$35 Canyoneering Backpack

[Iceaxe]

I "canyonized" a couple backpacks for my girls yesterday. I picked up the packs for $30 at Wally-World and a large grommet kit for $5 in the fabric department.

Total investment in the packs is $35 each. :cool2:

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I might need to add a few more grommets, but that would require anther trip to Wally-World so I thought we would try the packs out this week and see how it goes before adding more grommets.

[Pelon1]

Nice, now you just need a sewing machine to sew in the Imlay Canyon Gear logo on them:lol8::mrgreen:

[Slot Machine]

I might need to add a few more grommets

Wow, really? It looks like a heaping scoop of grommets with a light dusting of backpack to me. :haha:

[Dan-wild]

Wow, really? It looks like a heaping scoop of grommets with a light dusting of backpack to me. :haha:

Haha. Yeah, I had a backpack of that brand that I took through about 6 canyons in North Wash. I should post pictures, it is hilarious the amount of holes in the thing. It went through shenanigans recently and my dry bag literally fell out of the bottom. I will have to take a picture of it. :mrgreen::2thumbs:

[Iceaxe]

Haha. Yeah, I had a backpack of that brand that I took through about 6 canyons in North Wash. I should post pictures, it is hilarious the amount of holes in the thing.

North Wash is a major gear eater... it takes some precautions to get your gear to last in the skinnies. These packs are too large to last in NW but they will work great in Zion rap-n-swim kiddie canyons where we are heading next.

[accadacca]

Nice work! :2thumbs:

[ilipichicuma]

My fiance bought one of those packs and it has worked great for her so far. We haven't done anything skinny with it yet, but it's comfortable and I think the handle on the back there is really useful. She hasn't put grommets in it yet but means to soon.

[jeremy1701]

I also "canyonized" my bag. I modded my old Gregory Forester hiking bag with grommets to allow water to flow out for my Silver Grotto trip. The grommets worked really well and were very easy to install. It actually looks pretty cool when they're all draining at the same time.

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[Iceaxe]

It actually looks pretty cool when they're all draining at the same time.

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[Dan-wild]

North Wash is a major gear eater... it takes some precautions to get your gear to last in the skinnies. These packs are too large to last in NW but they will work great in Zion rap-n-swim kiddie canyons where we are heading next.

That is very true. Shenanigans took it's tole....:haha:

[DiscGo]

That is super cool Shane!

[Sandstone Addiction]

I was at Harbor Freight the other day and saw this kit. It happens to be on sale now for $4 but even at full price, which is only $8, it's still a great deal. I found the grommet kit at Wally World as Shane suggested and I probably spent $15 or $20 on grommets and the kit to canyonize 4 packs. The WM grommets only have I think 10 and the HF has enough to do 50.

I took my canyonized pack through the Upper Black Box and everyone got a kick out of the 5 streams of water pouring out the bottom as I came up on shore and wished they had done the same to theirs. :nod:

http://www.harborfreight.com/103-piece-1-2-half-inch-grommet-installation-kit-30037.html



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[ratagonia]

I was at Harbor Freight the other day and saw this kit. It happens to be on sale now for $4 but even at full price, which is only $8, it's still a great deal. I found the grommet kit at Wally World as Shane suggested and I probably spent $15 or $20 on grommets and the kit to canyonize 4 packs. The WM grommets only have I think 10 and the HF has enough to do 50.

I took my canyonized pack through the Upper Black Box and everyone got a kick out of the 5 streams of water pouring out the bottom as I came up on shore and wished they had done the same to theirs. :nod:

http://www.harborfreight.com/103-piece-1-2-half-inch-grommet-installation-kit-30037.html



The hole punch with these kits is usually pretty lame, so replacing with a separate punch in the right size, if you are doing a bunch, is often a good idea. Cutting on ldpe works well. hdpe tends to be too hard.

Helps to smear the fabric with shoegoo or aquaseal (and letting it cure, 2-3 days) on the fabric before cutting holes.

Tom

[Sandstone Addiction]

The hole punch with these kits is usually pretty lame, so replacing with a separate punch in the right size, if you are doing a bunch, is often a good idea. Cutting on ldpe works well. hdpe tends to be too hard.

Helps to smear the fabric with shoegoo or aquaseal (and letting it cure, 2-3 days) on the fabric before cutting holes.

Tom

Great advice. But what's "ldpe"?

Also, how are the grommets and the other forming tools?

[burley]

Helps to smear the fabric with shoegoo or aquaseal (and letting it cure, 2-3 days) on the fabric before cutting holes.
Tom

Great idea. Why I've never done this before is beyond me. Thanks for another great tip Tom!

[ratagonia]

Great advice. But what's "ldpe"?

Also, how are the grommets and the other forming tools?

Low Density Polyethylene - white plastic sheet, usually a dullish finish.

These Grommets and forming tools are pretty good. I use them myself. Not pro quality, but pretty good.

Also, to punch holes in the bottom of a pack (or ropebag) I use a log from the logpile to form a solid anvil to cut the holes against, and to pound the grommet.

Of course, you could just buy a canyoneering pack... available again very soon at a dealer near you.

Tom

[Sandstone Addiction]

Low Density Polyethylene - white plastic sheet, usually a dullish finish.

Of course, you could just buy a canyoneering pack... available again very soon at a dealer near you.

Tom

OK, I figured it was some kinda plastic, but not sure which, thanks for the clarification.

Yea, got my eye on a Kolob, but I'm holding out 'til you bring the red ones back Ha Ha J/K.

Seriously though, I have a few other necessities to buy first, but then I would like to upgrade to a real canyon pack (Kolob) in "whatever" color you have. But like Shane, I might have to get some others for the kids and punch the holes myself.

[Iceaxe]

But like Shane, I might have to get some others for the kids and punch the holes myself.

I actually tried to buy my kids some Imlay packs but Tom was out.... so that is why I made these.

The homemade packs work well and they were cheap.... but they are not in the same class or of the same quality as Tom's Imlay packs.


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[BlakeC]

Sweet post & idea. I tried to get my wife an imlay bag and had the same problem, I'm going to use this idea with scouts and other high adventure groups.

Thanks for sharing !!

[hank moon]

Sweet post & idea. I tried to get my wife an imlay bag and had the same problem

Imlay stuff is back in stock, FYI.