Packs with stuff all over them Why?

As stated the needs of military personnel and hikers/backpackers/campers are different.

I really wanted a Kifaru Zulu, partially because of the PALs webbing. I picked that one because it was big enough to carry all my stuff INSIDE. BUT, should I have special needs, like if I was going hiking where there was little water, I could attach a few 2-liter canteens to it. Or if I was going camping, I could attach a tent to it. The webbing makes it easy to attach tools like an axe for wood gathering, or picks and hammers for rockhounding. But still the general idea was to have the gear stowed inside.

I use two packs right now that serve me quite well.
I recently got a Duluth Pack Wanderer:
Wandeerersm.jpg

It carries all the stuff I generally use. The side pockets carry Nalgene bottles with Olycamp stainless cups, the front pouch carries a small first aid kit, bug dope and a small fire kit (bic, matchcase and a few pieces of tinder). i don't have a problem with these pockets as, being integral, they don't flop around.

My other pack is a Duluth Pack Hudson Bay pack (imagine this picture without the clear map pocket on top, and instead of side pockets, 4 D-rings, otherwise it's identical):
Monarchsm.jpg

Here, everything (including the kitchen sink, thank you very much) fits inside. It's for canoe or car camping. I did find that the D-rings are spaced perfectly to suspend a GI 2-Qt canteen between two of them, giving the capability of carrying 4 2-Qt canteens outside, if I needed it. It also makes a good hunting pack, as I could probably fit a field dressed buffalo in it.

But in general, I don't like things lashed all over the place. It snags on things in the woods and snags on the canoe, the car trunk, etc. . .
 
I never used to put anything outside my pack (except my sleeping pad), but over the years, found that I liked to have the frequently-accessed items or a fleece or rainjacket attached to the outside. Depending on the terrain, it can be a disadvantage to have ANYTHING on the outside though.... horses for courses.

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
I like packs that have a lot of pockets because I'm disorganized.

But I'm not big on having stuff hanging off my pack.

I find that for instance if i'm hiking in sandals with boots on my pack it's like carrying twice the boots weight unless they are really tied down.

Also stuff hanging off the back really hurts my shoulders.

That said I usually have some socks hanging off the back drying.

I think people have stuff hanging off because either the pack is too small or they are trying to be real cool with all these Molle type thingies they sell now.
 
I try and put as much as I can inside the pack. I dislike the feeling of something being unsecure on my pack or swinging around while I'm walking. I'm often in the woods with my brother lately and we are very competitive so there is a fair amount of jogging/sprints that go on from time to time.

I don't want to have to worry about something falling off my pack.

I do like to lash my RC3 to the straps on my GI Camelback MULE though, it's VERY convenient and I don't have to worry about retention at all since it's rock solid.

Whatever floats your boat I guess.
 
^ ^ using MOLLE gear has nothing to do with being "cool" :rolleyes: It has everything to do with function and adaptability

the ability to change the pack configuration to suit my daily or hourly needs is what MOLLE gear so desirable and useful.

In a matter of minutes i can change my pack (or vest) from a hunting setup to a dayhike setup, or to a SAR setup.

That being said i still want the KIFARU Marauder pack with internal PALS webbing, so i can organize everything inside, as opposed to outside.
 
I personally like the MOLLE set-up because it makes me look cool.:rolleyes:

Actually, as I found out this weekend, the MOLLE sett up is great when you have multiple hikers with you. This is especially true if they are A. Young B. Unprepared or C. Inexperienced. I used the packs that ROCK6 sent me to try out to carry a variety of smaller things like Band-Aids, Extra binos, and food on the outside of my pack. This made things alot easier while hiking with my younger brother and cousin. They could easily access food and such without rummaging around in my pack and could grab something if I told them I needed it without either taking the pack off or having them choke me by tugging on it to see inside. It also makes it much easier for me to customize my load. I carry the CamelBak MULE so I have very limited space inside unless I want to jack with purifying water along the way. I also used the packs to do a little wade-fishing this weekend, so I had all my fishing gear in one and an FAK in another. It really is a matter of convinience IMO.


PeACE
Dougo
 
I don't think anyone is saying MOLLE setups CAN'T be useful...only that a lot of the people who buy them are buying them because they're the flavour of the year for tacticool.

Nobody will ever convince me that there aren't a lot of people out there buying MOLLE setups for this reason. Consequently, MOLLE may have a lot to do with being cool.
 
I'd have to say that most people buy MOLLE, like you said, because it looks cool, but would also add that there's a large subset of guys that buy whatever the military is using, wheter it's cool or even useful to them or not.

Just look at the guys that live in very green rain forest type areas, running around in desert cammies. Or the furor to find ARPAT ACUs when they first came out, even though the pattern sucks for anything but urban ops.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
I'd have to say that most people buy MOLLE, like you said, because it looks cool, but would also add that there's a large subset of guys that buy whatever the military is using, wheter it's cool or even useful to them or not.

Just look at the guys that live in very green rain forest type areas, running around in desert cammies. Or the furor to find ARPAT ACUs when they first came out, even though the pattern sucks for anything but urban ops.
Click to expand...

Man, is that ever true...in my first post in this thread I said I thought it was because there was a highly televised war on so you can get a great look at all the gear the soldiers are using, and then you can go buy it on the internet in realtime!

I see a fair number of guys here in coastal BC with arid-pattern gear. That cracks me right up!

I don't care what people want to own or do as long as everyone involved is a consenting adult, but I see some guys around that I have to say, my first thought is, "aren't you taking yourself a little seriously in that getup?"

I don't mind the wannabe soldiers, as long there is a recognition that that's what they are! Although the wannabe cops are pretty much universally annoying.
 
Well maybe a little insight on so many guys buying up arid camm.... that is what is being sold for cheap as surplus- both by guys ETS and selling gear and by companies like Tactical Tailor etc. that cater to mil.... they get way ahead in inventory and sell off surplus stock for big discounts. Now since I am not hiding from anyone, given the choice of buying a new pack in DC for 50.00 or OD for 125.00 I buy the DC.

Actually my favorite for hunting decidous forests is DC pants and OD/ACU type jackets as the leaves on the ground are brown/tan and I hunt from blinds alot.

My Mall Ninja license expired some time ago...

2Door
 
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