SHig's Superlight Packin'tube Project

[SHigSpeed]

fantastic shig! Unreal how tiny that thing packs up. you may have to dig around in your pack just to find it! lol. What fins are going to accompany your featherweight package? You may reconsider the pants waders. It wouldnt take much of a chop to get the splashing going. That high mtn lake water would be a real eye opener running down the back of yer britches. :O

Yeah, frozen wedgie would suck!

I had Rev 1 of the UL fins done. Problem was that they were too rigid so I have a new design in the works.

http://www.kiene.com/forums/showthre...-Pedal-Paddles

These next ones will probably have ABS plastic platforms and flat carbon fiber spars instead of the tubular units in the first version. I'm aiming for less than a pound for the pair, possibly closer to a half-pound.

Add in a half pound pair of waders and some minimal neoprene booties, I'll have a sub four pound boat package.



_SHig

[SHigSpeed]

More playing around tonight.

First off, I am thinking of a way to make a stuff-sack that doubles as an UL sling pouch. Turn the stuffy inside-out and it'll have a tab to pin on a fly patch, maybe a small tippet pocket (where the patch kit otherwise lives), and a tab and loop for some hemos. Thing is the dims of the rolled tube make the bag a bit odd shaped... If not slung over the shoulder, maybe clipped to a D-ring on the tube instead? I really would like it to be a useful and flexible piece of kit though. Maybe it could be folded in half and only use part of the volume?

Photo:



With it folded in half it could be used a lot like this gem that's no longer available:





Also, I got in a bunch of new valves to play around with since I've been pondering an inflatable backrest, and I didn't think the valves I'm currently using are suited for smaller volumes. I've been scratching my head and toying with elaborate backrests with sling straps and other accoutrement that freak me out as far as failure points are concerned, but it kept getting out of hand and weighing too much (in my mind I'd like the thing to weigh around 3 ounces max). Needing inspiration I grabbed a simple square pillow off of my kid's bed and threw it in the back of a prototype... Just might work!

Anyway, pics:

New valve -



Simple backrest:





I think with either some straps that run under the butt to the front seam of the seat or simply an extended flap that you sit on to hold it in place it should provide enough support without the weight penalty and complexity. That's less than an half a square yard of fabric so it should come in just under 3 ounces with valve and extra fabric for the sit-flap. On the plus side, it can double as an air-pillow for your tent or a rock-softener for sitting on in camp. I LOVE multi-use stuff.

Quick question - how much is too much weight for a backrest? Would you pay extra for this option? Hmm... I think I really need to go fishing for a day with and without the backrest and see how necessary it is for myself before I spend too much time on this... Regardless, at least I have something to test.

BTW, you'll notice the Vader tube is back. I'm playing around with a different seat thickness. This bright blue fabric is HEAVY (relatively) but I have it on-hand so I'm using it to prototype stuff. Even with the extra weight, Vader with the blue seat is still right at 30 ounces. Can't cry too hard... Due to the way I had to repair the tube though I'm using a non-production attachment technique - hence the suspenders. No, that's not the direction I'm going in.

_SHig

[Ed Wahl]

Inflatable backrest maybe a bit overkill for what you've got going. Backpackers who've walked 8 or 10 miles to a lake really don't need the comfy stuff, as evidenced by what we do and where we go. We just need to get out there without carrying 40lbs of additional weight. What you've got going so far is way out in front of what's out there. Keep it as simple as possible Shig, you're on a winning track here. I'd be happy to test drive one on one of our mutual lakes, just let me know. Ed

[Kneedeep]

Make it optional.
Better to have one and not need it than wish you had one.
Multi-purpose makes it a winner.

[SHigSpeed]

Inflatable backrest maybe a bit overkill for what you've got going. Backpackers who've walked 8 or 10 miles to a lake really don't need the comfy stuff, as evidenced by what we do and where we go. We just need to get out there without carrying 40lbs of additional weight. What you've got going so far is way out in front of what's out there. Keep it as simple as possible Shig, you're on a winning track here. I'd be happy to test drive one on one of our mutual lakes, just let me know. Ed

I kinda figured that most hardcore guys would probably forgo the weight. I've been itching to head up to that little cutty lake to do some testing soon, as well as that other lake you spoke of with the larger ones. I also have giant football brookies on the mind...

Make it optional.
Better to have one and not need it than wish you had one.
Multi-purpose makes it a winner.

True. I did have the idea last night falling asleep to make it attach around one's waist like a weightlifting belt so it could not only offer support but also does away with adding any stressful tie-in points to the boat. Just might work - and it could strap around your sleeping pad to keep it from moving around as an even better pillow. Flip it around and you can have a seat that goes wherever you go. Hmm...

_SHig

[Scott V]

I would love to see it have a backrest, especially since I have a hard time sleeping without a pillow and really like to have a backrest on a float tube. And the pouch thing is awesome.

[OceanSunfish]

Continued standing applause with some "Bravo" for good measure...... I have not sat down for a week!

[jbird]

Shig. I love the backrest idea. My thoughts of "hardcore" are along the lines of not minding a few extra ounces of pack for a WORLD of support and comfort. I personally can not last long in any sitting situation without a backrest. After an hour on the water without one, my back would be screamin bloody murder. Its actually a very obvious thing I noticed in your original design. i go to lots of ball games with stadium seat. I carry a super lightweight, foldable stadium cushion. It makes all the difference in the world! If I bought one of your tubes, I would have absolutely no qualms about rigging a folding stadium seat with some velcro or some way to keep it in place...
http://www.rei.com/product/783805/re...9-001b2166c62d

Keep up the great work! I love seeing visionaries at work

[SHigSpeed]

Shig. I love the backrest idea. My thoughts of "hardcore" are along the lines of not minding a few extra ounces of pack for a WORLD of support and comfort. I personally can not last long in any sitting situation without a backrest. After an hour on the water without one, my back would be screamin bloody murder. Its actually a very obvious thing I noticed in your original design. i go to lots of ball games with stadium seat. I carry a super lightweight, foldable stadium cushion. It makes all the difference in the world! If I bought one of your tubes, I would have absolutely no qualms about rigging a folding stadium seat with some velcro or some way to keep it in place...
http://www.rei.com/product/783805/re...9-001b2166c62d

Keep up the great work! I love seeing visionaries at work

That chair would plop right down between the 'toons no problem - save for the fact that it's only four ounces shy of the entire tube!

Okay, I'll keep plugging away on the backrest. I'm looking forward to building a "strap-on" version. Maybe three or four vertical sausages and an adjustable belt? Probably inch up on four ounces, but total weight should still be under 2 pounds. Now with the stuff sack and inflator bag, it may suffer that indignity.

Stay tuned...

_SHig

[joshfish]

What about a seat similar to the ones on the north fork frameless pontoon boats. Something that could be detached easily and could roll up with the tube. Not sure if that would add to much weight or not and couldn't be used as a pillow.