A hackpack is a backpack with a set of "always carry" tools for hacking the world around us.
We are starting a project at sudo room to create ~$25 base hackpacks with optional expansion packs.
We have a mailing list where we discuss everything related to hack packs.
People currently working on project: Tunabananas, Matt, Mackenzie, Juul.
Base hackpack
Target price <= $30
This is only an initial possible version. It may be too electronics-focused. Comments/changes welcome.
- A backpack (get from thrift store and wash at high temp)
- Soldering iron (should be 30 watts)
- Set of small screwdrivers (at least philips and flat-head)
- Needle-nose pliers
- Diagonal wire-cutters (these will probably suck, but maybe we can sharpen them?)
- Larger screw-driver with assortment of bits
- USB to 3.3v serial adapter
- Multimeter
- Assortment of resistors
- Small assortment of diodes, caps, mosfets, buttons, switches, LEDs
- Female to female pin header cables (like these)
- Some male-male and female-male pin headers
- USB stick (2 GB minimum) with bootable Linux and lots of libre books / learning materials.
- Sharpie
- List of where to buy more of everything
- List of other awesome things to add to hackpack, what they do and where to buy
Initial attempt at price assessment spreadsheet
Consumables
- Solder
- Wire of different colors and thicknesses
- Duct tape
- Yerba mate tea
Expansion packs
Essential reads
Dead-tree versions of $1 to $3 essential hacker works, e.g:
- Cryptonomicon, Snow Crash or The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
- Little Brother by Cory Doctorow
- please add more
Cloth
Mackenzie is working on this. Current target is $5.
Some things that may go in the pack:
- Scissors - $1 at dollar store
- Sewing needles
- Pins
- Thread
- Tailors chalk
- Conductive thread
- Instruction manual/booklet
Gluepack
- Small glue gun
- Glue sticks
- Electricians tape
RXpack
Target price: $16
- A rtl-sdr compatible usb adapter (like this one)
Wifipack
Target price: $30
- A dual-radio OpenWRT compatible router
- Instructions on how to flash with sudowrt firmware and do interesting things like spectrum analysis.
Mate anywhere kit
Make tea and stay awake anywhere!
Target price: $10
- Silicone travel cup - $5 (cheaper at Koreana Plaza?)
- Travel water boiler - $3.38 (but meant for 220v :/)
- Tea ball - $1
- Ziplock of yerba mate