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Ultralight IKEA-Bag Backpack
- callesgg 10y agoI feel that the article ignores erginomics.
- petecooper 10y agoSite slow here. http://web.archive.org/web/20161122133120/http://sandiegomitch.com/backpacking.html http://web.archive.org/web/20161122133120/http://sandiegomit... http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?sclient=psy-ab&site=&source=hp&q=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fsandiegomitch.com%2Fbackpacking.html&oq=cache%3Ahttp%3A%2F%2Fsandiegomitch.com%2Fbackpacking.html&gs_l=hp.3..0i131k1j0l3.955.14647.0.15060.15.11.4.0.0.0.187.836.7j2.9.0....2...1c.1j2.64.psy-ab..2.13.822...0i10k1.Q75Ov3PJF_M&pbx=1 http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?sclient=psy-ab&...
- filleokus 10y agoSite slow for me, here is an imgur mirror http://imgur.com/a/J2957 http://imgur.com/a/J2957
- daveallthebits 10y agoGoing on 7.5 minutes and still not downloaded. In 2016? He would be wise to compress his images. Can't wait until it's done so I can look at the Network trace in DevTools and see what is going on ;)
- frankblizzard 10y agotop notch perf shaming right there
- daveallthebits 10y agoMaybe said with a bit of snark, but I mean well! What I should have said was, "If the images were compressed, he'd save 14 meg and the page would load quickly." I work in performance so much I lose sight when I'm being an ass, sorry. :)
- ibotty 10y agoThank you for being great and apologizing!
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- SanDiegoMitch 10y agoI was happy when my site had 7 users on yesterday. Wasn't prepared for the 1000 when I woke up. Adjustments have been made, and it should be running smooth now.
- mxuribe 10y agoThis is pretty awesome looking!
- maxerickson 10y agoIt's probably more interesting that it is self made than it is interesting that it is made out of IKEA bags. I find making it from the bags an odd choice, fabric with particular chosen qualities would probably be $10-$20 a yard.
- lorenzk 10y agoHe paid $6 for the bags, so it may have been cheaper this way and/or more convenient.
- maxerickson 10y agoOh, it was obviously cheaper. But he spent 25 hours stitching. If I were doing that, I'd spend $25 getting the properties I wanted.
- roymurdock 10y agoI think it looks pretty cool. And now he has the knowledge of how to make the backpacks without mistakes, so he can move onto more expensive material with confidence.
- collyw 10y agoIf your hourly rate is $10 dollars an hour, then that works out as a fairly expensive bag!
- dpark 10y agoIf you do it in your free time, it's an extremely cheap bag. People tend to overestimate the value of the time they spend not earning. If you're spending that free time with family or friends or doing something else you value significantly, then sure, there's value to that time. If you're browsing photos on Reddit or watching TV, it's probably not that valuable if you honestly evaluate it.
- wccrawford 10y ago
- beilabs 10y agoDon't leave those ikea bags out in the sun, they fall apart rather...quickly....
- riskable 10y agoI came here to say this... Those FRAKTA bags (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/17228340/ http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/17228340/) are 100% polypropylene (thin strands, even). Polypropylene breaks down under ultraviolet light. The fact that the weave of the cloth is made from fine strands of polypropylene means that it will break down very quickly in the sun. There's a "fix" though that should be good enough for a camping trip or two! Coat the bag with a powerful sunscreen. I'm not talking about those "SPF 50" spray bottles--those will wear off pretty fast. No, use Butt Paste: http://www.buttpaste.com/ http://www.buttpaste.com/ Yes, it's diaper rash cream but it's 16% zinc oxide which is the primary ingredient in many sunscreen lotions/sprays. Even better, because it's a thick cream it will actually stick to that slippery blue Ikea polypropylene fabric and do a decent job at protecting it from the sun.
- CmdrSprinkles 10y agoInteresting as a DIY project, but I would strongly advise not using this for anything where functionality matters (camping, hiking, travel, etc). For just going to work/school it is a great fashion statement, but there are serious concerns 1. no chest strap to help distribute the load. I see a waist strap which is nice, but chest is generally the bare minimum 2. Those seals (stiches) aren't waterproof 3. It is only as durable as the stitching 4. The reason you pay for a "real" bag is for durability. That doesn't look like it would survive narrow trails that well. I am also sceptical as to how it would hold up on flights where you are forced to gate check all your luggage. And before someone cites the ikea rope bag: Rope bags are generally what you use when you are climbing an hour or two away from the car/camp, at most, over fairly simple terrain. Farther or more strenuous than that and you are going to want a better more hands-free way of carrying that in addition to your gear. Like I said, this backpack is cool and a nice fashion statement. But don't rely on it. And if cost is the issue: Keep an eye out for sites like ebags. Can usually find great discounts and coupons throughout the year to get a solid Osprey (or whatever brand you prefer. I like Osprey) for on the order of 100 bucks. And while that is expensive (it actually isn't), understand that it should be lasting you at least 2-3 years, if not more.
- lorenzhs 10y agoObviously this isn't in the same league as a good functional backpack, but that's not the point, is it? Regarding your first point, I find a waist strap much more important, but then again, with a few more hours of work, a chest strap could easily be added.
- CmdrSprinkles 10y agoI would argue that adding the picture of "Look, it can hold 25 pounds of rocks" implies it might be. And I know that the more tech oriented communities often don't appreciate ergonomics and have a tendency to just say "Oh cool, I can stick it to the man and save money!". And this is one of those cases where there are some huge caveats.
- dublinben 10y agoYour criticisms are pretty off the mark for ultralight backpacks. Nobody is expecting lifetime durability from a backpack weighing only 17 oz. Frameless bags (capacity <20 lbs) regularly omit the waist strap to save weight. Some people want to buy a 5 lb backpack made of 1000D nylon that will outlast them. Other people want a 5 oz backpack made of an exotic material like Cuben or silnylon that will let them achieve a baseweight of under 15 lbs.
- carlob 10y agoSeems like something that would make you suuuupersweaty on the back
- circa 10y ago"Roughly 25 hours of work" wow! still, the bag looks pretty great. nice job!
- enysry 10y agojakarta 25 november 2016
- enysry 10y agoJakarta 25 november 2016
- kalleboo 10y agoThere seems to be quite an IKEA hacking community. For anyone who has managed to miss it until now, the classic LACK Rack: https://wiki.eth0.nl/index.php/LackRack https://wiki.eth0.nl/index.php/LackRack
- xellisx 10y agoThe Rast Rack is better: http://www.instructables.com/id/8U-Rack-Case-From-IKEA-RAST-Table/ http://www.instructables.com/id/8U-Rack-Case-From-IKEA-RAST-...
- JustSomeNobody 10y agothese are common on /r/homelab.
- condescendence 10y agoOne of the coolest communities on reddit
- digi_owl 10y agoWhat a coincidence that the space between the table legs exactly match that of a server rack.
- kalleboo 10y agoI wonder if IKEA designs the stuff to 50 cm and it just happens to be in tolerance to 19 inches (48.3cm)
- unicornporn 10y ago> There seems to be quite an IKEA hacking community. Indeed! https://www.reddit.com/r/ikeahacks/comments/5e1k2s/my_17oz_diy_ultralight_ikea_camping_backpack_made/ https://www.reddit.com/r/ikeahacks/comments/5e1k2s/my_17oz_d...
- dracht 10y agoAnother collection of IKEA hacks: http://www.ikeahackers.net/ http://www.ikeahackers.net/
- Luc 10y agoSome 20 years ago a homeless friend showed me how to make a backpack out of the fabric of a discarded umbrella. I wasn't going to rummage through bins for broken brollies, so I bought a new one to break up, which he found immensely amusing. I wouldn't recommend it, it worked but only if your standards are low enough.
- thro32 10y agoREI has good ultralight backpacks for like $50 on sale.
- tjpaudio 10y agowhen places like REI use the term ultralight, it means an entirely different thing than how an experienced backpacker thinks of the word. To an experienced backpacker, rei (or any chain) does not carry ultralight gear. There is an entire market of specialty gear makers making true ultralight gear and none of it is in retail brick and mortar.
- nether 10y agoIs there a non-arbitrary definition of ultralight? It seems yesterday's "ultralight" is tomorrow's "lightweight" gear.
- tjpaudio 10y agoNope, nothing non-arbitrary. By my standards, you know something is ultralight if you had to specifically seek it out. Usually the big brands that appear in outdoor stores don't make UL gear because the materials being used are too fragile and it would cause a warranty nightmare scenario. A real ultralight pack requires care, taking note of the roughness of the surface you set it down on, etc.
- relaytheurgency 10y agoI use this as an ultralight pack: https://www.rei.com/product/892074/rei-flash-18-pack https://www.rei.com/product/892074/rei-flash-18-pack
- tjpaudio 10y agoToo small for backpacking, unless you are one of those bivy sack people with a matching $500 ul sleeping bag.
- alvil 10y agoYellow IKEA Backpack would be more valuable and unusual :) OK. Very interesting.
- Freak_NL 10y agoThat would imply stealing those yellow 'only-for-in-store-use' bags.
- hatsunearu 10y agoI don't know what to feel about this. It looks janky as heck.
- olegkikin 10y agoOther than the satisfaction from the DIY process, this is a massive waste of time (and thus, money). Instead you can get something waterproof and ultra light.
- pja 10y agoThat’s a rucksack cover, not a rucksack.
- JorgeGT 10y agoIt appears to be the correct order of magnitude for a cheap backpack: https://www.amazon.com/Mozone-Lightweight-Resistant-Backpack-foldable/dp/B00XCNO83M/ref=pd_sbs_468_6?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=K6A8KVMQ4S6NT6FBE2NA https://www.amazon.com/Mozone-Lightweight-Resistant-Backpack...
- JorgeGT 10y agoAnd in any case, you seem to require pre-made straps.
- eitally 10y agoIf any backpackers are intrigued by the idea but not keen on spending hours and hours hand stitching something, Ikea bags work great as waterproof pack covers if you don't have an actual pack cover. We used them on a two week trek around Patagonia with great results.
- carlesfe 10y agoWhat an amount of negativity! This was clearly done as a DIY project, I love it! It's definitely not worth the time/money, but isn't that the definition of a hobby? I'm very happy for OP, I always enjoy checking out projects like this: the computer made of marbles, the big CPU made from logic gates, esoteric programming languages... More content like this, please!
- hatsunearu 10y agoI usually like "do it from scratch" projects but people thinking this is anything but an educational, "what-if" project makes me laugh. That one commenter putting sunscreen on a plastic bag... talk about polishing a turd.
- CmdrSprinkles 10y agoDIY stuff is cool and this project definitely is. Just understand the limitations of it and use it in situations where it is safe and logical to do so.
- awesomerobot 10y agoI feel like that's inherit to the term "Do it yourself" and I'm not sure why people feel like they need to explain it every time someone has a DIY project.
- CmdrSprinkles 10y agoBecause it is worth discussing what is and isn't good about something? Just blindly saying "cool beans" isn't really a fun discussion at all. And if a topic wasn't meant to be discussed, it shouldn't have been posted to a message board.
- 2muchcoffeeman 10y agoThere is definitely some unnecessary negativity though. Some comments often miss the problem the inventor was trying to solve when they pick holes. The most useful criticisms was the comment about the material degrading in sunlight because of uv. Useful thing to know.
- Dowwie 10y agoYou can get a 6x5 ripstop nylon tarp for free with purchases at harbor freight. Cut your patterns from that rather than a bunch of Ikea bags.
- morganvachon 10y agoI was thinking that too after I saw the material the original bags were made from. It almost looks like IKEA has been shopping at HF too.
- SanDiegoMitch 10y agoWhats up everyone. I am the maker of the website and the backpack. This was my first sewing project, but it turned out much better than I expected. I loaded the pack with 30 lbs to test it out before I take it on a multi day trip, and it had no problems. I'm currently working on moving my images to a remote site so wish me luck on keeping the site up.
- malnourish 10y agoNice job! Keep it up.
- reneherse 10y agoLove the spirit of the project! I look forward to seeing if you iterate/modify/improve on the design after using it.
- pmlnr 10y agoI love this project. Post it to http://www.ikeahackers.net/ http://www.ikeahackers.net/.
- SanDiegoMitch 10y agoDone! Sent them my info. Feel free to share my website anywhere
- Pokepokalypse 10y agoGreat job! I've been thinking of doing a MYOG pack; but my minimum requirement is I have to fit a bear vault; and I think some kind of dedicated frame would be a must. Your idea of using the sleeping-pad as a frame is genius!
- SanDiegoMitch 10y agoIt can actually hold 4 BV500's: http://imgur.com/a/fK8sj http://imgur.com/a/fK8sj
- dpina 10y ago
- jordache 10y agoisn't the ikea bag same material as those blue tarps? Why not just use those plastic tarps which are already in tailor-friendly parallelograms
- wccrawford 10y agoI can't be sure without touching both at the same time, but my memory of each says that the tarps are a lot thicker and heavier.
- blubb-fish 10y agothat's pretty cool. reminds me of me wanting to learn sewing, stitching and that stuff. knowing how to do that allows to alter suboptimally fitting clothes or repairing them. not to mention ... what this text is about ... designing yo I'mur own clothes, bags etc!
- kqr 10y agoMore generally, skills that make you good at reliably sticking things to other things are very useful. When you have mastered tape, glue, nails and screws, sewing is definitely a good next step.
- jamisteven 10y agoIs that Pacific Beach drive? I use to live right down the street from where that pic with frankenstein was taken, over on Riviera Drive.
- SanDiegoMitch 10y agoYep!
- yoavm 10y agoLooking at other stuff on this guy's website, he seems to be one of the most creative persons I've ever heard of. Amazing stuff there.
- SanDiegoMitch 10y agoNow if only I could get a job in a similar line of work haha. Thanks
- jstoja 10y agoI'm so impressed by this guy, it's well done and the initial problematic very interesting. It would be awesome if you could made a real website for it (and training your web-skills as you mentioned you are wishing)!
- bikamonki 10y agoAwesome job. Here's an idea for v2: keep the IKEA bag intact and find a way to wrap/fold it in such manner that you are able to mount it on some sort of shoulders/waist strap. You then use the same bag handles to hold/transfer the weight to the shoulders/waist. This assembly seems easier and the bag can still be used as such. Bonus: if the bag breaks you can replace it and have a new backpack for $1 :)
- keithpeter 10y agoI'm thinking around messenger bags from Morrison's plastic/cloth shopping bags. Just need to work out how to stitch the stuff without a machine (sailing type needles or something and really strong cotton) and what to use for a strap. Nice.
- jacamat 10y agoHonestly I'd buy this from you depending on the price. I don't want to make one myself, but I love the idea of a lightweight pack and (personally) don't mind the look. Actually quite like it. :) Nice work.
- i336_ 10y agoI'd like to ask a related question I've been meaning to get to doing some research on for a while but have been a little stumped on where to start with. Thought I'd borrow this thread to get the chance to ask HN. Public transport in my area is really awesome so it's how I get about the most, and I occasionally carry a couple of reasonably heavy items (20kg+ / 44lb+) on short trips. I'm currently using a medium-size Macpac bag for almost everything, but it has no spinal support and I tend to hunch when it's full, and on the occasions all my items go beyond 10kg I have to split everything into an extra bag. I'm currently wondering if there are unicorn backpacks out there that are reasonably light (not ultralight), reinforced to handle 20kg+ loads, and built to last for years. I know the military use industrial carrying frames to handle their crazy 50kg+ (110lb+) loads, and I think I'm looking for something similar to that, since that's a situation where you have to provide good support or you risk serious spinal damage, and the thing has to last for a while while it's out in the field where it can't be easily replaced. That said, I don't want to be stick out like a sore thumb carrying a massive camo-fabric sack around.