Handmade pack frames

[pierre girard]

jerv,

I would love to see some pictures of the otzi backpack that you have made - could you please post some?

Phil.

Jerv:

I'd also like to see your Otzi pack frame. I looked up quite a few sites concerning Otzi, but I never could get a good look at the pack frame.

PG

 

[jerv]

I'll post an image of the pack when it has been made. at the moment I am really damn busy so it may be a few weeks ( months?) I'll do a little tonight, asmy spear heads STILL haven't turned up aieeee!!!!
The otzi pack is way down on the list......but I will ask my friend if he can send a picture of me using a roycroft pack. I don't really take photos when I'm out and about.
This site is good and I work form the descriptions in konrad spindlers book " the man in the ice"
http://www.angelfire.com/me/ij/oetzie.html#replication

the replica made on this site has 2 seperate shoulder straps. I am unsure as to whether any straps were found. I would have one longer strap that hooks under the hazel rod and ties round the belly. Gets the weight off your shoulders.

I'd second pierre and say that these packs are really comfy and airy.

 

[pierre girard]

I'll post an image of the pack when it has been made. at the moment I am really damn busy so it may be a few weeks ( months?) I'll do a little tonight, asmy spear heads STILL haven't turned up aieeee!!!!
The otzi pack is way down on the list......but I will ask my friend if he can send a picture of me using a roycroft pack. I don't really take photos when I'm out and about.
This site is good and I work form the descriptions in konrad spindlers book " the man in the ice"
http://www.angelfire.com/me/ij/oetzie.html#replication

the replica made on this site has 2 seperate shoulder straps. I am unsure as to whether any straps were found. I would have one longer strap that hooks under the hazel rod and ties round the belly. Gets the weight off your shoulders.

I'd second pierre and say that these packs are really comfy and airy.

Very nice photo. Wish they had one taken from the other side as well. I do like more of an arch in the cross piece - so there is no chance of contact with your back. I made a couple of pack frames without the arch and they are much less comfortable.

As to shoulder straps - I have two seperate ones on my pack boards. There was really no good place to centrally locate one. Many traditional pack boards from our area only have a tump - no shoulder straps. If your load is extremely heavy - the tump is a better idea as you can easily shrug out of it.

 

[jerv]

I hadn't thought of a tump! what a good idea. Yes an arch would be more comfortable. Otzi didn't use one which I find odd. I wonder how much a typical load would have been for him?

 

[jerv]

here is the picture of the roycroft and water bottle. This mountain is technically in tokyo! One of the struts had broken which is why the pack looks abit unbalanced!
have worked out the stygian secrets of image shack!!! hooray

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[dommyracer]

Jerv, is that you in the picture? If it is, we've met!!

 

[jerv]

Yes that's me.. Niall. where did we meet?
bit annoyed about the size of these images!

 

[dommyracer]

we met on a course in July! (check your pm's) try using imageshack.us for hosting your pics - you can choose some options that will automatically resize your pics as you upload them.

 

[sam_acw]

To revive a favourite thread:
I was wondering if anyone out there has any experience using pack frames or any information on them.
I've got a few articles; a Mors Kochanski one from the BCUK magazine on the Roycroft pack, plus his video. Also Thomas Elpel's variant and a few things from around the web.
I'm interested in any other designs out there - especially those with some sort of webbing or babiche on them.
I'm thinking of having a go at making one, sadly doubt I'll ever get to pack and moose with it though!

 

[spamel]

I had a go at making a Roycroft pack, but didn't get round to doing a trip with it. This needs to be rememdied, so I may knock another one up and take it on a trip. I did a thread last year where people had to guess the contents of the pack, just for fun! It whiled a bit of time away. Here are some pictures.

Contents:

 

[320]

here are a couple of of links to trapper nelson style packframes:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1984-03-01/Make-A-Backpack.aspx

http://hikingtrailbuilders.com/techniques/packboard/packboard.htm

the mother earth pattern is more along you're looking for.

if you search for "packboard" you will pick up a few more hits,

good luck.

 

[sharp88]

You could almost...make your own pack frame from welded tubular steel...heavy though.

 

[spamel]

Or buy an LK35 for ten quid and take the bag off. Not quite a board, I grant you, but it does the job. A piece of ply on the back if you wanted to ensure nothing poked through would make it perfect.

 

[sam_acw]

Thanks for the links and photos guys, all information is useful (I think I'd already come across the bulk of it at some point).
Good tip Spamel, just I'd rather do some DIY