Ways to attach inReach mini to backpack

[AK Granola]

Hey all. I’m sure there is already an answer on these forums to this question, but with about 5 different searches I didn’t find it. I’ve mostly stored my inReach mini inside my pack, until I send a check in message at night. Most people seem to carry them attached to their shoulder straps. How do you do that without having it bounce around, and without risking losing it if you’re hiking in thick brush? I tend to not like anything on the outside of my pack, because I don’t like things swaying or falling out. Suggestions? And I would need to be able to detach and reattach it to different packs. Thanks!

[BlackHatGuy]

I always carry it outside the pack, often on the strap that cinches the top of the pack down, sometimes on one of the side straps, etc. I tied a piece of guyline to the inReach, and tied a metal clip to the other end, which I clip to the strap. So if the built-in clip doesn’t hold and the inReach ‘falls off’ it can’t go far since it’s tethered to the pack as well.

[Matthew / BPL]

I have done the same^ in the past but currently I just have a loop of thin 1mm line tied to it with no clip. I larkshead that line to a loop on my pack and drop it into a pocket. I don’t send/receive many messages and don’t use tracking features so lately it just goes in the front mesh pocket of my pack at the end of the tether.

[obx hiker]

A shoulder strap pocket? Like this:  MLD shoulder strap pocket

Or this: Z-packs shoulder strap pocket

I put both the phone w/gaia and the inreach mini in this and I can get to them without taking off the pack. Car keys too on the mld since it has a zipper. I don’t notice it and doing lots of off-trail with brush, talus and etc.

[Lester Moore]

How do you do that (attached to their shoulder straps) without having it bounce around, and without risking losing it if you’re hiking in thick brush?

It’s nice to have the InReach easily accessible and readable while hiking to see what time it is, to check elevation or to read your position. But it should also be easily removable and secure.

First, I pass the clip on the back of the InReach under one of the daisy chain webbing loops on the shoulder strap, with antenna facing outward so it won’t poke my chest. Second, there’s an elastic cord loop that’s permanently attached to the shoulder strap – one side of the loop gets pulled over the antenna and the other side gets pulled over the bottom of the inReach – this really keeps it snug and immobile. Lastly, the InReach came with a small quick release buckle – I clip this to another one of the webbing daisy loops on the shoulder strap using a simple girth hitch – just in case both the back-clip and the elastic cord both fail.

And I would need to be able to detach and reattach it to different packs

Each of my packs has it’s own permanently attached elastic shock cord loop, so it’s pretty easy to un-clip the InReach, release the little safety buckle, clip the InReach to another pack, undo the little buckle’s girth hitch, and then re-hitch the buckle to the other pack. The elastic cord is simply a loop of 1/8″ shock cord looped around the shoulder strap and through one of the daisy loops on the shoulder strap – you can make it just the right size before tiring the knot which makes the loop (I used a double fisherman knot).

[Lester Moore]

You can also rig the elastic cord loop and your shoulder strap to mount the InReach vertically, but it’s harder to read the screen that way while hiking:

[Rex Sanders]

Day pack: clipped to shoulder strap with mini-carabiner AND looped. Doesn’t bounce too much for me.

Backpack: Inside an HMG shoulder pocket AND looped around shoulder strap.

Loop is barely long enough for me to use it, but not lose it.

Often I carry it in a pocket with a clear view of the sky, but not that handy. I prefer to stay disengaged from Skynet as much as possible while backpacking, even if they are tracking me :-)

— Rex

[Dena Kelley]

I just clip it with it’s carabiner to a loop on my shoulder strap. I suppose it bounces but I never notice it. I’m not worried about brush knocking it off- I protect my body from brush, and it’s in front of my shoulders.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

The idea of double attachments is best for making sure an expensive and vital piece of gear stays with you. I  use my SPOT Velcro attachment and also a Triptease tent cord as the 2nd attachment. Belt & suspenders…

[David Thomas]

A mini-biner to a shoulder strap and then an elastic hair band around InReach and shoulder strap so it doesn’t bounce around?

I like Rex’s belt&suspenders approach.

I often hike in a 100% nylon fishing shirt that has large cargo pockets – some with buttons and some with zippers which are really nice for stowing critical gear (beacon, lighter, small blade) before particular nasty river crossings in case I have to lose the pack.

[BC Bob]

I wear my Inreach Mini around my neck in case I’m separated from my pack and to keep it from getting banged up or lost. It’s so light I forget it’s there.

I’m just using a piece of line, but to avoid a strangulation risk, a bead chain or breakaway safety lanyard might be a better idea.

There was an interesting podcast from The Sharp End about a PCT hiker crossing a raging creek high in Yosemite.  He fell in the creek and had to drop his pack and was left stranded, wet and cold, with no supplies.  No Inreach or SPOT but if he had one attached to his pack, it would have disappeared with the pack.

EPISODE 18: EPIC IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

[Matthew / BPL]

I connect my InReach to a belt loop or zip it into my shirt pocket when doing a water crossing in case I have to ditch my pack.

[Philip Tschersich]

Can you sew? I started with a small MLD pack pocket and “took it in” a bit until it fit my Mini perfectly. It has Slik Clips top and bottom so I can attach it easily to all pack shoulder strap daisy chains so it is relatively high with a good view of the sky.

[Cameron M]

Same as Rex because I want it handy for my last gasp emergency call, but I will have to rethink the water crossing aspect…

[Garrett]

Carabiner attached to shoulder strap. More logical to not put more weight behind me.

[obx hiker]

Nice Phillip!

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