What hangs from your pack?

[timmus]

Once, on Garfield Ridge, my jacket (strapped outside my pack) got stuck in some branches while going down a steep section. I realized my lost one mile and half later, just when it started to rain (of course).

One of my very nice and very powerful hiking partner that day made a gentleman of himself and went back to look for it. At that moment, I felt really stupid about my mistake. I have to mention that my 200$ Suunto watch was in my jacket pocket... But that I remembered only when he gave it back to me.

 

[jade]

This is Channel 9 reporting: Woman hiker slightly injured during fall off mountain. Ranger Dick claims her back was loaded with unnecessary crap...She weebled and wobbled until finally the weight of her pack sent her cascading over the edge. Upon making contact with the ground, a small group gathered and began chanting "alligator eggs..alligator eggs" The woman blushed with embarassment as members of the group commenced to removing items from her pack....She agreed to donate 38 pounds of useless gear to the Search and Rescue and was able to walk out of the woods on her own with the remaining 40 pound backpack.
...Jade

 

[Woody]

I have a little thermometer with a compass on it hanging from the back of my pack and I clip my GPS to my shoulder strap and also use an idiot strap to keep it secure. I really don't want anything else hanging from my pack. I usually have my map in my pocket along with my compass. If I am going climbing my rope will be hanging on either side of my pack with the top of my pack over it and the compression straps keeping it from flapping around too much.
Different story in the winter. Ice axe(s), snowshoes, crampons will be strapped to my pack as well.

 

[Neil]

<off topic post>
Dosn't Timmus' avatar look like a cross between Joni Mitchell and Pocahontas?
</off topic post>

 

[pepsi]

I usually attach stuff that I find on the trail to the outside of my pack, it seems to make it easier to find the owner if they can see their gear hanging there.

Although I did have to backtrack half a mile on the way to Owl's head after realizing one of a pair of found Crocs had fallin off. Seeing the owners face made it worth it.

 

[Lawn Sale]

I typically borrow my older brother's Wet Rib, by Dana Design. While it's great for keeping things handy, it does get in the way a little, so I designed my own. I took a regular fanny pack and cut the straps off it, then attached some clasps so it would attach to the waist belt on a standard pack. The only issue I have is that the water bottle holder on it is a little small for a Nalgene, so I'll have to do something a little different.

Other than that I have a small LED light attached to one of the zipper pulls and the "sweat towel" hanging off the left shoulder strap, but nothing else usually. If I need to dry something during the day I'll hang it off the outside of the pack, but I do bungee it well so it won't get lost.

 

[cbcbd]

Not much...

Poncho on top - until it was snagged on a branch and lost
Camera case on hipbelt for easy access.

Rest of stuff (snacks, map, watch) goes in short pockets.

 

[Raymond]

I use a fairly small daypack. I attach my camera bag to the belt so it's near my right hand, and I have a red light that can blink in different ways that hangs from the cord on the back. (Even on the outside, where you'd think it would be safe from button-pushing pressure, it sometimes turns itself on.) I keep my compass in with the camera. The map, too, if it fits; otherwise it goes in a pants pocket. I hang my hat from my wood walking stick if it's not on my head.

Other than the spruce needles and debris caught in the mesh water bottle pockets, that's it for stuff on the outside.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Nothing hanging on my pack. I use a waist strap for the camera. Thorns, thistles, and nettles have a way of collecting on the pack.

<off topic post>
Dosn't Timmus' avatar look like a cross between Joni Mitchell and Pocahontas?
</off topic post>

I would say more like a young Berthe Morisot. There might be more of a resemblance in Berthe's photograph than in Manet's painting.

 

[forestgnome]

I keep a sheathed 4" fixed-blade knife (downsized from an 8") and a large white hanky ( for sweat and fly-swatting ) attatched to my waistbelt. My camera rides in a top-loader, attached to the shoulder straps where the sternum strap crosses.

I don't attach things to the back for fear of theivery by the spruce gremlins and like ilk, who seem to prey on gnomes. After unwittingly losing a crampon, I avoid attaching things to the back.

I have rigged a fanny pack which attaches to the bottom cinch straps of the backpack, which seem useless to me. I cut the buckles off the fanny pack and attached two male buckles that fit the female buckles on the backpack.

I can't endure any rattling of stuff as I hike. If something starts making noise I have to stop and deal with it immediately.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Depends

Snowshoes often do (not in summer).

If I'm on a bushwhack, I will probably have nothing. If I'm heading into a base camp...

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/petepack1.jpg

I may have a lot. In general, whatever doesn't fit in the pack, goes outside. Ever try to get a pair of skis INSIDE your pack?

Some people have no pack, and just have everything tied on:

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/jr_pack.jpg

or

http://newmud.comm.uottawa.ca/~pete/tmpadk/jrpack3.jpg

By the way... I'm trying to come up with a way to lash a 5 foot crosscut saw onto my pack.

 

[Chip]

<off topic post>
Dosn't Timmus' avatar look like a cross between Joni Mitchell and Pocahontas?
</off topic post>

That's "Eddy" of Absolutely Fabulous, the British sitcom and inspiration for the show "Cybill" here.

I hang a liter bottle and camera from my sternum strap and waist belt.

 

[Jay H]

I hang my camera on my sternum strap.

I'll sometimes biner a gore-tex cap on the back.

Snowshoes/skis/crampons in winter..

I have a little thermometer on my backpack...

Nalgenes go in the side pocket of my daypack...

I've seen people put sunscreen/lip balm/hand sanitizer on 'biners which is a good idea...

Maps and/or compasses usually are on lanyards around my neck, not my pack.

Jay

 

[dreamstream]

Can't stand anything hanging and swing about, would rather have two pounds strapped in than one flopping around.

Find even a bit of loose weight can be disabilizing and just plain annoying.

 

[jfb]

I have a couple of different daypacks without pockets and don't tie anything onto the outside, except when carrying winter gear. Snowshoes, crampons, poles and ice axe get tied on securely when I'm not wearing or carrying them.

 

[timmus]

(the British idea and forerunner of the show "Cybill" here).

Really ? I suppose the heavy stuff have been diluated while crossing the Atlantic Ocean...


« « end of the off topic posts » »

 

[Bob Kittredge]

I have a smallish belly bag (backwards fanny pack) with compass, knife, granola bar, sunglasses, whistle, bandaids, sweatbands, small flashlight, packet of tissues, notebook and bug dope.

Strapped to the pack (using the daisy chain loops or whatever they're called) is a foam pad wrapped in a plastic tarp and a trekking pole that I almost never use but like to have with me.

My lunch travels in the lower pockets of my cargo shorts.

 

[carole]

Nothing...

I stuff my pant pockets in spring, summer, fall; and vest pockets in winter.

....well, maybe a pink shoelace

 

[MadRiver]

I attach my nalgene bottle with an OR bottle holder, a sweat rag, small knife, and a small food bag. In winter, both my snowshoes, and crampons are attacked to the outside. I often times have a rain or wind jacket strapped to the side as well.

 

[jjo]

In addition to a few of items mentioned above, I (this will stamp me as a real wimp) carry pepper spray. A bad encounter w some coyotes vs my dog has prompted this. I know, I'm a wimp. I also now carry a knife.