Add an Ultralight D-Ring to Your Pack

Here's how to add a D-ring to your pack without adding much weight.

Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• backpacking

[visumexcipio]

cool. out of general curiosity, i looked up the tensile strength of zip (aka cable) ties. using leco plastics as an example, they provide the following info for a tie that looks similar to the example in the video: Length 4", Width 0.10" or 3mm, Tensile Strength 18 lbs!

[jasonklass]

Great,

Thanks for that info. That should be strong enough to hold anything you'd likely hang off a pack.

[KrisFulford]

Instead of Cutting with scissors grab the end of the zip tie (Where you would cut it off) with a pair of pliers and twist until the end comes off. This will prevent the end from being sharp.

[jasonklass]

Kris, good tip.  Thanks!

[mattdangerpaul]

Awesome, I'm so sick of being weighed down by my D rings

;)

[robinkoeman]

I always take zip ties with me when I go camping. They can be used for so many things, they're one of my favorite items.

[BrokenAeroVT]

I carried my water bottle there on a carabiner and a stabilizing strap near the bottom of the bottle to keep it from swinging. Kept the weight from torquing my back with the rest of the gear back there.

[Woodenarrows]

Great tip Jason, simple and effective. I thought you were going to show us how to fasten an actual D ring to our packs but using just the zip tie is even better! I realize this is an old video. Got to it via the Gear Talk website which you listed on your recent (7/6/11) video post on the GoLite Tumalo rain jacket. Moral... just because it's old doesn't mean it's not still valid.

[slayvid]

Use a pair of dikes or side-cutting pliers instead of scissors which snips off the excess andrequires no sanding. Also, if you have a Swiss Army knife with a toothpick poke the toothpick into the zip tie opposite of the way the straight end enters, this opens the pawl and you can easily remove the zip tie and re-use it. Great tips! I just made your gravity filter, very impressive!

[Writhopa]

Hey, you could also burn the end, because its plastic and it will hold better than the down sanded end.

[MrRocque]

its a great idea....but its NOT a D-ring. Its simply a plastic loop. The problem with using a ZapStrap is they're usually unidirectional, in that, they close but won't open. So if they happen to get tighter, there stuck there. A D-ring doesn't change size, is designed to allow free movement of the attached item..and they are SMOOTH. Again, its a good economical idea, but its NOT a D-ring. Just tie on some cordage, at least that's reusable.

[mrsparex]

dab of super glue....

[sgohara]

nice tip, but before you strip all your d rings off to replace them, dont forget that a slightly pliable metal d-ring with an open seam can be a great survival tool. Never tried it, but i bet in a pinch, it could be made into a fish hook even. Metal wire is always useful.

[TheBeebopper]

Wow, how cool, nearly as good as line. I mean if you didn't have any line or cord you could just use a handy zip tie. If you connect a few together it would almost be like string.