I'm looking for miscellaneous gear pouches and on this forum, many references were made to Maxpedition products.
Some of them could possibly answer my needs.

One problem is there is not distributor in France, but I guess I can find one somewhere in Europe (Germany for instance).

But my main question is about the fact all those products use some velcro straps to close or to hold on the belt/shoulder strap...

My own experience with velcro was with a waistpouch, whose main pocket was closed by two pieces of velcro. A daily usage quickly rendered them totally ineffective. <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

So, have you any experience with Maxpedition products (or other brands ....) regarding that system ??

TIA

Velcro is a marvelous product- in a clean environment. I've found that in snow it quickly becomes totally clogged. In most other conditions, I find timely cleaning sufficient for hard use. I love velcro for the ease of use, not a small factor in some situations.Then again, I had a velcro strip give way and deposit valued gear on the trail with a sarcastic mule deciding to moonwalk at the same moment.

Velcro also doesn't do well if you have pets or sawdust (if one of your hobbies is wood butchering) and is a pain to clean also.

I tend to like to torque things down so that they are tightly held.

I am getting to the age where I may have to wear slip on or velcro strap shoes, and it scares the bejabbers out of me.

Bountyhunter

How do you "clean" Velcro ??
The only time I tried to removed the foreign wool fibers wich had collected on it, I just rendered it totally inefficient ......... <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Thats the problem, you don't. I've tried everything and can't get the just out of it.

If the schmutz is on the "hook" side of the Velcro, and it's not too sticky, try using an old clean toothbrush (and short strokes) to clean it out.

The "schmutz" (BTW, my electronic dictionary did not recognised that word .... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> ) was wool and other cloth fibres.
But when removing that stuff, I guess I put the little hooks straight ... and a straight hook is no longer a hook .... <img src="images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

To get clothing fibers out of Velcro hooks, I've successfully used: a fine-tooth comb, a dental pick, a small pen knife blade (edgewise & pulling, not cutting), and my big fat fingers.

If it's snow, dirt, or mud, sometimes simply beating it against/over something--more like slapping it, I guess-- will work.

There comes a time, though, when the hooks are damaged beyond salvation, & it must be replaced, or perhaps augmented with a snap (did that a couple of times--especially on the waist tab of a pair of shorts--put the snap right in the middle of the velcro!).

Gluck haben!

David

Sorry, it's Yiddish for "dirt" or something similar.

Anyway, don't scrub hard with the toothbrush, that might break the hooks -- short strokes in the same direction should at least get the wool (or whatever) fibers sticking up so you can pull them out with your fingers or with tweezers. But if it's tangled up on the "woolly" side of the Velcro, I'm not sure how to fix that!

Don't worry, I understood the word ... I know what "schmutzig" means ....
German speaking grandfather, plus some relatives in Alsace, plus a few years studying german at school ...

I currently have a maxpedition M1 and it has velcro and buckle to hold the front flap down.
velcro will wear out through use.

Have a nice day
Lee <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

i use the saw blade on my leatherman and drag it lightly over the hook part of the velcro ,
its worked for me
Yukon

Do you mean it has 2 closing systems : one velcro + one buckle ??

Try running a pin or toothpick through the rows on the "hook" side of the closure ( like a tiny curry comb ), it works wonders on the velcro items I have, but I don't think I'd want to count on it supporting the weight of a field pack for too long.

Troy

The M1 has a large zip for the main compartment5.5x3.6x2.1.
It has a front flap thats secured by velcro and short nylon strap/buckle assy.The M5 7x5x2.5 main compartment is larger than the M1 looks like I'll be gating the M5 soon mid march. Pics at maxpedition.com

Lee <img src="images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

I was looking more to the Maxpedition sheaths than to the waistpacks : they seem to extensively use velcro : for belt attachment, for size ajustment, for closing system (that's what I can guess from their web site pictures).
I was wondering what the life expectancy was for all those velcro pieces....
Maybe it's O.K. if you don't "play" with them everyday (i.e. put the sheath on your rucksack shoulder strap and leave it there ; and put your flashlight in, that you don't use several times a day)

Slip-on shoes don't scare me ... it's bending over (yes, I can still do that!), staring at my shoes, and not being able to remember why I bent over. <img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Damn it Maggot, now you've really got me worried!

What were we talking about?

Bountyhunter

Hey, Maggot, Bountyhunter .....

I'm approching 50 (less than two months to go) ... Up to now, everything was more or less fine.
But now, you frightened me !! Just how old are you ??? Please, tell me you are VERY old ........ <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Frenchy:

I'm 27 going on 59.

The first age is in my head and the second (58) is all over my body. When I hurt, I pretend it is a woman all over my body.

I just have got to quit going out with sadists. <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter

Alain,

Don't be concerned. I'm 18 months or so ahead of you and I NEVER forget where anything is. I just ask my wife...

Tom

Well ...... thanks for the advice .... but I don't see how your wife could tell me where I left my reading glasses ...... <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Sounds like a good philosophy .....

<img src="images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Tom:

What do you do if you can't remember where your wife is?

Bountyhunter

Use a cat slicker wire brush, works quick and does a good job. The kitten slicker hair cleaning brush has a flat pad with a lot of small angled wire needles. Here are some pictures:

http://www.epetpals.com/cgi-bin/commerce...r_brushes"

My cat Eurydice said :
" Miaou ....miaaaaooouuu... "
[translation cat english] meow...meooowww... [/translation]
[translation human english] that's a good idea ... and if that brush doesn't work for velcro, you will be allowed to use it for my fur ...instead of that metal comb you are using, Alain ... [/translation]

<img src="images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />