Author Topic: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?  (Read 3116 times)

gunwharfman

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I visited a hiking shop yesterday and one man was there with his rucksack (he was looking at sleeping bags) and as I stood nearby I was struck by how much stuff he had clipped or strapped to the outside of his rucksack. His rucksack was on the floor propped up against a pillar and I noticed a phone and a GPS pouch and a little gauze bag as well, no idea what that might have been for? There was also a small bag clipped to the waist strap.

It got me thinking anyway. My tent is strapped horizontally on the top of my rucksack, my hiking sticks are secured to one side and I have one drinking water tube and nozzle showing over my left shoulder, but apart from that nothing else is attached other than a whistle and a small plastic cup. I do carry secondary items that are not permanently on my back, only clothes (usually socks and a baselayer) that need to dry before I can put them back inside my rucksack.

Over the years I've noted that some people carry everything inside their rucksack, they are so neat and tidy, whilst others like me seem to carry a minimum amount and then there are those hikers that appear to be cover the whole rucksack surface with something or other.

Pitboot

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #1 on: 11:57:43, 14/03/20 »
From bitter experience I don't strap anything outside my rucksack if it can be carried inside, or in my clothing. Sticks or ice axe are exceptions and there are good secure straps for those.
I once strapped a very wet jacket to my pack on the ascent of Buchaille Etive Mor (apologies if misspelled), it dried out but it was blown off down a gully never to be recovered. That was thirty years ago.
You often see comical back packers around here with all sorts of stuff hanging off their packs, last summer I even saw that old stereotypical white enamel mug!

ninthace

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #2 on: 12:02:56, 14/03/20 »
GPS clipped to loop on left shoulder strap, whistle ditto.  Karabiner through matching loop on right shoulder strap - no idea why.
Poles very occasionally go into the loops provided by Osprey for that purpose.
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Slowcoach

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #3 on: 12:32:35, 14/03/20 »
GPS fixed to my top right shoulder strap, water bottle in a pouch on my right hand side of my waist belt and in the summer a camera in pouch to the left hand side of the waist belt.
Sometime walking poles attached via the purpose made holders but nothing else.

It's all uphill from here.

Pitboot

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #4 on: 12:46:37, 14/03/20 »
  Karabiner through matching loop on right shoulder strap - no idea why.




Boots and Paras and wannabes all sported the karabiner attached somewhere on the bergen/webbing. I never saw one deployed in over thirty years in uniform.
Having said that, when you next go out without one you will really need it, so keep wearing it. ;)

Lee R

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #5 on: 13:06:44, 14/03/20 »
I don't camp. Yet.


Just a tripod for me.

sussamb

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #6 on: 13:10:06, 14/03/20 »
On LDWs a pair of shoes for 'evening wear' in the spider on the back on my Lowe Alpine Airzone Pro, plus this time on my C2C goggles in case snow was bad, not used  ;D
Where there's a will ...

ninthace

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #7 on: 13:39:19, 14/03/20 »

Boots and Paras and wannabes all sported the karabiner attached somewhere on the bergen/webbing. I never saw one deployed in over thirty years in uniform.
Having said that, when you next go out without one you will really need it, so keep wearing it. ;)
I found mine during a walk and clipped to the pack for somewhere to put it at the time.  It sort of stayed there - makes me look a bit of a Walt though.
Solvitur Ambulando

richardh1905

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #8 on: 13:40:31, 14/03/20 »
Ice axe and/or walking pole - and that's it.


Better off just getting a bigger rucksack than having stuff hanging off a smaller rucksack.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

richardh1905

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #9 on: 13:52:19, 14/03/20 »
..a small bag clipped to the waist strap I can see the use for, though.


Or better still, buy a rucksack with pockets on the hip belt.
WildAboutWalking - Join me on my walks through the wilder parts of Britain

ninthace

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #10 on: 14:01:06, 14/03/20 »
If necessary, in the depths of winter I can get a pair of snowshoes on the outside of my pack.  The 2 little loops at the at the bottom of the pack hold the heel spikes nicely.  I have never found a comfortable stowage for my ice axe though.  I like to have it where I can pull out quickly without having to take my pack off and the pole stowage puts the sharp bits too proximate to my soft pink body if I were to slip.  I have tried some sort of ninja stowage but my arms didn't seem quite long enough.
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Mel

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #11 on: 15:17:23, 14/03/20 »
Karibinas?  Ach, I guess I’m a wannabe.  I have one clipped on the zip to the main compartment of my rucksack for ease of grip/accessibility to said compartment.  I use the pole loops for my walking stick and my affectionately named “sporran” (for my camera/GPS phone) threads onto the waist straps. 


Oh, and I have a snail attached to the helmet clip of my pack too…
 
 

jimbob

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #12 on: 15:20:25, 14/03/20 »
Oh, and I have a snail attached to the helmet clip of my pack too…
Do you get that hungry?
Too little, too late, too bad......

Mel

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #13 on: 15:24:59, 14/03/20 »
Hehe.  No, it's trying to overtake me.  It would succeed if it wasn't clipped on  ;)




jimbob

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Re: What do you carry on the outside of your rucksack?
« Reply #14 on: 15:33:41, 14/03/20 »
Hehe.  No, it's trying to overtake me.  It would succeed if it wasn't clipped on  ;)
Yeh, even clipped on it would probably toddle along faster than me.
Too little, too late, too bad......

 

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