Sorry no good pictures of the chaps...maybe I'll take some of my own once they're washed.

Think biker style chaps but bright yellow in heavy cordura style nylon...pretty plain but man are they ever better than gaiters when bush whacking waist deep in thistle.

The bat belt look is one thing I'm trying to avoid by not having sheaths and pouches all around my waist.

"...once they're washed..."

NO! The used look is much better...

I need to wash them because I'm going to spray them down with Nikwax tent and gear proofer.

Well, if you must...

I've been futzing (technical term) all night trying to see if I can fit the fire steel properly and not just fit it for the sake of sticking it in there...so far no luck. I also haven't switched out the zip ties yet but I did discover an alternate configuration that I sorta liked so I took a couple of pictures. Since the multi-tool is held on with Velcro, it's easy to swap so here's what I put together:




It's far less practical but there's something stylish about the Sting that I've always liked.

If you swap out that Sting for a Leatherman Wave or Surge, then you will really have something! Plus, the fabric Leatherman pouches have little elastic sleeves on both sides that you can stick goodies into, and another elastic sleeve inside of the main pouch...

I'm one of 'those people' who don't like the style of the Leatherman tools. I'll stick to my Gerber multipliers as pictured at the top of this post. (When Leatherman makes pliers that are as easy to open with one hand as my Gerbers, I'll think about it)

I have some old belt pouches for cell phones and radios laying around that I'm going to try and attach next. If the flap closes securely enough to not spill it's contents while bouncing around sideways I could use it as a small emergency kit or first aid kit creating a 3rd and possibly 4th configuration option.

I need to be careful not to get carried away or I'll end up with more of a fanny pack than a backup knife kit.

"...easy to open with one hand..."

To each his own, some like Gerbers, some like Leatherman, some like others. Just for info, I can flip my Leatherman open into the plier configuration with one hand, kindasorta like a balisong, and of course open both blades one handed. I use the blades a lot more...

It's true. Leatherman pliers can be opened one handed...but not as easily...for me at least. I can get the pliers to deploy under it's own weight, no flick required.

If I used the knife as a knife, the one hand opening blade would be a real sell for me (I've had my eye out for the new SOG tools for this reason). I've been contemplating the Skeletool CX as a replacement for the pocket knife I take to work because I can't get away with carrying a multitool on my belt and somehow folding pliers are more acceptable these days than any knife.

So what happens to the person under you when you are climbing a rock and scrape those zip ties in half.. they get poked in the eye?

Looks good minus the `ties

-Todd