Carry options with Backpack?

Tohatchi NM

Tohatchi NM

Joined
Mar 26, 2002
Messages
2,844
I'd like to hear ideas for carrying a fixed blade, maybe 4" blade, while backpacking. The chief problem is the hip belt, which limits traditional belt sheaths.

Usually when I'm backpacking, I have a small folder in a pocket, and a sheath knife in/on the pack. It's not ideal because heavier folders tend to drag down my pants, and if I put the pack down I don't want to get too far from the knife. I've considered neck sheaths for smaller blades, and a sort of shoulder sling that puts the knife under your armpit. Any other ideas out there for carrying a fixed blade within the constraints of a pack hipbelt? Dangler? Belt sheath with long drop loop? HAK-style mounting studs?

(My appologies if this has been addressed before. I skimmed through the current 18 pages of posts without finding much, and had some trouble with the search function.)
 
And I don't know specifics. But I do know I've seen people with a "On the left shoulder of the pack rig" (for right handers). I know there's some system, I believe from blackhawk, which lets you rig your knife in some ridiculously huge number of locations with the right stuff. Check blackhawk attachment system or something like that with the search feature and you will find something. Best of luck.
 
I carry a Lone Wolf Harsey Ranger in its pouch on my left shoulder strap,its convenient and it doesent scare the sheep
 
The chest is the logical option. Out of the way, instantly accessible, you can sit, climb, ride, or sleep with it on. Dump your pack to run, it stays right where you need it. Works great for pistols as well.

PA020394.jpg

knife chest 3.jpg
 
Hey Guys..

Tohatchi...

There are many different directions you can go with this....
Everything from neck rigs, to drop leg rigs, to shoulder carry, chest carry, inverted pack strap carry...

I have many clients both civi and military that have sheaths that both mount on the belt and on the pack. They simply switch the knife back and forth as needed, so the knife is always on their person.

That's one way of doing it...

Someone like Robert H from Survival Sheath Systems makes Chest carry rigs that are slick.

Mercop makes the Mercharness which is handier than sliced bread

There really are alot of options...

The question is,, How do you want to carry it?
Pretty much anything you want or can dream of can be done....

What kind of knife is it ??

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Hey Guys..
SD..
something does..Something woke me at 5am, and here I'am..:)

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Zero_Time said:
And I don't know specifics. But I do know I've seen people with a "On the left shoulder of the pack rig" (for right handers). I know there's some system, I believe from blackhawk, which lets you rig your knife in some ridiculously huge number of locations with the right stuff. Check blackhawk attachment system or something like that with the search feature and you will find something. Best of luck.
Click to expand...

I have done this many times just so I have access to it at all times. And you are right you can't have it attached to your waist belt or it will pants you. I use para cord to tie my seal pup to the strap d-ring. Since I have a kydex sheath with my seal pup and it has holes and slots it's much easier to carry it that way. Sometimes I just attach it to the waist belt or to the side of the pack when I feel the need to. Although lately I have been carrying my SAK OHT or Mora 780 more now here in NJ I just use a D-ring to attach it to my belt loop or whatever. Not ass easy acess as I like but here in NJ it can get you in trouble with the law. Now if I hike in PA that's different.
 
Not ass easy access as I like
Click to expand...
I hope that's a typo....:D

Have you thought about a 'scout carry' ? I've got a little skinner that I carry that way. I'm still tweaking the sheath to figure out a good closure, but I forget I'm wearing it and it's low profile enough that my pack's waist belt doesn't interfere and leaves me room to get at it. Still a little tough to put it back in though...
 
lots of great points already spoken of here regarding the knife carry so I won't expound further, but...
Regarding the search engine here on BF, sometimes it does hiccup. try googling "blade forums <insert subject>" it works pretty well also. (someone else suggested this a while back... not my idea)
 
I just tie a paracord loop between the belt loop of my sheath and my belt to drop the sheath a few inches, then use a little nylon strap around the leg. Works pretty well and it's never in the way, but always readily available.
 
Use a sheath with a TekLok and you can transfer it from your pack hip belt to your pants belt. I've made up rigs like a pistol belt with a psk pouch and knife. If away from your main pack on a side hike, you can take it out of your pack and wear it. You could add a canteen/Nalgene easy enough too.

Rigs like that are great for stream crossings. If corssing fast water, the firs thing you do is to release your hip belt so you can abandon your pack if you fall in. That means losing your gear, so you want some basic survival gear in your pockets or strapped on your body. A fanny pack or "survival belt" will leave you with a minimal kit while you watch your pack bounce down the rapids :(
 
DeadeyeLefty said:
I hope that's a typo....:D

Have you thought about a 'scout carry' ? I've got a little skinner that I carry that way. I'm still tweaking the sheath to figure out a good closure, but I forget I'm wearing it and it's low profile enough that my pack's waist belt doesn't interfere and leaves me room to get at it. Still a little tough to put it back in though...
Click to expand...

:D Ooppps! Sorry I just got off from a double shift from work this morning and my brain was a little slow. I was feeling woosy and looking at the screen cross eyed.
Yeah that's why I just attach it to my waist pack and leave it on the pack until I find a spot to set up camp.
 
With a pack I usually hang the knife from the sternum strap by the sheath's belt loop and tie the bottom of the sheath to the left shoulder strap so it doesn't flop around.
 
I'm going to second Eric's suggestion of the Mercharness. It puts the knife right under your arm, where it's easy to get to, but discreet, without necessarily being concealed. And you can carry a surprisingly large knife before it gets uncomfortable, too.
 
I use a carabiner through the sheath's belt loop and then clip it onto the d-ring of the left shoulder strap. It dangles vertically but provides quick access with a horizontal draw. Around camp I typically wear the sheath with the carabiner clipped to a belt loop on my pants (rather than slotted through the belt) anyways so it's a logical transition.
 
I usually carry mine one of 2 ways depending on the size of the blade. For smaller knives I wear it upside down on the left shoulder strap. For larger blades I carry them on the side of my pack attached to the compression straps. When I carry the blade on the side of the pack I make sure it is easy to reach and unsnap the retention strap.

I find the Spec-ops sheaths work well for attaching to packs. Any sheath wilh MOLLE attachments seems to work well. The Spec-ops is nice because the split belt loops can be unbuttoned, which makes it easier to attach.

I'm usually doing a lot of hiking when I go out, so putting a knife near my legs or waist isn't comfortable. A separate shoulder rig would also be uncomfortable if your wearing a backpack over it.
 
On my belt, I usually carry a puuko by Eric Berglund in the traditional Scandihoovian manner - via it's dangler-style pouch... it hangs just below my pack belt and can slide into reach or out of the way as I move.
For a larger blade, I carry it in a concealex sheath strapped to the right side of my pack in an inverted, reversed carry for easy drawing... Or, if traveling lite, I have a CRK Aviator in an inverted sheath on my left front shoulder strap and a decent folder in my pocket.
Or when really lite, I don't have a pack and will add a dangler hanging around my neck under my shirt and a slightly larger sheathknife on my belt...
 
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