Leaving Pack Outside Shelter

"As for "INSIDE" a shelter, that term is inappropriate for a forum focused on lightweight backpacking. The preferred term would be "UNDER" the shelter, because when using a tarp, there really isn't an inside."

Then could you recommend a forum for those trying to learn how to go lighter? I'm trying to gradually work may way lighter and have learned a lot here so far but evidently I'm at the wrong site. Is there a backpackinglighter.com perhaps?

"Ya know, Mike, your ideas, often good ones, would have a lot more impact if they weren't almost invariably delivered as if you were reading them from stone tablets you just brought down from The Mount."

LOL.

"Ya know, Mike, your ideas, often good ones, would have a lot more impact if they weren't almost invariably delivered as if you were reading them from stone tablets you just brought down from The Mount."

Impossible!!!! Stone tablets waaaaay too heavy!

Yeah, I am one of the heretics that has his pack occasionally (depending on the shelter I use..) INSIDE it because having a floor in all of mine if I put it under I end up with an even bumpier area than usual.
Franco

"Impossible!!!! Stone tablets waaaaay too heavy!"

Mike would still have stone tablets, but they would be pocket-size and made out of pumice.

–B.G.–

"Impossible!!!! Stone tablets waaaaay too heavy!"

Ah, but they are mutiple use gear. Remember the TP thread?

My pack has salt on it because I sweat a lot. I left it out one night and a porcupine? or some other critter chewed it up real bad.

Same goes for shoes. A marmot grabbed one and tried to run away with it.

Sweat and salt are also the reasons that I keep my gear inside at least the vestibule, especially if I'm going to be in areas with mountain goats. The mountain goats I've encountered haven't been aggressive, but they did wander around the camp site at night, and they do tend to crave salt…

The vestibule option isn't perfect, of course; I had a couple of socks vanish from my vestibule once. The fact that the vestibule wall ended up fairly high when I pitched it didn't help, I suppose. I left it high for ventilation, but I didn't anticipate critters stealing socks.

If you hang it, then the critters should not be able to get to it. Hang your pack like a bear bag.

I have had mice chew through a tent to get to my pack before.

I'm careful about keeping food in my food bag, which I hang — shouldn't that be enough to prevent the mice from taking an interest in the pack?

My biggest concerns are keeping my camera gear out of the rain and keeping the mountain goats from chewing on the straps. I've learned my lesson about things like socks… I put them where the critters have a harder time getting to them, and hope that they won't be motivation enough for them to chew through the tent to get to them, since they're not edible.

There's not much left in my pack once I'm at camp under my quilt and tarp, so my pack goes under my legs/feet. I keep food in my pack with me under the tarp, not something I would practice widely, but it's acceptable for me where I pack.

"When mountaineering in alaska, the pack is outside and anchored to a buried ice axe."

I've been puzzling over this one ever since you posted it, Mike, and I finally have to admit defeat. Why would you do this? I'm sitting here visualizing a good storm blowing in and waking up to a pack buried in the snow, pockets full of snow, rime ice coating the whole pack if not a lot of snow was dumped, and wondering why you wouldn't just take it inside the tent, or tarp if you're really that hard core an Ultralighter. Seems a whole lot less hassle to me.

"I'm careful about keeping food in my food bag, which I hang — shouldn't that be enough to prevent the mice from taking an interest in the pack?"

Sometimes food smells get on the pack. Even more aggrevating, however, is the salt from your sweat that gets on shoulder straps, belts, and backpanels of your back. Little critters like to eat that salt.

"Sometimes food smells get on the pack. Even more aggrevating, however, is the salt from your sweat that gets on shoulder straps, belts, and backpanels of your back. Little critters like to eat that salt."

D'oh. I knew that there were critters out there that craved salt, but not how common that craving might be. :-/

Steve

Amusing, but unsuitable for a Forum used by minors. Please have a think first.

Cheers
Roger Caffin
Online Community Monitor
Backpacking Light

"Even more aggrevating, however, is the salt from your sweat that gets on shoulder straps, belts, and backpanels of your back. Little critters like to eat that salt."

+1

I've never put the pack in my tent because I know there is probably food/salt scent on it. I don't like that idea in bear or just rodent country. I'd think a rodent would try to eat through your tent.

I've had a raccoon start to claw through my family tent during car camping once.

Maybe they are spooked by the human smell since many people indicate that keeping it close to them keeps the rodents at bay. I just know shelters are very expensive;->

I usually keep my pack in my vestibule. Once I move to a lighter pack, I'll probably just hang it with the food.

If you carry a LuxuryLite pack you have the option of having the cylinders inside your shelter while the pack frame stays outside. Since my gear is organized by cylinder, having it inside means I can get at any of my gear at any time. The even fit comfortably inside my Integral Designs EXP Unishelter Bivy. No need to worry about "what's that rustling sound in my pack".

> Maybe they are spooked by the human smell since many people indicate that keeping it close to them keeps the rodents at bay.
Mostly small animals keep well away from big animals like humans. The risks to the small animals are just too great.

Fwiiw, we never ever leave ANY gear outside the tent. The packs themselves live in the vestibule, along with shoes, socks and any wet clothing. At least we know in the morning where our gear is!

Cheers
PS: OK, skis stay outside the tent – but right up against the side of the tent.