Modifying a bushcraft pack to make it more dog friendly
Instructor Wolf demonstrates Modifying a bushcraft pack to make it more dog friendly
Transcript
00:00Hello and welcome. My name is Wolfe from Barefoot Bushcraft. I want to thank you so much for tuning into this video today
00:05We're going to talk a little bit about expanding your pack and making it a bit more dog friendly
00:09So pretty much every time I go into the wilderness or on a hike or I'm out with students
00:30I always have at least one dog with me
00:32the problem is I like to have both hands free to do different tasks right whether I'm holding my
00:37my walking stick or whether I'm doing something or using a knife or whatever
00:42I always like to make sure that I have my hands free
00:45So I'm going to show you a quick modification to my cummerbund strap on my belt
00:50of my pack that allows me to have my hands free
00:54So this pack is the Helicon Tex Bergen but really you can you can use any pack
00:59as long as it has a waist strap on it
01:02This waist strap is what we actually replaced and modified
01:05The pack could be anything from you know whatever cheap army surplus store stuff you can get
01:10or something you know mid-grade higher end like the the Helicon brand
01:14So to start this project you're going to need some tools
01:16You're going to need to go on Amazon and buy some of this webbing
01:20Webbing that is about the same as the original
01:23You can get the same color this is as close as the color as I could get
01:27This pack I believe is the Helicon Tex Bergen pack in the clay if that's your thing
01:35So then you want to make sure that your buckle is the right size
01:37This buckle happens to say right on it 38 millimeters
01:41So I bought 38 millimeter webbing
01:44I'm sorry I apologize I don't know what that would be in American
01:47but 38 millimeters matches up to the correct size
01:51From there you're going to need your tools
01:53Again you're going to need your webbing and you're going to need a needle and thread
01:57If you're not very good with the needle and thread
01:59there are countless tutorials on the internet of how to sew
02:03For simplicity I removed the original waist belt
02:06So that was this that came with the pack
02:09And just in case I mess up the project I don't want to mess this up
02:12So I still have the original if I need it
02:15So right down here I undid this
02:16I just undid this clip and followed the little the c-clamp thing on there
02:20So this loop won't pull out right
02:24This material that I bought which is again identical
02:27It's called webbing identical webbing to the webbing of the pack and to the original
02:33And then I recreated it
02:34So I made the same length right
02:37I took this and made another one right
02:41Then you can see how it connects right here onto the buckle
02:44The little lobster claw buckle as they're called right
02:47But then I doubled it up
02:48So this one is you know however long this is
02:52This new material I took it out of the bag
02:54And I made it twice the length of the original
02:57And there's a good reason for that
02:59And that's what's going to make this project easier
03:01Once it's doubled you can see how it's doubled right in here right
03:05Now when I put any kind of clips or carbiners or molly or anything through this
03:10It's not on the inside of the outside
03:12And what that allows for is this clip to slide back and forth and adjust it right
03:17Because in winter you're going to get your winter girth and all those extra clothing
03:21If you live in a place that there's a lot of cold
03:24And you're going to need to expand it
03:25Or you might expand by eating too many potato chips or Doritos
03:30So you want to make sure that this buckle can slide back and forth
03:33And with it being doubled like this it certainly can
03:36Then all I did is I took my needle and thread
03:39You can see I have a molly connector right there a molly pouch right
03:43But I don't want this pouch to slide all over
03:46So what I did is I measured it out and I stitched that
03:50Stitched it there and stitched it there
03:53Now my first uh this is you know for those of you who are all going to go crazy in the comments
03:59I know it's called pals webbing and the molly is this thingy
04:03But it goes basically in that hole just like this
04:06And it connects and it stops it from sliding down
04:10If you like your side pouches
04:12And then the second thing I did is I created basically another one
04:15I took the webbing and put two stitches on each side
04:18Now I can put a carbiner through it
04:21So that carbiner now when the buckles are closed like this and like this
04:29Now I can connect my dog leash to it
04:31So basically that's how this goes
04:33So this and I'll open this carbiner up goes like this
04:39So now I have my my strap connected to my belt right
04:44And that belt connection is going to make sure that the pack can't be ripped off of me or
04:49You know whatever and then on top of that I've got one carbiner and two carbiners
04:54Put through this just like that
04:57So now my dog leashes no matter how many I have if I
05:00Have just one dog or if I've got five or six dogs or however many I can walk
05:05I can basically take that and I can clip it on like this
05:09Now I'll give you a quick little bit of a of a video here of that in motion
05:15And as you can see the two the two carbiners
05:18On the new waist belt allow me to walk with my hands free
05:21And my dogs can do what they want to do on their leashes
05:25And because I like the side pouches for like my phone or
05:29You know your poop kit or whatever
05:31I put that little bit of extra webbing and all all in all
05:35This took about half an hour to make
05:37So you have your double again your double webbing
05:40So you've got two right and then you put your stitching on it
05:43So I can put the uh the molly strap through there on this
05:47Basically it's impromptu pals webbing
05:50And I have basically the exact same thing right there
05:52The nice thing is again if I need to remove this carbiner
05:56When this is off I can actually take this buckle
06:01And this buckle will slide all the way through it
06:03If I need to expand it that much
06:06So it's very very useful tool and allows me again to walk my dogs
06:10And all it would cost me is a few dollars off Amazon
06:13And again try to get about the right color
06:16Whatever color your pack is
06:18And you're going to need yourself a needle and thread
06:21And you're going to be able to make the belt
06:23If you have any questions uh you know just hit me up in the comment section
06:26So again I do like to have the uh the side pouch
06:29So slides through like that
06:33There you go and then uh goes through here like this
06:36And just snaps on when I get all of them on
06:40Right now I have this and it's not going to slide forward
06:43And it's not going to get stuck anywhere
06:45Or just start to annoy me when I use it
06:48So that's one on one side the other on the other side
06:52And then again we got that little clip right there
06:53That's again where the dog connections go
06:56And those are just you know mountaineering carbiners
06:59I get the proper locking gate mountaineering ones
07:02Because there's a lot of stress
07:03Especially if my dogs see something that excites them
07:06And then that all connects up
07:08And with that we are good to go
07:11Quick modification of this
07:13Built a brand new one and I still have the old ones left
07:16In case this doesn't work or I don't like it or whatever
07:19I can put these old waist straps back on there
07:21Hope this video was some use to you
07:23If it is definitely please consider liking and subscribing to our channel
07:27And if you're interested in coming out and learning about this stuff in real life
07:31We are in Fonthill, Ontario
07:32And you can book and you can come out
07:34We have lots of courses including archery, axe throwing
07:37And of course bushcraft and survival stuff
07:39I'm Wolf from Barefoot Bushcraft
07:41And as always I want to thank you so much for tuning into this video