How do you pack without pockets?

I find that one small add-on pocket works well. I sewed a pocket out of lightweight mesh, and it is large enough to hold a water bottle. It slips on over one half of the hip belt, and that is just about the right place to grab for a water bottle. The bad news is that it added almost a half-ounce to the empty pack weight.

Everything else that I need along the trail is stored in my pants cargo pockets.

–B.G.–

Just buy some aftermarket side pockets. I'd never backpack without them. If you pack has no conveniant attatchment points for straps sew some loops where needed and buy some shorter pre-made straps with Fastex buckles to hold the pockets on.
REI sells them in various lengths.

One of the cottage industry lightewight pack makers sells some nice side pockets but I forget which one it is. Aftermarket pack lids are also available and make nice fanny packs for side trips with the addition of two belt loops.

I keep incidentals in a small, brightly colored drybag in the top of my pack so it's easy to find. For maps and snacks in the trail I use an Osprey Grabbag on the shoulder straps. When water is abundant I attach a 22 oz bike bottle to the shoulder strap with a Voile ski strap. When I'm high and dry I use a hydro system.

I'd be tempted to add a hydro port to the Porter. Put a large hood on the hole and seam seal it and it should be rain proof.

I just bought this pouch from Zimmerbuilt, its great.

http://www.zimmerbuilt.com/hip-belt-pockets.html

I like the white cuben fiber hip belt pack! That might be a good option. Maybe I can have him make dueling water bottle containers. Thanks for the recommendations.

Those pockets look great! But how do those "quick clips" work. It seems they would only attach to webbing of a certain width, and wouldn't go around a fat padded hip belt at all. I guess the elastic would work OK by itself but what's the point of the clips then?

Hi Curtis,

I've had two Porters that have had hydration ports on them per request. I believe that the good folks over at HMG would accommodate if one were so inclined for such a thing.

The webbing fits over my hip belt and I was able to use the inside (toward the pack) clip to keep it in place and from sliding off. I'm not sure that would happen anyway, at least packing, but, depending on pack, I think it could wriggle off durring travel, in the back of a car, etc. Its a great product though, and the different attachment points make it somewhat universal. Its very well made, I would recommend it. And if you get Chris to do some water bottle holders, let us know, that's something I could use too.

thats why i personally prefer a pack with a top pocket these days … it might be a tad more weight, but its convenient to store much used items there

I would like to put one or two on my Crux AK-47 but not sure how secure it'll be. I guess at 30 bucks it's not too risky to try.

I did chuckle a bit at the original post. I took out two of my sons last week on an overnighter where they both wore my packs from the 1980s: Kelly external frame packs with the original pack bags on them. They're faded and have patched holes in a few places, but are surprisingly comfortable. Back then (and now, if you're wearing them) there were no hydration sleeves or mesh pockets. And I'm not saying that my uphill-both-ways equipment was in any way better, but it was sufficient. We were plenty hydrated, then and now. If you're hiking in a group, you just ask the guy behind you to grab the bottle for you; if you're alone, you take more breaks.

This doesn't answer your question about pockets, but it does address your issue about where to keep your water and how to reach it. You keep it in your pack, and you adapt.

A cuben pocket does sound cool, though.

@jeffreywindsor The promise of the Porter is in its water resistance though. Taking your pack off and opening the drybag closure to drink some water would be foolhardy in a storm.

On that note, I'm really excited to see the new 3400ci windriders they just came out with. Does anyone have one yet?

I know most people like pockets but I don't

I stop for a drink of water once an hour or so, so I just remove pack. Water bottle in pack makes it cooler. I don't think there's any advantage to drinking more than this. I don't do a lot of hot desert hiking though.

I have several bags for small things – 1 gallon zip top bag for misc. stuff, bigger silnylon bag for socks and stuff. A few things like keys in my rain jacket pockets. I always put stuff in my pack at pretty much the same place.

Pockets just add weight, possible failure point, water entry point,…

Strapping stuff on outside is even worse – flops around – makes noises – falls off – looks like a newbie

Zippered or velcro'd cases for eyeglasses can be secured on your shoulder strap where it runs over your pecs for convenient access to sunscreen, DEET, energy bar, etc. If done a beginner's sewing project out of cuben or other UL fabric, it would have minimal weight.

Somewhat off-topic: I've sewed Outdoor Products zippered organizer pouches onto my life jackets after flying with the USFS and seeing what they have in their PFDs. Cause if a kayak trip or bush-plane flight ends up with me needing the PFD, what next? The best I can hope for is to be beached, soaking wet, and cold. So an EPIRB, knife, two ways to start a fire, space blanket, mini compass, and Power bar would be very welcome.

Yeah, I know the PFD is no longer USCG approved if modified, but as long as they'll come get me, they can cite me or whatever if they want.

I don't have any photos handy but I've tried a handful of different set-ups with the Porter pack including…

water bottles mounted on the shoulder straps (like the ULA packs);

wand/water bottle pockets attached to the daisy chains on the sides of the pack body;

hip belt pockets attached to the daisy chains on the hip belt;

chest pocket (Osprey Grab bag) on the shoulder straps.

All of these options have worked fine for me so far. Some were more fiddly than others to set up or make secure, but once I got them securely attached, I had no more problems.

I don't always want or need some (or any) of these attachments, so it's nice to have a modular pack design that I can add to or subract from as I desire.