Hi All,
I'm going to post pictures of how to secure the Citizen Canine to a Smart Alec using grimlocs. I tried posting yesterday with written text and links, and when the time came for the image uploads, my web browser froze during the middle of the post, and lost the text. So, images will go up first, and then I will edit the post to add descriptive text and links.
I've been exploring the use of the Citizen Canine for non-Canine use, with the metal roller and roll of plastic poo bags removed from the back snap pockets, as shown in @Ilkyway's post (#17) in the Citizen Canine comparative review thread. It's not necessary to remove this metal roller assembly, which can also just be flipped up, but it can be more comfortable to carry the CC around your waist if the roller is removed, and it is also easier to repurpose that back pocket for other uses if the roller assembly is taken out. Our thanks to @tpnl for his reassurance that the assembly could be safely removed with a bit of twisting.
The Citizen Canine can be secured to the webbing loops at the front of the Smart Alec. However, the webbing on the back of the side of the Citizen Canine is 1.5" wide, so it would require 1.5" Gatekeeper clips to fit over that webbing. If you have a waiststrap from a Brain Bag, Super Ego, Ego, ID Bag, etc. the end clip is a 1.5" Gatekeeper clip. The Synapse, Smart Alec, Side Effect, Aeronaut, and most other bags use 1" wide waiststraps, and the 1.5" wide Gatekeeper clips are no longer available for sale from the Parts page. (Note: Customer support has told me that I can order a 1.5" waiststrap by using the product page for the 1" waist strap and including a comment that I want a 1.5" waiststrap. Since I received this information just before the product debut, I didn't try this with my most recent order.)
Grimlocs are lightweight connectors that can be attached to 1" wide webbing through a slot, and that have a D-clip section that swings out when you press a small release switch. They can be used to hang additional items from webbing. For an example of this usage, see @Lara's post (#5) and picture in the Geocaching with a TB bag thread. She uses a grimloc secured to the shoulder strap at the front of her Synapse to suspend a stuff sack that holds items she has found. At the bottom of the present thread, you can see an example of a grimloc attached to the shoulder strap webbing loop used to hold a length of cord. (This was part of exploring the CC for use as a hurricane preparedness bugout bag, where the cordage is used to tie-down objects and secure them under high wind conditions).
The design features of the grimloc can be seen against the Coyote webbing of the Ice Axe and Lash Straps from the Guide's Pack accessories page. You can see the slot in the slit for holding the 1" webbing, the release switch for the unlocking the D-clip section that swings out, and that the clip section is large enough to secure to larger (1.5" wide) webbing.
My grimlocs are black, but you can also buy them in Coyote if you want to match the CC webbing and trim. Here's an enlarged view. The D-clip section can hold quite heavy loads (I think up to 80 pounds), and the slots at the side are meant to ensure that the lock/release mechanism for the clip section will operate even when the grimloc gets wet or gets covered with dirt or sand.
I've attached these to the front webbing loops of my Smart Alec without removing the bungee cord. Slip the bottom edge of the webbing loop over the slotted section of the grimloc.
When you've pushed the webbing into the slot, hook the top edge of the webbing into the top part of the slot. This can be tight if you're working with the bungee cord left in. I used the screwdriver blade of my Swiss army knife (shown in next picture, with the webbing being hooked onto a grimloc on the other side of the bag) to help get the webbing loop seated on the grimloc.
Here's the right side webbing loop being secured to a grimloc. As mentioned before, the fit can be tight, so the screwdriver blade of my Swiss army knife was used to both start slotting the webbing onto the grimloc, and also to pop the top section of webbing into the top of the slot.
Here are the two (open) grimlocs secured to either side of the Smart Alec. You can move them up, but the middle set of webbing loops are a convenient position to use, and the CC clears the bottom of the Smart Alec.
Hook one of the open grimloc D-clips into the webbing at the back of the Citizen Canine and snap it closed. Then secure the grimloc on the other side.
Here's the Citizen Canine secured to the front of the Smart Alec with grimlocs. I've also put a grimloc through the shoulder strap webbing at the left side.
Here's the side view of the attached Citizen Canine. The inner Steel Parapack lining makes a much more protective container than just the single layer of Ballistic Nylon of the Smart Alec's lower modular pocket, and the opening also allows direct access to the interior.
Here's an example of items attached to the grimloc on the shoulder strap webbing. I was considering using the CC as a Hurricane Emergency bag, worn on a waist strap. (I had available the waist strap from one of the recent ID bags to try with the CC, before I sent the ID bag back -- beautiful bag, but I still have the old version in good working format -- so I know that waist-strap use is more comfortable with the CC than with a Side Effect. This is both because of the wider strap, and the vertical design of the CC. Further, in the event of a disaster, quick and easy access to the pouch contents while having one's hands free is a plus, and I would not like to use a light-weight shoulder strap in high winds. (The rope is used to tie down items that might fly away in gale winds.)
When using the CC on a shoulder strap, you can make easy use of storing items on the back side (inside the pocket that held the roller of poo bags). One thought that occurred to all the tester was using the CC as a picnic bag. I think that all of us were inspired by @sturbridge's 3D Clear Organizing Cube as portable picnic kit (because you never know...) thread. You can also carry placemats or other small mats with lash straps (more about that in the next part of this post).
moriond
I'm going to post pictures of how to secure the Citizen Canine to a Smart Alec using grimlocs. I tried posting yesterday with written text and links, and when the time came for the image uploads, my web browser froze during the middle of the post, and lost the text. So, images will go up first, and then I will edit the post to add descriptive text and links.
I've been exploring the use of the Citizen Canine for non-Canine use, with the metal roller and roll of plastic poo bags removed from the back snap pockets, as shown in @Ilkyway's post (#17) in the Citizen Canine comparative review thread. It's not necessary to remove this metal roller assembly, which can also just be flipped up, but it can be more comfortable to carry the CC around your waist if the roller is removed, and it is also easier to repurpose that back pocket for other uses if the roller assembly is taken out. Our thanks to @tpnl for his reassurance that the assembly could be safely removed with a bit of twisting.
The Citizen Canine can be secured to the webbing loops at the front of the Smart Alec. However, the webbing on the back of the side of the Citizen Canine is 1.5" wide, so it would require 1.5" Gatekeeper clips to fit over that webbing. If you have a waiststrap from a Brain Bag, Super Ego, Ego, ID Bag, etc. the end clip is a 1.5" Gatekeeper clip. The Synapse, Smart Alec, Side Effect, Aeronaut, and most other bags use 1" wide waiststraps, and the 1.5" wide Gatekeeper clips are no longer available for sale from the Parts page. (Note: Customer support has told me that I can order a 1.5" waiststrap by using the product page for the 1" waist strap and including a comment that I want a 1.5" waiststrap. Since I received this information just before the product debut, I didn't try this with my most recent order.)
Grimlocs are lightweight connectors that can be attached to 1" wide webbing through a slot, and that have a D-clip section that swings out when you press a small release switch. They can be used to hang additional items from webbing. For an example of this usage, see @Lara's post (#5) and picture in the Geocaching with a TB bag thread. She uses a grimloc secured to the shoulder strap at the front of her Synapse to suspend a stuff sack that holds items she has found. At the bottom of the present thread, you can see an example of a grimloc attached to the shoulder strap webbing loop used to hold a length of cord. (This was part of exploring the CC for use as a hurricane preparedness bugout bag, where the cordage is used to tie-down objects and secure them under high wind conditions).
The design features of the grimloc can be seen against the Coyote webbing of the Ice Axe and Lash Straps from the Guide's Pack accessories page. You can see the slot in the slit for holding the 1" webbing, the release switch for the unlocking the D-clip section that swings out, and that the clip section is large enough to secure to larger (1.5" wide) webbing.
My grimlocs are black, but you can also buy them in Coyote if you want to match the CC webbing and trim. Here's an enlarged view. The D-clip section can hold quite heavy loads (I think up to 80 pounds), and the slots at the side are meant to ensure that the lock/release mechanism for the clip section will operate even when the grimloc gets wet or gets covered with dirt or sand.
I've attached these to the front webbing loops of my Smart Alec without removing the bungee cord. Slip the bottom edge of the webbing loop over the slotted section of the grimloc.
When you've pushed the webbing into the slot, hook the top edge of the webbing into the top part of the slot. This can be tight if you're working with the bungee cord left in. I used the screwdriver blade of my Swiss army knife (shown in next picture, with the webbing being hooked onto a grimloc on the other side of the bag) to help get the webbing loop seated on the grimloc.
Here's the right side webbing loop being secured to a grimloc. As mentioned before, the fit can be tight, so the screwdriver blade of my Swiss army knife was used to both start slotting the webbing onto the grimloc, and also to pop the top section of webbing into the top of the slot.
Here are the two (open) grimlocs secured to either side of the Smart Alec. You can move them up, but the middle set of webbing loops are a convenient position to use, and the CC clears the bottom of the Smart Alec.
Hook one of the open grimloc D-clips into the webbing at the back of the Citizen Canine and snap it closed. Then secure the grimloc on the other side.
Here's the Citizen Canine secured to the front of the Smart Alec with grimlocs. I've also put a grimloc through the shoulder strap webbing at the left side.
Here's the side view of the attached Citizen Canine. The inner Steel Parapack lining makes a much more protective container than just the single layer of Ballistic Nylon of the Smart Alec's lower modular pocket, and the opening also allows direct access to the interior.
Here's an example of items attached to the grimloc on the shoulder strap webbing. I was considering using the CC as a Hurricane Emergency bag, worn on a waist strap. (I had available the waist strap from one of the recent ID bags to try with the CC, before I sent the ID bag back -- beautiful bag, but I still have the old version in good working format -- so I know that waist-strap use is more comfortable with the CC than with a Side Effect. This is both because of the wider strap, and the vertical design of the CC. Further, in the event of a disaster, quick and easy access to the pouch contents while having one's hands free is a plus, and I would not like to use a light-weight shoulder strap in high winds. (The rope is used to tie down items that might fly away in gale winds.)
When using the CC on a shoulder strap, you can make easy use of storing items on the back side (inside the pocket that held the roller of poo bags). One thought that occurred to all the tester was using the CC as a picnic bag. I think that all of us were inspired by @sturbridge's 3D Clear Organizing Cube as portable picnic kit (because you never know...) thread. You can also carry placemats or other small mats with lash straps (more about that in the next part of this post).
moriond
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