Homemade backpacking gear

[Woody]

I would like to know who out there has made  their own backpacking gear and what you have made. I have made a couple of things including: coke can alcohol stove w/potstand; a very simple ultralight backpack, 6oz(no sewing required); a poncho tarp; and I have made two 1.5lb 40deg quilts. Next on my list is a hammock which might be the easiest yet, just haven't gotten to it. I am not a big fan of the process of making my own stuff, but I sure do get a lot of appreciation out of the things I have made.  So what have you made?

[Nalgene Ninja]

Just tonight I made a windscreen/potstand, and a Nimblewill Nomad wood burning stove. I can barely cut paper to wrap Christmas presents, so neither one is exactly pretty.

[Nalgene Ninja]

Homemade backpacking gear

Homemade backpacking gear

[sam4msu]

I just bought a used sewing machine.  I made a zippered pouch to hang from my Camelbak.  Hard to describe but imagine a 16"x7" zippered pouch to hang via 'biners from my Camelbak.  I also split the outside seam of the legs of my convertible pants and added a zipper to each leg so I could take them off over my boots.  I have made a ton of Hiney pots and beer can stoves(I use all store bought stoves and pots not) I have given most of them away.  I am about to make a new tarp and am thinking about the design for a daypack.

[Woody]

Nice looking stove Flemdawg. Is that a "penny" stove? I never mastered that one. The last one I made I used Heat as fuel and when I lit it, it pressurized and blew the two halves apart sending a nice fireball into the air. I now use just the bottom cut off of a coke can measured to hold 1oz, pour the alcohol in and light. It is not real efficient but it requires no preheating and can't blow up. I am going to try and post some pics of the things I have made but it may be a while since I only have dial up and it takes forever to upload anything.

[Nalgene Ninja]

That penny is one Matthew made for me.

[Lostsheep]

I have made a few of the Pepsi can stoves, windscreens, and pot stands, which are pretty typical of most. I've also made a pot cozy out of an insulated mailing envelope lined w/ reflectix, and a groundcloth from tyvek.

I've added small modifications to my pack by sewing a fannypack pocket to my hipbelt for quick storage items too.

[Nalgene Ninja]

I used my penny alcohol stove and windscreen on the recent CA trip. The small bottle of HEET only lasted for 4 meals (for 2 people, incl a big box of mac-n-cheese and big morning coffees). Will try denatured alcohol next time (or the time after that, still have 1 bottle of HEET left) for better BTU performance.

[Woody]

I would be interested to know the results. I will keep an eye out for an update. Funny this thread came up again. I just bought 7 yards of 1.1 oz ripstop and plan on treating it with sylicon and making a tarp out of it for winter use. I carry rain gear in the winter so the poncho tarp is redundant and the lighter material will make a larger tarp for the same weight as the poncho.

[Mountain Dog]

If you count my wife into the "me", I've made stove wind screens, hip belt pockets, shoulder strap pouches, backpack lid covers, alchohol stoves, snake skins for my HH, modified a sun visor so that I could use it with a head band that attaches with velcro, spoons that would reach the bottom of a 2 person Mountain House food pouch without causing a mess on my hands, and a velcro strap on my shoulder harnes to hold a watter bottle(gator aid bottle).