Trapper Nelson pack board.

Picked up most of the supplies I need to retrofit it today, webbing for the straps and waist band. Padding for the shoulder straps. I already had the buckles and screws I need to fasten it all to the frame, so far I’m $37 into it haha. It’s looking like it will work nicely.
 
Quick update on the refit, had time to attach buckles to all the pack straps and waist strap. Everything is stiched up tight and ends that will be attached to the frame of the pack board are folded double before stiching, I even had enough of the smaller webbing to make a removable head strap. I used neoprene seatbelt pads for the padding on the shoulder straps, they’re pretty cushy. I’ll get it all attached over the weekend and take it for a test run.

If the frame ribs dig into my back I plan on slipping a piece of sleeping mat foam between the fram and canvas wrap.

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Looks really good. The width of the straps is the limiting factor if you are lean on muscle in the contact areas.
A couple of my vintage packs have welt padding crudely sewn in a very similar way to yours.
If you did the same trick to the waist belt it wouldn’t hurt too.
 
I still have the one I bought in the '60s. My first back pack. I taught me what a real back ache felt like. That's probably why it still looks little used. I moved on to a better one which I hiked through Europe with. That was a few packs ago.
Nostalgia is nice, but a great back pack it ain't.
 
Noel said:
Looks really good. The width of the straps is the limiting factor if you are lean on muscle in the contact areas.
A couple of my vintage packs have welt padding crudely sewn in a very similar way to yours.
If you did the same trick to the waist belt it wouldn’t hurt too.
Click to expand...

That was a thought I had already, if I need padding on the waist strap I’ll grab another set of seatbelt pads. The waist strap and shoulder straps are the same width and the neoprene pads are real thick, for $10 they are a deal. Im not too boney so this will be fine for the level of use I need it for.

Big Uke said:
I still have the one I bought in the '60s. My first back pack. I taught me what a real back ache felt like. That's probably why it still looks little used. I moved on to a better one which I hiked through Europe with. That was a few packs ago.
Nostalgia is nice, but a great back pack it ain't.
Click to expand...

Oh for sure, I already have a big pack with an internal frame I’ve traveled across Canada with. If I ever need a multi day pack I’ve got it covered, it’s too big for most situations and this is about keeping things compact. This refit will be mainly for getting from the cutblock to the truck, not hiking for hours. Last season I dragged a whole deer 350y uphill through a cut block to get back to the road, I’m trying to avoid that again as I do more solo hunting than not. Think 30-60 min trips loaded with a quarter or two, I’ll make more trips back and forth than trying to pack it all out in one trip if I have to.
 
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Got the straps mounted up, it’s pretty comfortable actually. I strapped my day pack to it which weighs around 14lbs with an empty water bladder and wore it around the yard for a bit while doing chores, I can’t say I noticed any staves digging in. A real hike with it loaded up will tell though, so far so good. The only thing left to do is cut the waist straps to an appropriate length for when I’m wearing a thicker jacket, the pack straps will be left as is till I have some meat strapped to it. The excess tucks up easily anyways, I’ll likely oil the leather straps and wax the canvas before it starts to rain in the fall.

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No, I just slip it over the top staves and it sits under the eye hooks. I think I’ll have to make a longer one, I barely had enough webbing to make one. It feels a bit short. I’ll try and get a pic with it attached when I really test it out.
 
I packed out about 20-25lbs of loose salt and minerals up to a high meadow this evening, gps said it was a 300m hike all uphill through a cut block. Worked like a charm, really comfortable and I could easily carry double the weight. The tump line is a tad short, so I’ll make a longer one that’s for sure once I get some more webbing. Otherwise I can’t say I have any complaints, the frame didn’t dig into me anywhere and the waist strap worked great.

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Looks good!
I have an old Trapper Nelson in the shed that I was thinking about doing something similar to.....
 
Last week I toted ~80 lbs of tools, game cameras etc into the bush with mine. I had 2 loaded backpacks, which I stacked on top of each other, on the pack frame. Lashed them to it, and while it was not a light load, it was a huge time saver, to be able to get everything in one load/trip.

Plus my pack frame has pretty decent padding on the shoulder harness and waist belt.

I recommend it.
 
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