Bushbuck

Over a three-year period, I was able to design a range of down sleeping bags, hunting-specific backpacks and a family camping tent for Bushbuck.

For the Sleeping Bags, my priority was to develop a system that would provide versatility for New Zealand’s highly variable and often damp conditions,s along with low weight and maximum warmth. I developed unique 3D patterns to optimise thermal efficiency and incorporated a central zip and a version of the slanted foot box that I pioneered 30 years ago. An ergonomically shaped passive neck baffle sealed the neck area. Ultra-lightweight covers provided wet weather protection, but only when required, optimising breathability for the sleeping bags.

The core piece of the previous Bushbuck pack range was a carbon fibre framesheet. This was the perfect starting point for designing a new hunting pack range due to the optionality and customisation that it provided. I then developed 2 pack bags and a range of harness components. For the pack bags, I developed patterns and sewn mock-ups. These patterns, along with detailed tech packs, ensured an efficient sampling process.

The Bushbuck Armadillo Roof Tent had been very successful,l and there was real scope to develop more supporting products. Utilising a combination of air beams and aluminium poles, I designed a unique semi-freestanding tension system. Scale models were useful in testing and resolving the design before producing scale drawings and detailed tech packs.