Hip Belt Pockets for Seek Outside Packs

[Ben R]

What are the best hip belt pockets to add to Seek Outside packs?  I see options from Zimmerbuilt, Zpacks, and Granite Gear.  Does anyone have direct experience with them or others on your Seek Outside pack?  I have seen only mixed reviews online of these options with respect to the Seek Outside packs.

Looking for big volume, secure attachment, and ease of operation (opening and closing zippers, preferably with one hand).

Thanks!

[Vincent Vilcinskas]

I tried several different ones and settled on the Mountain Laurel Designs mid sized.

[Valerie E]

I went for the Zimmerbuilt pocket, in part because I love X-Pac fabric so much!  [I should have made my own, but after making a pack last year, I was feeling a bit lazy, LOL.]

[Sean Passanisi]

Thanks for creating this thread, Ben.  I just bought a Divide and have the same question.

Valerie, could you please post a photo of your pack with the Zimmerbuilt pockets? I have the Zimmerbuilt shoulder pockets in Xpac, and they look tailor-made on my Divide.  My only complaint is that that they are a bit thin.

Has anyone purchased the Seek Outside lid?  It’s not much heavier than two hip belt pockets, and I thought it could be a possible alternative for some external storage.

[Brad Rogers]

I use the Zimmerbuilt pockets with mine (mine are made out of Dyneema Grid rather than X-PAC) and they work ok. Other than having the straps around the hipbelt, I also rigged shock cord on one end running to the strap where the buckle is and the other clip on the hipbelt picket is clipped to one of the straps that holds the Unaweep bag on the frame.

They do open with one hand quite easily but I would still like to see some SO hipbelt pockets.

[Valerie E]

@Passanis — photo [I only use one hipbelt pocket, btw]:

[Arne L.]

The ones from KS Ultralight are really huge. Really.
In my experience, if they’re full enough, they are able to open with one hand. But maybe that’s because they are attached to a KS Ultralight pack.

Only has one zipper, though.

It’s a Japan based cottage manufacturer, makes awesome gear.

[Rodney Ackerman]

I’ve also struggled with the lack of a pocket on my EVO.

I tried the Gossamer Gear large. Not good at all as can’t be opened with one hand and does not fit the belt well. I could rig some additional attachments, I suppose, but I don’t sew or think I should have to modify a properly designed piece of gear. My mistake for not realizing how important the clips (or some side attachments or taughtening mechanism)would be.

Went to the Zimmerbuilt site. Like their attachment clips and construction. However, it Seems they removed a zipper making it one way opening. Not liking that and is a showstopper for me.

Looks like Ron’s might be the ticket. He only shows one size. I’ll have to do some measuring. Similar in construction to the Z and has two zips.

[Brad Rogers]

For what it’s worth my zimmerbuilts only have a one way zipper and I think I actually like it better.

Of course I bet Chris could make them with a two way zipper if requested.

[Valerie E]

@mocs123 and @uncleair — Wow, that’s so odd!  I just bought my “off the rack” (not special order) Zimmerbuilt pocket about a month ago, and as you can see from the photo, it’s got a 2-way zip.  I wonder if the different zipper configurations are for the different fabric choices (X-pac vs. Dyneema, etc.)?

[Brad Rogers]

Mine are from 2012 so that may have something to do with it.

[Sean Passanisi]

Valerie, thanks for the photo!  Are you happy with the fit of the Zimmerbuilt?  Are the pockets a bit long for the belt?  Chris said he could customize the size. I’d prefer to stick with the stock model, but just curious…

Rodney, what are the pros of 2 zippers vs 1?  My ULA Ohm has one zipper…I’ve never had a pocket with 2.

 

[Valerie E]

@passanis — My Zimmerbuilt pocket is almost exactly the same height as SO’s belt.  The attachment clips do fit on SO’s webbing, but you’ll need to squeeze them pretty hard to close them!  (Once they’re attached, though, you won’t need to fool with them any more, so it didn’t bother me.)

Maybe if I’d given it more thought, I’d’ve asked for a 1-way zipper (you save maybe 4 grams for the extra zipper slider)…but then again, with a 2-way zipper, if one slider breaks, you still have the other one…

[Sean Passanisi]

Thanks Valerie!  But otherwise, you are happy with the length and height?

[Rodney Ackerman]

Sean, I was thinking of ease of access and side flexibility when I mentioned about two zippers. Perhaps it’s a moot point if it works well with one hand. Seems I would want it to unzip from front to rear but don’t recall seeing attachment side as an option.

Could be I’m overthinking this except I don’t want to shell out $20 or more for a piece of gear that sits on the shelf or I have to resell.

Valerie, thanks for the note on the attachment.

I’m no gram weenie so weight isn’t an issue to me.

[Ben R]

Thanks all for the feedback.  I just ordered a pair of Zimmerbuilt pockets.  I had read that they were difficult to attache on Seek Outside’s forums, but it looks like Valerie got them on OK.  It appears that there isn’t enough length of daisy chain loops to use to clip both sides of the pockets, but the hipbelt attachment webbing near the buckle was used to clip one side of the pocket?

[Brad Rogers]

I didn’t use the MARS webbing on the Seek Outside’s hipbelt at all, it just didn’t seem to line up right.  I used the two elastic loops that wrap around the hipbelt then hooked one of the Zimmerbuilt’s clips to the loop the Seek Outside bag uses to attach to the frame, and for the other side, I used some shock cord and looped it around the webbing going to the buckle on the hipbelt.  It isn’t perfect, but works OK, and like I said, I can open and close them with one hand, which is what I was shooting for.

[Sean Passanisi]

I messaged Chris about 1 zipper vs. 2 on his pockets.  His reply:

If someone orders just a single pocket I put 2 zipper pulls on it so it can be used on either side. If a pair is ordered I put a single pull on each. The single pull is going to make the pocket lighter, more quite and more water resistant.

[Rodney Ackerman]

That clears that one up.

thanks Sean

[Rodney Ackerman]

Update: seek Outside is now making their own belt bags. Check their website and search for pouch.

Wish I had been patient or at least written them before buying the other, not that the one from Chris will not be sufficient.

[Stuart .]

The new hip belt pouches from Seek Outside:  https://seekoutside.com/belt-pouch/

They look every bit as sturdy as the packs.

[Sean Passanisi]

I think my Zimmerbuilt pockets look better than the new Seek Outside ones.

[Rodney Ackerman]

I could not stand it and ordered the Seek Outside ones as they looked bigger. IMO, the Zimmerbuilt one seems quite small.

I will report once I have the SO one with pics.

Happy Trails

[Brian Goode]

I’m interested in what you think about the SO pockets.

[Rodney Ackerman]

I recently did also purchase the Zimmerbuilt pocket. It fits and works well.

Received the SO pocket a couple days ago. First impressions are it is a bit larger than the Zimmerbuilt, but seems more difficult to work the zipper. Has two zipper pulls as does the Zimmerbuilt. I am heading out for a 3-4 day trip and as I said, I will send some photos with a bit more of my thoughts.

happy trails

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