I needed a jetpack that was light enough to not need a harness, yet still be sturdy enough to survive some tumbling around. I turned to EVA foam, which has become a favorite build material of mine.
I hand drafted the patterns to resemble the Jango Arena pack closely (but not exactly). The cones were the most difficult part, since they're hard to find in the real world. I lucked out on the primary cone, which I found at a hobby shop. It's the propeller cap for a large RC plane. The other cones are carved out of three sheets of foam stacked on top of one-another, and I aim to replace them as soon as I find something better. The jet nozzles are high-efficiency shower heads found at Home Depot for $2 a piece. Total cost of materials, paints, and adhesives comes out to about $30.
I didn't have a belt sander when I started, so some lines are much cleaner than others. But overall I'm very happy with it, and I think it completely rounds out my kit. I'm still working on the exact seating on my backplate, it's a fine line between too high and too low.
Here's the build process!
Originally the pool noodles were just a stand in. But they fit too perfectly to ignore, so I just covered them in a thin craft foam.
Save your comments about the cylinders....
The paint without weathering is so astonishingly ugly.
But throw some weathering in and it's certified cool.
My first test-fit. Seated a bit too high, but I like how straight the pack rested vertically. It gets a bit of an angle when seated lower. I may modify the back of the jetpack for a better fit.