Customer Photos
The Ray-Way Backpack-Kit: Customer Feedback
"The last Ray-Way backpack I made has done over 10,000 miles, so I'm ordering a new one. Still the best pack out there!" Scott Williamson
"My pack is the first thing I've sewn in my life and after 30 years of climbing and hiking I have fallen in love with this pack!! Did a three day, two night hike in the Olympics with a total weight of 20lbs and the pack rode very well, also climbed Mt Stone in Olympic Nat Park yesterday with the pack pulled in with the second cord. Wow, the pack was fantastic, it hugged my back well and I added an Ice Axe loop which I used. Absolutely the most versatile pack I've ever owned. Thanks for a fantastic product!!" Todd N.
Ray's comment: "Been there, done that! See page 394 Trail Life".
"Thanks again Ray and Jenny for the awesome products you have made available. I have read your books several times and have given away several copies. I have thought about making my own quilt, tarp and pack but wanted more instruction and "hand holding". Your kits are the answer. I really enjoyed making the backpack kit. I have seen pictures of you with the pack, read the book, so I knew about the practicality of it and the philosophy behind it. The design is wonderful, the engineering is great and the execution is superb. The kit really did go together well, and I found that everything was included and with just enough to finish the kit with very little waste. This is not so with buying yardage of fabric. The sewing was easy and once I got the tension of my 35 year old sewing machine adjusted, everything went great. I even learned some new seams from the instructions. All and all it was the most fun I have had sewing in a long time. I imagined it was going to be complicated and time consuming but everything was spelled out in the instructions and I finished the pack in about 8 hours. I weighed my pack on a mechanical postal scale and got 9.5 Oz! incredible." - Geoff G.
"I really enjoyed making my backpack. As soon as I was done I loaded it up with all the gear that I could find and found that even with a quilt and a bunch of stuff that it weighs less than my old pack did empty! Thanks! " - Eric S.
Thanks for offering the kits Ray. You have made my wife a garage widow with all the sewing I'm doing. We just spent 4 days in the Golden Trout Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada using your gear. I think we saved a hour a day just because we didn't have to mess with hipbelts. My only complaint is the design of the insulated hat does not allow for proper coverage of my ears." - Rick R.
"Ray, Pack number one is complete and I had a great experience making it. My wife and daughter took one look at it and suggested I make one for my son for Christmas. The instructions are excellent and the video is a valued tool for the pack construction as well as for other items I make. Thank You both for a great pack," - Fred E.
"I finished the pack yesterday morning! I think it came out very well, I am quite proud of it. For me the combination of the book and the video were superb, you did a wonderful job with the instructional materials and the plans!" - David deM.
"My Ray-Way Backpack is in great shape after almost 3 yrs of daily use." Stephen B.
"I ordered my pack, it arrived, and started sewing. It turned out great. I found the pack to be far stronger than expected for 9.3 oz. I just got back from a quick overnighter to Mount Rogers, VA. The packed worked perfectly! Thanks," Jamie X.
In regards to the Ray-Way backpack's utility for trail running: I made a standard Ray-Way pack a couple years ago and have used it backpacking, mountaineering, traveling, etc. I have used it numerous times on ultra-marathon distance trail runs with no waist belt. The only mods I've made from Ray's build instructions were to add a loop for an ice axe. When loaded correctly, shoulder straps cinched tightly and a correct running gait, the pack "fits like a glove". Shawn B.
"I was so impressed at how detailed and clear the sewing instructions for the Ray Way Backpack were. Having zero sewing experience, I really thought I would have to sew the backpack twice. But since the instructions were so great, the pack is by far my favorite pack I've ever hiked with. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge." Troy A.
"I have sewn nine Ray-Way Backpack Kits. Two for myself and others as gifts. Planning on the AT with ALL Ray-Way gear." Craig H.
"I was really excited to find that you were offering this kit. I don't imagine there is a pack available out there that has seen more miles, that every part of the pack has a useful purpose and with light-weight and function equally balanced. For me the instructions and illustrations for building the pack were easy to follow, nice and detailed. I didn't have any problem with putting it together. I will use the pack for long distance thru-hikes. Thank you. You guys are doing wonderful things. keep it up. - Dodge D.
Young Customers
Adam, Age 11
The Ray-Way Backpack-Kit, Customer Review
Thanks again for making your designs and kits available.
Ngaio, Age 10
The Ray-Way Backpack-Kit, Customer Review
"I've done a lot of camping all using a tarp and making campfires where possible.
In 2004 I did the first two chunks of the Offa's Dyke Path and the final chunk in 2005. We had cookfires with every hot meal we ate, sometimes finishing off with toasted marshmallows. The Offa's Dyke took us about 15 days.
In 2006 I walked the Coast to Coast in about 2 1/2 weeks and at the end, when we dipped our feet in the sea, the water stung where my sandals had rubbed. We always walk in sandals because they are very practical and dry quickly. I carried a mini version of the backpack I made on the journey. We started at St. Bees and finished at Robin Hoods Bay.
I have camped in the lake district more times than I can remember. The first time I went it was blowing a gale and we were under a poly tarp so you could see everything and that was amazing.
I've only ever done small things with sewing like swim bags and pencil cases but my backpack was quite different. I am really pleased with it. I had several birds nests due to the machine not being threaded properly after I'd wound the bobbin - oops!
The worst problem was with a half round I had sewn on and then sewn the backpack together and after realised it was on the wrong way around, it took ages to fix but it was worth it. I'm looking forward to doing another type of kit sometime."
(Colors: B black F/S light blue E navy.
Note from mike: "My daughter (aged 10) today completed her backpack. She sewed this completely by herself following your instructions and watching the DVD several times. She took about 1 week and, at a guess, maybe 30 hours. It's gone amazingly smoothly and I was only really asked to clarify things very occasionally which given her age is a great testament for the quality of the backpack kit instructions. Obviously she is very pleased and her confidence in her sewing skills has grown enormously." - Mike G.
Jasper, Age 11
The Ray-Way Backpack-Kit, Customer Review
I am Jasper from the UK. I am eleven years old, and have been on home education for 4 weeks. One of my projects was to make a backpack using your kit. It was quite hard doing it but I managed it in less than 30 hours, which I think is very good because there were some very hard bits like sewing on the half rounds. The easiest part was putting in all the elastic. I had never done sewing before so I am very proud of it. It also taught me how to follow instructions and look for detail. Here is a picture of me with my backpack.
Alexander G., Age 16
The Ray-Way Backpack-Kit, Customer Review
(Colors: B Black F/S dark-blue-green E navy.)
Personal Project in English Class
The Ray-Way Backpack
Alexander Goodman
16 years old; 10th Grade
Lamar High School
3 May 2007
Introduction
My project is to build my very own ultra-lightweight backpack for camping and hiking. It is a package deal that can be mailed to you if you know the man that sells them. My father went on a hiking trip with Ray Jardine, he is the man that makes and sells backpacking equipment. Ray mails you all the appropriate instructions and materials to create your own equipment. We purchased several kits from him so that we can have a lightweight backpack for each of our family members. I decided to make my own backpack instead of my dad doing it for me. This will also help our physical well being and the environment. By using a lightweight backpack you are reducing the strain on yourself. This means you only bring what you need, which reduces the trash and useless stuff buildup that most people participate in. Ray Jardine has his own philosophies on outdoor activities. He suggests using as little as possible and being a courteous camper. He promotes "stealth camping," which is when you leave an area that you have slept just the way you found it so that you preserve the environment. So not only will I be creating my own backpack by scratch practically I will also be learning about preserving the environment.
Process
My father suggested that we order a backpack kit that he had recently tested and made himself. I had already watched him go through the process of making it, so I agreed to order one and make it myself with his guidance. My father had met Ray Jardine before on a hiking trip and he was given a book that I am using to help me understand why I am making this pack. The book is called Beyond Backpacking by Ray Jardine. The book talks about all sorts of practical methods and suggestions for hikers of any sort. In his book he talks about how hikers want things to be light and the backpack companies add weight, "We hikers are trying to carve ounces from our gear, and the backpack manufacturers are adding them back in pounds." (Jardine 51). He says if you really care about backpacking then you should spend your time making your own pack instead of wasting time reading other peoples opinions in magazines and buying an overpriced heavy pack. On his website he talks about how you should envision yourself doing a good job on any project you undertake. Ray says that if someone envisions a way that they are going to take on a project they will attract those ideas while in the process of making it. Ray Jardine states in an article:
"Any type of thinking is a form of envisioning. And whatever we envision, we tend to manifest in our lives. The creative process uses our mental pictures like blueprints. If those pictures are of battling and butchering, then we are attracting that." (Jardine, Why Sew?)
This information really helped me when I was doing my project. I was able to concentrate on making a good and complete pack. It made the process of constructing the backpack much easier. He promotes lightweight backpacking and the idea that we all should preserve the environment while we use it. He believes it is a privilege to be able to live on this land so we should respect it for all that it gives us. He has many ways he helps preserve our backpacking areas and other places you might hike. The idea of lightweight backpacking is that you have think about what you are going to take on your trip so that it fits in your small pack. This prevents the use of useless camping things and the consumption of luxury foods. By using a light pack you reduce the strain on not only yourself, but the environment too. In his book he talks about all of the unnecessary luxury items the majority of people bring on their trips to the outdoors. I always hated carrying the usually 4lb packs filled with heavy things. I now prefer carrying the 8oz packs that Ray Jardine has to offer. It is a significant difference when you are on long distance hikes, and this is voice of experience. Our family goes on at least one long hike in the outdoors of Texas during a year. So I have had the opportunity to use a variety of packs and the weight difference is quite noticeable. Ray also promotes the use of light tents, dried food, and carrying a water purifier. My father and I are the strongest in our family, so when we go hiking, we always carry the heavy things, like water and tents. We used to carry tents that you would buy at Wal-Mart, but now we use lightweight tarps that are first of all tiny, and super light compared to the conventional tent. These tents also leave less of a mark on the place you've slept and make use of the environment around it. We order all these things from his website, rayjardine.com/ray-way.
My project started by ordering the backpack kit itself. I then read all the instructions so I was able to get an idea of what to expect during the construction of the pack. To create and mark the pack I needed, markers, rotary cutter, scissors, glue-stick, pins, straight-edge, weights, and a sewing machine. Then I cut out all the templates for the different parts of the pack. Then I used the templates to cut the fabric. There is only a minimum amount of fabric to make the pack, so I had to be very careful when I was cutting. Then I started working on the shoulder straps. First, I cut the fabric using the templates then the foam. Then I sewed those onto the reinforcement panel that attaches to the pack. Next, I cut out the side panels of the pack and sewed those together using the templates and markers. Once the side panels were done I sewed on the mesh that holds stuff on the outside of the pack and sewed on the buckle that connects the top of the pack to the middle of it. After that I sewed on the bottom of the pack. Then I sewed on the shoulder strap adjusters to the pack and the loop on the top of the pack for easy hanging/carrying. Then, I put on the extension collar, so that the pack may have more volume to it. Then, I put in the draw strings that are used to close the pack. Once the pack was completed I checked it to make sure everything is secure and in order. Now I have my very own lightweight backpack for my personal use.
Conclusion
It took determination and hard work to put together this pack. I feel that I have actually done something useful by making it myself. I respect the work my father does to make our backpacking adventures easier and more fun by making all of our equipment. I now understand how much time a person must put into making hikes comfortable. The amount of work and time is worth it when you are able to experience the results and benefits. Now that I have a smaller pack I have to think about all the things I put in my pack, so I only have the necessities. This means that it is easy to find things I need and my hiking trip will be almost care free, because I know what I have and what I am doing. The book has helped me understand that I must respect my environment so that others can enjoy it later. By creating my own backpack I have not only made my vacations more comfortable; I have learned important ideas and values about my surroundings.
Questions and Answers
The Ray-Way Backpack-Kit::Questions and Answers
"I'm excited about buying and sewing a backpack kit, however my shoulder size falls exactly in between a S and a M. 38.5 inches. would you recommend going a little big or for the smaller size. Thank you!" - Christine B., CA
Our reply:
If you will be using the sternum strap, then you might choose the M. If not, then the S.
Note that either size will work well for you, with or without the sternum strap. This is just a guideline to help you with your initial purchase.
* * *
"We just completed the PCT using your tarp, quilt and backpack. The following is a quick breakdown of how the Backpack performed - The well thought out design for the backpack was excellent. The pockets were great, directions on packing it from the AT video were excellent. When I order another backpack however, I will be modifying a few things as I guess I am quite hard on gear. The netting I would replace with a more robust material as I got quite a lot of holes in it from wear and tear - not a fault of the product. I would also probably construct the whole pack from the heavy duty material. For me, having a pack that weighs a little more, but is a little more resistant to my "roughness" would be worth it. It should be mentioned however, that although our base weight was pretty low, we had a tendency to carry quite a lot of food (ranging from 5 to 7 hiker days) in order to minimize the inconvenience and wasted time associated with hitching into town. You would probably be disgusted by how much food weight your poor little bags had to endure but they definitely stood up to whatever challenge we could throw at them, although there were a few patched and unpatched holes by the end. We would both like to send you guys are heart felt thanks as the gear was amazing." - Ben and Kate (The Australians)
Our reply: Congratulations on your hike, and thanks very much for the feedback. You say: "more robust material." We think the better solution is to take better care of the gear. I used the same backpack materials on four thru-hikes (1-PCT, 3-AT), and had no problem with them wearing out, with no patches necessary. Taking better care of the gear is a conscious effort - a mental shift - that requires more skill. Rather than throwing the backpack down at a rest stop, place it down gently, especially on rough rocks. Rather than thrashing through the brush while letting the pocket netting catch on branches, pull or push those branches aside and squeeze through without touching them. And most important, when the backpack is empty, take care not to shove or slide it across the ground. It all boils down to a matter of respect. And the trade-off is lighter weight gear that lasts a long time. And once again, Congratulations!
Darrin
The Ray-Way Backpack-Kit::Customer Review
"Many thanks for the excellent quality of materials and concise, systematic instruction included in your kits! I have already completed three of your "Connection Kits" - the backpack, tarp, and quilt (deluxe 1p w/alpine & stowbag).
I was a self-described "gear-junkie." I subscribed to all the magazines (such as Ad-Packer . . . err, uh, Backpacker), read and participated in all of the online backpacking message boards and cajoled merrily and proudly with others who, similarly, thought nothing of owning 6 or more backpacks, 5 or more shelters, 4 or more sleeping bags, etc. What insanity! It was as though I was trying to BUY the outdoor experience rather than LIVE the experience I so desired. Meanwhile, in consuming more and more gear, my resources were continuously stretched so thin that I was never able to create the time to get out and actually use it! And by the time that moment approached, well, some new, "must-have" item that everyone was gawking about would come out . . . Nevertheless, I abandoned all those cannonballs (both physical and ephemeral) and quickly listed my stock-piles of gear for sale. It was just as quickly snapped up and I was able to finance my entire summer along the Pacific Crest Trail! In fact, just ONE pack sold payed for ALL of my Connection-Kits!
I wanted to pass along an excerpt of an email I set to one of my buyers when they asked about why I was not playing the game any longer: 'Its funny that you should ask about what pack design I finally chose because it is just about as opposite from the (brand of pack I was selling) as you can get! I purchased and sewed a "Ray-Way" pack from Ray Jardine's website: www.rayjardine.com. I found that with the wide shoulder straps and smart, compact design, I actually preferred to distribute the weight throughout my upper body. I also found that my gaite was easy and much more effortless without a hipbelt. I must have a lot of torso swing to my pace, because it just felt 'right.' This may sound far-fetched, but . . . My "training walk" is a pretty good 6-mile route with as many steep hills as I could include. I loaded up every potential pack with exactly the same weight, exactly the same items: 4 liters of water, 18 pounds of food and 8 pounds of clothes + gear. Each pack (here were the names of 5 different brands of packs), my homebrew Ray-Way pack, and an (another brand-name pack). Same route, same weight, just a different pack on a different day. I initially gave each pack two shots, and began to weed . . . It came down to the (brand-name pack) and the Ray-Way pack. I chose the Ray-Way pack over the (brand-name pack) for 3 main reasons:
* Comfort- Again, I preferred to distribute the weight throughout my upper body. I also found that my gaite was easy and much more effortless without a hipbelt.
* Weight- the Ray-Way pack weighs less than 10 ounces compared to the 3 lbs 10oz. of the (brand-name pack).
* Pride- I actually MADE the Ray-Way pack, I feel that I know everything about it! This sense of ownership and accomplishment quickly led to my also making my tarp, quilt and most of my clothes! I can RELY on it because I'm relying on its creator . . . myself!
Again, thanks for the inspiration & perspiration you two!"
- Darrin W.
- Backpack Kit
- Ordering Options
- Choosing a Volume
- Specifications
- Closing the Ray-Way Pack
- Kit Contents
- Care and Storage
- Hip Belt
- Zippered Pocket
- Carrying a Foam Pad
- Carrying an Ice Axe
- Carrying a Bear Canister
- History of Development
- Backpacks at Our Classes
- Customer Photos
- Young Customers
- Questions and Answers