123ArticleOnline Logo
Welcome to 123ArticleOnline.com!
ALL >> Sports >> View Article

Backpacking Clothes - Make Your Own

Profile Picture
By Author: Steve Gillman
Total Articles: 89
Comment this article
Facebook ShareTwitter ShareGoogle+ ShareTwitter Share

Okay, do you really want to make all your own backpacking clothes? More power to you, and good luck. After the first hundred tedious hours of sewing I started buying gear again. However, there are SOME backpacking clothes you can make cheaply and quickly. A few examples follow.

Making Your Own Ski Mask

Find any old thermal underwear top or bottom, preferably made of polypropylene. Cut off a sleeve or leg, pull it over your head, and mark where your eyes and mouth are with a pen or marker. Cut the holes and cut off the extra. You just made a balaclava.

My homemade balaclava weighs less than an ounce. Sew the top shut if you want, or just pin it shut with a safety pin. Making your own backpacking clothes doesn't get much simpler than this.

Hand Warmers

Put your hands inside a pair of light socks and mark where your fingertips are. Cut five holes in the end of each, and you now have 1-ounce hand warmers that leave your fingers free. Use them under other gloves or mittens in colder weather. When you need to remove your mittens to tie your shoes, you won't totally ...
... expose your hands.

A Two-Dollar Insulated Vest

You can buy 1/2" poly batting at any fabric store (I bought mine at Walmart). Unroll it and cut a piece out, roughly two by four feet. Put a hole in it for your head. You'll wear it like a tunic, but under your jacket. It will be among the lightest backpacking clothes you'll own. Mine weighs four ounces.

I took my vest, along with my homemade balaclava, over glaciers, to the top of 20,600-foot Chimborazo, in Ecuador. I also wore it to the top of Mount Shasta in California, and on many other trips. I made it as a disposable vest, but it's held together for years now.

Feel free to contact me with ideas for any simple backpacking clothes or equipment that can be made at home. However, if it can't be explained in a paragraph, it's probably too complex and time consuming for me. I prefer to backpack, not sew.


About the Author Steve Gillman is a long-time backpacker, and advocate of lightweight backpacking. His advice and stories can be found at http://www.TheUltralightBackpackingSite.com

Total Views: 478Word Count: 373See All articles From Author

Add Comment

Sports Articles

1. Conference League Final Extract: Enzo Maresca Praises Chelsea's 'serious' Mentality After Win Against Noah
Author: Samina Khan

2. Europa League Final Allusion: Manchester United Confirm Ruud Van Nistelrooy Departure As Ruben Amorim Flies In
Author: Samina Khan

3. Champions League Final 2025 Tell Tail: Scores, Results, League Position, Schedule, And Fixtures
Author: Samina Khan

4. Conference League Final Tree Ware: Stats Of Clubs, Players, Matches, Goals, Wins
Author: Samina Khan

5. Europa League Final Dustup: Amad Diallo Lifts Manchester United, Spurs Fall To Galatasaray
Author: Samina Khan

6. Champions League Final Delving: Insights On How Milan's Bravery Secured Victory Over Real Madrid
Author: Samina Khan

7. Betting Demo Id: A Beginner’s Guide To Risk-free Betting
Author: onlinebettinid

8. Champions League Final Marathon: Liverpool And Barcelona Rise As Arsenal And Psg Struggle
Author: Samina Khan

9. Europa League Final Peril: Tottenham Hotspur Strongest Starting Xi Prediction At Galatasaray
Author: Samina Khan

10. Conference League Final Notion: Challenged As Larne Learn From Early Conceding, Says Rohan Ferguson
Author: Samina Khan

11. Champions League Final 2025 Biathlon: Gyökeres, Kane, Lewandowski, And Raphinha Tied On Five Goals
Author: Samina Khan

12. The Importance Of Regular Office Cleaning In Liverpool Street For A Healthy Workplace
Author: Steve Humphrey

13. Europa League Final Herd: Scoring Race Samu Leads The Pack 2024/25 Season
Author: Samina Khan

14. Champions League Final Epilog: Sporting Stun City, Milan Beat Real Madrid, And Liverpool Stay Perfect
Author: Samina Khan

15. Italy Winter Olympic: New Safety Standards For Skiers In 2026
Author: eticketing

Login To Account
Login Email:
Password:
Forgot Password?
New User?
Sign Up Newsletter
Email Address: