#biologists will create highly specific things out of the world's most random junk materials :)

[sentimental-sil]

having the best conversation with my dad rn hang on let me describe this

so the past few weeks I've been working on this self-proclaimed "prototype" upgraded pack-basket to use at work since our current one is pretty uncomfortable to wear for excessive hours out in the field. (really practically everything about it is pretty uncomfortable, but what else are you gonna carry stanky beaver meat and skunk lure in other than a big plastic woven basket on your back?) (sidenote: a real pack-basket made of brown ash would probably feel a lot more comfortable to carry, but would be more expensive and less tolerant to all the rough handling we put our pack through.... plus plastic is just easier to hose down and clean 😕)

anyway, point is I've basically just been testing out different ways of attaching a hip belt to the basket so that it distributes weight better, and takes weight off the shoulders - my coworker had a spare backpacking hip belt around that she kindly contributed to this noble cause that would benefit both of us! "Prototype 1" was basically just duct-taping the belt to the shoulder straps of the pack-basket.... a nice attempt by said coworker, but unfortunately not sufficiently functional in the field. "Prototype 2" was more of a passion project in thoroughly securing the belt directly to the plastic woven basket straps, which I had got about 2/3rds of the way through... before realizing I had probably set the belt too low for both of our short-torsoed bodies! but I was too committed by then to turn back, so I finished the prototype and consequently we have been carrying around a still-unsuitable pack-basket for the past week and a half.

I finally put the time in to complete the third (and hopefully last!) "Prototype 3" this evening, which is the same as Prototype 2 but with the belt adjusted about 4" higher in the basket. given that my dad is a very design-oriented guy, I figured I'd text him a picture to show off my work. here's how the conversation went:

me: check out my new product! ✨ weight-distributing pack-basket ✨

dad: great! homemade? what's the problem you're trying to solve?

me: *explains uncomfortable features of pack-basket*

dad: okay, and so you can't use a regular soft-shell backpack?

me: we carry chunks of beaver meat and skunk lure in this thing, so definitely don't want that getting into fabric (skunk lure will stay in fabric perpetually even when washed). plus we carry tools in it, and the basket is big enough to fit our snowshoes!

dad: ah so it's an equipment hauler. have you thought about adding EVA foam to cushion shoulder straps? *sends link to foam product* where'd you get the hip belt, harvested it from another pack?

me: thanks! yup, coworker provided the belt

dad: nice. in the industrial world this is called "ad-hocing"

me: basically like making adjustments to a premade product so that it functions better?

dad: exactly. you bought a rigid easy-to-clean basket for carrying gross stuff, but it didn't exist in backpack form so you harvested a belt from another pack and will improve the shoulder straps.... you could add a sternum strap for the cherry on top.

dad: *sends me this picture of an anime character carrying a box-like backpack*

me: ???? 😆 [can see the resemblance but wondering what the context is]

dad: your sister watches this anime where the main character carries his demon sister around in a box on his back

me: haha yeah that's basically the same thing as my pack-basket! why is his sister a demon though?

dad: she got attacked and didn't fully transform into a demon b4 Tanjiro saved her

dad: you know, complicated characters like in full metal alchemist

dad: she'll die if she's exposed to the light.

me: oh so it's like an "Ed bonding Al's soul to a suit of armor" type of deal

dad: yeah

me:

dad: anyway

dad: here I have some spare EVA foam that you can have for your shoulder straps.