This blog post is another pictorial “recipe” for creating or retrofitting frame bags that are very stable and can carry more gear. The pictured bag has a capacity of more than 15 litres, and is loaded with water and gear. The key to maximizing the stable usable volume are internal composite stiffening panels fastened to portions inside the sides, back, and top of the fabric bag. If you’re retrofitting an existing bag just cut it down the centre line and then add a width strip to your needs (including Velcro OneWrap daisy chains), and the internal panels. This project took about 20 hours to complete. The materials and design are intended to accessible to folks. Several thousand hours of prototyping and field-testing have been incorporated into this design. While this implementation is ultra-light and not inexpensive, you can get creative with found and upcycled materials.Avoid using coiled zippers if you want to create a durable and high-performing project.
Overview: 14 litres of water in three bladders, plus the other gear pictured below. The left side internal composite panel is visible in the lower triangle of the bag. The perimeter of the bag is attached to the frame with Velcro and a few zip ties. This bag is made from Challenge Sailcloth Ultra 200 and weighs about 300 grams. All seams are taped with Challenge Sailcloth Ultra TNT. The combination of the materials and rain cover on the zipper create a highly water resistant bag. Ultra 200 is a UHMWPE fabric (Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene), and is extremely strong and durable.
The spare fatbike tube (white rectangle, top right) sits in the bottom of the bag. The three bladders are then stacked in the frame bag, with the remaining gear sitting on top. An MSR hydration hose can be attached to any of the bladders and routed out through a front or back port.
Both upper and lower zipper tracks are stiffened to maintain tooth alignment. YKK #5 Vislon zippers represent a durable yet lightweight choice. Coil zippers will fail prematurely.Top view with the bag loaded and the zipper closedDrive side view. I prefer the zipper on the left side for ease of access while riding, and when the bike is stored in my tent vestibule.Some of design elements become visible. The width has been optimized for Q factor and pedaling clearances. The combination of the external fabric and internal composite panels securely hold the contents from vertical and lateral movement.
Two DIY frame bags for #19, a 29’er hardtail. The bag on the left was constructed in January 2024 and incorporates all the design details outlined below. The bag on the right was built in early-2020 without the benefit of using internal composite stiffening panels and elements. The Velcro OneWrap daisy chain on each bag is used to directly secure the bag onto the centre-line of the frame. The bag on the right has many thousands of kilometers of backcountry usage.
Two of the industrial Hook Velcro VHB backed mounting patches on the frame. The lower downtube patch is ~3/4″ wide to match the exposed Loop OneWrap on the frame bag. A typical frame mounting system consists of seven to ten 3/4″ x 2″ Hook Velcro pads aligned to the centre-line of the frame. I cut these from a roll, Velcro Part #90197. A few zip ties are added at key locations to tension the bag in the frame and eliminate any movement. The dropper post cable gets routed immediately behind and below the installed frame bag.
Checking crank and drive clearances on the completed fat bike bag.
Overall construction steps: This design of framebag is based on a single cardboard template that has been carefully shaped to completely fill the main triangle of a bicycle frame. Seam allowances are added to the edges of all panels. All of the perimeter panels are measured based on the four sides of the cardboard template, plus seam allowances. The cardboard template will also be used to size the two composite stiffeners for the side panels.
Left side of frameRight (drive side) of frame. The seam allowance on all sides adds 3/4″ to each edge of the panel. You may be able to reduce this to 1/2″.A single piece of cardboard serves as the cutting template for the side panels. Adjusting your layout of all the panels will help minimize waste. In this example, another framebag was made for a different bike with the two pieces of triangular “waste”. Overall waste was very minimal.
Velcro OneWrap bar tacked to three edges enables secure mounting to the frame.The bottom of the framebag has a loop Velcro panel that matches with a hook Velcro panel on the Pinion bridge of the frame. This panel may not be needed with a conventional bottom bracket.This width of bag (~5.5″) works flawlessly for my “zero-contact” riding needs on the fat bike. The left image shows all of the main panels cut and assembly started. All edge panels are the same width to aid in precise control of the final shape of the bag.Bottom seam in the zipper cover formed from a strip of Ultra 200. A composite stiffener [aka string trimmer line 🙂 ] will be inserted into this resulting pocket.Adding a second seam to the upper zipper track. This creates another pocket near the back edge of the zipper. A second composite stiffener will be inserted into this pocket.Adding another seam to the lower zipper track. This forms a pocket for insertion of a third composite stiffener. The zipper cover is formed by a folded strip with the upper zipper track sewn to only one side of the fold.Sewing the zipper into the left panel. It is CRITICAL that the left and right side panels are exactly the same size and shape (mirror images). I typically make the zipper side panel slightly larger and then trim it to perfectly match the other side, and double check the cardboard template. This ensures that the completed bag has no twists or deformation when mounted in the frame.OneWrap bar tacked with 2″ spacing. The front end of the panel has Velcro attached to create a closable port for cables or hoses. Reverse side of the same panel with the TNT tape applied with a silicone pressure roller. I prefer to allow 24 hours for the TNT tape to cure in place before sewing the bag together.Detail of outside and inside of one of the larger perimeter panels.Joining the zipper (left) side panel to the perimeter panels.Adding the drive side (right) panel.Using a zipper foot to complete one of the closing seams.Using a standard foot to bar tack all of the corners. These joints will be sealed with TNT tape later in the process.Sewing details…keeping everything aligned and symmetrical.Using a commercial grade of line helps ensure sustained performance of the bag. Look for items that have rated performance (cycles, temperature) on the packaging.Warming the line ends with a lighter to create a smoother element.Adding 0.095″ string trimmer line to the three pockets in the zipper and rain cover. In this example Husqvarna line gets the nod. Half of the width of tape is applied to one side and then carefully folded over onto the matching face.Nearing completion of the TNT tape application and pressure rolling.Adding TNT tape to all edge and zipper seams.Lower left side panel. The height of the panel is determined by pedal sweep plus an allowance forward of the pedals. If unsure, start with a larger panel and trim it down, if appropriate.The raw weight of the four panels, prior to the addition of stiffeners, edge tape, and VHB mounting tape. The bag and all panels must be test fitted on the bike frame prior to proceeding further. The length of the shortest (top) panel is personal preference. I’m looking to have the frame bag “play nicely” with my custom large StraddleBags.Cutting and shaping the corroplast panels.Adding VHB tape to the top (left) and back (right) panels. The back panel is sized to keep that plane of the bag in tension. Once installed with the Velcro attachment system and zip ties the competed bag is extremely stable.Inserting two lengths of string trimmer line into top edge of each side panel. These help eliminate any bulging in a sides of the bag. An internal tensioning system can also be added.Preparing the panels for applicationWhile not easy to see, the side panels have 2″ Outdoor Repair tape applied to the top edges and the inside of the fabric. TNT tape also works in this application. Adding side panels. Tools and spares with 36″ of OneWrap sitting directly on top of the Pinion bridge of the bike frame.MSR Reactor stove placed onto the items at left.Test fitting some of my typical gear. A high volume mini floor pump is in the back drive side corner.The stiffening system is just visible in the zipper tracks and cover. The cover is being held open with my left hand while taking this picture. Normal position of the zipper cover. Zip ties are just visible at the junction of the top and seat tubes. There are adjacent Velcro patches on both tubes.Zipper and mounting detailsThe dropper post cable has been routed behind and below the bag. The heads of the zip ties in the top rear corner are again just visible. The edges of the upper and lower Velcro patches on the frame are visible as a line on the frame tube.Completed bag loaded with about 17 kg of gear. A zipper pull has been added to ease opening and closing, particularly while riding.
This is one of those real-world trail images that highlights this frame bag design and construction. I’d packed the bike up at about -20C after a winter overnighter. The framebag holds all water, food, stove & fuel, spare parts and belt, and some quick access outer layers. Perhaps about 15 kg of contents loosely dumped into the bag. Despite this lack of packing there’s no sag from all this weight and lack of organization.
After several thousand kilometers of Fall, Winter, and early-Spring fatbiking I’m really happy with this design and construction. At risk of over stating things …. this bag has FUNDAMENTALLY altered my bike-packing practices. Food, water, stove, fuel, tools, spares, etc. all have a stable and secure space inside ALL dimensions of a bicycle frame. The handling of the bike has noticeably improved with the overall lowered centre of gravity. The rear prototype CompressionPanniers and Sara’s new Bikepackers Foundry HandlebarBag+ (size Large) and a pair of custom StraddleBags (size Large) yield a solid expedition luggage system.
This DIY project can reduce or eliminate excessive lateral movement in many seat bags.
The two key elements are an appropriately configured structural member placed lengthwise in the bottom of the bag; and a static strap (not elastic) looped under the bag and over each seat rail, that compresses the contents and bag into the saddle rails and underside.
With stabilization strap and strut. The lucky dangle mug has been removed for clarity. 🙂The same bag and contents with only the original mounting system.
The above images are of a friend’s bike. She’s a very experienced and capable bikepacker, and was being frustrated by a seat bag that would droop and flop around despite being packed and tensioned correctly.
The solution proposed came out of some of the development work and testing of the Bikepackers Foundry Seat Bag. A. In order to minimize or eliminate sway the distance between the centerline of the bottom of the bag and each seat rail must be kept constant. B. Few, if any, seatbags have enough stiffness to prevent drooping behind the seat.
I wanted to provide a solution that was strong, lightweight, and did not require permanent modifications to the seat bag.
This is a length of omnitape, which is used to stabilize the bag, and compress the contents into the underside of the saddle.This is a 12″ length of pulltruded fibre reinforced plastic which stiffens enough of the bottom of the bag to be able to transfer the load to the compression strap pictured at left. The fiberglass stiffener weighs 26 grams. It’s sold at Canadian Tire as driveway marker SKU #020-3313-0. A pair of bamboo chopsticks taped together may also be strong enough.A 54″ length of omnitape was long enough to secure and compress the seat bag. Omnitape can be purchased in small quantities from Ripstop by the Roll. The first 6″ of one end has be sewn back on itself to create an double interlocking zone, and a 48″ finished working length. Alternatively a webbing belt of similar length may also work. (see note below about friction)Here’s how the strap needs to be routed to secure the bag.The orange fibreglass stiffener has been taped into the inside bottom of the bag with VHB (not visible) and outdoor repair tape.The loaded bag has been secured to the saddlerails with the omnitape strap system. It is CRITICAL that there is enough friction between the bag and the strap to have no slipping. If slipping occurs the strap will have to be sewn to the bag.I had a secondary design objective with this gear hack. It was to make the suspension seat post function better with the bag attached. My friend reports that it’s working much better than previously.
Please note – This post is merely what’s working for me. Not a prescription for others.
March 2023. With the really cold weather camping season coming to a close here in the Rockies I’ll try and document gear and usages for mostly solo overnighters in temperatures to -35 Celsius. As part of my leave-no-trace approach, these trips seldom include wood fires. I require gear that will keep me dry and warm with minimal use of external heat sources. While winter camping during the 2021/22 season I noticed that some of my gear was not performing as well as previous seasons. With numerous pieces being up to a decade old, it was time to update a few items. This post reflects those updates after about five months of regular use. Both Cascade Designs (MSR & Therma Rest) and Rab feature prominently in my selections. All items were purchased at retail prices and have been chosen based solely on my experiences and perceptions regarding performance, utility, and value. Many of the items were purchased at off-season discounts of 50-65%.
Challenge Sailcloth’s 100% recycled ECOPAK EPX200 has been getting the call for some custom bags. Fun stuff to create new luggage with!
RollingDale fat bike, loaded for a winter overnighter. Total weight of bike, gear, food, and 3 litres of water was 32 kg, or ~72 pounds.
Back of bike – The primary reason for these larger compression panniers is to be able to get bulky items off the handlebar, and create a lower centre of gravity. (~20 litres, <375 grams each including all attachments) The visible right pannier contains outerwear, spare clothing, bear-hang (empty food bag), DIY tent footprint, and ExoSpikes in the compression lid. The ExoSpikes weigh about 220 grams/pair and are vastly superior to studded boots. The left pannier contains a 2022 Therma Rest Polar Ranger -30C sleeping bag, and a 2020 MSR Hubba NX tent without the poles. The weight of panniers and contents is 5.0 kg, ~11 pounds. The 2020 DIY composite rear rack with integrated fender weighs <900 grams. This rack angle permits the full usage of the dropper post. Total weight behind the seat tube is less than 6 kg.
Loaded bike just prior to setting up camp for the night.Compression panniers with only outerwear, spikes & emergency gear. An excellent profile for bike pushing.
Front of bike – Strapped directly to the Jones H Loop bar is a top-loading custom Bikepackers Foundry FireballBag; ~400 grams empty. Inside are the tent poles (bottom of bag and close to the head tube), 10+2 sections of 2015 Therma Rest Z-Lite Sol closed cell foam mattress, and a 2022 Therma Rest Neo Air X Therm Regular Wide with inflation bag. The weight of the FireballBag and contents is 1.3 kg, 2.9 pounds. A 2022 Lynx OGT Aurora maximum 1,500 lumen light is direct-mounted to the handlebar with OneWrap, weighs 106 grams. (Lynx OGT is a Nelson BC company producing world-class lighting systems.) Total weight on the handlebars < 1.5 kg, 3.3 pounds.
FireballBag cockpit view with Lynx OTG Aurora lightFireball Bag mounted on the Jones barContents of FireballBag, on DIY footprint
Centre of bike – As I almost always ride without a backpack or hip belt everything else needs to be carried around the centre triangle.
The 2020 custom frame bag contains canister stove & pot kit + emergency titanium wood stove, 2 litre water bladder (insulated in Outdoor Research hard shell and rain pants), 500 ml thermos of hot water covered with a pair of XL Rab Xenon mitts, emergency/first aid kit, spare Carbon Drive belt, spare Revoloop 27.5″ fatbike tube, zip ties, small shovel, and spare bike parts.
Drive side view of frame. Full-length custom top tube bag, XL StraddleBag & PumpBag all mounted to top tube.Corroplast side panels visible above transmission. The zipper is on the left side to allow access when the bike is in the tent vestibule. In poor weather I can pack the entire bike except the tent shell, poles, and footprint before leaving the tent.Front view, narrow profile
The 2020 custom top tube bag is divided in about the middle, with the back section holding a 0.5 litre drink-through-the-lid Thermos flask of warm water (this flask position the lowers centre of gravity of the bike) cushioned by a pair of Large Rab Xenon mitts & spare buff (back);, with the front section holding two 10,000mAh PD cache battery/warmers, two USB C to C cables and two USB A to micro USB cables and two female micro USB to male USB C adaptors (gotta have spares), Zoleo satellite communicator, keys and wallet, Swift RL headlamp, two spare 18650 batteries for the Aurora handlebar light, and two Petzl Bindi headlamps. I find that the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt (both V1 & V2) perform very well in cold conditions. Are run times reduced, yes. But not enough to warrant changes in how I use, carry, or charge these devices. For more information please refer to this detailed post regardinglight, heat, and power for bikepacking.Side note: at least one spare headlamp and the Zoleo are in my pockets while night riding. Bear spray carry location varies by my perception of risk levels. Belt carry is the preferred option. I have been followed by cougars several times while solo night-riding. A rear flashing red light or lights seems to be helpful.
Inflating the 2022 ThermaRest NeoAir Xtherm regular wide sleeping matUnpacking the ThermaRest Polar Ranger -30C sleeping bagThermaRest Z Sol foam mat visible under the air mattress. The combination has a R9 value. Sea to Summit bear-hang bag containing all toiletries, food, water, and stoveMain contents of the bear-hang bag. Riding food is still on the bike.Hydration system: 2 litres of hot water wrapped in rain wear, red 0.5mL drink through the lid thermos mug with custom insulated cover to keep hands warmer. 0.5 L thermos stored inside a pair of mitts. The 2 L bladder frequently is replaced by a 1 L thermos.RIding calories for 2+ daysEverything fits into a large ZipLocSame bag being loaded into the left XL StraddleBag, for feeding while riding.Closed XL StraddleBag. The double-elastic closure is a great place to store or dry gloves and buffs. There’s lots of knee and leg room with this bag position, even when standing pedaling in a forward position.Outerwear: Rab Large Xenon Mitts (see note) sitting on parka, 2022 Blue Rab down parka (700 grams, size Small), two pairs of merino wool liner gloves, 2 buffs & a 2017 OR down beanie (primarily worn for sleeping), 2017 Rab Argon down pants, 2018 First Ascent down puffy with vented back, footwear detail below. For clarity, I layer pairs of Large and Extra Large mitts when conditions dictate. Footwear: 2020 Bogs Yulex 2 sizes larger, yellow DIY 1/2″ closed-cell foam insoles, Bogs insoles, 2022 black Rab Pertex/Primaloft socks (worn as both a vapour barrier and insulating layer, 2018 blue Rab down socks (primarily worn for sleeping if needed). Each of the four Rab socks weighs 57 grams. These combinations will keep me warm and dry to at least -30 C for a few days. Everything dries fairly quickly overnight. Side note: I’ve had poor results from Rab vapour barrier socks, as the taping failed after a season of use. Not shown, ExoSpikes.Wet snow/rain/wind layer: 2022 OR Helium rain pants, 2022 OR Helium Ascent Shell, extra heavy nitryl gloves. I’ll frequently wear the nitryl gloves as a base layer to keep hand outer layers dry. The ascent shell is excellent for starting out on very cold days, and as a wind layer. The pants and shell replaced some older GoreTex items. Weight was reduced by 330 grams and gear performance improved.Reliably boiling a litre of water in very cold conditions, by placing the fuel canister in warm water.DIY breakfast hashbrowns, and “backcountry cappuccino”.Temperature at breakfast time, ~8am.FireballBag on the rear rack to make the front lighter for riding in loose and variable conditions. I’m wearing both gloves and insulated mitts to compensate for the lack of pogies. Top layers: merino tee shirt, OR half zip hoodie, First Ascent puffy, OR Helium Ascent Shell. Bottom layers: compression knee socks, 200wt. merino leggings, Rab Pertex insulated socks, Bogs Yulex boots, winter alpine ski touring pant. This is the most that I’ll wear while riding. If wind chills are below -40 I might pull on the Helium rain pants.This is a December 2022 image of using the “emergency” titanium twig stove that I carry. It can also be used with the XTS pot if the fuel canister is compromised or empty. It weighs 270 grams.
Please leave a comment if there are other details that might be helpful to you.
This project utilizes scraps or upcycled fabrics to create a functional and extremely durable insulated mug cover. At -20 Celsius the cozy will keep a mug of coffee warm for about 30 minutes. The cut list dimensions below are for the pictured mug. The mug can also serve as a backup or primary pot for boiling water.
Finished cozy for a 450 ml titanium cupTea bags, instant coffees, and two instant soups fit easily inside the mug for storage.Mug and drinks loaded into the top of a frame bag. Dangle-free zone. 🙂Sew one edge of the two panels together. Liner fabric on top.Positioning handle webbing at centre of panels, to create a hidden seam.Attaching insulation to both edges of panel.All components assembled.Reverse side with bar tack of handle visible at upper centreInside fabric of cozy after turning the panels finished side out. Outside fabric of cozy. The edge seams are now hidden.Initial closure seam.Second closure seam carefully matched to circumference of the mug.Finished cozy with the handle bar tacked in four locations. The 3/4″ webbing handle covers the closure seam.
Component
Quantity
Length (in)
Width (in)
EcoPak – EPX 200
1
12
3.5
Hyper D 300
1
12
3.5
Climashield APEX 3.6oz
1
11
3.5
3/4″ heavy webbing for handle
1
12
0.75
Cut list for pictured mug. Adjust sizing as required, leaving enough distance between the cozy and edge of the mug to avoid contact between lips and cozy.
Cycling on ice can be hazardous or fatal! These ideas are presented entirely at your own risk and expense.
DIY Ice Probe strapped to left side of top tube. Fat bike sitting on thick older ice, with new thin ice and open water in the background.
The Nordic ice skating community has developed specific tools for assessing ice thickness. Luc Mehl’s Wild Ice course (highly recommended) was the catalyst for this little project. This blog post is a DIY adaptation of an ice probe sized for carrying on and deployment from a fat bike; without interfering with other gear typically carried for winter camping. While this probe has so-far only had a few trips I’m very impressed with the timeliness and accuracy of the information it can provide.
Ice Probe with 20mm webbing strap attached to yield an effective length of about 160 cm, 60 inches. The probe has been lightly tossed like a harpoon. With the new 6 cm ice failing on the first toss.
The primary components of the ice probe are a shortened segment of aluminum Nordic ski pole, and a length of steel rod. Combined the weight is around 500 grams. Given the anticipated harsh service I opted for creating a single pole that does not extend or retract. The potential for unwanted corrosion of dissimilar metals is minimized (perhaps eliminated) by the separation of aluminum and steel with self-fusing heat shrink tubing around the steel rod. The steel rod is then driven inside the segment of ski pole.
Wouldn’t be a Bikepackers Foundry item if there weren’t at least two uses. Ice probe, and bike stand, etc. 🙂
A brief video of how I’m using and carrying the ice probe.
This is a quick and inexpensive (~C$35) method to add a 2.5 litre framebag to the bottom of the frame triangle. MEC sells a suitable framebag that will fit most frames without any modification beyond cutting off mounting straps. The dimensions of this particular bag are sized to match reasonably well with the typical bottle-boss points on many frames. The perimeter stiffener of this bag results in an installation with excellent stability and minimal deformation.
The general sequence is:
1.) remove cages and screws from frame
2.) test fit bag to frame before removing any straps, and determine if any straps should not be removed
3.) remove straps from the bag and heatseal cut ends
4.) position and centre bag in the frame and mark location of bosses on the inside of the framebag
5.) punch holes in the bag
6.) insert screws into holes and mount bag to bosses.
Image of the interior of the bag with 2 of the screws in place. The black centre stitch which holds the stiffener in place is on the centreline of the bag, which is convienent for locating the screw holes.
The resulting installation will hold a couple of 1 litre soft flasks or a flask and a bike bottle. The remaining space can hold a spare tube and pump, and multitool, or other small items.
A couple of DIY additions that work well for me. 1. Regular applications of a very small amount Finish Line Stanchion Fluoro Oil. (Just enough to wet the wiper.) I use it on both the fork and dropper post. There is a noticeable improvement in performance, particularly on dropper posts carrying a seatbag. A bottle weighs a few grams and lasts for more than 100 applications. We also use it on my wife’s full-squish trail bike. 2. Inserting a closed-cell foam block into the bottom of the steerer tube. This keeps the tube clean and seems to eliminate star-nut corrosion and related premature failures. The block is cut big enough to stay in place with a 48″ x 3/4″ static strap and buckle, a 48″ x 3/4″ length of OneWrap, and some zip ties stored in the resulting space.
Picture of the tiny bottle of fluoro lube I’ve been using regularly for several years. The yellow foam plug is visible in the bottom of the steerer tube. 48 x 3/4 inch static strap National Molding Standard Tension Release buckle, 48 x 3/4 inch OneWrap, six zip ties, and closed cell foam plug cut from the corner of an old sleeping mat.
Boiling water for tea and an evening meal while camping in the snow. The white bowl is upcycled from a Lysol wipes container, and the bubble wrap has been taped into an insulated rehydration pocket.
This simple hack takes a few minutes to install and can be moved to different bikes without tools or cutting and replacing of cable ties. Interlocking Velcro One-Wrap and adhesive backed Loop Velcro yield a sturdy mount and smooth surfaces in the bicycle cockpit. In this example the Bolt positioning is at an ideal distance and location for the progressive lenses I wear.
The method of interlocking Velcro types is widely applicable.
Completed mount out on a day ride.
Cut two narrow strips of One-Wrap to fit into the slots designed to accept cable ties. These strips are about 4″, 10cm long
Mount and Bolt assembled and ready for a test fit.
A strip of adhesive backed Loop Velcro is cut and wrapped around the perimeter of the top of the stem. The Wahoo mount with OneWrap strips is then pressed firmly into the Loop Velcro.
Lastly, a length of One-Wrap (in this case 7″, 18cm) is then tightly wrapped around the One-Wrap tabs and the underlying Loop Velcro about 1.5 times the circumference to create a secure mount.
This post is a work-in-progress documenting changes or additions made during the construction of four Telkwa packrafts purchased from the awesome folks at DIY Packraft. DIY Packrafts are extremely well designed and the kits assemble exactly as demonstrated in the excellent videos and printed instructions. My intention is to substitute the Leafield D-7 inflation/deflation valves to replace the supplied Boston valves. While heavier and more bulky my experience is that inflation/deflation is much quicker due to larger porting, are easily cleaned, and are field-replaceable without thermal welding.
Completed raft #1 with homemade DripDeck made from the supplied inflation bag materials*. The deck slides open the full length of the cockpit on the perimeter grab line. The black round snaps can be opened for both adjustments and complete removal. Installed weight is ~140 grams. The black 5 mm webbing loops at the rear corners allow the deck to double as a sail in light downwind conditions. * Primary inflation is from a Kokopelli Feather Pump which completes the task in less than one minute! There are sources on Amazon which appear to have very similar options. The backup is a spare Klymit inflation bag, modified for the Leafield value. This bag does double-duty as a storage bag and additional air chamber inside the raft.
There’s really only one tool that I’ve found that materially improves assembly processes. It’s a small stainless steel mixing bowl with a flat bottom slightly wider than a typical welding area. To the bottom of the bowl two parallel strips of 3M double-faced window film sealing tape are added just outside of the working area. This easily removable tape typically has enough adhesion to complete the welding of one tube segment. Removal and replacement of the two tape sections takes about a minute.
