External Wallet & Keys Pouch for Arc Blast

[Peter Nash]

I don’t like having to open my backpack to store my car keys inside.  This zippered pouch attaches to the top cross bar of my Arc Blast.

[Roger Caffin]

Having it on the outside sounds a bit risky to me. My security pocket is hidden deep within the pack where it is far more protected.
Ah well, to each his own.

Cheers

[Peter Nash]

My concern was to be able to quickly and securely stow my car keys when leaving the trail head, and to have them readily available upon return, without having to get into my pack.  I don’t expect to have anything really valuable in the pocket.

[Roger Caffin]

If the trail head is 50 km from town and the only transport you have is your car, then I think the keys to your car might be worth a lot more than what you might have in your wallet.

I am struggling to understand what the hassle is about opening your pack to secure those keys inside. 30 seconds and it is done. Where is the problem? I do this on every walk we go on.

Puzzled.
Cheers

[Peter Nash]

I agree that my car keys are valuable to me, and losing them, or having them stolen, would be hugely inconvenient.  I’m more worried about misplacing them somewhere inside the pack than having them stolen.

Where we disagree, apparently, is about the risk of having car keys stolen from an external pocket vs from inside the backpack?  I’ve never had anything stolen from my backpack or campsite while backpacking.  I suppose if I had such an experience I might be more wary.  I doubt a thief a day’s hike down the trail would be interested in my car keys; more likely my GPS or InReach device.  (Incidentally, I drive a 13 year old Camry with 351,000 miles on it.)

I have always wrangled with the best place to store my keys.  I do have one pack with a small inside pocket near the top of the pack, and it works.  (I still don’t like to hassle with opening the pack to stow and retrieve my keys.  I know, that’s a pretty minor hassle, but it bothered me enough to spend time on this project.)  I like to have my pack completely ready to go when I arrive.  I want one place easily accessible where I always store my keys, and in a small pocket that is reserved only for items that I need rarely or only at the trailhead.

I appreciate that you have a different perspective, and I thank you for offering your views on this little item.  As you said, to each his own.

For what it’s worth the pouch weighs 15 grams (1/2 oz.)  It’s really a little heavy for its purpose;  I used fabric and a waterproof zipper that I had on hand.

[Ken Thompson]

Using materials on hand that solve an issue for you, well done.

[BlackHatGuy]

Looks like a nice little pocket Peter, well done. I wish I could sew that well. I know what you mean about getting to the trailhead only to realize you packed your keys down in your pack. Sure, it might only take a minute or two to fish them out, but I’m a tad impatient when I get back to the car, I want in the car right now! :-)

[Roger Caffin]

Hi Peter

No, I am not worried about having my keys stolen. Most unlikely.

I would be worried about having anything in a small external pocket where it could be caught and ripped off in the jungle or scrub we go through. We have nothing on the outside of our packs: no rolled up pads, no water bottles, no mesh pockets with rain gear. Our scrub can be aggressive!

Cheers

[Peter Nash]

“I would be worried about having anything in a small external pocket where it could be caught and ripped off in the jungle or scrub we go through. We have nothing on the outside of our packs: no rolled up pads, no water bottles, no mesh pockets with rain gear. Our scrub can be aggressive!”

Got it. I understand your point. But I think the placement of my pocket, and its method of attachment, makes it unlikely that it will suffer from this problem, at least in the areas where I hike. Any scrub that could tear off my pocket would probably tear off my ears first, something that I would probably notice. :).

Thanks for your input and observations.

[JCH]

Peter, Looks awesome, nice job.  More important is that is works for you…if others don’t like it that is perfectly fine.

[MJ H]

That’s a nice pouch. Weirdly enough, I have to carry my wallet in my back pocket while I’m hiking. If it isn’t there, about six times an hour, I don’t feel it there, reach back with my hand to confirm the pocket is empty, panic briefly, and then remember I buried it in my pack because I’m not going to need it for a while.

[Peter Nash]

“Weirdly enough, I have to carry my wallet in my back pocket while I’m hiking. If it isn’t there, about six times an hour, I don’t feel it there, reach back with my hand to confirm the pocket is empty, panic briefly, and then remember I buried it in my pack . . . .”

I understand completely. Wallet & car keys anxiety is a real thing. That’s part of the reason for this pouch. I want peace of mind that my car keys are in a secure and known place.

[Author]

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