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Hi everyone,

it’s been a very busy 5 weeks since the last newsletter. The last week of July I had 3 separate classes in the same week . Then I immediately did my last classic pack batch run of the year and finished a couple dozen packs over the weekend. A

pinnacle rucksack takes me 3-4 hours start to finish and I built over 2 dozen to fill back orders and some extras, like 1 or 2 of a color. not many. this will be the last batch of classic packs till next year. all of my back orders for small packs over the last couple of years are now filled.
There are some available that are built out of waxed canvas from Halley Stevenson’s mill in Scotland. all of these packs are fully lined with either Dyneema or rip-stop nylon.They are the navy blue and dark plumb packs below. the navy is 18 oz classic waxed. the plumb is a little light at 12 oz. all have the 18 oz navy back panel.

The rest available are built in more standard fabrics: Cordura, Dyneema grid pack cloth, the 400D , not the lighter Ultra grid 200 D fabrics. These are similar to the original Karrimors, though my late 60’s Karrimor canvas shop sample is literally one piece of fabric, a bottom and top flap.

I didn’t plan to stack up students like I did, just sort of happened but no classes on the books for a couple months so it sort evens out. i got a number of custom packs done as well.

The frame bag is for Gwen, who i originally met when she was an editor at

alpinist Magazine. she helped me get my white light/ White Heat pack reviewed the year I came out with them. She left Vermont for Colorado and runs her family’s organic peach farm outside Grand Junction. now she’s winning bike packing races and i offered to build her any bags she needs. there is a removable tool organizer inside the flat pocket. I had a full sized pattern printed from salsa by Brooklyn motif. highly recommended for frame builders that provide full sized frame bag patterns, especially for the bolt holes.

the last photos from my classes and custom packs.

I was going to write more about what’s going on on the homestead but I’ll just leave this photo of my local bear in the strawberry patch. she didn’t eat a thing. just left me a message.

till next time

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august newsletter

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