw in 2 side zips and call it good. That curved zipper is also a pita to sew.

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fatlander

WKR
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
1,883
Im a big fan of pockets on the sides of the bag at the bottom. Good for a nalgene, tp, a shed clothing layer, or whatever. Also holds the bottom of my tripod and trekking poles when not in use.

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My mountain warrior would be perfect with side pockets. It’s still an amazing pack but that’s what’s really missing.


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pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
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Mar 12, 2014
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3,840
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Thornton, CO
A couple rear pockets like noted above are nice (I have vertical tubes on mine but squares could generally work for me too, I'd just put my trip in the side sleeve). Side sleeve pockets are nice for trekking poles, a layer, tripod, etc. I don't really use lower stretch pockets on mine so I'd just skip in the future I think.

I set my bag for my SG frame up like the SG style where the front top has a flat that straps down and compresses up against the top of the frame, combined with a front zipper this sucks the bag down and allows access through the zipper but also expands into a much larger bag with a cinch top. I made that bag like that to allow more back packing capacity. IF I was doing a smaller day/overnight bag I'd likely just do a roll top as those are also quite nice (with a front zip as well).

I concur the U zip is a hassle that I've never really seen the need for on my personal bags. I'm fine looking through the single zipper, its not like its a luggage bag in a hotel folded open (and I don't need it to be that).
 

Unobogus

FNG
Joined
Dec 16, 2019
Messages
21
I love sewing my own bags. I'll be sewing another one soon, Lord willing. I'm wondering what features you have found that are favorites that you would be sure TO include in any pack build. We are talking a pack bag of about 5500 inches. Also, what features have you found that looked great, but turned out to be ones that weren't as nice as you thought?
I think this is so cool, that people can do this. I asked another member, do you know of any "how to" videos that I could watch on this?
 
Joined
Sep 20, 2018
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7,571
Location
In someone's favorite spot
Big fan of a lid here. One buckle if possible. One thing I loved about my Eberlestock Dragonfly was the one buckle access to the lid, so I could stuff my jacket or sitting pad under it without having to go into any of the zipped compartments.
 
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