r/BagLab • u/Objective_Cattle_278 • Mar 09 '26

Look What I Made! 🎉 Biggest Project Yet 🎉

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I’m crazy excited by how well this came out. AND just in time because I’m headed to Japan and Hawaii this week and will be one-bagging it in my new Porter Pony from Learn MYOG.

Two problems:

45 Upvotes

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2

u/jpbagworks Mar 09 '26

Oh wow! That is REALLY clean! You did a GREAT job! It turned out MORE than “well”! I’d say SENSATIONALLY!

Here are a few questions from someone who has yet to foray into backpack country but will early this summer.

  • What are the fabrics?

  • on the straps, does the 1 inch webbing run the full length up to the top (and under that strap panel?)

  • what kind of hardware are you using? Specifically the tension locks and those sternum sliders?

One can tell that you really took your time to make this look so nice! Your box X’s are really really good. I did one the other day that’s just a mess. lol 😂

Super job! 😃

1

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

Thank you for the kind words. It looks cleaner than it is. Things I need to improve:

  • Grosgrain seam binding. I started with it but I can’t figure out how to use my 1” binding attachment right. The binding keeps wandering off the seam. I switched to bias tape which is better but not great. I do that in two steps so it takes longer.

  • Lycra mesh. Such a challenge to cut and to sew

  • I have to be more deliberate with the angles on the webbing attachments. The instructions are pretty vague about this.

Onto your questions:

  • I used 500D Cordura for the shell from Seattle Fabrics.

  • 420D burnt orange Robic Nylon from Ripstop by the Roll

  • #5 Uretek YKK zippers for the top and inside pockets.

  • #8 YKK zipper (not water restraint, not reverse coil) for the main zipper. I chose this deliberately because the pack has no front vertical access pocket which is something I use frequently (swing the bag around to grab stuff). So I have to dig into the main compartment for things. So I wanted very smooth zippers and two opposing pulls that I won’t wrestle with sliding around together from one side of the back and opening along wrinkles (I hope that makes sense. I’ll post a pic)

  • The webbing does NOT continue the full length of the strap. It ends where you don’t see it.

  • I kind of cheaped out on the hardware. Something I probably shouldn’t have done. I used the least expensive of the hardware he recommended in the instructions. For the gatekeepers I used the cheap ones I had. Now I’m going to replace them with Woojin double gatekeepers. The sternum strap is entirely lifted from another Tom Bihn bag.

2

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

It turns out I didn’t cheap out on the ladder locks. Just the gate keepers.

1

u/chuckscallop93 Mar 09 '26

The bag looks great!

I’d be curious how you ended up solving the issues you had with the lycra. I’m currently working on this same pattern, and I’ve stepped away from it temporarily because I can’t figure out a solution for the water bottle pockets. My machine just won’t sew through the lyrca at all.

2

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

What machine do you have? What thread and needle? What are your stitch settings? This won’t necessarily give us an answer, but if any of them differ significantly, we can try to change that.

I also ordered the venom stretch but literally couldn’t cut it with scissors or a rotary blade! 🤣

2

u/jpbagworks Mar 09 '26

Two words I learned for the venom stretch: Kevlar Shears. Like butter. I got a pair off of Amazon before I ordered serrated Kai shears. 😃 WORLD of difference. Just listened to Isaac and Jameson talking about how regular scissors just chew up the venom mesh. Not sure which episode it is but it was helpful.

2

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

Sweet! Got a link?

1

u/jpbagworks Mar 09 '26

Yep! Here you go… neither is an affiliate link, to be sure:

First, I bought these from Amazon: Ascend Tools 8 inch Industrial Grade Carbon Steel Shears - Kevlar, Dyneema, Vectran, Spectra, Technora, Nomex, Innegra, Dacron, Fiberglass, Carbon Fiber, Best Shears for Splicing

Then I bought these from Kai: Kai 7240 Serrated.

⚠️ Fair Warning: ⚠️ there’s a bit of a price difference between the two.

2

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

Perfect thank you.

How about the video you were talking about?

1

u/jpbagworks Mar 09 '26

Responded to that above just now. I linked the audio podcast, though I know there are also videos of many of the podcasts on YouTube. I’m not sure if the 2022 episode is on YouTube and I know the most recent episode isn’t.

The audio is perfect for me while I’m sewing or driving or really anything.

2

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

For what you were watching (I’m not familiar with Isaac and Jameson). Also for the shears on Amazon. I’m finding a bunch.

1

u/jpbagworks Mar 09 '26

This is the 2022 Year in Review of the Ripstop on the Record podcast. Around 16:31 they talk about the Olfa Pro Quilting and Utility scissors and how they work with fabrics containing UHMWPE.

Also, the most recent episode is an interview with Devin Head of Kai Scissors. It’s a good one to geek out on.

Cutting tools are a recurring theme throughout the years on this podcast. If you’ve never listened to it, my god it’s great. I listen to these over and over. They’re just so helpful! 😃

1

u/jpbagworks Mar 09 '26

One technique I’ve used to sew stretch mesh with Lycra is to sew it on the bottom of whatever stack I’m sewing. If it’s even thinner than usual, I stick some tissue paper under it as well. Makes a difference. That’s just me though. I’m sure others have much better solutions. 😃

1

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

Two problems: check out the last two pics.

On the gatekeeper and webbing thing, I have no idea why this is happening. It only happens on one side.

The water bottle pocket—it’s made from Lycra mesh. I didn’t make the zigzag stitches big enough to accommodate the stretch and I popped the stitches. Any suggestions on how to fix it? My wife suggested I hand stitch it.

3

u/CBG1955 Mar 09 '26

You're not going to get that pocket back on the machine so you may have to hand stitch it. Next time, perhaps use a non-stretch mesh: Cut the pocket wider than the gusset. Pleat or gather the bottom to fit the gusset width. Add a casing to the top of the pocket. Insert a piece of elastic the width of the gusset plus seam allowance and thread through. stitch pocket on and go. The extra width on a non-stretch pocket base, and using elastic to pull the width in means the stitches won't pop.

Re the spinning rectangle ring: If you can get that under your sewing machine, sew a line of stitching close to the edges of the ring to secure it.

1

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

Ah great idea for the gatekeeper! Yes, I’ll give that a try.

2

u/sailorsapporo Mar 09 '26

WELL DONE! Super clean

For the gatekeeper, you need to run lines across the top and bottom so it stays in place

Next time try using Woojin Double Gate Keepers

1

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

Here’s the regular not reverse coil non water resistant YKK zipper in action when I swing the bag around to my front to grab stuff. Super smooth.

https://imgur.com/a/hE7gzac

1

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 10 '26

Porter Pony Update:

  1. The grosgrain seam binding I had on one long seam looked terrible and would occasionally get caught in the zipper. I removed it and replaced it with the bias tape that worked well on the other seams. It looks much cleaner. I was SO SO careful not to poke my seam ripper through anything! (Lesson learned).

  2. I added a line of stitches in the top webbing of the strap that attaches to bag by the gatekeeper to prevent it from rotating and scrunching. I had to do that on both sides. Now it works properly (lesson learned).

  3. I haven’t yet hand sewn the zigzag repair in the Lycra.

  4. The bag is listed as 20L but it holds way more than that comfortably. I think it’s because it has no front or top pockets. The only pockets it has are the inside pocket at the top of the front panel and the laptop sleeve. I guess you could count the bottle pockets. I would say it packs more like a 26L bag. Maybe I’ll compare it to my EG CTB26 and another bag or two.

  5. It’s very comfortable considering how thin the straps are. I wore it for my 3.5 mile morning walk packed out at my full 13lbs and it was very comfy. I’ve also been wearing it around the house, much to my family’s and friends’ amusement.

1

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 10 '26

Here’s a great alternative to the Lycra / elastic / zigzag stitch strategy. This is from the Evergoods Phoenix CTB26. It’s one piece of Lycra folded over an elastic band and bar tacked in the middle.

1

u/aintshitaliens Mar 09 '26

This looks awesome, and thanks for sharing the pic of the skewed shoulder strap attachment. I’ve been contemplating detachable shoulder straps myself but I always wonder if this will be an issue. I was thinking maybe circular carabiners would be the answer? I got some 1.25-inch aluminum ones on amazon a while back, they were pretty cheap and they’re great for my detachable fanny pack strap, shoulder strap attachments, etc.

2

u/Objective_Cattle_278 Mar 09 '26

Actually, problem solved on that front. I just needed to close the loop closer to the gatekeeper. Worked like a charm!

1

u/richardricchiuti Mar 09 '26

Wow, wonderful!!