How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

[Byron Fairbrother]

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 ...

[Old Hiker]

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.

[Byron Fairbrother]

Thanks Old Hiker. I guess it was to simple. Maybe I'm just over thinking everything. I'm ready to start my adventure.

[Train Wreck]

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.

[Lone Wolf]

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

[HikerMom58]

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.

[goedde2]

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'

[kayak karl]

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

[CrumbSnatcher]

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

[SassyWindsor]

How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

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

[Train Wreck]

How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

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

Stay at home?

[Lone Wolf]

How do you keep from having your gear stolen?

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

......

[Bronk]

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.

[Coosa]

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.

This is NEARLY always true, but not absolutely always true. Back in ... the early 2000's there was a 'thru' hiker ... name slips me and it's just as well ... who carefully "lifted" gear all the way up until past Damascus where he got off the Trail ... he would take a shirt from one hiker, another piece of gear from another, a few dollars from another, a pair of socks ... and when confronted would swear up and down that he'd purchased the gear or that he knew nothing about anything missing. He was also a moocher and always out of food, as I recall. Just like anything else ... watch your back and find a few like-minded AT-friends to look out for and who will look out for you.

[Rain Man]

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.

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

.

[1azarus]

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

.

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

[Rain Man]

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

Yep. And the two officers took him around to each and every vehicle in the trailhead parking lot, but there were no "hits." They told me it wasn't hikers they were after, but the local "druggies" who found this spot away from town good for doing their deals. I wouldn't want to walk out of the woods into a drug deal going down, so more power to the officers and their beautiful dog.

Rain Man

.

[Drybones]

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

+1...that big boy could hike with me anytime.

[Nooga]

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

.

Last year there were 2 food bags stolen in PA at a shelter (can't remember which one) which were hung on bear cables.

[ChuckBrown]

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.