I think I may have asked this question a few years ago, but I see lots of new names (I haven't been here regularly lately)on the forum, so here goes:

I've always had packs with at least a few pockets, either commercial or homemade, but I notice that many of the lighter packs have very few. To those of you who use near-pocketless packs, where do you put your little stuff? I'm thinking of headlamp, knife, compass, sunblock, first aid kit, fire starter, lip balm, bug dope, stuff like that.

I have a Granite Gear pack - two pockets. I use a hydration bladder.

In one pocket go the gloves, pack cover, denatured alcohol bottle, compass and map. In the other goes the buff, the glasses in case, bug junk, anti skin cancer lotion, headlamp and perhaps a random trail snack.

1st aid kit, personal hygiene items, and random emergency items (extra matches, tinder, sheets of foil, firestarter, a little more cordage) all fit in pint size ziplocs which then all go in a small stuff sack (necessity bag) together. Clothing goes in a seam sealed bag with the quilt. Hammock in its own sack goes in on top of the quilt bag, bear can goes in on top of those, jacket and tarp in small bags get stuffed in around the can, kitchen and necessity bag ride on top, rain gear goes over it all.

Unless it's likely to rain, in which case the tarp and associated necessities plus the poncho/rain jacket will ride on top of the pack outside the main bag, under the cross strap.

The pack I use now has a lid compartment, so it all goes in there. When I used a Vapor Trail, my water bottle and water filter went in the two outside pockets. First aid kit went in a small zippered Granite Gear pouch (they call them Air Pockets); map, headlamp, glasses, and compass went in a larger pouch; TP, hand sanitizer, and trowel in a third one. Those went inside the main pack, on the top. My knife, spare batteries, and repair items were part of the first aid kit. I also had a second light: a Princeton Tec Pilot light, which clipped nicely onto the webbing on the shoulder strap, so I always knew where it was. Gloves and stocking cap were usually on my hands and head, if they came along; otherwise, they went in a small stuff sack which also lived near the top of the pack, or got shoved into an outside pocket with the water bottle or filter.

I use a small stuff sack for all the little stuff -- first aid kit, headlamp, glasses, sunscreen, etc. Stow it in the top of my pack.

Knife, compass, camera, reading glasses,a small bottle of bug dope (where nedded) and nail clippers are in the pockets of my clothes. First Aid kit, headlamp and other stuff is in the pack---since I won't need that unless I am going to stop on the trail anyway.

Each group of small things (first aid, teeth cleaning, misc, etc.) goes into a zip lock bag. These bags then go into the front bag of my pack.

With the small things in my front pack (along with hats, water, etc.) I can get to them easily while hiking.

The front bag of my pack easily clips on and off my pack. When I get into camp I detach this bag and put it into my tent or hang it from my clothesline. That way it is handy to get any small thing that I need while at camp.

Everything has a precise spot, and it changes practically every trip. That's something I love doing, trying completely new configurations and organizations and by the third or fourth day of a trip, I will have stuff settled into wherever works best. Usually everything is inside a combination of ziplocks and/or small stuffsacks.

I always find, however, that having the hammock, water, and purifier as handy as possible is the best setup. Nothing like a half hour nap swinging lazily by a stream while you wait for water...

I use a G4. In the outside mesh pocket I will stash my rain gear, fleece hat and fleece gloves. My small items (Headlamp, FAK, Toiletries, Skin care, waterproof matches, duct-tape and 50ft spectra cord) are organized into ziplocks and go into what I call my ditty bag, which is a 4L Sea2Summit Ultra-Sil drybag.

Hydration and Filtration consists of two 2L platypus, MicroPur tabs and the Frontier pro, this is very packable on the outside of the pack with rubber bands to stop it all unfolding.

Primary firestarter is a mini-bic and can be found within my cook pot, along with the stove, windscreen, bandana and other cooking items. This all nests together without a problem.

Sleeping bag and night clothes all get stored in a S2S 13L Ultra-Sil drybag. Day clothes get stored in an 8L drybag of the same brand. Food is stored in an applicable container for the area.

Knife, map and compass I carry on me.

Things I use regularly (sanitizer, bug juice, chapstick, map, sunglasses, camera in a sandwich bag) all fit in my shirt pocket and my zipper pant pocket.

Also when I’m with a larger group, I keep several Ibuprofen/Tylenol packs in my pant pocket. I become a popular guy on the 2nd day of scout outings .

-Barry

Most of my "essentials" get put into a small mesh bag and stored in the outside center mesh pocket (like ChrisFol, I use a G4). Compass goes around my neck or in my zippered pant pocket with my map for easy access. Knife gets clipped in one of my pants pockets.

Worlds greatest thing ever invented. I bought a waterproof stuff sac, will never look back

I store it with the items with which it is used. Matches inside the pot. Knife in the food bag. Headlamp with my clothes (because I never need it until the temp drops with sunset). Repair items with the FAK. Gloves, hat, bug juice, sunscreen in a small stuff sack at the top of my pack.

I still own an old Dana Designs wetrib. They will have to pry it out of my cold dead hands and off of my pack before it will be taken away.

I dread it finally crumbling to dust though

TV

I use a ultralight stuff sack in the bonnet pocket just to make it easy to get to the small stuff and it gives me something to set the stuff on so it does not dissapear in the grass

I have 2 REI aftermarket side pockets on my pack and a Dana "Wet Rib" front pocket & water bottle holder.

I use these 3 pockets to keep my "necessaries handy. Front pouch has map, compass, energy bars, electrolyte powder packets, etc.

Side pockets are for 1st aid kit, poop kit, stove kit, fuel canisters and toilet kit.

Top lid of my REI Cruise UL 60 pack houses my GTX parka & mosquito net.

Eric

I like the pockets of my clothes when it makes sense; I rarely use my flashlight if I haven't gotten into my camp clothes. YPocketsMV

Now there's a thought!

I have a lot of stuff divided into OR ditty bags that makes it easy to get to and stash related items.
For example, in case of temperature drop and/or getting wet: extra socks, spare base layer top/bottom, beanie, and windproof fleece gloves all fit in one of the small ones.
SS cup, Lexan cup, spork, and Primus stove(not the fuel canister, though) go in a medium with room to spare.

Also have that little bitty TNF Base Camp duffle bag that is a bit bulky, but holds stuff for cleaning/hygiene/toiletry/personal items/batteries/headlamp/first aid kit/emergency firestarting kit, though sometimes it can be a pain getting to individual things without unloading the rest.

My packs have minimalist pockets:water bottle pockets on the sides and a big center-back open-top pocket with a sleeve pocket under that. Small essentials go in the sleeve pocket. Items that don't fit go in an appropriately sized ziploc. in the larger back pocket.

I usually end up putting all my little stuff in a ziplock bag at the top of my bag. Works great, isn't as Convenient, but also offers a bit of water resistance.





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I added the belt pockets to my Vapor Trail and the items I need while hiking go into them. Chap stick, camera, trail snacks, compass. Sunscreen clips to the shoulder strap with a small biner. The other items go into a bright orange sil dry bag marked with reflective tape that is one of the last items that goes into the top of the pack. The other last item is the first aid kit sitting beside it.

Small stuff that I need easy access to I keep on the trail in my hip belt pockets. Small stuff I don't need until I'm in camp, I keep in a stuff sack near the top of my pack.