Help with a Kifaru Mountain Serape

[Walker6]

I've got an HPG serape and a Kifaru doobie express.

I like the size of the serape and the warmth and weight of the doobie express. My thought is to buy a full size Kifaru doobie, cut a head hole, sew in a collar (or maybe a hood), and some Velcro, straps and clips like on the express. I'm thinking it should weigh about the same as the HPG serape but be warmer.

Has anyone here tried this? I have no sewing machine or sewing experience. To tell the truth, I'd be a little nervous about making that first cut on a $200 blanket. Kinda like that time I spray painted my kimber Montana stock ("Why am I doing this? Am I really spraying krylon on my $1000 rifle?! Yes...it appears that I am...")

Somebody talk me out of this. Or tell me it's a great idea and it's going to be ok. Or offer to help. Help!

 

[SHTF]

I don't think id ruin a good Kifaru Doobie for this. Whats your motivation for doing so? Id say get a good puffy and some Merino Base layers for the legs for the warmth. You will be just as happy. if your really wanting the full coverage them go use the Serape with a puffy. Makes much more sense and since you have 0 sewing experience Id say its going to be a safer bet. To put some perspective on it. For glassing your going to hike up a mountain to glass. Your going to be pretty sweaty already getting up there to glass then break out a jacked up Kifaru Doobie and go WTF was I thinking ruining this nice piece of gear!!!!

Does that help??

 

[Walker6]

Thanks for recognizing my cry for help - lol.

I used a doobie express on last year's archery elk hunt and it was money. It served as a puffy jacket (with and without some jacks r better down sleeves), a sitting cushion, a pillow, and a booster for my 20 deg slick bag. On a cool hike through the timbers on the way to get our last load out I even slid it on right over my pack and everything. Try that with a puffy jacket. So versatile. My buddy was so jealous of it he went online to K.net to order one for himself during the drive home, only to find out they had gone the way of the oval stove, the camp chair, pack lock clothing, and my personal favorite, the handwarmer.

Anyway, it looks like I'll be hunting rifle season this year, so I figured it would be nice to have a bigger one for colder hunts. Leg coverage, extra sleeping bag boost, etc.

Just a thought.

 

[beachbunny]

i have thought of doing that also a little while ago but maybe you want to practice your sewing skills abit first or just take it to a seamstress/
i remember the serape being pretty heavy. i also wondered why kif never did this

 

[LBFowler]

If you are good enough to sew a collar or hood to a doobie, then you have enough skill to make one from scratch. Buy some climashield and ripstop and go to town, then you can make it any weight you want (I'm really tempted to throw a head hole in my 6oz quilt).