Backpack Frame/Skeleton

[VoltageTheWolf]

I've noticed after a few months of use my backpack has begun to sag and droop in the "pouch of holding" with my daily load (steamdeck in case, water bottle, Cat6e cables). Could LTT consider making an interior skeleton to add into the "pouch of holding" to help keep it's shape when its not stuffed?

 

If I lay the deck flat in its carry case it no longer droops/sags but makes access to it a bit more annoying and doesnt allow for the whole water bottle sleeve to be used by my 21 oz'er. So a firm maybe modular skeleton add in on the bottom or the entire section would be nice. May even add some protection to contents as well

 

Photos below are without flat deck and with flat deck 

[ToboRobot]

Adding more support will increase weight, and decrease volume of storage.

Bags might "look pretty" when it's new and the structure is rigid because the fabric hasn't worn yet, but it isn't a failure or problem with the product.

[DominusFaber]

Mine does the same, I carry a lot of stuff. My Steam Deck is in the back pocket in a Killswitch case. With a water bottle in the bag it's usually fine though. I have a huge battery bank and some tools in the front pocket so that adds a lot of front weight. Only so much structure with fabric. Wonder if someone would prototype using aluminum rods or something. 

 

I don't actually care if my bag sits like this, it's only ever sitting like this when I am home and it's on a chair or something anyways. 

[Fijolito]

I would love if someone design a 3D printing thing to support the backpack. Its more annoying to get into the front bag if its slouching.

 

[Reliable Random]

Yeah. Mine leans forward a ton. I've rearranged things a dozen different ways. it just leans forward. And a lot of the times tips over forward. The screwdriver weight while not much, isn't helping.

 

Curious if the tech pouch/sack will help improve things by sitting at the bottom. But i have my doubts.

[Reliable Random]

I was dealing with a similar issue. It was getting pretty bad.
I messaged support and sent pictures. And they sent me a replacement backpack.

[saintlouisbagels]

10 hours ago, Reliable Random said:

I was dealing with a similar issue. It was getting pretty bad.
I messaged support and sent pictures. And they sent me a replacement backpack.

Jeez are the backpacks going to have a 100% "failure" rate if they're willing to replace it over something that's naturally occurring?

[Reliable Random]

Not sure what they're plan is. All I know is the replacement hasn't been doing it at all. Been working absolutely great.

[Gigahawk]

Messaged support a while ago, and they sent me a free replacement as well.

It's much better, but it's also beginning to sag, only time will tell how bad it gets.

 

In the meantime, I have an extra saggy backpack to experiment with.

I've printed some brackets that go inside the bag of holding compartment and stiffen up bag.

They're adhered into the bag with adhesive velcro for fabrics: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00N0W89Z8

 

Some comparison shots of with and without the brackets.

Backpack is

• purchased and used daily from the original backpack popup till last month
• empty except for a single filled 21oz bottle, either in
  • the bottle pocket for a more centered weight distribution
  • the front pocket for a worst case scenario

 

Without the bracket

Bottle in the front

 

Bottle in the bottle pocket

 

 

With the bracket

Bottle in the front

 

Bottle in the bottle pocket

 

   

As good as the pictures look, the adhesive on the velcro doesn't really inspire confidence in the longevity of this solution. Sewing the velcro to the backpack would be best for a permanent solution.

The geometry of the bracket is also not particularly optimal, there's definitely plenty of room to improve the crumpled front corners you can see in some of the photos, but for now it seems fine.

Note I have no idea if the 40oz bottle works with these brackets, they're wide enough to accommodate the 21oz (bottom of the bottle touches the bracket), but shouldn't be too hard to make the bracket thinner to handle the larger bottle.

 

CAD source for the bracket is at https://github.com/Gigahawk/objects/blob/master/ltt_backpack_skeleton.py

 

I don't really intend on moving all my stuff over back into this bag, so it's probably not going to see significant use, but maybe someone else can try this and see if it works for them.

 

 

ltt_backpack_skeleton-default.step ltt_backpack_skeleton-default.stl ltt_backpack_skeleton-default.3mf

[Gigahawk]

So I ended up taking my original bag on a trip. It still fits under a plane seat even with the skeleton, and is still more or less holding its shape.

Bag was too big to use as a day pack, so the only use it saw was being stuffed under a plane seat there and back, and sitting at the hotel for a week in between.

 

My replacement backpack has started sagging considerably more, probably about as bad as the original one without the skeleton.

 

A quick comparison (new replacement bag on the left, original bag with skeleton pieces on the right)

Note this isn't as scientific of a comparison as in my last post, there's a random mishmash of stuff in both my daily work bag and my the half unpacked original bag.

 

Seems to me there is either a really high failure rate on this feature, or it wasn't designed to do this at all and they just lied in the shortcircuit video?

 

Hope they make a statement about this

[AirTayJay]

On 6/8/2023 at 3:24 PM, Gigahawk said:

So I ended up taking my original bag on a trip. It still fits under a plane seat even with the skeleton, and is still more or less holding its shape.

Bag was too big to use as a day pack, so the only use it saw was being stuffed under a plane seat there and back, and sitting at the hotel for a week in between.

 

My replacement backpack has started sagging considerably more, probably about as bad as the original one without the skeleton.

 

A quick comparison (new replacement bag on the left, original bag with skeleton pieces on the right)

Note this isn't as scientific of a comparison as in my last post, there's a random mishmash of stuff in both my daily work bag and my the half unpacked original bag.

 

Seems to me there is either a really high failure rate on this feature, or it wasn't designed to do this at all and they just lied in the shortcircuit video?

 

Hope they make a statement about this

Good lord it looks like you threw your backpack down a cliff 

[Gigahawk]

10 hours ago, AirTayJay said:

Good lord it looks like you threw your backpack down a cliff 

Yea idk I don't think I've really even been treating it that poorly, the only time I don't try and set it down gently on the bottom is when I toss it in my car.

Maybe they intended it to be packed fuller than I usually have mine.