When you resupply, do you....

[SC Ryan]

wear your pack around the store? Is it safe to leave your pack anywhere or should I plan on keeping an eye on mine at all times? Designate a buddy to watch packs?
Am I being too paranoid?!

[totempole99]

Put it in the grocery cart and keep it with you

[A-Train]

No your not being paranoid. Though it's rare, stuff does get stolen on the AT, and sometimes in places you wouldn't expect. My friends lost all of her expensive hiking, wicking clothing at the laundromat in Hot Springs, one of the friendliest AT towns.

The shopping cart trick works well in supermarkets. In smaller markets, ask if you can leave it in the front of the store, have a trustable hiker look out for it outside, or stash it in a hikers motel room/hiker service, etc.

You'll be fine as long as your careful and aware.

[Appalachian Tater]

The grocery store in Salisbury, CT has a sign saying no backpacks in the store, so I left it in the entryway. Every other grocery store large enough to have shopping carts, just stick it in the shopping cart. You only need the baby seat for your groceries, anyway. I always collapse my poles and make sure that the points are facing down and towards the back of the cart.

[88BlueGT]

I havent and will never let my pack leave my side. I sometimes get nervous even leaving my tent/ruck while at camp in the daytime even though theres noone around lol.

[Smile]

Everybody is right on! Good to keep your pack with you

[Bearpaw]

It's kind of sad.

When I thru-hiked in '99 the surest sign that this was a place to be was:

[kayak karl]

wear your pack around the store? Is it safe to leave your pack anywhere or should I plan on keeping an eye on mine at all times? Designate a buddy to watch packs?
Am I being too paranoid?!

on trains one strap is around my leg. napping im hooked to my back some how. even tied to my hammock with a small line. when traveling or camping, its ALL i OWN and i will PROTECT it that way.
have fun, be safe
kayak

[AT-HITMAN2005]

unfortanately, if you aren't somewhat paranoid about your gear, theres something wrong. especially if your thru-hiking. for a lot of people losing there gear means the end of their hike because they are already on a budget as it is. and we all know your pack is your home away from home when on the trail.
be sceptical unless its in a locked room or know someone is definitly watching it.

[NorthCountryWoods]

Keep an eye on your pack. I gave a ride to a hiker that had her pack stolen outside a store in the sleepy town of Kent, CT.

My wife and I had both our backpacks stolen in MA....at tentsite!
At Bear Rock Falls, while we were sleeping, somebody took just our packs that were hangin from a nail on a tree. They were empty cept for some emergency stuff. It was alotta fun carrying 20 stuff sacks by their strings the next day. They had to be ninjas cuz I'm a super lite sleeper.

Unfortunately, there are some tards out there.

[Lyle]

One parallell point.

Use some caution when hitching. Be sure a hiker buddy or yourself get into the back of a pick-up prior to placing your pack there. Same for the trunk of a car. Have known folks who placed thieir packs in the truck, and it sped away with their gear before they had a chance to climb in.

Unfortunate, but this happened back in the 80's, you know, back in the old days when people were sitll honest! :-)

[SunnyWalker]

Anyone carry a chain and lock to lock the fram of the pack to a tree or something? -SunnyWalker

[Terry7]

I NEVER leave my gear anywhere that is not locked up. If a store tells me I cant bring my pack in, then I dont shop there. People who dont hike have no idea how much good gear cost! I dont know about you all but it took a long time to save the money for good gear.

[Appalachian Tater]

I NEVER leave my gear anywhere that is not locked up. If a store tells me I cant bring my pack in, then I dont shop there. People who dont hike have no idea how much good gear cost! I dont know about you all but it took a long time to save the money for good gear.

On a long hike, you might not have a choice, but you're smart not to leave your stuff unattended in Damascus.

[SlowLightTrek]

I left my pack outside almost every store I went into. It never got stolen. I don't think theft is much of a problem hiking on the AT. I met the guy this year with a bunch of aka's who was stealing stuff from people as he made his way north. I was in a bunkhouse and left my stuff not knowing anything about him other than he was another hiker. I later found out about him. He was alone with my pack and even he didn't steal anything. Camera, hiker wallet, nothing. Maybe I'm just lucky I dunno.

[the_iceman]

when it felt like a "home town" it stayed outside. At Wal-Mart and other big box places it came inside in the cart.

[CaseyB]

On a long hike, you might not have a choice, but you're smart not to leave your stuff unattended in Damascus.

***?? Why pick on D-Town? Crap happens everywhere. Trail Days thefts are unique to Trail Days, not Damascus.

[Jack Tarlin]

Casey is correct, theft can happen anywhere. But hikers need to use particular caution in towns that have lodging places (like hostels) that might attract folks who aren't genuine hikers. I also know of hikers who've lost stuff in places like Pearisburg, Waynesboro, Delaware Water Gap. In short, there's very little theft while actually ON the Trail; in towns, hikers should be more vigilant.

[Lone Wolf]

***?? Why pick on D-Town? Crap happens everywhere. Trail Days thefts are unique to Trail Days, not Damascus.

look at the source. a one time hiker from new york. buttmunch

[A-Train]

New York IS safer than Damascus. You can think Prez. Rudy for that one