Gear butchering… a sickness

[Wyobohunter]

Most of my gear mods center on tripods and tents (part of why I switched to a tarp). But I'm considering something a little more reckless - have any of you nuts ever cut the length down on an XTherm pad and ironed it back together? And was it a successful project?

Man.

 

[Exploriment]

Most of my gear mods center on tripods and tents (part of why I switched to a tarp). But I'm considering something a little more reckless - have any of you nuts ever cut the length down on an XTherm pad and ironed it back together? And was it a successful project?

A household iron won't do. They're radio frequency welded. Beyond the ken of the home tinkerer.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Good to know. I wasn’t seriously considering a try because you can buy sleep pads in a short version.

 

[Btaylor]

A household iron won't do. They're radio frequency welded. Beyond the ken of the home tinkerer.

Would shoe goo hold?

 

[Drenalin]

A household iron won't do. They're radio frequency welded. Beyond the ken of the home tinkerer.

Don't take this as me calling you out or anything, I genuinely would like to know how you know this? There's a thread on BPL with someone doing it to an XTherm, and then a YouTube video of lady doing it to an XTherm (below). I don't see any long term follow up on those mods, but at the time they were done they seemed fine.

I'm 6-ft tall and relatively wide, but also a side sleeper. I've struggled to find the right balance between weight, bulk, and comfort for a pillow. If I chop a wide XTherm down to 62", which should come in about 18 ounces, I can lay my pack with a pillow on top of it off the pad to make up the length and give me the pillow height I need. This takes me from carrying two pads and two pillows for winter camping to one modified pad with one pillow - over a pound of weight saved compared to what I'm currently carrying.

So I have a compelling reason to try this, but am open to being talked out of it if I'd just be flushing $200+ down the drain. The lack of follow up beyond the initial project is what currently has me apprehensive.

 

[Exploriment]

The company I work for does RF welding. Truck tarps, and field hospitals for the military mainly, but other things as well. It's a combo of heat and pressure along with radio waves. It gets up to 450°C to 500°C; way higher than what a household iron can get up to.

I recall reading on a gear making forum a few years back that someone tried to make a dry bag using an iron. It didn't work for them.

Personally I wouldn't bother. But that's just me.

 

[DoYaPhilMe]

You guys are crazy! I'm always worried I'll regret my weight saving modifications. Does anyone have any regret stories?

 

[Wyobohunter]

Yes… err… no
None I’ll admit to.

 

[TomJoad]

My first hunting pack over a decade ago was an eberlestock… what a pig! I cut an actual 2lbs of battle rattle off that thing, literally covered inside and outside with molle.

 

[ozyclint]

Same here. My wife rolls her eyes everytime I open the packaging on something new and immediately start modifications.

 

[roosterdown]

Man.

Most of my gear mods center on tripods and tents (part of why I switched to a tarp). But I'm considering something a little more reckless - have any of you nuts ever cut the length down on an XTherm pad and ironed it back together? And was it a successful project?

Late to the party, but yes - this is completely doable. I cut down an Xtherm to shave weight, and it has held up fine, and hundreds of serious UL Backpackers have done the same.

 

[Drenalin]

I spent an hour and a half this weekend cutting unnecessary crap off a tent, and all I have to show for it is 1.9 ounces of weight saved. I need a new hobby.

 

[Wyobohunter]

I spent an hour and a half this weekend cutting unnecessary crap off a tent, and all I have to show for it is 1.9 ounces of weight saved. I need a new hobby.

I look at it like this: that’s 2 ounces you won’t be carrying for miles and miles. Save a couple ounces here and there and it starts to add up. So far my total carried weight (everything including all food, carried water, carried and worn clothes, boots, fishing gear, camping gear etc) for an 11 day trip in the Wind River high country is down to 48 lbs. I did upgrade some of my older heavier gear to get there. I also modified some stuff and decided not to “pack my fears” to get there. It’s not “ultralight” but it’s not bad for where I’m going and how long I’ll be out.

You worked on the tent for over an hour but you’ll carry it for days.

 

[Te Hopo]

My motto is "It aint mine til its modified"
Making it how you want it is half the fun , welcome

This right here, I'm constantly modifying and butchering rifles, packs, pouches, kayaks, motorbikes, 4x4s, knives/sheathes, cooksets and so on.
Not always to make it lighter, sometimes it's just to improve functionality but I am always looking at how I can lighten a load.

 

[GWHunter]

If you get me and my dad together with beer and any sort of gear and time on our hands that gear is either gonna get tinkered with or spray painted camo.

 

[AK_Skeeter]

I find breathable waders can be used for many waterproof projects as their 2nd life.