How to Make an Ultralight Dyneema Backpack, DIY/MYOG, Part I

In this series I go over the details of how to make an ultralight backpack from start to finish including straps, pockets and panels! Any questions, in the comments, and I'll answer!
This pack is made from 1.43oz DCF (white) and 160den uncoated Cordura (black). The full plans are available here (libreCAD): 1drv.ms/u/s!At...

[@johnskinner2432]

"Ah man I forgot the keys to the shed" I felt that. Great video, really looking forward to seeing the whole process and more hiking videos in the future

[@halfond3324]

LOVE the simple way you demonstrate the instructions you give us...Well done !!

[@crazywisdom2]

Love your channel. You've inspired me to make a front pocket for my UL pack. Just ordered the materials. And then I'm gonna make an entire frame less pack. Thanks. More vids Please ; ))))

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Sweet, send us photos 😃

[@warwicklong2726]

Remarkable that you dropped this video on the same day I finished watching the previous backpack construction! Fascinating to recognise the distillation of all your previous ideas, and experiences, into this, the latest, triumph! W

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Amazing words, thanks Warwick!

[@mikeb7117]

Thanks for the tutorial. Fingers crossed that we all get to go hiking asap!

[@eztltd]

Brilliant job. Thanks for all your efforts in making these videos. Your videos and Reddit posts have been a great help in my MYOG efforts. 👍

[@richiewynne58]

Nice to your see your new content, excellent project during the lock down period. Keep up the great work

[@jennydykstra9510]

Oh man. I’m so psyched for your walk this year.

[@ulperformance4087]

Dyneema is 100% waterproof. In Summer - warm and hot days, your back will be a puddle of sweat. I warned a runner not to wear his Dyneema rain jacket during a contest. He quit the contest while wearing his jacket. I make Dyneema floorless one person tents weighing 4.05 oz and 4.7 oz in weight. My two person Dyneema floorless two person tent not yet put together should weight about 6.24 oz, all glue construction. The glue I use is a combination of glues and acetone for my preferred viscosity, a far stronger solution than using the tape with it having four major problems during usage. If you're interested, let me know and I'll describe the problems to you.

[@bencadec9497]

So glad to see this. Just about to make my own pack and have been watching your previous vids. Great

[@TyBraek]

I'm excited to see how the fabric will hold up. Also excited to see how that bottom pocket will do. I've never seen a front opening bottom pocket. I would think its easier for things to fall out. The bottom pocket came out much better than the last one. I only use my walking foot for slippery fabrics (it's a bit slow and noisy).

[@Querenciatv]

Great Video! Thank you for sharing with us. Can't wait to see more 👍

[@jenswirf6623]

Nice! Can’t wait for the next part! I recommend using wonder tape when sewing the elastic bits, makes it dead easy 👍

[@twofoolswalking2109]

That's sounds like a good tip, the wait shouldn't be long!

[@TheFoundersofJoy]

Sick vid!! Motivation for my next venture. Big up!

[@boltdabird9909]

Awesome

[@pdxraves]

Smart dude

[@crazywisdom2]

Would like you all do do a vid on ultra light pillows ! Please .... and what you use. There has to be a better way. Thx

[@dsmith9572]

Could you do a video on making ultralite socks?

[@jilladams663]

Love your videos. Very much looking forward to trying my hand with the sewing machine. Any chance you will release a pdf or more universally accessible file for the backpack plan? Will this plan also include the straps? You ought to set up a donation feature. This is far and away the best backpack making tutorial that I've found and would be more than happy to make a donation for the plan. Thank you!

[@twofoolswalking2109]

That's a good idea, I'll put out a pdf with the next video. LibreCAD is open source software available on all platforms and easy to use just to view the plans. The straps are drawn in the CAD plans and in the next video I go over dimensions ☺️

[@jilladams663]

@@twofoolswalking2109 Oh cool, I thought it was a specialized software that was pay for. Thanks!

[@8paradoxful]

Thank you so much, I am sew sew this pack! Thank you again!

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Woo

[@richardgray6603]

Nice one, looking good :)

[@RonnelB.]

I love your content.

[@RonnelB.]

I still think you guys talk super fancy...and I love it!

[@makermind2050]

Damn that's so cool. I'd love to learn the basics of sewing to bring my personal take on a backpack to life too :D. Well if you for some weird Reason want to learn basics in 3D printing, lasercutting, woodworking or rapid prototyping I welcome you at my workshop maybe in return you can give me a sewing lesson ? ☺️ Anyways well done !

[@WhiteBuffalo032]

My new hobby I think

[@twofoolswalking2109]

**addiction*

[@amof06]

Nice video! It is really interesting because the video editing highlights the important things to consider. So not too long not too short. I watched your previous backpack making video and it is interesting to see the evolution in your technique but also in the backpack design! I got a question for you about your sewing machine: are you happy with it? I'm considering buying a zigzag machine but I do not know yet if this type could be a good investment considering the plastic parts and belt.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Cheers 🤟 I love my machine (even if she jams sometimes) and really appreciate the zigzag for packs (not needed for tents though). My machine is full metal so can't speak on the pro/cons of plastic. I don't think a zigzag is *required* so if your machine is handling MYOG ok then I'd probably stick with it.

[@amof06]

@@twofoolswalking2109 The only problem is that I want to sew stretch material. With straight stitch it doesn't work properly! Continue the good work ! #myog

[@AlexHeinzmann]

Great to see you back. Hope you and yours are keeping well. Looking forward to getting back on trail, after calling off my E1 nobo. What's your (proposed) route this year?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Ahh, having to call of a hike is a tough decision. We are hoping to get off for a couple of weeks into the Alps again but plans are still in flux at the moment with COVID

[@AlexHeinzmann]

@@twofoolswalking2109 Seemed unlikely I'd get a hero's welcome from Italian villagers beset by the pandemic...And fluid it is, the future for sure. Oh, I miss the Alps. But I still smile when I imagine the fierce wolves of Mercantour retreating in fear at the half-asleep marking of their territory by one of you boys in the middle of their daring camp raid...I heard them but never saw one; guess it was the camp fire they were avoiding

[@evakantt]

Can I sew it with Singer brilliance do you think?

[@adam_hikes]

have to wait a full week for next ep? booo!!! :)

[@jennifercrabtree7212]

Thank you so much for these vids! Do you sell as well?

[@paulinoo2]

Where do you find cuben fiber ? Thanks

[@HamishMackenzie7]

Nice. I have to steal my mum's sewing machine.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

That's were I acquired mine from to!

[@sdebarra]

Not convinced yet DCF is right for me but I am really looking forward to see how you guys get on with it in the field. What trail are you taking on this summer(assuming we beat the Covid)?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Yup its definitely gonna need some care in the field to keep it together, trail is still in flux but Alps is the goal

[@maximevanleeuwen]

I love these build videos! Just wondering, why not a a stretchy fabric for the front pocket?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

That's a good question, it's because sometimes I really overload the back pocket with water/food/tent and the stretch fabric would sag with the weight. Additionally over time the stretch fabrics go a bit slack/baggy which I don't like.

[@maximevanleeuwen]

@@twofoolswalking2109 I see, thanks for the answer! That makes sense.

[@olympicmuseum4354]

What did this pack (fabric) cost in the end? Thanks for those tutorials. I don't know if I'm ever going to make one but it is nice to know where to find a good template in case it crossed my mind ;)

[@twofoolswalking2109]

This one was very expensive, £100, Dyneema really pushed it up! My polyester one only cost £40 and the X-Pac one was £70.

[@olympicmuseum4354]

@@twofoolswalking2109 Thanks

[@RoadToFreedom29]

@@twofoolswalking2109 £100 not bad at all. Should t mind a pack like this to try!

[@rokel659]

👏👏👏

[@b_outside3608]

A bit of an awkward question but how tall are you? And what size waist? I'd like to make a slightly bigger pack and think I'm bigger than you.....and I'll probably build it with a removable hip belt for those bigger carry events

[@twofoolswalking2109]

5 foot 10 inches, hope the build go well

[@TheRodNemisis]

Looks pretty good! Do you know how much weight it could potentially carry?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

17lbs comfort, I've done up to 23lbs but it's pushing it

[@allwaysinquire6212]

Not really sold on DCF I made a few stuff sac and dont rate the stuff they weren't very durable get holes in them easy and really expensive for little gain. Maybe the newer heavier DCF is better but still stupid money for a meter of the stuff and can't see it being stronger than cordura

[@NoahRaus]

Can you update the link to the CAD? It isn't working for me...

[@b_outside3608]

Thanks for the videos? How long did it take you to make after you had the design?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

A couple of days

[@Big-Government-Is-The-Problem]

what was the total cost of making the dyneema bag? around like $100? i was considering buying a bag in the $300 range but the idea of making my own if its much cheaper seems like a cool option. i dont even have a sewing machine though, so with that added cost idk if its worth it. learning a new skill and being able to make as many bags as i want is pretty invaluable though.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

I believe it was about £100 - £130 but might be a bit off :)

[@mossyjamin]

Do you get at the blue bottom pocket by reaching between your legs? If so this would make for some hilarious shots as you retrieve a bag of nuts.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Haha this made me chuckle! You reach the bottom pocket by just reaching around you it's actually really easy to get to. Love your idea though, will do it for the comedy value in a hike video 😁

[@MrEditorsMusic]

Great stuff, will probably do this as my first MYOG project. How much fabric is enough for making this pack? I'm thinking about making it out of 500D Cordura but I'm uncertain how much fabric I need to order.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Awesome! Welcome to the world of MYOG, 3 yards should be more than enough. I had to order 2 types of fabric so I couldn't be as efficient with my cutting so you will probably need less. If you drag the plans around in LibreCAD you should be able to get a very good estimate of how much you need :) feel free to ask an and all questions you may have ☺️

[@MrEditorsMusic]

@@twofoolswalking2109 Great, will do! Thanks

[@LifePrepared]

Anything special needed to open the plans? I really need a pack and cannot aford one but I can make one. I will just use ripstop but it is better than nothing.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Ripstop will totally work, the free (open source) software libreCAD will open the plans

[@thesuit4820]

How do you have the patience to wait for the weekend!

[@paolotoscano2266]

Great work man! I just completed a myog backpack copy of the Atom +, but I had a lot of difficulty finding a suitable fabric for the shoulder pockets ...which is the precise name of the fabrics you used for the bottom pocket and for the shoulder pockets? Thanks

[@twofoolswalking2109]

I can do better than names! Bottom: www.extremtextil.de/en/cordura-stretch-thin-robust-163g-sqm.html Shoulder: www.fabricland.co.uk/product/black-lycra-spandex-240g/

[@paolotoscano2266]

@@twofoolswalking2109 woooow! Fantastic! Thanks !!

[@kurtismanke123]

Do you think this design would work well for other fabrics? I like the design, but was considering making it out of ripstop.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Absolutely, my previous pack was very similar and made of ripstop, the fabric makes very little difference to the design tbh just need more reinforcements with superlight fabrics like cuben. Also can't seem tape ripstop (but you can tape LS07 and X21RC)

[@kurtismanke123]

@@twofoolswalking2109 Thanks a lot! Love the tutorial videos!

[@michaeldennis1021]

Hi Mr fool what type of thread do you use to make your packs cheers.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Gutterman tera 60

[@bencadec9497]

How much fabric did you order for this? And what roll width did it come as? Thanks

[@twofoolswalking2109]

I ordered 1.5m of DCF and 1m of Cordura, I've got a fair bit left over for other projects though! The widths were 54inches

[@dianesoini8523]

What kind of pen do you use to draw the pattern on the DCF?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

It's called a paint pen you can get them off Amazon for a few quid

[@littlebighead15]

Do you have any measurements or files regarding the straps? Thanks. Much love from the states.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

The CAD fle in the description has a drawing of them (but I ended up making them 5cm shorter than the CAD file) and in the next video I go over their dimensions whilst I'm cutting them out :)

[@littlebighead15]

@@twofoolswalking2109 Awesome. Thanks a ton for the reply. I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

[@SamKissing]

How well do you think this DCF pack will hold up? I rock climb and do lots of hiking in the desert, and I want a light weight but abrasion resistant material. Do you have any thoughts about a fabric that's almost as light weight but might be better suited for my needs? I think DCF is cool just curious!! Thanks :)

[@twofoolswalking2109]

It's surprisingly durable but definitely not against abrasion. I'd recommend 300d packcloth for desert bit it's still not hard wearing enough for rock, you'd need something like the Venom fabric from RSTBR or vx21 on a budget

[@SamKissing]

@@twofoolswalking2109 what are your thoughts on either 100D robic nylon, or a dyneema gridstop (like the black fabric with white grids)?

[@SamKissing]

@@twofoolswalking2109 And if I wanted to make the pack you designed here in a 20L version, how hard do you think it would be to modify your plans? I would keep the width the same but "trim" a vertical portion out of the center of the design to ultimately make it less deep? Thoughts/concerns?

[@SamKissing]

@@twofoolswalking2109 Do you think your design would still work if I slightly slim up the design in cad to be ~20L? I use cad everyday so that part won't be hard :)

[@twofoolswalking2109]

I think the 100d is good stuff, dyneema gridstop is super tough, possibly overkill

[@maximevanleeuwen]

I might have missed it, but did you mention the volume of the pack?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Around 33L

[@maximevanleeuwen]

@@twofoolswalking2109 Perfect...

[@jilladams663]

Any sense of how this design of strap would work for women? It looks like it comes across the breast more than a traditional strap, no? Any female feedback after wearing your pack?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

Only one woman has worn the pack it did not fit well. Her shoulders were very narrow and with the extra wide straps + sized for a man it ended up with bits of the straps sitting off the edge of her shoulders. I imagine the fit (even if scaled down for narrower) shoulders would still be less ideal for a woman's anatomy as the straps come more across the chest.

[@frogdog01234]

Are these plans printable or just for reference ? Never used libreCAD before.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

They are drawn to scale so they may be printable but I have no idea how! I'm hoping to get better (annotated) plans up this weekend

[@frogdog01234]

@@twofoolswalking2109 thanks for the info. If I figure it out I'll let you know. Keep up the great work. Been following your builds. Can't wait for your next video.

[@frogdog01234]

@@twofoolswalking2109 I figured out how to print to scale on multiple sheets of paper. The only scaling issue is that I'm 2mm short on all measurements and can't figure out why. I'l l keep poking around.

[@frogdog01234]

I figured it out after about 10 seconds. Whats your email and i can send you a revised print.

[@twofoolswalking2109]

That's amazing 😍, it's [e-mail], I'm hoping to get annotated plans up this weekend, pdfs will be a great help to people who can't get/use LibreCAD!!

[@wuuuuuhuuu]

Have you testede IT? How is it holding Up?

[@twofoolswalking2109]

First proper trip is happening in September, I'll make in update on how she holds up and my thought on dcf then!

[@HumanFellaPerson]

That dyneeemmaa fabric is trey ugly though.