I’ve been searching for new luggage and have been curious about smaller backpacks for day-hiking and excursions from a hotel, cruise ship etc. This is a Stitchback Gear DH project review.

The Stitchback Gear DH pattern purchase page is:

Stitchback Gear DH

All Stitchback Gear patterns and instructions are copyright Stitchback DIY Trail Gear. Pattern purchasers are permitted to sell (but not mass produce) items made with these patterns.

For the purposes of my review, I’m going to summarize the basic steps, tell you what I did differently (if anything) and share my general thoughts about sewing the project.

Introduction

Day hiking and excursion backpacks are available in a variety of sizes and styles. The Stitchback Gear DH pack is ~19” tall x 9” wide x 6” deep (~48 cm tall x 23 cm wide x 15 cm deep) and has a volume of ~1026 cubic inches (~17L). It features a large main pocket, small front pocket, internal sleeve for hydration pouch and/or foam frame sheet, and a hydration tube port. A daisy chain, bungie cord system, removable hip strap and spacer mesh back panel may also be included.

Step 0 Gather Materials

You can use a variety of materials for this project and some suggestions are included in the PDF. I used a water resistant indoor outdoor fabric for my main fabric, Air Knit padded mesh ¾” webbing and buckles and #5 coil zippers. I cut my foam with a snap off utility knife and it was much easier to get clean, accurate cuts than when I used scissors and an old serrated knife.

Step 1 Shoulder Straps

I followed the shoulder strap instructions in appendix one. It was more difficult than expected to sew the grosgrain ribbon along the raw edges. I noticed that my eva foam was 4 mm thick instead of the recommended 2 mm or 3 mm.

Step 2 Back

I followed the instructions to create a bank panel with an interior pocket and exterior padded mesh. Next the shoulder strap assembly and hip belt assembly are attached.

Step 3 Front

I followed the instructions for sewing the front panel. Zipper tape widths increase as the zipper size increases. My #5 zipper tape is smaller than the recommended zipper sizes so I did make an adjustment to the seam allowance along the pocket zipper to create my panel the correct height.

Step 4 Top & Sides

I followed the instructions for creating the top panel. My narrow zipper foot made it easy to sew my zipper.

I followed the instructions for attaching the side panels to the top panels.

You may wish to bind this seam prior to top stitching it.

Step 5 Assembly

I followed the instructions for assembling the panels. Getting the bottom panel corners just right can be a bit tricky. I sewed the longer edges first then sewed the shorter edges. This helped me to achieve sharp corners. My adjustable guide presser foot made it easy to sew consistent seam allowances.

Step 6 Finishing Touches

The indoor outdoor canvas that I used frays easily so I used an grosgrain ribbon to bind the interior seam edges. This is an optional step. If you wish to bind all the seams of your DH pack, the top seam of the zipper slash pocket and the seams connected the side panels to the top panel should be done earlier. Sewers using thicker fabrics may wish to bind all the seams as they are sewn. I also added trekking pole loops, bungie cord and hems to the webbing ends. My two longest pieces of bungie cord webbing weren’t long enough. I’m not sure if I mixed them up with other webbing pieces or if there is a typo in the cutting list. I trimmed my foam frame sheet a little to get a better fit.

Here are some photos of my finished Stitchback Gear DH pack.

Conclusion

Instructions for this intermediate to advanced pattern are in PDF. The seam allowances are stated for each step for clarity. Sewers without backpack making experience will appreciate the numerous illustrations and photos that make it easier to follow along. Less experienced sewers will find sewing the zippers along straight edges less challenging.

My Stitchback Gear DH pack is ~19” tall x 8.5” wide x 4” deep (~48 cm tall x 22 cm wide x 10 cm deep) This corresponds to a volume of ~646 cubic inches (10 L). I was expecting my DH to be ~19” tall x 9” wide x 6” deep. I’m not sure why my backpack is ~2” shallower or 0.5” narrower than it estimated size as all of my panels fit together well.

My Stitchback Gear DH pack weighs ~13.2 oz (384 g) without the foam frame sheet and 15.8 oz (450 g) with it. In comparison my ProperFit Clothing 40L Hiking Pack weighs ~13.2 oz (375 g). A lighter weight fabrics makes a huge difference to the finished weight of a pack. Choose your fabrics carefully to create the balance between strong and light for your intended use. Mine easily holds a 2L water bladder, snacks, a light jacket, my phone, keys and ID. Overall, it’s a great backpack for hiking, biking and day trips. It’s also a great option for sewers who want to make a hydration pack.

Do you take a backpack with you when traveling or going on excursions? Did you like this post? Comment below and/or Pin me for later!

Happy Canada Day!

Tanya

 

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