[pct-l] New Belly Pack System

[Hiker97 at aol.com]

A lot of hikers use some type of waist pack along with a backpack.   Not a 
bad idea.  Here is my latest system.
 
1.  MountainSmith Day pack (_www.rei.com/product/749966_ 
(http://www.rei.com/product/749966) ).
2.  Take the shoulder strap pad off of it.
3.  Fill your waist pack with supplies and put on the waist pack in  front 
and then your packpack.
4.  Take the waist pack shoulder strap and slip it behind the two  backpack 
shoulder straps and reclip it to the waist pack.
5.  Use two liter Gatorade bottles for water bottles on the  waist pack.
 
Now you have a great system that is mostly held with the waist  pack belt, 
but has some holding power with the backpack shoulder straps  too.  This is 
super neat.  As you walk the waist pack stays firmly in  position as you walk and 
does not drop down.  If it happens to drop a  little, all you do is adjust the 
waist pack should strap that you ran  through behind the backpack shoulder 
straps.  Takes about 4 seconds to  make the adjustment to pull on the strap and 
reset it.  A waist pack lowers  your center of gravity too on the trail, so 
you walk a little safer.
 
It is amazing how much stuff I can carry in this waist pack.  It makes  my 
backpack organization so much nicer.  I have have water right at my  finger tips 
along with a bladder in the backpack (if you carry one).  The  best of both 
worlds.  I carry most of my supplies in the waist pack in  ZipLock bags labeled 
with a black marker.  Over the black label I place a  piece of clear tape to 
keep it from rubbing off.  Works great.  Very  easy to use on the trail to 
keep things organized and clean for very little  weight --- cheap to replace too.
 
Once again, your pal, Switchback, has come through for you.
 
 



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