Mitten clip alternatives

[Matthew / BPL]

i don't care for mitten clips and they show up on lots of lightweight backpacking gear. Any thoughts on alternatives? Small plastic s-biners are one obvious choice and have the advantage of being easy to install in a location where the mitten clip was sewn on (like on the mesh liner of my TarpTent Notch).

[Mitchell Ebbott]

Completely agreed. Here's what I've been using instead: http://www.ebay.com/itm/371297069025?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=640417644987&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Cheap, small,and solid.

[Roger Caffin]

> i don't care for mitten clips and they show up on lots of lightweight backpacking > gear. Any thoughts on alternatives? Standard for polar use (at one stage): a long string from one mitt, up sleeve, across back and down other sleeve to second mitt. This way you cannot lose your mitts – which is kinda useful as doing so can be fatal. You could substitute bungee cord to the shoulder seam on each arm these days. Cheers

[Matthew / BPL]

Roger, The clips are present on my TarpTent. I'm not using them with mittens.

[Billy Ray]

Matthew, I fully understand. The clips you are talking about that come on the Tarp Tent Notch really really suck! They are soooo hard on your fingers when trying to open them that it hurts… hurts even at room temperatures; can't imagine trying to work them in the cold. I believe there are 8 of them on the Notch. Just dealing with one of them hurts my fingers like H*ll. Z-packs uses these same clips. I really can't believe that these top notch manufacturers actually use these dogs. I replaced all mine on my Notch with the much much much easier to use Nite lze s-biners… the smallest plastic ones… expensive but they work with out hurting your fingers. http://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-SBP0-2PK-19-S-Biner-Carabiner/dp/B002MD01M0/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1441157281&sr=8-10&keywords=nite+ize+s-biner+size+5 I got to believe that Roger is talking generically and has never used the 'mitten clips' that you are talking about. Of course now that I have criticized a Tarp Tent produce no doubt we will now hear from Franco with diagrams and video as to how perfect they the mitten clips are :) Billy

[Greg Mihalik]

Of course a lot depends on the intended use … I nip the end with a diagonal cutter, to create a small gap for the cord. As long as they are under tension they work well, and "disconnecting" is easy.

[Franco Darioli]

There is an easy way : hold the ring with one end , twist the mitten hook out of it with the other. Twist the mitten hook into the ring to put it back.

[Ken Thompson]

lol@billy

[Matthew / BPL]

I'm dying here. My face hurts.

[Matthew / BPL]

Franco, I've seen that technique before from the Hennessy Hammock crowd and it just doesn't work with my fingers. I think I'll probably just throw some s-biners in my Notch and call it donezo unless someone else comes up with a better option. On that topic, I like Mitchell's clips but I don't want to tie them onto the existing loop and I'm afraid to cut/sew them in. I want a retrofit.

[Franco Darioli]

Would you guys like me to shoot a video on how to do it ? BTW, a friend has a lovely horse, a mare, that I occasionally look after. I proved to my friend that you can take a horse to water and make it drink*. However with people sometime it is harder. Particularly guys…. True story. She spooks at nothing at all ( a thoroughbred) When the wind moves the tree frond above her tub she refuses to go near to it, still I managed to take her there and make her drink.

[Franco Darioli]

Here we are : D rings and mitten hooks

[Ken Thompson]

Billy for the win.

[David Ure]

"They are soooo hard on your fingers when trying to open them that it hurts… hurts even at room temperatures" Have you considered this:

[Matthew / BPL]

Franco, you made my evening. Thanks for the video. We need a Like button.

[Franco Darioli]

Thanks. I shot another 10 seconds or so of me clipping and unclipping but after the first 27 clicks I thought "enough already!!!" I did have another video where you see me inside the Scarp taking the inner down in a bit less than a minute. From memory the Scarps have 15 mitten hooks.

[Roger Caffin]

> got to believe that Roger is talking generically and has never used the 'mitten > clips' that you are talking about I have a bag full of plastic mitten clips from OWFINC, and I have used those ones happily. Dunno about the ones on the Notch. In general I do try to only quote from personal experience. Cheers

[Franco Darioli]

Roger, they are the same type. 3.5 cm Delrin

[David Ure]

Franco, can you please stick your hands in a freezer with and without the gloves on? Thanks,

[Don A.]

A timely subject for me. I've gotten a bit cranky in the morning trying to unclip my zpacks poncho/groundsheet from my Hexamid Solo+. Greg's posted solution is worth note for uses where the clips are under tension. Quick, easy and weight saving if you have a scale accurate enough to register 6 or so of the clipped ends. For comparison of various clips if interested: From the left: Regular hook, modified hook, stainless steel hook (ebay source), mitten hook available from Dutchware

[todd]

I clip mine the 2nd hook from the left above. Side cutters do the trick in a second. Works perfectly. Edit: just saw Greg's post above.

[J-L]

Those little stainless steel hooks look nice. I will have to give those a try sometime. I almost never undo mitten hooks in the field though. I just leave the inner and outer parts of the tent connected

[Franco Darioli]

Don, Todd, John , others… Did you look at my video clip (it's only 10sec or something…) do you find what I do difficult to do ?

[Don A.]

Sure I looked at your video clip. I'll give 10sec or so of my time to just about anyone. If I had any gear that had a d-ring to mitten hook connection then it would apply. I don't so it doesn't. My mitten clip issue was with the Z-pack hexamid to groundsheet connections.

[Franco Darioli]

Don, Would you like me to show you how it is done with that mitten hook and cord ? Please first promise not to get upset with me when I show you how. It is really VERY simple .

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