Armored backpack...

LEDagent

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Well...as some of you know, i'm traveling to the Philippines this August. I'll be staying in the city (Manila) for the majority of my trip, and my relatives that stopped by today say that theft is something i really have to worry about.

Anyway, i just bought a Camelbak Blowfish hydration pack and there is eneogh room for 3 liters of water and my Olympus digital camera and some extras.

The meathods some theives use to remove backpacks from tourists is to cut the straps and the shoulders and grab the backpack and split. Or they can slash the bottoms of a backpack and simply pull out the contents as you walk., leaving you with an empty bag at the end of the day.

I've thought of some armoring meathods to try to re-enforce the bottoms and straps of the backpack. I'm not too worried about the straps because there are several harnessing points. I have a waist strap, and more importantly, a sternum strap. So even if they cut the shoulder straps, they won't be able to pull it from my body if i still have the sternum and waist straps attatched.

So here are my armoring techniques:

Straps: Using bicycle brake lines; sow the thin strand of metal on the inside of the straps, leaving the straps vulnerable to nothing - in short of a bolt cutter. (sissors or a blade won't cut through bike brake lines) The brake line woould be sowed inside the straps facing the body so you can't see the metal from the outside.

Bottoms: Using Aluminum window screening; Sow or tape the aluminum screen to the bottom of the backpack's insides. The Aliminum screen is thin enoegh to still be flexible and retain the backpacks natural shape. THe only thing i'm worried about is the thinness of the Aluminum wire mesh. A quality knife or razor MIGHT be able to cut through with a little tugging and slashing.

What do you think of the aluminum screen meathod? Is Aluminum screen too thin for slash proofness? I would like to use the stuff that the new plumbing pipes are made of...you know the flexible, woven metal type? Shoot....i'd use kevlar if i could find it. haha.

Anyway, i'd like to use this meathod because it is stealth. D'mo and John N have pointed me to REI and showed me some slash proof netting for luggage and backpacks, but i think a shiny metal web around my backpack would be TOOOoo flashy and just might get me kidnapped by a determined gang or something. Besides, a net would just make it too inconvenient for me in the heat and high humidity. I can imagine just stopping to remove a metal net over my backpack just to take a picture.
 

sunspot

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The bike line sounds good. How about sewing or glueing the slash proof netting inside the pack?
 

Luff

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A friend gets free Kevlar cloth from an auto salvage yard ... might be cut resistant enough to prevent a quick slash and grab if sewn inside the bag. Oh, the kevlar is used air bags.
 

Saaby

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I like the slash-proof netting on the inside idea. If they can't get through the bottom what's to stop them from going in through the side?

An alarm of some sort would be real cool...Like if the bottom gets cut a siren loud enough for you to hear but not to annoy everyone go off; ok that's a little too high tec I immagine but yeah...I like the netting inside the pack idea.
 

McGizmo

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Go to a local Sail Loft where they make sails for boats and get some scrap kevlar reinforced mylar sail cloth or spectra if they have it. Sailing Supply in San Diego probably has the kevlar sail repair tape. It is thin woven kevlar about 2" wide with an adhesive backing.
 

Luff

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Master McGizmo:

I should've thought of it myself. Kevlar sailcloth repair tape is definitely the way to go ... no sewing and certainly strong enough. Not terribly inexpensive, but the perfect interior solution.

Your tangential thinking amazes me.
 

LEDagent

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WOW! THank you all for your response!

McGizmo,

What a BRILLIANT idea! I didn't even know they made Kevlar tape. But how slash proof is it? I mean, my logic tells me, if you have to cut a peice of tape to length with sissors or a knife/razor, then how exactly slashproof is kevlar tape? Or is Kevlar a totally different thing? I've never worked with kevlar i don't know much about the material. I didn't even know they used it in airbags! (Thanks Luff...if i knew you could get some i would have asked you earlier.) All i know is that some speaker companies use kevlarfor their speaker drivers, and bullet-proof vests use kevlar.

Kevlar tape...interesting possibilities!

Saaby, another brilliant idea! An alarm for my luggage at the hotel would surely stop a dishonest person or employee from digging through my stuff while i'm gone.
 

Darell

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LED -

While others are figuring out ways to keep your pack on you, let me be the first to congratulate you on you excellent choice of packs. Just so happens that's the same pack I just bought to keep my entire family hydrated in China. And a great pack it is too! Really, it offers the best of all worlds. It can be a compact solo pack for bike rides, or it can expand to become the family lunch tote. Really a great product!

Took me about 10 minutes to teach my two-year-old how to drink out of it, and now I can't stop her!
 

Saaby

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Maybe 1 layer of the tape can be cut through fairly easily but if you made a sort of grid with it...2 or 3 layers ought to do the trick?
 

LEDagent

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darrel i'm glad to see we have similar tastes! Yeah...the Camelbak Blowfish model was the best compramise between the standard M.U.L.E., military grade M.U.L.E., and the H.A.W.G. The M.U.L.E only offers 300 cubic inches of storage and is just too small for the task at hand. Even the military grade M.U.L.E. at 500 cubic inches of storage is too small, not too mention ugly.(It'd plain black...not my cup of tea)
The H.A.W.G is a comfortable 1020 cubic inches but is too big for walking around town.

The Blowfish model has 820 cubic inches of space WITH 3 liters of water in place. It can comfortably fit my digital camera, small notebook, a sandwich, 2 flashlights, a first kit, and spare batteries with a little room to spare. PLUS it is very stylish and looks very retro with the right clothes. It's a great city bag.

ANyway, that's my quick review of the backpack, and i hope it inspires some of you to get one.
smile.gif


Darell...should i get the cleaning kit for the resevoir? It'll just be fore ten days but, what do you think? You went to China...isn't the weather hot and humid in the summer too? Penny for your thoughts....
 

LEDagent

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just a quick funny blurb...

The relative that came over today was my Godfather. He is a very funny man and very witty! I asked him..

ME: So how was your trip to the Philippines?

HIM: My trip to the Philippines? There were alot of Filipinos.


hahaha...anyway, that's it.
 

McGizmo

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LED Agent,

The Kevlar tape is thin and can be cut with a SHARP pair of scissors. It is thin enough that you could use layers; criss crossing. It might be wise to insert an inner liner of thin nylon and then reinforce with the tape. That way if someone punctures the outer shell, the inner reinforced shell will lift up by the blade and not be so easy to puncture. I suspect that you can make the pack puncture and slice proof to the point that you will be more than aware that something is up!

BTW A good sail loft will have 1" spectra webbing and if you sew a cross hatch of this in the bottom of the bag, no one is going to get through that! Spectra is light, soft and won't soak up water. If you were to replace your straps with this, no one is going to cut them without asking you to stand still and help
grin.gif
 

Saaby

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Howabout a tape-window screen-tape combination?? That'll really stop em right?

Just remember (Don't hope...remember) Murphys law will kick in. You'll go to all this trouble only to have nothing happen.
wink.gif
 

LEDagent

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Saaby...sounds even better! I think the wire mesh and kevlar tape is the best solution ive heard so far.

I am hoping that NOTHING will happen. That is the best solution to this problem.
 

Darell

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LED -

I actually haven't yet been to China with my pack. I leave in a few hours, actually. But I've been practicing with my pack for a while.

If you're travelling for only ten days, you certainly won't need the cleaning kit for the trip. Just keep it full of good water, and you'll be fine. It's when the reservoir is empty that you have potential problems. But if you just shove the hose and valve into the Omega opening enough to keep the bag from closing on itself, then hang it somewhere to dry, it'll be fine. Once the res is totally dry, you can store it indefinitely. Just don't store it damp, and you'll be fine.

I really like the outter mesh "extras" pocket on this pack. You can fit figurative tons of stuff in there if you need to.
 

McGizmo

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So Darell,

Be frank, do you like the Pak?
smile.gif


I suckered you into your 2K post but I'm curious what will be your last post before you go to China.... Something profound for us to cogitate on for 3 weeks?????

We'll make sure nothing happens here while you're gone.
tongue.gif


Bon Voyage!
 

tygger

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what about cutting out a rounded fitting section out of a thin aluminum cookie sheet? maybe round the edges with stong packing tape so it doesn't cut the pack in any way. a knife might cut through but only in one spot. just an idea.
 

LEDagent

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Darell,

I'm sorry, i thought you already went to China. I wish you a safe journey and return. I hope you will have fun there with your family, and take care!

Tygger,

Thanks for the suggestion. I think i'm going to tackle one thing at a time. I've settled on the kevlar/wire mesh/kevlar combination. It allows for easy installation and removal later down the road. THanks for the tip though. I'll probably try it when i get back from the Philippines if the kevlar tape doesn't hold up in that weather.
 

DonL

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While not particularly convenient, there are "nets" made of small diameter stainless cable that's intended to enclose a backpack during shipping so that baggage conveyors don't shred the bag apart, or that curious handlers don't take a liking to your equipment.

Thbe product name is Pacsafe at www.pac-safe.com . They have a "X-Small" set for packs in the 1200-2400 cid range.
 

LEDagent

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DonL,

That's exactly the stuff i mentioned earlier. I don't want to use that stuff for walking around because 1) it looks tacky and 2) it isn't, like you said, too convinient. But it is ideal for transporting and locking during flight check-ins. However, the stuff can be found on REI's website for about 60+ dollars depending on the size of luggage that needs protection.

For those instances, i think i'm just going to stick with a locking cable.
 
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