Many hikers and backpackers like to connect additional accent pockets to their shoulder straps and hip belts to offer additional storage and assist set up their gear so it may be accessed shortly with out eradicating their backpacks. Further water bottle sleeves, chest packs, fanny packs, digicam baggage, telephone pockets, or hip belt pockets can be found and generally used for this function, together with ones that come from corporations apart from your pack’s producer. Most accent backpack pockets are designed to allow them to be used on any backpack however it’s necessary to know how they’re connected, whether or not they’ll keep bounce-free and safe, and the way simple they’re to take away or swap to a different backpack.
Listed below are the highest 10 backpack accent pockets we advocate.
1. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shoulder Strap Pocket
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Hyperlite’s Mountain Gear’s (HMG) Shoulder Strap Pocket is a water-resistant pocket made with Dyneema Composite Materials that’s good for carrying a Smartphone, point-and-shoot digicam, or journey paperwork. It has a built-in sleeve that can be utilized as a hiker pockets in addition to an exterior mesh pocket that may maintain a telephone securely, even once you take off your pack or it falls over on the bottom. It’s simple to connect to packs with daisy chains on the shoulder straps with the included gatekeeper buckles. Works finest with packs from HMG, Zpacks, ULA, and Granite Gear, amongst others. Accessible in black and white.
2. Gossamer Gear Shoulder Strap Pocket
The Gossamer Gear Shoulder Strap Pocket has a three-way velcro attachment system that’s appropriate with nearly any backpack underneath the solar. It’s accessible in a medium dimension that’s appropriate with most Smartphones and a big dimension if you’d like nonetheless extra storage. Made with water resistant Robic Nylon, these pockets have a second mesh sleeve on the surface which is nice for stashing sun shades or snacks for simple entry. This pocket works nicely with all backpacks, particularly those who don’t have daisy chains on their shoulder straps like packs from Osprey and Gregory.
3. Hen Tramper Gear Water Bottle Sleeve
Can’t attain your water bottles once you get thirsty? That’s not an issue in case you connect your water bottle to your backpack shoulder strap. The Hen Tramper Ultralight Gear (CTUG) Water Bottle Sleeve can connect to backpack shoulder straps which have a daisy chain in entrance or a hydration hose keeper loop making them appropriate with nearly each backpack in existence. The sleeve is on the market in two sizes and appropriate with 0.7L and 1L Good Water Bottles (a hiker favourite). Durably made with X-Pac, these sleeves are connected on the high and backside so your bottles gained’t fall into the grime once you bend over to tie your shoe.
4. Hyperlite Mountain Gear Versa Fanny Pack
Whereas the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Versa is a fanny pack, most hikers connect it to their hip belt in order that it hangs in entrance of their waist or their shoulder straps so it hangs between them in entrance of their chest. That is very handy for holding bigger objects like electronics, a Smartphone, GPS, meals, maps, or private results the place they are often accessed simply. Right here’s a hyperlink to a video for directions (scroll down). The Versa is well-liked as a result of it’s made with Dyneema DCF so it’s ultralight, seam-taped, and waterproof. In fact, you may also put on it over your fanny!
5. Counter Assault Cross Draw Bear Spray Holster
A must have in bear nation, the Counter Assault Cross Draw Bear Spray Holster offers a number of methods to hold a bear spray canister. You possibly can connect it to your pants belt or your backpack’s hipbelt and put on it like a holster or connect it to your backpack’s shoulder strap with MOLLE tactical straps and carabiner so it doesn’t bounce and it’s on the prepared once you want it. The holster matches 10.2 oz and eight.1 oz canisters so you may beat back an encounter with Yogi or Boo Boo.
The Mountain Laurel Designs Pack Pocket (MLD) has a three-point attachment system with an elastic band on the again to slip over your hip belt and Z clips on the ends that may clip to a hip belt daisy chain, gear loops, or could be tied off with a bit of twine to stop the pocket from transferring forwards and backwards. This pocket is on the market in Extremely 200 which is a sturdy waterproof cloth and has a water resistant YKK zipper on the entrance. It has a capability of 0.74L/48 cubic inches and is on the market in gray, solely.
The PackbackDesigns Companion Pouch is a 11 1/2″ x 10″ pouch with a zippered inner pocket and a mesh outer pocket that may maintain a complete lot of snacks, maps, a telephone, or navigational tools. Weighing 3.4 oz, it attaches to most packs and offers a number of frontal storage whereas climbing. It comes with a 1/2″ webbing strap which converts this pouch right into a facet satchel.
The Thrupack Summit Bum Traditional is a 2.5-liter fanny pack that holds the whole lot you want when transitioning between city and path. It has a big enclosed compartment with a mitten clip, D-ring, inner sleeves for money or playing cards, and an easy-access exterior pocket massive sufficient to stash a smartphone. Use it to stash liner gloves, earbuds, snacks, a headlamp, a compass, chapstick, or any small important that you really want at hand with out having to take off your pack and dig round for them. It comes with a 1″ webbing strap expandable to 50″ to loop round your waist or over your shoulder. Accessible in waterproof Extremely or EcoPak, it’s extra versatile than your pack’s hipbelt pockets and possibly a lot simpler to succeed in too.
The Zpacks Multi-Pack is a big pocket that can be utilized as a chest pocket, a fanny pack, a high lid on roll-top backpacks, or as a entrance pocket connected to your shoulder straps or hip belt. Its worth is in its versatility and the truth that it’s accessible in Extremely, a water-resistant and seam-taped cloth. Zpacks additionally makes smaller quantity pockets which might be price a glance together with the Entrance Utility Pack Accent (FUPA). I exploit the Multi-Pack as a high lid after I want to hold a bag of additional meals that gained’t slot in my pack’s major compartment or as a chest pack after I wish to maintain a map helpful. It’s good to have the ability to reconfigure it on the fly as wanted throughout a protracted backpacking journey.
The UL Fanny Pack from Excessive Tail Designs is made with seam-taped waterproof Dyneema DCF cloth to maintain your necessities excessive and dry. Weighing 2 oz, it has one liter of on-board storage with a big major compartment and inner sleeve. A 3/4″ webbing belt is included together with a water-resistant zipper. Excessive Tail Designs is thought for its wild and colourful designs that are enjoyable if you wish to stand out from the gang.
There are a number of other ways to connect additional pockets to a backpack shoulder strap or hip belt. A few of these are common in that they are often connected to any backpack and a few are restricted by the anchor factors accessible on the backpack shoulder straps or hip belts resembling daisy chains. In any occasion, you may usually overcome these limitations with a small of twine to safe a pocket or forestall it from bouncing an excessive amount of.
Listed below are a number of pattern setup movies for the pockets listed above to present you a way of what’s concerned and whether or not it would work together with your backpack.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Shoulder Strap Setup Video
Gossamer Gear Shoulder Pocket Setup Video
Hen Tramper Bottle Pocket Setup Video
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Versa Fanny Pack Setup Video
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Hen Tramper UL Gear Water Bottle Sleeve Setup Video
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