View Full Version : Carrying packs in stores
Just wondered if any stores or businesses along the trail ever have a problem with hikers carrying in their backpack? If so what do people do with their pack? I realize you could go to a different store but sometimes there doesn't appear to be many choices on where to shop in trail towns.
You can ask the store to hold it up front for you, or come in with other hikers with one designated to watch bags in front of the store.
Yeah I thought about asking the store to hold it, just hate to let everything out of sight, just paranoid I guess.;)
Rick Hancock
03-12-2010, 14:04
Unfortunately, most stores and restaurants don't want packs inside. Restaurants don't want to deal with the odor (smells fine to us) and blocking the way of hostesses and servers. A few stores allow it but most don't want people coming in with a day pack much less a large pack. Some issues are theft, and knocking over displays. Most businesses just can't grasp the concept that everything we own is in that nylon sack. A designated pack watcher if there is more than one person shopping or if alone (one pack) you might get the manager to stow it. This would be harder to do if there are several packs. There is a thread somewhere on Whiteblaze that I think outlined several places that did allow packs.
Rick
they will throw you out of a place if u have on your pack just set it right outside next to the door
white_russian
03-12-2010, 14:09
If a place doesn't allow my pack, it doesn't get my business unless it is the only thing around and I really NEED something. I have no problem leaving it at the counter or somewhere else safe, but never just out on the sidewalk unattended.
they will throw you out of a place if u have on your pack just set it right outside next to the door
You seriously leave everything you have unattended outside?:eek:
Slo-go'en
03-12-2010, 14:16
At a supermarket, I put my pack in or under the cart and push it around. Small stores and resturants usually have a corner near the door where you can tuck the pack away. If you don't see any obvious spots, ask someone and they will let you know where you can put it. (or shove it, if their having a bad day). There are a few places with a sign which says "no packs inside", so there you have no option but to leave it outside.
Appalachian Tater
03-12-2010, 15:11
In a large grocery store, put your pack in a cart outside before you go in. Make sure that your hiking poles are not sticking out or if they must stick out that the handles are sticking out towards you. In a restaurant, you can try to sit near the window and some people prop their poles on top of their pack leaning them against the window.
For the people saying they just won't use a business that won't let them bring their pack inside, good luck with that, you're going to go hungry sometimes. Even some outfitters don't want your pack inside!
I would worry more about leaving my pack in some hostels where there is opportunity for someone to steal things from it unseen. Most of the pack thefts you hear about don't occur outside of stores, they occur at trail days or because someone left it at the trailhead.
How common is pack theft? Does anyone here have any first hand experience of it?
You seriously leave everything you have unattended outside?:eek:
use judgement man like in small places to eat or real small grocer if ur in a desent size town like waynesboro, i would be thoughtful of where i left my pack but alot of places don twant stinky hikers and there equaly stinky gear in there ha but if im at a foodlion or kroger i put my pack in the cart
i havent heard of realy much gear theft in towns
Rick Hancock
03-12-2010, 19:14
D.O.C. I gotta tell you I've never been "thrown" out of a place for bringing my pack in. I guess a lot has to do with attitude. If you come in with a good attitude and a smile most times some arrangement can be worked out, after all you are a paying guest, just not a typical guest! I'm pretty much a people person (I tell candle lit ghost stories) in Colonial Williamsburg, Va. and by the time I'm done shopping/eating I have people wanting to hear my trail stories and treat me to ice cream. I don't like leaving my pack unattended and I've been pretty paranoid the few times I've had too. I don't particularly like to leave my pack at a hostel, I had money stolen from me at The Place while sitting outside. They took money and a trail map! The shopping cart method is pretty good at grocery stores, we all need to remember that we hikers are stewards of good well and our actions while in trail towns reflect not only on us but on those behind us.
Rick
Rick Hancock
03-12-2010, 19:18
Oops, stewards of goodwill.
D.O.C. I gotta tell you I've never been "thrown" out of a place for bringing my pack in. I guess a lot has to do with attitude. If you come in with a good attitude and a smile most times some arrangement can be worked out, after all you are a paying guest, just not a typical guest! I'm pretty much a people person (I tell candle lit ghost stories) in Colonial Williamsburg, Va. and by the time I'm done shopping/eating I have people wanting to hear my trail stories and treat me to ice cream. I don't like leaving my pack unattended and I've been pretty paranoid the few times I've had too. I don't particularly like to leave my pack at a hostel, I had money stolen from me at The Place while sitting outside. They took money and a trail map! The shopping cart method is pretty good at grocery stores, we all need to remember that we hikers are stewards of good well and our actions while in trail towns reflect not only on us but on those behind us.
Rick
This makes me feel better. I too usually get along pretty well with everyone and had hoped that with the right attitude some type of accomodation could be worked out. Hopefully with a little common sense it won't be a problem. Thanks for the help everyone.
Palmerton me and six others where told at a resturant we wouldnt be served food on account we had a packs and an athletic scent went to palmerton hotel the bar calld them and said we were goin there as soon as we got in front the manager said to leave i have the pics and multiple people thath will agree it happens prob not often but it happens this fellow was at the first place saw this go down trackd us down and took us to his bros bbq/bar out side of town and gave us room free bar tab and bbq it workd out but it happens alot of places say leave packs outside
D.O.C. I gotta tell you I've never been "thrown" out of a place for bringing my pack in. I guess a lot has to do with attitude. If you come in with a good attitude and a smile most times some arrangement can be worked out, after all you are a paying guest, just not a typical guest! I'm pretty much a people person (I tell candle lit ghost stories) in Colonial Williamsburg, Va. and by the time I'm done shopping/eating I have people wanting to hear my trail stories and treat me to ice cream. I don't like leaving my pack unattended and I've been pretty paranoid the few times I've had too. I don't particularly like to leave my pack at a hostel, I had money stolen from me at The Place while sitting outside. They took money and a trail map! The shopping cart method is pretty good at grocery stores, we all need to remember that we hikers are stewards of good well and our actions while in trail towns reflect not only on us but on those behind us.
Rick
ive done some of the colonial renacatments with my dad with the 7th VA in williamsburg
i promise i went in with a smile and usuealy workd thngs out except in palmerton things here just weird
JustaTouron
03-12-2010, 21:00
Palmerton me and six others where told at a resturant we wouldnt be served food on account we had a packs and an athletic scent went to palmerton hotel the bar calld them and said we were goin there as soon as we got in front the manager said to leave i have the pics and multiple people thath will agree it happens prob not often but it happens this fellow was at the first place saw this go down trackd us down and took us to his bros bbq/bar out side of town and gave us room free bar tab and bbq it workd out but it happens alot of places say leave packs outside
Sounds like it wasn't the packs as much as your odder that they found objectionable.
My guess is you will be welcome in more places if you can keep your stink to a minimum both personal and pack.
Sounds like it wasn't the packs as much as your odder that they found objectionable.
My guess is you will be welcome in more places if you can keep your stink to a minimum both personal and pack.
all of us but two the two with packs had been in town at the jail already showerd i thnk it had to do with the packs ur pack dosnt realy get washd the whole time it stinks more than u idk i just figure to leave it out side or in the coat spot but alot of times its hard to keep odors down when u dnt plan on stayn in the area i went into town and left same day alot u gonna stink
stink turns shop owners off to us it makes their normal customers unhappy sometimes
Rick Hancock
03-12-2010, 21:48
D.O.C. I know what you mean, lucky thing the bad experiences on the trail are few and far between. Wonder if it had any thing to do with being north of the Mason-Dixon Line? Oh boy! I've really opened a can of worms now!!! I can't recall a single place that turned me away on my thru but things do happen. I do recall in Penn. I went into a laundry and got change to use a payphone the owner came out and insisted on giving me my money back (dollars) he said the change machine was for his customers only not for phone customers. I have some buddies who reenact, they really enjoy it. I'd like to get involved but it can be an expensive venture and time consumimg.
Rick
It's all about respect. And like someone said before, you just have to use your judgement.
I personally never felt entitled to bring my super smelly pack inside a business, especially a small one. For small stores, I almost never brought my pack inside. For larger chains, I would leave my pack in front of the store. Anytime I would bring my disgustingly stenched pack inside any establishment besides a hostel/hotel, I would ask a shopkeeper/manager if it was ok bring inside, or where's the best place to leave it. Just do this out of respect for business owner and for others around you. Thru-hikers are a truly odorous bunch who lose sense of their hiker smell.
I would also always bring my valubles inside (all it took was a small bag with my wallet and camera).
Also, if a business owner is disgruntled by the sight of you, chances are they don't want your thru-hiker business anyway and will not feel the slightlest loss if you take your business elsewhere...there are very few of these types along the trail, but unfortunately, they do exist.
More than likely, no non-thru-hikers is gonna want to steal let alone touch your smelly stuff...there are always exceptions, or course. We had a food-bag bandit when i hiked who would steal hanging food bags in the middle of the night. And hostels are also a place to never leave valubles unattended, but that applies to any hostel anywhere in the world.
Anyway, just be mindful of others. Most establishments will already have a place for you leave your pack. all you have to do is ask.
singingpilgrim
03-19-2010, 07:35
We had a food-bag bandit when i hiked who would steal hanging food bags in the middle of the night.
How awful! I mean all the thefts are awful, but at least you can take steps not to leave your pack unattended. But unless you're trying to attract bears we're all going to be hanging our food bags up.
Thanks for the "under the shopping cart" idea. That's a good one I had not thought to do. Many people have hinted that odor is often a concern of people in town. This could be a whole other thread but a little baking soda goes a long way in removing odors. Mix with a little water and smear it on your pits and your good to go. Its not going to make you smell like roses but it will help.Perhaps making life a bit easier in town.
garlic08
03-29-2010, 18:04
Asking with a smile, rather than demanding or expecting, almost always got me a smile in return and a place to park my pack inside. In the real tiny general stores, I would leave my pack outside for as long as it took to ask. If there simply wasn't room, which happened more than once, I'd remove the valuables and keep as good an eye on it as I could from inside. When hiking with someone, we'd take turns standing guard. Never had a problem. It probably didn't hurt that I kept pretty clean, too. I bathed and rinsed out clothes on the trail as often as I could. No baking soda, but that's a good idea.
I heard of one pack theft in Duncannon--a section hiker left a pack in the park to walk several blocks away to a store. Not too smart.
You can ask the store to hold it up front for you, or come in with other hikers with one designated to watch bags in front of the store.
Be prepared - hand out clothes pins to store employees. :D
About the last thing you want to do is bury your pack in the woods somewhere, and expect it will be there when you return from your town visit, as some have suggested. Not an option for me. Try using one of those wire mesh covers to prevent cutting open your pack and locking it to a parking meter or tree.
mooseboy
03-30-2010, 14:44
Most of the time, you'll have a separate (hopefully waterproof) sack containing your money, ID, camera, and other small but essential items. Definitely bring this inside with you-- but everything else of yours (sleeping bag, clothes, pack) is very unlikely to be targeted by a thief, at least in the trail towns in the Mid-Atlantic & New England. Hell, it's used, smelly, and cumbersome. ;)
Of course, if there's no sign forbidding packs, it never hurts to attempt to bring your pack partly inside and see if it's allowed... or if they have a specific spot they'd like you to put it. Usually they DO have a designated place just outside or in the entryway, which is pretty safe.
I never once had a problem- just used common sense. Like others said restaurants and convenience stores don't care for packs inside. I did carry my pack inside some of the larger grocery stores below the cart and was never challenged. Splitting up time "watching the packs" with a friend is the best option.
Always a good idea to carry a small stuff sack containing your valuables to take with you when separated from the pack.
hikers can cause problems if they go into a restaurant stinking. When you know your going into town you could try to wash up some (weather permitting) and put on some clean town clothes. If you stink, they should ask you to leave, its a restaurant...
Panzer
Also, I second the idea of putting your valuables in a small bag or fanny pack of some kind. I always put my wallet, phone, camera, ipod, meds, Swiss army knife, headlamp, compass, booze, etc in a small fanny pack. That way if someone does steal your pack all they get is old used gear that they won't really want.
Panzer
Railroad King
04-08-2010, 22:31
Yep, I always carried my wallet and digital camera while in town. Everything else was expendable and I'd leave my pack outside of grocery stores hoping it would disappear so I could go home but it never happened :) Alternatively, just stash your pack at the local hostel.
joncro55
06-01-2010, 11:00
About the last thing you want to do is bury your pack in the woods somewhere, and expect it will be there when you return from your town visit, as some have suggested. Not an option for me. Try using one of those wire mesh covers to prevent cutting open your pack and locking it to a parking meter or tree.
The wire mesh cover idea is a good one, this is my usual routine.
I actually made something myself instead of buying it, I got some metal and wire mesh from:
http://www.bwire.com/
I took some fine wire mesh and formed and fastened it basically into a shape that I can easily use it to hold a lot of my stuff. Then I connected a locking device, and boom, all set. Really worked out well, no problems yet...
-J-