A while back, another park regular commented that I looked geared up for a showdown, so I decided to assess my setup. I’ve never quite considered how silly I look with all my gear strapped to my body.
Things I pretty much always have on me:
- Both Bows’ leashes, with custom loops that allow them to be easily clipped around my torso
- A camera — the DSLR most of the time, or cell phone camera at minimum
- My Nomadic AP-03 Moving Option waist pack. It was designed to be belted around the hips, but I just couldn’t bring myself to wear it that way. So I sling it around my chest, where it’s convenient to access the main pocket without tempting any waist-high dogs by fishing for treats within inches of their face.
This insane schematic is what sold me on this particular pouch.
Nomadic moving option waist bag, via jetpens.com
Um, I don’t cram nearly as much stuff as indicated in my pouches. I find that pocket 3 is a perfect size for an iPhone, and pocket 12 is great for poop bags. I like that I can separate my wallet (pocket 9) from any dog treats (pocket 6), because it’s annoying having to fish out crumbs from the folds of a meat-stinky wallet. And of course pen loop 7 is always occupied, with a small notebook tucked into pocket 5 or 10, just in case I need to exchange contact information with anyone.
And while I’m obviously not the epitome of fashion, I sure like having an all purpose, on-the-go pouch that’s functional and not emblazoned with all kinds of kooky dog lady logos or silly canine prints.
Anyway, my setup keeps my hands free, so I don’t actually feel like I’m carrying that much. I’ve certainly seen more extreme getups — especially those accompanied by babies and more than just two dogs!
That waist bag is the AWESOME. I totally want one. I wear what Brett calls my ‘utility belt’ around our property, with my various tools and things that I use all the time. (If I could replace the buckle with a bat symbol, I would. Just because.) My iPod goes into an aluminum dork box case that you can attach extra lenses to, which is 2.5″ deep by 4″ wide by 6″ long with a lens, you think it would fit in one of the big pockets? Can you put the bags on a 2″ belt?
A utility belt would be tougher, for sure. The fabric on this is fairly soft, but it has held up admirably for me. I like the swishiness. Sounds like the larger pocket could accommodate your iPod+, but I’d have to check back home to confirm. A 2″ belt might be a problem. This reviewer uses her own belt, but doesn’t say what size except “standard”:
http://omanomagon.blogspot.com/2012/07/nomadic-ap-03-moving-option-waist-bag.html
Awesome, thanks muchly.
Okay, the belt loops are exactly 2″ from seam to seam. I fear that it would be a tight fit, if possible. The belt that comes with it is 1.25, with lots of room so you can slide the pouches and adjust at will. Big pocket mouths pulled sideways go to 5.5″, 7″ deep. A soda can fits, or a plastic water or glass beer bottle, though the top sticks outs. Hope that helps a bit.
Thanks! I ordered one, if the iPod doesn’t fit, I’ll find something else to put in it!
Hahaha I love how prepared you are when you take your dogs out. I usually just have my phone in one of my pockets, debit card (just in case), and leash. Beamer’s leash has a poop bag dispenser attached to it. When I want to bring treats with me, I just shove a handful into my pockets. I usually go for homemade biscuits that don’t smell, but crumb. If I need to bring a lot of stuff, I’ll slap a backpack on Beamer and have him carry it. He needs to earn his keep around here!
If I ever catch a good deal on a dog pack, I would be tempted to strap a light one on Bowdu — maybe just to carry some water bottles. Peepsy is so light on her feet, I don’t think she could stand to be burdened. She earns her keep by running fast and free and pleasing me with her movements. Geez, if it were only so easy for the rest of us…
Very cool gear, thanks for sharing. How much do you think the pack weighs when filled? I have looked into vests with many pockets to distribute the goods. Love the flower print camera strap too….what brand is it? The itching caused from regular camera strap edges stops me from toting cameras along.
The camera strap actually came off Etsy! I forgot the exact seller, but it should be easy enough to find something you like on there.
The pack itself is very lightweight, which is one thing I love about it. Weight would depend on what you fill it with. For me, the heaviest thing in there is usually my wallet. All the straps adjust easily to distribute weight as necessary, and as comfortable to you.