Make a Backpack Articles & Videos

• How to Make a Duct Tape Backpack

  If you are out on the trail and need an extra bag, as long as you have plenty of duct tape with you, you can make your own. Any seasoned backpacker knows that you can never have enough duct tape. It can be used for anything from patching ho… read more

• How to Sew a Sleeping Pad Chair

  Sleeping pad chairs offer campers, hikers, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts a versatile sitting and sleeping arrangement. Marketed for outdoor use (although, it also can be used indoors), sleeping pad chairs are space savers. Packing one on… read more

• How to Make a Backpack Frame

  A backpack frame supports the load of your gear to help you carry your pack more comfortably. While it's hard to duplicate the advanced suspension systems of modern backpacks, you can make simple changes to a daypack that add structure and… read more

• How do I Make a Dog Backpack?

  If you take your dog out on the trails with you regularly, it's a good idea to lighten your load by making your dog a backpack so that it can carry its own supplies. Once your dog has its own pack, it can tote its own water, food and treats… read more

• How to Make Small Portable Camping Shelters

  The cost of factory-made camping shelters and tents can be prohibitive, but they can be made from improvised materials which cost a fraction of the price. In all but the most extreme cases, these improvised shelters perform as well as, if n… read more

• Instructions for Making Kids Backpacks

  Backpacks are easy to find, but sometimes can be quite expensive. Making your own backpack for your child not only keeps the cost down, but also gives your child a chance to wear something truly unique. For maximum bonding, involve your chi… read more

• How to Make a Dog Backpack

  If you enjoy taking your dog on hikes and other outdoor activities, you may want to create gear for your dog to carry his own supplies. You can buy a backpack for a dog at local pet stores, but it may be a bit on the pricey side. You can al… read more

• How to Make Pocket Knife Pouches

  A pocket knife is an essential piece of equipment for any backpacker or hiker. Even if you are only taking day trips, some basic survival necessities should always be with you, and a pocket knife is one of those items. A simple pouch to hol… read more

• How to Make a Homemade Backpacking Tarp

  Using a lightweight backpacking tarp to replace a tent enhances a backpacking trip by saving weight, increasing living space, and reducing trapped moisture, which increases warmth. Even if the tent comes along for the trip, a lightweight ta… read more

• How to Make a Backpack Stove

  Alcohol stoves are the choice of most long-distance backpackers. These lightweight, functional stoves burn denatured alcohol -- a fuel less harmful to humans and the environment than the butane and gasoline alternatives. Making these stoves… read more

• How to Make a Quick Shade Tent

  If you are backpacking, hiking or find yourself stranded in the heat of the day, you will need to be able to make a quick shade tent. Otherwise, you run the chance of becoming dehydrated, sunburned or even having a heat stroke. Making a qui… read more

• How to Make a Homemade Drawstring Backpack for a Child

  A homemade drawstring backpack is a simple project even for beginners. The outside of the backpack can be created with cotton fabric, which is available in a variety of colors and patterns to suit your child's personal tastes. Vinyl fabrics… read more

• How to Make Hand Warmers

  When it comes to chilly mornings and wintry days, dressing warm is a must. But when the temperatures are extremely cold, your hands can start to feel the chill even through gloves. To remedy this, hand warmers may be used inside of gloves… read more

• How to Make a Compact Camping Toilet

  A serious issue for long-term backcountry camping is sanitation. It is often impossible to carry all of one's own waste out of a remote area, and in any situation where a camp will be set for more than an overnight cries out for a stable to… read more

• Making a Backpack Drawstring

  Backpacks could be considered a necessity for camping, hiking or even traveling. Some backpacks can carry an entire camp because of their versatility. Having a drawstring on your backpack makes it easier to use, helps protect your belonging… read more

• How to Make a Backpacking Tent

  Although carrying a tent has its advantages, it's hard to beat your own shelter for lightweight backpacking. With minimal supplies, you can carry an easily assembled shelter that can hold up against days of rain while compacting to fit the… read more

• Camping in a Thunderstorm

  When backpacking you can really only make an educated guess at what the weather will do during the course of your trip. One of weather's greatest threats to backpackers and campers is lightning. Weather will do what it will do, but as a bac… read more

• How to Make Your Own Tent

  A sudden change in the weather or an unexpected injury can turn a short day hike into a multi-day affair. You can prepare for the unexpected by packing just a few small, lightweight items that will allow you to build a basic shelter in the… read more