Kelty Hold Open Bar

[Woody]

Does anyone know where I could find a hold open bar for an external frame Kelty backpack. I called kelty and they want $20 for one. I only paid $60 for the whole thing new so I didn't really want to pay a third of the cost for a new bar. Any ideas?

[Nalgene Ninja]

Can't ya just go to home depot and get a peice of round stock (threaded stock should work too)? Take it home cut it to length and bend it. Then take the bag off the ext. frame and install it.

All kelty is doing is selling a bent peice of wire.

[Woody]

I guess that should work. I will have to drill holes in the ends and flatten them so I can attach them with the pins in the external frame though. I can do this with a hollow bar but bending it wouldn't work too well unless I torch it and a solid bar wouldn't flatten or drill too easily to attach to the frame. Is there another way? I don't have a torch so after buying a torch and bar I might as well buy the thing from them, no?

[Nalgene Ninja]

Maybe call Outdoor Outlet (1 - 800 - 726 - 8106). They resell returned and refurbished gear (Kelty especially), so they might have your bar lieing around.

[Woody]

Well you are the man! They have one $16 shipped.

[Nalgene Ninja]

Glad I could help.

[Woody]

Well I ended up scoring a used Kelty pack from like the 60s or 70s for $8 at a yard sale. The foam in the shoulder and waist straps is hard as rock but it had the hold open bar in it so I figured I would try my luck. It turns out the bar fits my pack perfectly and I have another project. I am planning on replacing the foam in the straps on the old pack and I will have another loaner or maybe a gift for someone.