Favorite Gear Features?

[chinooktrail]

Ok, doing a little R & D here, I hope the mod's don't mind.

What are your favorite gear features?

Those little things that make you always pick one thing over another?

For me, I like to have;

Thumb loops on my tops.

Pockets on my hip belts.

Cargo Pockets on my pants, WITH zippers.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Ok, doing a little R & D here, I hope the mod's don't mind.
Cargo Pockets on my pants, WITH zippers.

Lots of pockets!

And large zipper pulls! I usually install them if they don't come with any.

I like things that do multiple tasks, like a watch with a zillion features, a good Leatherman tool, etc.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Cargo Pockets on my pants, WITH zippers.

Agree 100%!

I also like the sternum strap on my backpack. God bless the individual who came up with that idea.

 

[Peakbagr]

Lycra-less cuffs and hems. I pretty much avoid any fleece, jackets, parkas, gloves, heavyweight layers with lycra edges. Great at first, but ratty looking and shredded with use and bushwhacking. I"m ratty-looking enough without adding to it.

Really like big pit zips, well placed pockets, zippers that slide one handed, and a BIG plus for large pockets on the front of packs. Wish all toploading packs came with external zippers.

Storage pockets on packs. I usually sew-in Eagle Creek travel pockets inside of all packs. Waterproof and lightweight. Organizes the small, important stuff and keeps it from falling out. One gets wallet and car keys. Another receives headlamps, batteries, extra compass. Wish every pack came with inside pockets besides the packlid pocket.

I sew a nylon knife sheath on the inside of my packs. Small multitools or knife is always there and readily at hand.

Mesh spacing between your back and the daypack. I have 2 Ospreys with this and they've spoiled me for carrying any other packs.

Easy to use and easy to access hydration set ups on daypacks(see above Osprey packs).

Smartwool socks - Warm, padded, and easy to care for.

 

[trailbiscuit]

Second the hip belt pockets. I'm not sure how I ever lived without them.

 

[Jay H]

Heated seats in my Subaru in winter.

Bike jersey rear pockets when you need a stash pocket or to fastpack.

The little car key clip inside my packs.

Zipper pulls!

Just to name a few.

Jay

 

[chinooktrail]

I am with you on getting rid of the lycra.

I used to be a HUGE Smartwool fan, but now I buy DARN TOUGH socks, made right in Vermont! Wicked nice and warm, and locally made for generations.

http://www.darntough.com/

 

[hikingfish]

Heated seats in my Subaru in winter.
[...]
Zipper pulls!
Jay

Amen for both!

For girlfriend wouldn't winter camp without 'em heated seats anymore.

I've bought several meters of accessory cord at the MEC and installed zipper pulls on ALL my zippers. I absolutely have to be able to do everything and anything with mitts on.



Fish

 

[chinooktrail]

Oh yeah, i just replaced all my sternum strap 'male' buckles with the orange whistle ones, what a GREAT invention!

I never thought about sewing more pockets into my packs, they seem heavy enough now. But that is a good idea. I have a bunch of different colored stuff sacks or dry bags, depending on hiking or kayaking, and color code my stuff. But you have to dig around to find them, I can see where having them sewn in would be good, quicker access and probably 1/2 the extra weight because you are using 1/2 the fabric...

Hoods, thats another thing I like, having a hood to just flip up or down easily for temp control.

 

[Paradox]

I installed backpack utility straps

I really need the pockets in front which the "Wet Rib" provides.

I'll second the hooded jacket that you can flip up and down to go under/through snow covered branches. The hood has kept a lot of snow from going down my back.

 

[chinooktrail]

I keep hearing about this 'wet rib' or 'dry rib' from Marmot/Dana Designs. I know the whole Dana Designs/K2/Marmot changes...

But I can't find one anywhere! Does anyone know if they are still made or where I could buy one?

That strap system looks great, I missed that the first time around. I will have to try that tonight! Thanks.

 

[forestgnome]

Vents!!! Can't possibly wear pants without vents. Snowboard pants are the best I've found for winter hiking because they are actually made to allow deep bending of the knees. What a concept in sports clothing! Manufacturers have moved the vents from the outside of the legs to the inside, where venting is much more effective.

Pockets!!! I have added a few to my Kelty Redwing pack. I attached a large fanny pack just underneath the front pockets.

Travel sacks ( or whatever they are called ) also help a lot with organizing inside the pack.

happy trails

 

[coldfeet]

Socks and socks and socks.......

Smart wool, Cabella's and EMS merino socks.....I wear them all the time...so comfy!

 

[Paradox]

I keep hearing about this 'wet rib' or 'dry rib' from Marmot/Dana Designs. I know the whole Dana Designs/K2/Marmot changes...

But I can't find one anywhere! Does anyone know if they are still made or where I could buy one?

Try wet rib

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Try wet rib

Get the large size.

 

[Meo]

- Flick-locks on Black Diamond poles
- Heel lifters on snowshoes
- The "forward pull" system on Osprey hipbelts
- Foam handles on poles
- toe bumpers on boots

 

[Mad Townie]

Oh yeah, i just replaced all my sternum strap 'male' buckles with the orange whistle ones

Figures you'd replace the males!

I like jacket pocket zippers that zip DOWN to close. Above treeline, winter conditions, I like to pull out mittens, put them on, then have an easy time closing the pockets rather than a hard time. Plus if there's anything left in the pocket I want to be able to get it closed as quickly as possible to avoid losing anything in the breeze. Plus big zipper pulls on them.

A good snowshoe lashing system on packs would be nice. I've tried doing it all kinds of ways and still haven't found one that's satisfactory.

My pack has a D ring on the front of the shoulder straps. Now that I have a
Camelbak it's perfect for attaching the end of the hose so it doesn't go all over the place.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

Mesh back and air space on my Osprey Stratos pack.
Televators on snowshoes for sure

Tim

 

[chinooktrail]

Hey Mad Townie!!

HAHAHA!

Good one!

I got a new small daypack that has only one shoulder strap and goes on across your body, like a messenger bag. You can swing the whole thing forward to easily unzip the two zippers and not have anything fall out.

It is pretty small, like a camelback, but we shall see.

I made sure it is on the right shoulder, since technically I am not supposed to carry any loads with my left.

 

[erugs]

Colors. I like my gear to be colorful, especially the stuff that is mostly stowed away. Colors help me identify where I am stowing stuff, more quickly identify my gear from someone else's.