I thought my V4 MYOG backpack would be my last project for a while but, there were a few minor design flaws with it that I needed to fix. I kept pushing the project to the side though and then RipStop by The Roll came out with their brand new 3.9 oz Venom UHMWPE TPU Coated Fabric and I was very intrigued because I was planning to make a new pack with 5.0 oz Black Dyneema.
List of Materials Used
The 3.9 oz Venom UHMWPE TPU Coated Fabric is only 3.9 oz per square yard and is insanely strong! Take a look at this quick video that Ripstop by the Roll put together detailing 3.9 oz Venom UHMWPE TPU Coated Fabric:
Before I dive into pictures of my new MYOG backpack, this is the 5th iteration of a series of roll top backpacks I have made. I have outlined the build processes for each one:
- MYOG Backpack V1 (I did not finished but I learned a lot)
- MYOG Backpack V2 (Finished but needed some tweaks)
- MYOG Backpack V3 (My favorite backpack that I took on a handful of hikes. Side pockets were too small for larger bottles and I wanted it to be a little more robust)
- MYOG Backpack V4 (First backpack with larger side pockets)
âšī¸ Recommended Sewing Gear
Here is a list of sewing gear that I recommend for making your first MYOG Backpack:
MYOG Backpack 3.9 oz Venom UHMWPE TPU Coated Fabric
Here are some pictures of my final finished backpack before I get into some pictures of the actual build process.
On my V4 backpack I slightly messed up the back zipper and it wasn't perfectly straight. On this build I took my time and went slow with the zipper and it came out much better. V4 was an odd mishap, because I had the zipper straight on the 1st three backpacks so go figure.
I like roll top bags because you can change their size depending how much gear you have packed up.
On my V4 backpack my biggest mistake was I placed the side compression straps too high. I always carry around my Peak Design Tripod (Amazon Affiliate) for photography, and the side compression straps were just above the tripod. The side pockets held it pretty well but I wanted another strap across the tripod so that it was really snug for when I am hiking on very uneven terrain. On this MYOG backpack I move it down to perfectly hold my Peak Design tripod in place while I hike:
I also used a new buckle system for the compression straps when rolling the roll top down. On this MYOG pack I used the Fidlock magnetic buckles. They are kind of hard to explain but maybe I will take a video of some key features on the pack at a later date to show them off a little.
MYOG Foam Shoulder Straps
If you read the MYOG V4 build that was the first MYOG backpack in which I used foam for my shoulder straps. The foam I used worked out great and I decided to stick with that same process. I only broke one needle this time while constructing the shoulder straps!
One change I did make with the shoulder straps is I cut them about an inch shorter this time. I felt like my previous packs were riding a little low on my back and I feel more stable if they ride up a little higher. This was a little bit of a risk while building this pack because I didn't make any scientific decision here, I just cut off an inch from my template. It all worked out really well and this pack feels great on my back so far!
Back panel and MYOG Shoulder Strap Attachment
Based on the Ripstop by the Roll video on the 3.9 oz Venom UHMWPE TPU Coated Fabric I was unsure if I would be able to cut it with normal scissors, but thankfully I was able to with no issues. Just make sure you have some sharp scissors.
The 3.9 oz Venom UHMWPE TPU Coated Fabric did have some nasty looking edges when it first arrived, so I had to cut them off before I started laying out my design on the fabric.
The 3.9 ox Venom TPU coated fabric worked with my sewing chalk (Amazon Affiliate) perfectly, and it was really easy to get all my lines drawn on it for cutting.
MYOG Side Pockets
On my previous pack I made the side pockets a bit larger, on this one I kept the size the same but worked to improve the tightening system. I bought some eyelets on Amazon so I could have metal eyelets instead of just the whole I cut in the fabric last time. This I think makes this version of the MYOG backpack look a lot more professional.
Installing the eyelet was actually a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. The "puncher" they gave me didn't work to make the initial whole in my fabric but I just cut a tiny whole with some scissors and then it was smooth sailing from there.
In the picture above the eyelet looks kind of ugly on the backside but that is hidden from view when the pack is put together. I also ran my fingers over it to make sure it felt smooth. Luckily it did, I did not want it cutting into the rope I used over time. I also installed an eyelet at the bottom of the pocket as a drain whole if it were to rain while I was hiking. This will make sure the side pockets don't act as a bowl collecting water while I hike.
Sewing the Main Pieces together
For all my previous packs I simply did one straight stitch to stitch all the main panels of the MYOG backpack together. For this pack I wanted to make it more robust and tough so I felled the seams. There are a whole lot of different types of felled seams, and I didn't attempt anything fancy here. I literally just folded over the seam on the inside and did a second row of stitches. Not sure what the official name of this type of felled seam is but it came out pretty nice and I am happy to have a little bit more strength to my overall design because I plan to use this pack for a while.
MYOG Backpack V5 Conclusion
Overall I can't be happier with how this backpack came out! I can't wait to take it on a hike this weekend for the first time and see how it feels on the trail.
The 3.9 oz Venom UHMWPE TPU Coated Fabric was great to work with as well and I am very interested in how it performs long term on my backpack. The fabric almost gives it a high quality lightweight leather feel, it's a bit hard to describe. It's definitely a lot less stiff than the 5.0 Dyneema I used on the last pack.
As always I hope you enjoyed all the pictures of my latest MYOG build, and I am here if you have any specific questions on the build or the new fabric by Ripstop By the Roll. Definitely check out the other MYOG builds I linked to at the start, they go into more details about specific parts of the build processes.
