"Perhaps the genius of ultrarunning is its supreme lack of utility. It makes no sense in a world of space ships and supercomputers to run vast distances on foot. There is no money in it and no fame, frequently not even the approval of peers. But as poets, apostles and philosophers have insisted from the dawn of time, there is more to life than logic and common sense."
- David Blaikie

Monday, May 26, 2008

Nathan HPL 020 Mods

A few modifications to my Nathan HPL 020 pack:

First, the straps -too long for me. They have been flapping around back there and driving me crazy. Easy enough to fix that by cutting them down. To keep the straps from pulling through I sewed a little fold on the ends of the straps just like the original design.

Next, the tube has been too long and I end up tucking it in to random places where it eventually works its way free. Another easy fix. I cut 6-8 inches off the end and replaced the mouthpiece.

Okay, this next one is a bit of an experiment. I sewed in a clip that the top of the bladder can attach to. Might improve the fit and flow, but also adds a little complexity to the refill process when I need to take the bladder out. The idea is that the clip will keep the bladder from sliding down to the bottom of the bag where things can get weird.

Lastly, I decided I'm going to need a little more storage space for Bighorn so I added a bungee cord to the outside of the pack. Easy to tuck in a jacket or an extra layer. I need to tinker with this one a little more... too easy for something to fall out.

3 comments:

bobcat said...

dude i agree with all these mods...the hangin of the bag is key to distribution on the water bladder, and the bungee is also key for the jacket or a hat. how about adding a clip for your hat on the back too?

Z said...

Weez... it's been almost a week. WHERE IS YOUR UPDATE?! The mystery of your daily training regimen is killing me. Plus, I think it helps me to train vicariously through you. The mind is a powerful thing.

Joseph Lea said...

Bobcat - good idea about adding a clip to the outside. That would be a good safety for anything that wriggles it's way free of the bungee too.

Z - I'm slacking on the weekly reports. I hit a point where it felt like I was over thinking it. So, I just went zen and cranked through the miles, often not keeping very good track of distance, pace, time...