Future Of Backpacks

[bobby49]

Is 3-d printing feasible on metal?

Currently, it is not quite there with practical costs. With a CNC mill, they can mill 3-D metal to an exact design. But that is more of a subtractive process than an additive process like 3-D printing.

[Tom_H]

Is 3-d printing feasible on metal?

Possible? Yes. Affordable? That depends on the alternatives. For their new rocket engines, SpaceX's Raptor and Blue Origin's BE-3 and BE-4, none of which has flown yet, 3-D printing is allowing the use of exotic alloys and the manufacture of parts that were previously impossible to make, or required numerous smaller parts to be bolted together. For them, this is cheaper, more efficient, and superior in quality to previous machining and manufacturing methods. For backpack frames and stuff most of us use in our everyday lives...I haven't heard of any 3-D printed metal parts being made yet. My uninformed wild guess would be that it may be coming in the future as prices come down. But again, that's simply a guess.

[Tom_H]

https://www.facebook.com/SeeMoreMC/vide ... ?clk_loc=5

[RSC]

Is there any plastic strong enough to be made into a pack frame?

Many years ago I had a Coleman Peak 1 backpack with a plastic frame. It was indestructible. You could toss it off a cliff no problem. I bet you could run over it with a car without damaging it. It was flexy in use, but I didn't see this as a problem.

[Tom_H]

Is there any plastic strong enough to be made into a pack frame?

Many years ago I had a Coleman Peak 1 backpack with a plastic frame. It was indestructible. You could toss it off a cliff no problem. I bet you could run over it with a car without damaging it. It was flexy in use, but I didn't see this as a problem.

We used a set of those packs for awhile in the late 70s, but for our 5 day trips only. They had endless slots for strap anchors. You could quickly adjust to accommodate a range of participants. They were a bit more flexible than I liked and they were not built for longer trips or trips requiring higher weight like trips including climbing. The bag was too small and the padding too skimpy for that. For 5 day leisure trips with no climbing, I found them adequate, but wasn't particularly fond of them.



This one wouldn't embed: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/373869206538176523/

Also scroll to the 11th post in this thread for three good pics of the back of the pack. Then 3 more near bottom of page. Sorry, wasn't able to embed these photos.

I searched eBay for Coleman Peak I Backpack. I found 11 of these for sale, mixed in with Peak I stoves and internal frame packs.

[Harlen]

Daisy wrote:

There are unlimited creative ways to use an external pack frame. Once I strapped a partially butchered elk to it!

"Creative" and constructive indeed, I've just discovered a "destructive" way to use a external frame backpack: First you overload it, then hoist it up onto a little scale, and then have the giant bastard thing come crashing down- smashing and lacerating your foot! I've just returned from the local Urgent Care, where they closed it up with 3 stitches, and told me the foot will soon heal up fine, but I would still be a jackass.

So, while Daisy straps "partially butchered elk" to her pack, I'll be strapping my pack onto my partially butchered self.

The silver lining to this embarrassment is that if I play my cards right, and keep limping and moaning about, I can get my wife and friends to carry much of my weight. So I may have figured out a new trick to enter into the "ultra-light" crowd. Ever try this ploy Hobbes? Andy?

Who's laughing at me?!

[rlown]

Well, we quartered a 350 lb bear in Trinity and got that out in 3 packs. I'm an external frame fan. First trip out was with hide and head in my Kelty. Yes, there was a second trip for the meat. Snow helped us save the meat.

[Tom_H]

Well, we quartered a 350 lb bear in Trinity and got that out in 3 packs. I'm an external frame fan. First trip out was with hide and head in my Kelty. Yes, there was a second trip for the meat. Snow helped us save the meat.

Mystery Ranch makes about the most heavy duty (and just downright heavy) packs I'm aware of, moreso than Gregory. They used to make a hulking aluminum frame for carcass hauling. Your post made me look them up for a link and low and behold, this post won't be off topic (future of packs) because it seems they're now building their frames from carbon fiber. The carbon fiber itself is not exposed like an aluminum frame, but is encased in nylon fabric sleeves. The CF is also referred to as formed into (external) stays. They look fairly straight, without the curvature you would see in a Kelty frame. Below are links to just a carcass hauler and then that same frame with additional pack-bags. You can peruse their site to find their other offerings. These things are intended for brutal load hauling.

https://www.mysteryranch.com/guide-light-frame

https://www.mysteryranch.com/mule-pack

https://www.mysteryranch.com/cabinet-pack

[rlown]

Longest haul of my life with the heaviest pack. a bear head/hide weighs 75 lbs. My Kelty tioga has a drop section so I could fit the whole head/hide in. Had to shift weight to my friends pack to make it. We got out with headlamps after the 10 miles back to the truck. It was thrilling.. NOT. We found a motel and holed up for a refreshing night before heading back for the meat. Yes, the bear slept inside. I really like Weaverville.

Thanks for the links. I'll stick with the Kelty for now.

[paul]

Harlen - if you want to get creative with your Keltys, you can lighten things up considerably. I still have my old Trailwise frame (originally purchased in 1972 I think), but over the years have lightened things by way of making a lighter packbag to hang on it. Originally I bought the frame bare, no bag, and made my own cavernous packbag out of 8 oz. packcloth. Later I remodeled, swithcing to 4 oz. oxford and trimming a bit off the top of the packframe. Also replaced the hipbelt and shoulder straps, and since have replaced the hipbelt again as the pack has seen alot of use by my sons and my sons' buddies for summer trips. As it stands the total weight is 3 lbs 10 oz with a packbag that is full length on a slightly shortened frame. With sleeping bag strapped to the top of the thing I could go probably 3 weeks without resupply if I didn't have to do bear cans and was in shape to haul that much. Lots of room is what I'm sayin'. And If I was to do it once more with feeling I'd go even lighter on the fabric and fewer pockets, zippers, etc. and I expect the total weight would get down under 3 lbs while still maintaining a volume that exceeds anything I'd be likely to want to carry. Most of those old externals had packbags made from pretty heavy fabric, and pockets and zippers galore. "Features" are heavy. Simplify and you can lighten up without losing any essential function.