Hip belt pockets yea or nay?

"I purchased a used GG Kumo from a forum member and was wondering if I should change the hip belt to one with pockets. I have used them on larger packs but transitioning to Ul backpacking has its learning curve. Thanks for all the input."

Elemental Horizons sells modular hip belt pockets in small and large. That way you can use them when you need them and leave them at home when you don't. They are very well made.

Thank you for the pictures and explanation. Very nice. Did you also make the front pouches?

I use an older ULA Ohm 1.1. It is the original version of the Ohm that I sent back in to Brian (who still owned ULA at the time) to upgrade the hipbelt to the newer version that he was selling at the time. So it is not the Ohm 2.0 hipbelt pockets that I am talking about.

For my Ohm 1.1, the hipbelt pockets are pretty awful. They are fairly small and they require 2 hands to open and close. I still use them, but I don't like them.

I have been thinking of getting a shoulder strap pocket to put my phone and compass in….

not a big fan of hip belt pockets and seldom attach the water bottle pockets i have. as wit steven, if i need to put something in a pocket i attach a pocket to my shoulder strap.

I use hip belt pockets, as others have said just to keep small, commonly used items easily accessible, as well as the camera.

I prefer my water bottle in a shoulder pouch rather than on the hip, just a personal preference.

I used to have a job where I wore an apron, like the kind people wear in restaurants, with three pockets and tied around the waist. I've been thinking about making an apron and using that instead of hip belt pockets. That way if I take off my pack, I still have all my hip belt items with me and perhaps I can put a saw in one of the pockets so I can carry loppers in my hands and easily get to my saw. There are a couple items I bring that I have yet to find any hip belt pocket that the items fit in.

I recently started using a ZPacks zero that has no hip belt, ergo, no hip belt pockets.

But I missed the storage of hip belt pockets. Like many (all?), I want everything to be within reach–I don't want to have to take off my pack. This is particularly true of snacks. If I have snacks within reach, I'll eat; otherwise, I'll go hungry, rather than stop.

So, I ended up taking an MLD hip belt pocket, and attaching it to my Sternum strap. I put my phone and maps in there.

I have another shoulder strap pocket, and a shoulder strap water bottle holder. The bottle holder holds a 20 oz bottle, the pocket holds more snacks. It's a ZPacks water bottle holder, and it has a nifty mesh outer pocket that can hold my Steripen.

I have two water bottle pockets on the main body. One holds a 32 oz water bottle, the other holds more snacks.

So, everything is within reach, except my SPOT. Which doesn't bother me, just my wife, because I send out far fewer messages…

Re: Pictures Posted 07/30/2015 07:01:56 MDT by Michael Samford (msamford)
Thank you for the pictures and explanation. Very nice. Did you also make the front pouches?

no, those are standard MLD hipbelt pouches. I also use a MLD shoulder pouch for my phone.