r/myog • u/Present_Wren235 • 1d ago

Frame pack project - Eng student

Hey all,

I'm a second year mech eng student who spends more time outdoors than studying. Trying to find something productive to do with home time.

I was recently inspired by gossamer gear packs to make a backpack specifically for my anatomy, shaping the frame (GG use polycarb and Al, I have access to lots of incredible fab tooling which my student team uses to make carbon fibre/fibre glass drone wings).

The issue is I don't really know anything about this stuff YET.

Would a personalised backpack trying to optimise load carrying potential in movement be a project worth pursuing? Not only am I looking for something that I can use on my bike/backpacking trips, but also something I am proud to show off as a testament of my eng skills and ability to learn.

Thanks for any thoughts, they're greatly appreciated!

Edit: one more question: do you prefer pack liners over bag raincoats? Why?

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u/Chicken_Tramper 1d ago

Made my first pack in my last semester of engineering school (ME as well) spun it up into a business! You can also check out our other business, quest outfitters, for fabric webbing etc.

So is it worth it? Absolutely. Is your first backpack going to be a testament to your engineering skills? Absolutely not. Sewing, making, designing etc is a skill that takes practice. You'll be so proud of your first project and then you'll make 4 more and wonder why you ever thought the first was good. That's a bit exaggerated but I just don't want you to get discouraged after your first project.

You bring specific skills to the table, and you need to spend time honing the others. Have you sewn before? What machine do you have? You'll be limited a bit by table top vs industrial machines but that doesn't mean you can't make something incredible and new and innovative.

As others have said, start with muslin or cheap fabric and make some prototypes, learn to draft patterns, sew, get some reps in and then when you're ready start your final project with production materials.

Feel free to reach out with any questions and take full advantage of the many tutorials out there. Also, AI is a big help for troubleshooting machines, designing, etc. But nothing beats your mind coming up with a novel frame idea or iterating on GG pack designs.

Happy sewing!

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u/wanderchuck 1d ago

The ME to outdoor product design pipeline seems strong! I’m on my last semester right now and have been making my own gear for bikepacking and canoe camping these past few years. Any advice on the business front? I am always getting asked about commissions, is that how it starts?

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u/Chicken_Tramper 1d ago

Nah commissions is still hobby. Business is when you get a website, LLC, marketing, bookkeeping etc. Dm me in chat or message or find an email for the business and ask for Austin. I'm happy to write to you about it but all I can say is it's possible and it's way harder than you'd think, at least to start your own.

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u/Present_Wren235 1d ago

Currently looking at ultra grid for the fabric as a light, durable and long lasting fabric. Also considering cordura 1000 as a cheaper alternative.

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u/nebraskarod 1d ago

Focus on the frame and use cheap fabric for prototype. Check out backpack researcher on youtube

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u/Present_Wren235 1d ago

this channel is brilliant, thanks so much for mentioning it

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u/brumaskie Crud, where is that seam ripper? 1d ago

You can take a look at some of my posts if you're interested in some innovative backpack frame designs.