- April 11th, 2015, 8:37 am#4831006
This was a secret project that Julz and I had been working on over the past few months. We started off by analyzing some of the super straps from the GB2 Hero packs (mainly the Venkman Hero) and sourcing the appropriate materials.
The first task was to remove the original LC-1 padding from the strap, which I must confess, I felt a bit uneasy ripping up an original LC-1 strap that was in excellent condition. However, the seam ripper made quick work of it, not taking more than five minutes. I held onto the original padding to use as a guide for determining the angle at which the new pads will fit together.
After Julz and I determined the correct dimensions, I made some templates for the pads and cut them from 0.5" closed cell foam, doubling them up for the necessary 1" thickness. The red lines indicate where I cut some excess foam to compensate for the fabric and the angle of the lower pad.
Since closed cell foam is ridiculously expensive to buy in sheet form, I opted for a $15 yoga mat that was not only the correct material and thickness, but it was also black, so I can later utilize it for padding the top of the motherboard.
Since we couldn't find an olive drab Cordura that we felt matched the screen-used straps, I opted for some duck cloth that is very close in color to the Venkman Hero straps. I then cut out a mock-up using some scrap fabric so as to minimize wasting the duck cloth.
The sleeves for the pads are then sewn down the middle, which will give the finished pads a nearly seamless appearance. As with any sewing project, it is essential to iron your seams to ensure that everything lays flat. Note the angle of the seam for the smaller tapered pad.
Since the strap will be hand-stitched onto the pad, it is essential to pin every few inches to minimize the strap and pad from shifting around. Stitching each pad only took about five hours spread over a few days. Of course, if you're padding LC-2 straps (or Ray's semi-hero LC-1 straps), then you only have to worry about the main pad.
A few days later...
And mounted on the frame...
These new straps are extremely comfortable and should make the weight more bearable. Of course, these will be for my wife's GB2 Hero pack, while I'll continue to torture myself with the strict LC-1 configuration for my GB1 Hero...
The first task was to remove the original LC-1 padding from the strap, which I must confess, I felt a bit uneasy ripping up an original LC-1 strap that was in excellent condition. However, the seam ripper made quick work of it, not taking more than five minutes. I held onto the original padding to use as a guide for determining the angle at which the new pads will fit together.
After Julz and I determined the correct dimensions, I made some templates for the pads and cut them from 0.5" closed cell foam, doubling them up for the necessary 1" thickness. The red lines indicate where I cut some excess foam to compensate for the fabric and the angle of the lower pad.
Since closed cell foam is ridiculously expensive to buy in sheet form, I opted for a $15 yoga mat that was not only the correct material and thickness, but it was also black, so I can later utilize it for padding the top of the motherboard.
Since we couldn't find an olive drab Cordura that we felt matched the screen-used straps, I opted for some duck cloth that is very close in color to the Venkman Hero straps. I then cut out a mock-up using some scrap fabric so as to minimize wasting the duck cloth.
The sleeves for the pads are then sewn down the middle, which will give the finished pads a nearly seamless appearance. As with any sewing project, it is essential to iron your seams to ensure that everything lays flat. Note the angle of the seam for the smaller tapered pad.
Since the strap will be hand-stitched onto the pad, it is essential to pin every few inches to minimize the strap and pad from shifting around. Stitching each pad only took about five hours spread over a few days. Of course, if you're padding LC-2 straps (or Ray's semi-hero LC-1 straps), then you only have to worry about the main pad.
A few days later...
And mounted on the frame...
These new straps are extremely comfortable and should make the weight more bearable. Of course, these will be for my wife's GB2 Hero pack, while I'll continue to torture myself with the strict LC-1 configuration for my GB1 Hero...
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