LEDagent
Flashlight Enthusiast
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.
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.