Modifying gear

[timmus]

I always thought how nice it would be to have custom hiking gear. There's often details that doesn't fit our specific needs, especially when money is an issue.

The last Camelbak I bought didn't come with a cap for the valve, so instead of buying one I just adapted the one from my old hydration pack. That might be a simple idea for the resourceful hiker, but I'm not very imaginative when it comes to gear, so for me that was good.

I'm sure many of you have some ideas they could share, so tell me : What are your best modified gear experiences ??

 

[tonycc]

I have modified all my packs to have a whistlelock buckle on the sternum strap.

Can be bought from these guys:
http://www.questoutfitters.com/plastic.htm

I also don't hesitate to sew on extra pockets to any of my gear.

Tony

 

[Tom Rankin]

I also don't hesitate to sew on extra pockets to any of my gear.

That's one of my pet peeves! Everything should have pockets on it!

EVERYTHING!!

 

[sleeping bear]

I make/modify tons of stuff... it's so much fun!

A couple of my most successful include
-a raincover for my backpack- made from the nylon ground cloth for my tent, folded in half with a tube sewn around it for a draw cord. Functional as both ground cloth and pack cover.

-A converted old Eddie Bauer sleeping bag- It was a large rectangular down bag (mid 60s maybe) which i cut in half and then sewed a polyester side to it with a 3/4 length zipper. It's great for every season, spring fall- down side up, summer polyester side up, winter- used inside another bag.
-------WARNING------ cutting open a down bag is MESSY

Many years ago I made a pair of snowshoes out of PVC and webbing... don't ask

 

[Mark]

-------WARNING------ cutting open a down bag is MESSY

Soak the bag/garment in water before cutting it open. I did this to replace a cover on a down comforter. Do it outside on a day that isn't windy. You will inevitably still get some down blowing around, but it's more manageable.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

A bunch of things. I think I told you about my non-camelback water bladder. In order to keep it from freezing, I sewed a 'pocket' that I wear around my neck so that I can hold it insode my coat. I gave up storing it down my pants, and running the hose out the fly. The weird looks I got were ever too weird for ME to handle.

Sewing a little pocket on the front of the straps of my pack. A little pocket just the size to hole my glasses when they get fogged up.

Sewing extra straps (MEC has a nice assortment of good inexpensive straps in various sizes) on packs to make it easier to carry an axe, or something.

 

[sli74]

I gave up storing it down my pants, and running the hose out the fly. The weird looks I got were ever too weird for ME to handle.

That is hilarious !!! I am ROTFL . . .

sli74

 

[Dugan]

I gave up storing it down my pants, and running the hose out the fly. The weird looks I got were ever too weird for ME to handle.

That is hilarious !!! I am ROTFL . . .
sli74

Only Pete - thank goodness I didn't have a mouthful of soup!

 

[Rick]

Soak the bag/garment in water before cutting it open. I did this to replace a cover on a down comforter. Do it outside on a day that isn't windy. You will inevitably still get some down blowing around, but it's more manageable.

I find it easiest to set up a larger freestanding tent anytime I am making repairs to one of my down bags. Crawl in there (OK, have my WIFE crawl in there) with her sewing kit or sewing machine and make the repairs. You can then easily track down all those last bits of fluff and stuff them in right before the final stitch.

 

[Rick]

I gave up storing it down my pants, and running the hose out the fly. The weird looks I got were ever too weird for ME to handle.

For Cripes sakes!!!! I just read this and spewed diet pepsi all over my computer screen and keyboard.

 

[Chip]

For Cripes sakes!!!! I just read this and spewed diet pepsi all over my computer screen and keyboard.

Apparently he keeps batteries and snacks down there, also !

This is a good thread. I used to sew Frostline kits when I was young and modified some of those. A small pocket or pouch in side a larger stuff sack is handy for storing associated gear; like matches and the repair kit inside the sack for your stove/cook-wear or an inflatible pillow, flashlight & batteries in with your sleeping bag. I like the whistle-buckle idea also.

 

[dvbl]

This is more of a substitution rather than a modification, but...
As a substitute for a $79 ice axe, has anyone ever used a claw hammer for self-arrest?

 

[cbcbd]

The equipment I probably modified the most was my Golite Gust pack. The shoulder strap padding was too thick and sewn pretty close together so it would kind of scissor my neck. I opened up the straps and cut away a lot of the padding around the neck area so it would fit around my huge neck.

I like the whistlelock, thanks for the link. I first saw it on a friend's backpack (Wild Things Andinista) and thought he modified it, but later found out that it was stock

 

[MEB]

screw boots

I've recently been hiking with a few who have modified their boots with screws on the the bottom and I'm considering doing this to my pair. As much as I like my stabilicers they tend to fall off my platics and I'm not a big fan of cramponing. The screws seem to be effective and you don't have to stop and put them on or adjust them. Anyone else here have experience with this modification??

-MEB

 

[el-bagr]

This is more of a substitution rather than a modification, but...
As a substitute for a $79 ice axe, has anyone ever used a claw hammer for self-arrest?

Yes. My first "technical" winter mountaineering outfit included 30' of 1/2" twisted polypro rope (boat mooring line) and a claw hammer. I had a pair of old boots whose soles had worn smooth (by "glissading" ledges like Cardigan in summer) that I made into screwboots. The rope was actually useful for lowering short pitches, though I soon switched to 3/8". I'd also scramble up longer pitches, then use it to "belay" my buddy Tubbs up after me. (Tubbs is still alive and well.)

The claw hammer was more helpful going up ice than going down, though with a leash I was able to hook it around features and lower myself fairly well. I played around with the two-hammer solution for a while, but it didn't offer too much beyond what one hammer did. I had a few self-arrest situations that actually worked out well with the claw end of the hammer -- once I figured out that hammering at the ice slipping by underneath me was less effective than steady pressure with body weight.

Full living is full of learning, eh?

 

[DougPaul]

This is more of a substitution rather than a modification, but...
As a substitute for a $79 ice axe, has anyone ever used a claw hammer for self-arrest?

Does this requre survival?

Ice hammers are a poor substitute, claw hammers even worse.

A hammer head is also not designed to take upward (parallel to the shaft) force.

The hiker's most common use of an ice axe is as a balance aid with the shaft forced down into the snow (cane position). A hammer is almost useless for this. (Only useful on very steep snow where the handle could be shoved in to the head.)

Doug

 

[erugs]

It seems nothing is ever perfect. I've removed all velcro from my jackets, installed partial side zips to a pair of fleece pants, sewed the bottom of an inside jacket pocket so it wouldn't keep flopping around when I bent over with my jacket open (didn't want to lose my keys or snack storred there). I have a hat that I keep putting on backwards, which looks dorky (and then the face mask part of it doesn't pull down right) and as soon as I get to it I am going to sew a notion of some kind so I know at a glance how to put it on correctly. Changed the lid latch on my REI day pack to one that works! Made a "strap" that holds an inexpensive watch close to my pack's sternum strap so I can check the time quickly. My favorite: Lost the bite valve to my water bladder once and replaced it with a T-shaped twig, until I found (hours later) that the valve had fallen into my boot and wasn't just an annoying piece of forest floor.

 

[dvbl]

...The hiker's most common use of an ice axe is as a balance aid with the shaft forced down into the snow (cane position). A hammer is almost useless for this...

Doug

Yes, I know that. That's why I specifically said, "...for self-arrest."

 

[Pete_Hickey]

...ice axe.....claw hammer....

Not that I don't trust any of you here....but I don't. I would not put my life on the line with a claw hammer for self arrest, based on a recomendation I got here.

If I were really interested, I would go to a local ski hill, or something similar, and do a bunch of jump/slides and test it. That would give me a much better answer.

 

[Motabobo]

This is more of a substitution rather than a modification, but...
As a substitute for a $79 ice axe, has anyone ever used a claw hammer for self-arrest?

Nope, but I used my teeth a couple of times...Can't say it works flawlessly but...