Knife carry w/ backpack

[tincan]

i settled on recon scout with 550 modifed sheath attached with clips to my right shoulder strap . Takes two seconds to detach. I also have a inverted mora clipper with custom sheath, 550 break away lanyard around my neck. my belt is reserved for pistol carry

 

[Bo T]

I had an acquaintance that rigged his shoulder strap with his sheath. Said its available on the trail and at camp. I had a Buck 110 on my hip. What do you feel most comfortible using.

 

[BluesStringer]

This is in prep for my first foray into serious, non-military backpacking. Do any of you get a hard time (scowls?) for having large (>7 inch total) knives strapped in "tactical" positions like inverted on shoulder straps or dropped on thigh straps while hiking public places (Yosemite)?

I haven't visited Yosemite for probably 30 years, but when I carry either the Outcast pictured above or my BK9 in the areas I go backpacking, I don't think anyone even sees the knife. I think they're distracted by the .45 mounted on a drop-leg holster.

I realize that sounds kinda smart-a$$, but I'm too old to be camping just for fun. The only times we (my wife and I) go out in the woods anymore is for survival training. We go out at least once a year, usually a couple of times a year for a week or so, and the #1 rule is always to train the way you can most reasonably predict will be like the circumstances you will need to use the training in. As such, we're always with a fairly large group who are all geared-up similarly to us, and the few people we encounter along the way are pretty well shocked to see us generally speaking. But I am being serious that I doubt most of them even notice the knives. LOL

Blues

 

[timberweasel]

If you're carrying a small light fixed blade like an Izula, you can string it inverted on a length of paracord. Tie a flat-knot in the middle of the paracord to make two loops (arm-holes), which makes sort of a shoulder holster type rig that you can wear under your pack. With some minor tweaking, you can get it fairly comfortable and secure.

Hope this helps someone!

 

[The Ice Bear]

Usually carry a bigger blade on my pack, either on the side or horizontal, Alice pack and zipties do wonders. My necker, and then something on my belt, BK2/10 usually. Like have something on everything, I fall and lose my pack I got two backups. I take a header over a cliff while disorientated in the dark I have my belt knife still. And I do not plan on losing my pants so I'll always have that one.

 

[adaman04]

Just last night I attached the molle back on my ESEE-4 sheath to the padded belt on my Kelty Redwing. I'm going to try it out. If I don't like that, I think I will use the paracord belt loop method and try it. One thing I love about the ESEE sheath systems, very versatile.

 

[mtwarden]

I haven't found much of a need for a bigger knife backpacking, so I carry a small neck knife (WM1)- it's light enough I forget it's there- even setup as a kit

dayhiking or hunting I will often carry a larger knife, but the waist belts on those packs are much thinner and not cinched down- so waist carry works just fine

 

[stingray4540]

When backpacking, not much more than a swiss army knife is "needed", and a 4" fixed blade is about the largest knife I would carry if you want a fixed blade.
A 7" blade is just unnecessary weight in my opinion, but to each his own.

My solution: Carabiner through the belt loop of the sheath and through a belt loop of my pants. However you do have to be careful about not sitting on your knife when you sit down, so I am considering changing to carrying my knife in a sheath like the ole vikings did. Hung horizontally from two straps from your belt, in front of you, or slightly to the off-hand.

ETA: I never had any odd looks/comments when I backpacked Yosemite when carrying my 4" fixedblade hanging on a carabiner from my belt.

 

[chiral.grolim]

...Do any of you get a hard time (scowls?) for having large (>7 inch total) knives strapped in "tactical" positions like inverted on shoulder straps or dropped on thigh straps while hiking public places (Yosemite)?

Shoulder strap carry - yes. This may just be because it's very visible and really abnormal. People I've met find it offensive (a knife that size in that location), as if it was a declaration. A large knife there is a weapon.

Thigh carry, even with a machete - no. Either no one notices or no one thinks twice about it as it's a normal place for such a tool to be carried in non-tactical environments. To repeat, they see it as a tool, not a weapon, all based on where i carry it. A large knife on my pack is also a "tool" rather than a weapon. *shrug*

 

[Bushman5]

Well, since i normally carry 10 - 20 knives every hike, i dont have a problem with carry options......

I like the large choppers lashed to the pack, the medium blades in the pack or on my belt or pack strap, and the small blades on neck or in pocket

 

[gulliamo]

This is all great information! The two knives I intend to carry are my Izula and my BRKT STS-3.I'll experiment this weekend, take some pictures and let you know what I discover. Any pics you have would help as well (particularly with the paracord strap idea).

 

[darthstrevel]

I have the same problem with my CC sidearm...

I don't want it attached on the waist strap because I want it on my person at all times...but the waist belt interferes with my sidearm draw if the sidearm is attached to my pants belt.

Luckily my large knives (on either a duty belt or pants belt) hang well below the waist belt on most of my packs. I wear the knife (either a ka-bar or BK7) in plain view and nobody seems to care out on the trails. Maybe I should just start OCing my pistol too...

 

[stingray4540]

Not sure if the carabiner idea interested you, but here are some pics of that set up. It is hanging from my right hip, and you can see that it is well below my hip belt.

I'm actually carrying a pretty small knife in these pics, but these are probably the best pics I have to illustrate what I'm talking about. The same effect could be achieved by making a nice leather thong, or with some paracord, and if you have a really large knife that you don't want flopping around, use some cord to tie the tip of the sheath to your thigh. But like I said, a knife of that size is rather excessive for backpacking.

 

[gulliamo]

Not sure if the carabiner idea interested you, but here are some pics of that set up. It is hanging from my right hip, and you can see that it is well below my hip belt.

Great pics! Thanks! My largest knife, the STS-3 has a 4" blade and 8" total length so nothing large by the standards on this forum.

You didn't find it bounce and bang against your leg as you walk?

 

[stingray4540]

You didn't find it bounce and bang against your leg as you walk?

Not at all, in fact the only time I even notice it, is sometimes the larger knives will tend to get underneath you when you sit down. More of an issue with leather sheaths than kydex.

For that reason, I am considering trying a horizontal sheath that hangs in front of me for knives with more than a 3" blade.
Kinda like this
l
V

 

[timberweasel]

This is all great information! The two knives I intend to carry are my Izula and my BRKT STS-3.I'll experiment this weekend, take some pictures and let you know what I discover. Any pics you have would help as well (particularly with the paracord strap idea).

The paracord rig is a homemade version of the Mercharness. Here are some other threads for more info:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=787569
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=672661

 

[HikingMano]

I carry my fixed blade on my belt even when wearing a pack with a full waist belt. I had a drop loop sheath made, such that the butt of the handle rides at about the top edge of the belt (or not much higher than that) when I'm wearing the sheath. Waistbelts ride higher than my pants belt, so I have no problems with the knife getting in the way. I wish I had some pics to demonstrate it, but I sold my Osprey pack off a while ago. Here is a pic of the sheath though:

On the belt:

 

[gulliamo]

Ok... so I can see I am going to have to spend every weekend walking around with different configurations so I can see which I like best.

So far I've ruled out:
-Inverted shoulder strap carry (too tacticool, stuck on pack)
-Pack belt carry (stuck on pack)
-Packed or strapped to pack (yup... stuck on pack)
-Vertical belt carry (rides under pack belt)
-Horizontal belt carry ((my favorite method without a pack)rides under pack belt)
-Neck carry (personally dislike but not completely ruled out)


Still to test:
-Drop vertical belt carry
-Drop horizontal carry
-Shoulder harness carry (paracord)

 

[gulliamo]

I am sorry I dont have pictures of my highride type sheaths I will try to take some this week and post them . Knife extraction is no problem with the pack on and the knife on my belt . I have built sheaths since i was a kid and this desighn took years of actual carry to perfect but now all my knives stay on me and ride all day comfortable .

I know posting pics can be a pain. Do you know of any pics online that resemble your method?

 

[Salamander42]

If I'm carrying a large knife, it's generally in my pack. For smaller and mid-sized knives, I've tried a few options and sometimes change things up depending on the situation or my mood. I made a kydex sheath for my Mora that rides kind of high, and works for me on my pants belt under my pack belt with the handle high enough to access, but it's difficult, if not impossible to re-sheath without unbuckling the pack belt. The same goes for my Spyderco Temperance. Besides, that spot (strong side, about 3:30-4:00 on the belt) has been taken by my .45 since I received my licence to carry. I find the paracord shoulder harness rig (search for "mercharness" for more info) to be the most comfortable option for me. I don't like neck cord carry anyway, but the mercharness works for knives a bit bigger than most people would consider to be neck knives, and depending on how you adjust things, it usually keeps the knife more out of the way than neck carry, so it's not dangling right in front of you while you're leaning over the fire pit, or trying to tie your shoe or whatever. You can rig it to be long enough to tuck the knife under your belt if it still flops around too much for you, or you can tighten it up right into your arm pit, if that's your preference, or if you want to get fancy, you can make it adjustable so you can change it on the fly. It's a very comfortable and flexible carry method. Good luck! Hope this helps out a bit.