Do I want to do another 9-hour hike in the wilderness? Not particularly. But am I thinking about sewing a big backpack with lots of features in case we ever do? Of course.
About this time last year, I was working on a pack with the absolute worst drafting/instructions. I complained about it but I never finished it–I got to about 90%, tried it on, and hated it. For our big hike, I was carrying my Osprey pack and I remembered how much I hate that one, too–you can’t see anything in the dark interior, the side pockets are too high to reach for, and it’s just uncomfortable.
So in theory I could use a different bigger pack. The company that made the lumbar pack pattern that I love (both the pattern and the pack, it’s our usual bag for our usual easy hikes) has a 30L daypack pattern called the Sitchback MP (for Mountain Pack):
The wide padded hipbelt and accessible side pockets intrigued me but you know what really sold me? THE MAP POCKET:
Plus, the Stitchback blog has a post about making a frame sheet (for stabilization) that’s also a bivy pad. As they put it,
“The admittedly small pad wouldn’t provide much comfort, but could provide some insulation from the ground and would be better than nothing in an emergency situation. The pad could also come in handy as a makeshift splint, should you need to immobilize an arm or leg in an emergency.”
SOLD. The pack also has a system to stash trekking poles, which I think we need to start carrying for extended downhills/in case of emergency (are you sensing a theme here?):
(this image from my Instagram friend’s write up of her pack on Reddit, other images from the pattern page)
Like my lumbar pack, I have all the technical fabric I need on hand, I just have to buy about $100 in notions–foam, spacer mesh, webbing, buckles, waterproof zippers, and seam-sealing tape (because why not make it waterproof too!). Should I do it? I probably should. My new mantra is “You can never be too prepared.”