Daisy Chains

what are the daisy chains used for on a backpack? how can they be utilized? thanks!

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.

They look really cool.

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.

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.

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.)

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.

If you don't know, you don't need them. Cut 'em off!

BF

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.

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.

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.

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