going at your gear with a knife

“Sorry, the heading is a bit sensationalist.
Do you find it necessary to go the hack and cut off all those annoying buckles and straps, rip out compartment dividers and chop off about 30cm of waist belt? Have you had to do it to other gear as well.”

“I chop up all my gear. If there's no use for it, it's gone. Ice ax loops are worthless here in Ohio. All tags and labels go. I stuff the thing full and then cut off all the extra strap.”

“Yes I do but you should always use the scissors and be careful to point them down when you walk and not run with them.”

“Yes I do but you should always use the scissors and be careful to point them down when you walk and not run with them.”

“lol MP. No, and I am wondering when those stupid straps are going to get caught in the baggage carousel at the airport.”

“Leave them on, God put them there for a reason.”

“I just got done wacking off a few ounces from a pack I just got last night.
It had a built in hip belt to convert the hood into a fanny pack. *Snip Snip* that was about 6 oz right there. Now I just gotta trim some straps down to a respectable length.”

“You don't like that feature WD?”

“I'd never use it and it cut the pack weight about 6 oz. by revoving it.”

“I cut the stuff once and regreted it all. I choped the handle off my teathbrush, and it was so hard to use I didn't even bother with it. Leave the straps long, you are going to miss those extra 3 inches when you have help out a friend that can't carry their pack, so you as a kind person take some gear.”

“Leave the extra straps on. Just because it fit you with a single wicking layer on, doesn't mean it'll fit you with thermals, fleece, and gortex layers on. Besides, if you ever put on weight...”

“Yeah, if you ever put on weight....”

“I found that out the hard way. Clipped the "unnecessary" length off of my sternum strap.
Got a desk job and gained 30lbs.
The straps a wee bit tight now.”

“I hack the crap outta all my gear. If I don't need it I ain't carrying it. I have a hard time not cutting the tags out of my work shirts.”

“I cut the tags off everything too Le Subtil. They're scratchy”

“Trust me, I didn't cut off any lenght of anything I may need. I'm not as stupid as I look.”

“It's against the law to remove some tags. Be careful.”

“That's a matter of opinion Dude! LOL!!!!!”

“Spam
I was wondering who was going to be the first to say something like that. LOL!!”

“Couldn't help myself Dude, you opened that can of worms.Plus I wouldn't cut on my gear.”

“Need some spare webbing? Never used and only cut once.”

“I think WDs new trail handle is "deaddude_that_whished_he_didn't_cut_that_strap-and_in_the_winter_neglected_to_carry_a_warmer_jacket_because_his_pack_didn't_hold_it"”

“One of the things I like most about my pack is that it can cinch down tight on a weekend worth of stuff or expand to hold a week's worth. It couldn't do that if I trimmed the "extra".”

“And you don't look cool unless you have straps hanging all over the place.”

“I'm a trail nerd.”

“If I want it simple, I'll buy it that way in the first place.”

“yes but doesn't cutting all those tags make you feel insecure? I mean, what if you accidently cut one that says for 'consumer's only' like on pillows and they didn't mean you and the tag police come to get you?? :oD besides, deathmarch is right...you look far cooler with all those extra straps flapping in the breeze”

“The night before we started the JMT, I took the scissors out and started snipping, and threw a sandwich baggie packed with labels away.”

“i have had too many instances where i want to lash something to the outside and i was glad to have the extra strap, especially since the option would be to carry extra strap. blech!”

“The only bits I'd take off of my pack would be the extra length of hip strap. I should do it but I won't just in case I get pregnant again. I use the ice axe loop to hold my trekking poles when I'm not using them. Everything else serves a purpose. I could take off the label but I'd probably just sew a smokey the bear patch on where it was. My pack is just the way I like it. Don't have any problems with those of you who do mutilate your gear, don't even think you'll die because of it! :o)”

“An ounce here, an ounce there...when you throw the water in your pack it's makes the pack heavy, then drink as you drink it the pack weight slowly decreases. Leave a 1/4-Cup of water out of your waterbag and you've made up for those burdening extra ounces.

Loose a pound off your belly and you've definitly made up much more than the tremendous extra weight of those unwanted straps and buckles.

Those few ounces saved by hacking at your pack are negligible when it comes right down to it...it's all in your head!











And Mr.dude, I can't believe you destroyed a good dayhiking hippack conversion belt from yer pack. My hippack conversionability has come in handy many times. To each his own, I guess.”

“I cut a lb of straps off my gregory. It weighs 6 lbs, and there's no way I could carry more weight in the pack and enjoy my trips. Even with cut straps I was able to carry a extra 10 lbs to get someone out.

My Mtnsmith Chimera is light enough the straps are still uncut. The straps on that pack aren't as long as the Gregory's loose straps”

“Everything goes through the "do I need this crap" check. I know my hiking style very well and know what I'll never use, so away it goes.

The truth though is now I make a great deal of my gear so I hardly ever need to trim something off because I made it to my own specs. And most of what I don't make wasn't made for backpacking anyway. I found standard items from Wal-Mart can make better "no frills" hiking gear than the expensive over built stuff from an outfitters.

I've got a garage full of packs, cups, tents, stoves, pots, etc. and I use a lemonade jar, plastic spoon, old catfood can, and a empty soda bottle.”

“Whew!
I was afraid this was a Lorena Bobbit thread!”

“If there are too many straps, buy a different model or brand.”

“If you don't like the pack style, why'd you buy it in the first place? Mine has one front pocket and 2 side pockets, good for the stuff you might want in a hurry, and an external frame, sleeping bag and tent lashed to the bottom, and pad under the top flap.I have a newer Lowe pack with all the straps you're talking about, mostly duct tape up all the loose straps and buckles so they don't flap or jangle,, haven't needed them yet, but have had to lash some odd things to the framepack in my time,, internal wouldn't have worked (for you ultralight fans, try packing a replacement woodstove to Liberty Cabin).Everybody likes something different, makes life interesting.”

“Wooowee, bet that was a heavy pack SwampYankee!!! I have a lowe too. Heavier than some packs but just right for me. I'd buy another one before trying a different brand.”

“I buy packs on how comfortabke the harness is, not on how many bits I can tie on. If I have to tie something on, then I haven't packed it properly. Everything goes INTO the pack or stays at home.”

“I hate it when packs jingle and rattle and squeak. I agree Bunyip except for in the case of the poles.”

“i try not to put wet clothes or ponchos in my bag until they dry.”