What do you do with your pack at night?

**mclmm** · 08-20-2009, 07:11

My pack goes up onto the side of the tree with my rigger's belt/treehugger through the straps. I find it convenient because it's easy to pack and unpack at that height.

No bears here so I don't need to take any special precautions except maybe run some fishing line between two trees to hang up my food bag (surplus m3 medic bag - try it :-) ) when I'm in area with white-tailed rats. I had the side chewed out of a kifaru pack by a mob of white-tails a couple of years ago. I fell to my knees next morning and cursed the heavens.

Sometimes I'll just put the pack on the ground under me wrapped in a poncho.

I usually use a drybag as a pack liner so I don't care much about the rain soaking my pack... until the next morning.

**Doctari** · 08-20-2009, 07:41

The reason all my gear is off the ground is mostly to keep critters out. That plus I figure that if I won't stay on the ground, why should my gear?

**TinaLouise** · 08-20-2009, 08:05

you should see the wolf spiders at some of the places I camp at!! I do not want to reach inside a pack and have one of those inside. My pack is either closed up really tight if left on the ground, or hung at the end of my hammock, or inside hammock and under my feet. Depends on where I'm camping and weather conditions. I haven't tried it under my head, yet!!!

**shrek** · 08-20-2009, 09:22

If I don't expect rain, I'll lash a loop of webbing around a tree and hang my pack from it. Otherwise, it hangs under the tarp on my suspension. If for some reason I do have to leave it on the ground, I leave all the pockets unzipped, so the little furry critters don't chew holes in it to investigate the inside. I treat my pack with Permethrin, so I'm not too concerned about finding bugs or spiders in my pack.

**plowhorse** · 08-20-2009, 19:32

Originally Posted by mclmm

I had the side chewed out of a kifaru pack by a mob of white-tails a couple of years ago. I fell to my knees next morning and cursed the heavens. .

I've priced those packs, I can understand why

I have hung mine in a tree before. I wrapped it with my poncho, and strung it up about 10 ft or so in the air.

**Balthazar** · 08-22-2009, 10:34

Originally Posted by mclmm

I had the side chewed out of a kifaru pack by a mob of white-tails a couple of years ago. I fell to my knees next morning and cursed the heavens.

.

That is my biggest fear and as you pointed out, a valid one. Here it would be field mice, possums and armadillos. If a nuke went off nearby all that would be left would be my shadow frozen on the ground and my ZXR.

But sharp teeth.....the natural enemy of a Kifaru.....

**gargoyle** · 08-22-2009, 10:48

We were trailer camping a few weeks ago, and the raccoons broke into the outdoor refrigerator, and stole some food. And one of our group lost a sandal, found it a day later out in the woods. It had marshmallow stuck to the bottom, the 'coons chewed it in half.

**Harpo63** · 08-22-2009, 13:09

Maybe Ive become an old backpacking fart... Im trying to figure some of your comments about having your pack in your hammock under your legs... Maybe its because I backpacked before everything became micro light, but my backpack would be uncomfortable with the straps and internal frame... Are you talking about placing your backpack in between layers of your double lined hammock?

**pgibson** · 08-22-2009, 13:53

Originally Posted by Harpo63

Maybe Ive become an old backpacking fart... Im trying to figure some of your comments about having your pack in your hammock under your legs... Maybe its because I backpacked before everything became micro light, but my backpack would be uncomfortable with the straps and internal frame... Are you talking about placing your backpack in between layers of your double lined hammock?

My presumption is that most of the folks using their pack under there legs in the hammock are using frameless packs or packs that use a pice of CCF as a back pad - frame sheet. Doing it with a pack that has a traditional frame with stays would be uncomfortable for most anyone.

I personally use a Osprey Atmos pack and the frame would make it extremely uncomfortable as a leg pad. My pack is usually on the ground close by under the tarp or hung on a tree at the head of the hammock. In days gone by (tent life) if there was room it was usually tossed in the tent with the rest of the gear that was not needed during the evening or morning when not sleeping.

Paul

**rigidpsycho** · 08-22-2009, 13:57

I normally use a strap and the waist belt of my pack and hang off one of the trees I'm hanging from if I know it's not going to rain. If I know it is going to rain I just lay on the ground under the hammock and tarp.