Testing my Windmill Backpack

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Testing my Windmill Backpack
I stumbled on a great way to test my Windmill Backpack if it ever leaves the dream stage and becomes a pack.

I guess that is not true, I do not think these boys are going go just test my bag or even let me play with their toys.

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Indiana, United States of America
Small Town USA
Friday, March 7, 2008
Andy of HoboTraveler.com --- Free Hotel Advertisement
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Take you pick, it seems to have many names.

SSC
United States Army Soldier Systems Center
Natick Army Labs

As I understand, the US Army has a gear research facility in Natick, Massachusetts.

Wiki Quote:
The SSC is sometimes called the "Natick Army Labs", although this designation more properly refers to one of its tenant units, the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Center.

Page on wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natick_Laboratories

The Army page:
http://www.natick.army.mil/

The Windmill Backpack is moving along, however I have decided not to use Rodney from the Philippines or make the backpack in the Philippines. Rodney can only find sub-grade quality materials, therefore, if I personally need to go to Korea, Taiwan, China, and Japan to buy materials, I may as well make the pack closer to the source, a lot cheaper, say in Hong Kong, or China.

Second option and becoming a better idea daily is to make the backpack in Canada or the USA.

I cannot enter the USA for more than 30 days or pay many taxes. The USA allows me to earn up to 80 thousand outside the USA, so I could go to Canada, same as the USA with an self-identity problem to resolve.

What I need to do is buy all the top quality materials, free of the Asia problem of sub-quality and copies, never does anything work culture. I think the first 100 could 10 times easier be made in the USA. In the USA, I can just call up a vendor, say sent me this, pay by credit card and I have what I need, while Asia is tantamount to doing drug deals, with hired guns, cash money, many stupid things, not to be trusted farther than you can throw them. Yes, it is cheaper, but takes 10 times longer to get something done, I really do not want to live in China or the Philippine watching people sow, and I can buy a machine cheaper and make the bag myself. Which, is a good idea, I truly think I am the best person on the planet to sew this bag up.

I guess I should find a place in Canada, there is that Mountain Coop place on the West Coast, and seems to be a cutting edge gear store.

Testing my Windmill Backpack

Backpack | Backpacking | Gear |

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Reader Submitted Comments | Deleted Comments (0)

CT_Bob said on Friday March 7th, 2008 08:12:00 AM

If you are making this for yourself and not trying to make a product to sell, I would think a design that is extremely easy to make and to repair would be the way to go. I have had to repair Motorcycle gear and travel gear myself. Sometimes it is very easy, replacing zippers can be done with a needle or a sewing machine with one quick sweep. Other times, it requires the garment to be practically disassembled before repair can begin.I have had gear become practically useless because a stress point such as where the straps mount are too difficult to repair and to easy to damage.For me, the design of the bag (shape, size, etc) is secondary to ease of repair and replace.Bob L