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  1. #1
    Registered User Byron Fairbrother's Avatar
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    Default How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

    I'm leaving March 18th for my nobo thru. I'm as ready as I'll ever be, except for one concern. I plan on hiking into town once a week or so and doing my resupplies. How do you protect your pack and gear when most stores don't want you to bring them into their store? ... Gray Loon ...

  2. #2
    Registered User Old Hiker's Avatar
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    I always asked if there was a place I could put it for the cashiers to watch it, otherwise, I just dumped it in a cart and went shopping. I never had a store to say "No". If they did, I'd politely inform them I would be shopping elsewhere, with an accompanying WhiteBlaze thread discussion of the policy.
    Old Hiker
    AT Hike 2012 - 497 Miles of 2184
    AT Thru Hiker - 29 FEB - 03 OCT 2016 2189.1 miles
    Just because my teeth are showing, does NOT mean I'm smiling.
    Hányszor lennél inkább máshol?

  3. #3
    Registered User Byron Fairbrother's Avatar
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    Thanks Old Hiker. I guess it was to simple. Maybe I'm just over thinking everything. I'm ready to start my adventure.

  4. #4
    Registered User kayak karl's Avatar
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    99% of the things you are worried about will be of no concern by the time you get to Neel Gap. you will have a whole new list of concerns by then
    I'm so confused, I'm not sure if I lost my horse or found a rope.

  5. #5

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    In all seriousness, I have seen advice along the lines of "leave your stinky socks/dirty underwear/disgusting bandanna tied to the straps or hanging from the outside" as a gross-out theft deterrent.

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Byron Fairbrother View Post
    I'm leaving March 18th for my nobo thru. I'm as ready as I'll ever be, except for one concern. I plan on hiking into town once a week or so and doing my resupplies. How do you protect your pack and gear when most stores don't want you to bring them into their store? ... Gray Loon ...
    you will have 10 new best friends within the first 100 miles. in town you'll sit on the curb and watch multiple packs while your friends shop, then when they come out, you go shop and most likely someone will be watching your stuff. have a good hike

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Byron Fairbrother View Post
    Thanks Old Hiker. I guess it was to simple. Maybe I'm just over thinking everything. I'm ready to start my adventure.
    correct. "todays" hikers are way too anal and worrisome. you'll figure it out within the first 2 weeks. have fun

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    correct. "todays" hikers are way too anal and worrisome. you'll figure it out within the first 2 weeks. have fun

    Agreed..and just in case you are still worried about your pack being stolen by the time you get to VA. I have watched over packs as part of "trail magic" in Daleville. I'm sure others will help you out in that same way.

  9. #9
    Registered User SassyWindsor's Avatar
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    How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

    The same way you keep from being attacked, robbed or worse.

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by SassyWindsor View Post
    How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

    The same way you keep from being attacked, robbed or worse.
    Stay at home?

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by SassyWindsor View Post
    How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

    The same way you keep from being attacked, robbed or worse.
    ......

  12. #12

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    I only ever remember one time being told to leave my pack outside and that was at a restaurant in Atkins, VA. Many times you'll get a ride into town from a hostel or other service provider and there will be somewhere safe to leave your pack while you shop. Generally speaking, other hikers aren't going to steal your stuff because they have their own and don't want to carry yours...I only ever worry about it when I'm in town or camped near a road...though at times I've set up my tent and put my pack inside it and then hitched into town. Nobody will mess with a tent because they assume someone is inside it.

  13. #13
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    I generally leave it outside whatever establishment I'm entering. The only problem I had in 2000 miles was in Vernon nj. Where the trail crosses the road, in 2000, there was an ice cream stand about a tenth mile up the road. You could just about see it from trail crossing. I left my pack behind the sign/kiosk type thing and headed up the road for ice cream. Just as I was walking an ambulance came by with lights on. I failed to notice that it stopped at trailhead. When ice cream was done I walked backed to trail head to find a man , woman and child hovering over my pack. The man was going thru my outside pockets and had my pipe along with my stash in his hands. I yelled " hey that's my pack, what are you doing?" the man returned my stuff to its place and jumped up. Explaining that they were coming down the trail when ambulance was leaving, thinking they left a hikers gear behind, he was searching for identification. Not quite sure what to say, I said " well, do me a favor, give me five minutes to get up trail before you call the cops on me." he laughed a little and said he was not concerned about the weed, wished me well on trip and I have never seen them again.

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by ChuckBrown View Post
    I left my pack behind the sign/kiosk type thing and headed up the road for ice cream. ... The man was going thru my outside pockets and had my pipe along with my stash in his hands. ...
    Here's a photo of some drug task force officers with their sniffing drug dog at the Tye River, VA trailhead parking lot, when I stopped at the kiosk there for a break in '09.

    Quote Originally Posted by SassyWindsor View Post
    How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

    The same way you keep from being attacked, robbed or worse.
    Or, by realizing such fears are irrational, similar to fears of "bears and snakes"?

    The only thing I fret about being stolen is "irreplacable" gear. When I leave my pack somewhere, I take my wallet, camera, and cell phone with me. Then again, I've never had anything stolen on the trail nor personally know of anyone who has, in a decade of AT hiking so far. In fact, it's just the opposite in my experience. People have given me stuff.

    Rain Man

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  15. #15

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    Well, you didnt specified the kind of gears you carry.

    If you leave a 700$ Cilo Gear or Kifaru backpack with a Hilleberg tent and Ray-Ban hangin to it, you might keep your credit card in your shoes just in case.

    Otherwise, as Rain Man said, I also never had anything stolen in my entire camping/hiking experience. But I know it can happen, of course. Probably that in the recent years, kids are now so much more "gear oriented" that stealing might become a little more stressful. I dont know.
    once I dug an early grave, to find a better land
    she just smiled and laughed at me, and took her rules back again

  16. #16
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    Since I ride a motorcycle, I usually have a backpack. I haven't had a problem when putting the backpack in the rack under the cart.

    Backpackers carrying a few pounds of expensive electronics doesn't help with the theft concerns.

  17. #17
    Registered User goedde2's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    correct. "todays" hikers are way too anal and worrisome. you'll figure it out within the first 2 weeks. have fun
    After all, it's just walkin'

  18. #18
    AT 2012
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rain Man View Post
    Here's a photo of some drug task force officers with their sniffing drug dog at the Tye River, VA trailhead parking lot, when I stopped at the kiosk there for a break in '09.



    Or, by realizing such fears are irrational, similar to fears of "bears and snakes"?

    The only thing I fret about being stolen is "irreplacable" gear. When I leave my pack somewhere, I take my wallet, camera, and cell phone with me. Then again, I've never had anything stolen on the trail nor personally know of anyone who has, in a decade of AT hiking so far. In fact, it's just the opposite in my experience. People have given me stuff.

    Rain Man

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    that's a beautiful dog, Rain Man!!!
    Lazarus

  19. #19

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    How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

    I have installed LoJack GPS and exploding anti-theft dye packets in all my packs!

  20. #20

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    I have never had problems with stores i just put my pack in the buggy ( don't touch the pack while in the stores) and go about my buisness.

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