Backcountry Forum
Backpacking & Hiking Gear

Backcountry Forum
Our long-time Sponsor - the leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear
 
 
 

Amazon.com
Backpacking Forums
---- Our Gear Store ----
The Lightweight Gear Store
 
 WINTER CAMPING 

Shelters
Bivy Bags
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping Pads
Snow Sports
Winter Kitchen

 SNOWSPORTS 

Snowshoes
Avalanche Gear
Skins
Hats, Gloves, & Gaiters
Accessories

 ULTRA-LIGHT 

Ultralight Backpacks
Ultralight Bivy Sacks
Ultralight Shelters
Ultralight Tarps
Ultralight Tents
Ultralight Raingear
Ultralight Stoves & Cookware
Ultralight Down Sleeping Bags
Ultralight Synthetic Sleep Bags
Ultralight Apparel


the Titanium Page
WM Extremelite Sleeping Bags

 CAMPING & HIKING 

Backpacks
Tents
Sleeping Bags
Hydration
Kitchen
Accessories

 CLIMBING 

Ropes & Cordage
Protection & Hardware
Carabiners & Quickdraws
Climbing Packs & Bags
Big Wall
Rescue & Industrial

 MEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 WOMEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 FOOTWEAR 

Men's Footwear
Women's Footwear

 CLEARANCE 

Backpacks
Mens Apparel
Womens Apparel
Climbing
Footwear
Accessories

 BRANDS 

Black Diamond
Granite Gear
La Sportiva
Osprey
Smartwool

 WAYS TO SHOP 

Sale
Clearance
Top Brands
All Brands

 Backpacking Equipment 

Shelters
BackPacks
Sleeping Bags
Water Treatment
Kitchen
Hydration
Climbing


 Backcountry Gear Clearance

Topic Options
Rate This Topic
#126895 - 01/17/10 05:07 AM Daisy Chains
fortygogetters Offline
newbie

Registered: 01/17/10
Posts: 1
Loc: California, LA
what are the daisy chains used for on a backpack? how can they be utilized? thanks!

Top
#126897 - 01/17/10 07:33 AM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: fortygogetters]
Pika Online   content
member

Registered: 12/08/05
Posts: 1814
Loc: Rural Southeast Arizona
I have only had one pack that came with daisy chains. Decided that whatever utility they might have had was not worth the weight. So, I took a seam ripper and removed them for a savings of about 5 oz.
_________________________
May I walk in beauty.

Top
#126902 - 01/17/10 10:34 AM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: fortygogetters]
Broadway Offline
newbie

Registered: 12/17/09
Posts: 8
Loc: Western NC
They look really cool. smile

Seriously though, the only thing I've ever done with a daisy chain is attached a liter bottle of water to it. Made a footlong length of cord with loops at both ends, and duct taped it to a water bottle, then used a carabiner at both ends to hook it to the pack.

Just thought I might need a bit extra water, as my filter was broke.


Top
#126904 - 01/17/10 10:46 AM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: Broadway]
oldranger Offline
member

Registered: 02/23/07
Posts: 1735
Loc: California (southern)
They are marketing gimmicks. They originated in the climbing world, where they do have some utility. In a vertical environment, you want things hooked together, not lying around. As Pika points out, a seam ripper is your friend.

Top
#126907 - 01/17/10 10:54 AM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: fortygogetters]
Glenn Offline
member

Registered: 03/08/06
Posts: 2617
Loc: Ohio
I've never found them useful. They're meant to run other webbing through, to let you add to a pack's capacity - but there always seem to be better ways. About the only suggestion I could think of would be to weave an elastic cord figure-8 style between the two parallel sets of daisy chains, and use it to secure a jacket or wet raingear to the outside of your pack temporarily. (Check out some packs and you'll see some with the figure-8 elastic rig.)

Top
#126912 - 01/17/10 01:27 PM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: fortygogetters]
aimless Online   content
Moderator

Registered: 02/05/03
Posts: 3292
Loc: Portland, OR
Only use I've ever had for a daisy chain on my backpack is when I've tucked a pair of damp socks that I had washed and wrung out through a couple of the loops, so they could dry.

Top
#126916 - 01/17/10 02:23 PM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: fortygogetters]
bigfoot2 Offline
member

Registered: 09/17/06
Posts: 1432
Loc: Eugene , Oregon
If you don't know, you don't need them. Cut 'em off!

BF cool
_________________________
Hammockers aren't stuck up, they're just above it all.

Top
#126980 - 01/19/10 01:13 AM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: fortygogetters]
billstephenson Offline
Moderator

Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
I've wondered about that myself and I actually looked at a lot of pack makers websites trying to find examples of how they intended them to be used. I read all the data and descriptions for packs that have them trying to find out but I never even found a single picture or written description of how they are actually intended to be used.

So I put small carabiners on them and use them to clip my drinking cup to one, and clip a fire steel to another, so the two clang together when I'm hiking. And I clip a tiny keychain LED light with a thermometer on one.

I have a hunter orange stocking cap with a string in the top that I clip on one sometimes, and sometimes I tie hunter orange blazing tape on them.

I suppose Pika and the others could be right, but I don't know if I can just tear them off with a seam ripper. That seems so drastic. I mean, look at them, they must have some real and important purpose.

When I look at those I think there must be something I'll need to "MacGyver" up with them someday. So far though, my cup clanger bear alert system is the best I've come up with and it's really not very impressive.

But I'm kind of disappointed in the rest of you for not coming up with something better than that. Even my hiking buddy, Randy, told me when I asked him what they were for, "That's where you tie the helium balloons to make your pack lighter".

Who knows? He could be right.
_________________________
--

"You want to go where?"



Top
#126986 - 01/19/10 08:17 AM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: billstephenson]
ringtail Offline
member

Registered: 08/22/02
Posts: 2296
Loc: Colorado Rockies
Climbing gear is the primary use. But a rope is heavy enough that it should be carried close to your back and not hung way out back. I generally see ropes carried between the pack body and the top lid.

They can be used then to attach pockets. Maybe that explains the vertical daisy chains.

I do use the vertical daisy chains on the shoulder straps for:

Cordlock & shockcord water holster,

Adjust the sternum strap,

Mitten hooks to hang my gloves from rings,

They are good hydration tube holders, and

Many other things.

Mostly I think daisy chains are marketing features.







_________________________
"In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not."
Yogi Berra

Top
#126988 - 01/19/10 08:41 AM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: ringtail]
Dryer Offline

Moderator

Registered: 12/05/02
Posts: 3591
Loc: Texas
Quote:
Mostly I think daisy chains are marketing features.


Most packs sold today are patterned after climbing/mountaineering packs. "Feature rich" is what sells. Even the book bags from Walmart I like to lighten and use as day packs have ice ax loops, daisy chains, crampon pads, etc....on book bags!
My GPV4 has a big net pocket that runs around the pack from side to side and few other appendages. For hiking, that works best for me.
Slice off anything you don't use and you can take a pound of some packs. Keep a loop or two for the clip on stuff. Be sure to seam seal the places where thread once was.
_________________________
paul, texas KD5IVP

Top
#127018 - 01/19/10 11:21 PM Re: Daisy Chains [Re: Dryer]
Jimshaw Offline
member

Registered: 10/22/03
Posts: 3983
Loc: Bend, Oregon
I have an $800 spectra mountaineering pack and it has daisy chains are on the top pocket. Since its spectra the weight is very small, but they provide a place to attach anything that you might want to, like strapping a pad or tent above the top pocket. If you wanted a strong attachment for something and they weren't there it would be tough to add them. Originally they were for hanging serious climbing gear where you might be able to get to it, like if you need a piece of gear and its inside your pack and you're hanging over a precipice, it won't do you any good. They were more from the age of pitons. I do have a BD piton hammer, but it would hang from a loop around my shoulders. My climbing pack has 2 holsters on each side for ice tools or hammers. Oh it also has daisy chains all the way down both sides, but the modular straps and accessories all attach or run through them and they provide positive support, that is they keep things in place.
On most packs they offer a place to slide through auxiliary straps to strap a coat or garbage bag or shovel to OR TENT!. My climbing pack has a specialised shovel pocket that is modular.
Jim


Edited by Jimshaw (01/19/10 11:22 PM)
_________________________
These are my own opinions based on wisdom earned through many wrong decisions. Your mileage may vary.

Top

Shout Box

Highest Quality Lightweight Down Sleeping Bags
 
Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags
 
Lite Gear Talk - Featured Topics
Backcountry Discussion - Featured Topics
Make Your Own Gear - Featured Topics
Featured Photos
Spiderco Chaparral Pocketknife
David & Goliath
Also Testing
Trip Report with Photos
Seven Devils, Idaho
Oat Hill Mine Trail 2012
Dark Canyon - Utah
Who's Online
0 registered (), 160 Guests and 0 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Noodles, McCrary, DanyBacky, Rashy Willia, WanderBison
13240 Registered Users
Forum Links
Disclaimer
Policies
Site Links
Backpacking.net
Lightweight Gear Store
Backpacking Book Store
Lightweight Zone
Hiking Essentials

Our long-time Sponsor, BackcountryGear.com - The leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear:

Backcountry Forum
 

Affiliate Disclaimer: This forum is an affiliate of BackcountryGear.com, Amazon.com, R.E.I. and others. The product links herein are linked to their sites. If you follow these links to make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This is our only source of support for these forums. Thanks.!
 
 

Since 1996 - the Original Backcountry Forum
Copyright © The Lightweight Backpacker & BackcountryForum