Set Up Security

[thehappymailman]

A Co. called pac-safe makes a setup for securing backpacks etc to any solid anchor (tree trunk) with a web of cable enclosing pack. Kind of heavy, but secure.

http://www.pacsafe.com

[mozzie]

on the at.i left my pack at a hostel.in north Carolina ..we were all taken to town for food and a grocery run.had a great time. until i found that someone had found my very cleverly stashed 700 bucks.it was duck taped in the bottom of my water blater sleeve .
after that it never left my sight.and i was mugged by a red squirrel once.gangsta squirrels.they will steal anything and pawn it for a forty.
never leave your pack.

[RedBeardHanger]

on the at.i left my pack at a hostel.in north Carolina ..we were all taken to town for food and a grocery run.had a great time. until i found that someone had found my very cleverly stashed 700 bucks.it was duck taped in the bottom of my water blater sleeve .
after that it never left my sight.and i was mugged by a red squirrel once.gangsta squirrels.they will steal anything and pawn it for a forty.
never leave your pack.

LOL **** squirrels!

[dragon360]

LOL **** squirrels!

They get you EVERY time!

[AaronAlso]

Yeah, the thought crosses my mind often too. Granted more commonly in populated camp grounds than in the backcountry. Still, when I stop to consider that there maybe $2500+ reatil in gear sitting out somewhere, ripe for the picking, my mind begins to ponder the possibility.

This was brought up about 6 months or so back. I offered the suggestion of using a pull-tab type personal alarm. Secure the alarm to your pack and tye the pull tab off to a tree. (or other anchor) If that tab comes out of the alarm the everyone in 1000yards is gonna know. The thief will probably drop the pack and run. I think I'm going to do this for my AT hike. For that enevitable time when I must leave my pack somewhere.

That doesn't exactly apply to the car camping public campground scenario the same. You can just as easily lock it up in the car. In the past when car camping I would always put everything in the tent and leave the tent behind with a radio playing low inside. Hammock & tarp change that dynamic. The tarp doesn't exactly seal up, at least not like a tent. My motto is: "Always better safe than sorry"

P.S. - Never, ever, ever leave cash laying around. In a thief's world cash is king and the lowest risk item to steal.

[default]

banjo music...

[Fig]

Rev, are you trying to tell us they stole more than your gear?

[LFCRed]

Hah! My original post was prompted by planning for a paddle trip!

I appreciate everyone's input and realize I just need to stop being lazy and pack my stuff away when I leave camp.

[Beast 71]

You could always hang a very large empty holster from your ridge line. The would be thief would assume that the large pistol was on you and that he'd better watch out of course he might steal your holster too . Or you could become a camo-nut. People tend to leave them/me alone. I think people think we camo-nuts are one loud noise away from a war flashback. Ya can never have too much camo !

[Catavarie]

If I've hiked in more than a couple of miles and nothing but backpackers around then security through obscurity is usually enough for me. Especially since no backpacker wants to add more weight to their packs. If in a busy campground with car camping I'll pack up everything if I'm taking off.

For a thru hike (granted I've yet to do one) I'd think hard about finding a rental locker somewhere that I can lock up my pack. (Bus station, YMCA, etc.)