What gear and pouch type is hung from your belt?

tinsmith

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*So all, what do you prefer for a finds n trash pouch?
* What digger and other tools do you carry?
* What belt or harness do you use?
This question comes up now and then. I thought it fun to share what we hang/carry when detecting, it gives ideas. So here's my belt. Lesche knife type hand digger, Garrett Pin Pointer, Garrett camo pouch and I just added a small zippered pouch with lots of compartments so my wallet and keys are safe and most important the cell phone is kept behind me. The top has a nice little zippered area for coins. That's what I carry. The back pack has spare gloves, another coil and batteries among tape and such, it's kept in the van. Here's my belt..
 

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I just have two pouches one for my beer cooler and the other for my easy chair. My detector and digger are hand carried.:)
 
*So all, what do you prefer for a finds n trash pouch?
* What digger and other tools do you carry?
* What belt or harness do you use?

My set up is very similar to yours. I still use a lot of the Garrett equipment that came with the Ace 400 I bought when I first got into the hobby. The Garrett pouch serves as the backbone of my kit, with the large pocket for my trash and oversized keepers (horseshoes, etc) and the zippered small pouch for clad and small newer keepers. I use the molle loops on the front of the pouch to secure my pinpointer and a utility pouch. The utility pouch has lots of extra pockets to hold good coins/finds and some essential items (extra 9v for the pinpointer, backup pair of earbuds, spray bottle and pill bottle for silvers, etc). Depending where I’m hunting, I hang the orange handled hori hori knife (parks, lawns, etc) or the black handled Garrett digger (fields only) on the belt. Lesche shovel comes out as my main digger for fields only.

The Garrett backpack is a holdover from my Ace 400 bundle also, and generally stays in the car. But I use it to carry the miscellaneous other gear that I like to have available, but don’t necessarily need to carry. Whenever I’m traveling longer distances, the backback fits most of my gear, and I use a 2 rifle tactical case to carry the detector, extra coil/lower rod, and other extra accessories/tools/spare parts. It keeps everything nicely organized, and it’s nice to have it all condensed into a pair of easily grabbed and carried bags!
 

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ALICE belt and suspenders, f-pulse, cheap amazon digging tool, toughbuilt tool pouch. The toughbuilt clip doesn't quite snap over the ALICE belt (too wide) so it just hangs on for now. Everything is a bit too clean.

Kevlar gloves and part number in pic.
 

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Omega mill solid bottom it has a scabbard for my pinpointer. I will sometimes carry my Lesche hand digger in its pouch or I also have a plastic orange Steck brand emblem and molding remover auto body guys use. This is non marring and stiff, it works well for going the final inch or so to get the deeper coin, or if its in the sidewall,. If carry my Sampson i will pass on the Lesche and carry the orange Steck tool.
 
I have posted this before, but this is mine using a US ALICE style belt and suspenders. I have remove the pouch from the centre of the belt and added another small pouch to the finds bag instead..

In addition, I have a utility pouch I can attach to the belt which will hold a water bottle or a small flask, plus a Tupperware type container for some food.
 

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When hunting fields, I carry a 5 gallon plastic bucket with a trash bag, pinpointer and a couple of cold ones and snacks. Set this on the edge of field under a tree. Makes for a good seat to take a break.

Detector and etool. Good stuff in one pocket, junk in another. Empty junk pocket in bucket on break.
 
The toughbuilt pouches I'd highly recommend looking at. They have an innovative quick detach from the belt clip. I obviously don't make anything from mentioning it. Mine is the TB-CT-24 for just over $14 shipped new. The pinpointer fits into one of the side loops too. Not sure what to do with the hammer loop if anything.

Looking at using just the pouch with cargo pants, regular belt, and a small backpack soon.
 
I really just carry my gator shovel, my recently bought Kuman pin-pointer, and that's all. To me its a winning set up
 
I haven't had mine since I started, but I've had it a few years. I'm amazed at how well it has held up.

I only started a bit over 3 years ago, so ours may be about the same age. Yes, I'm pleasantly surprised too! From the looks of it, mine should last another few years at least. Not bad for "free" :D
 
Pouch wise I made my own from scratch a few times, and used a surplus army belt. In one of my images you can see my first step of making a design in thick paper to fit my needs and using it as a template. Nothing pretty, but triple stitched canvas and after several years of heavy use none of the pouches had any issues at all besides a bit dirty from use.

This time around I started off with Dickies side apron with belt, and I'm in the process of modifying it for my needs. Personally I fit everything inside the pouch for secure (sewn or velcroed) and easy access - no moving sheaths, parts, or loosing things from a belt.

My new pouch under modification will house my White's trowel (Dalyn Enterprises), White's Bullseye II pinpointer, and a slotted screwdriver for finds in gravel or as a probe.

To keep me detecting longer, and no trips to my vehicle or back home, I keep about 3 pounds of goods total (counting pouch and tools too) I found essential. I carry a set of backup coil bolt/nut/washers, extra batteries, bottle of water (under the towel to keep cool), towel for sweat or cleaning, another towel for keeping dirt on/or cleaning my hands, a small plastic tote for my finds, a large pocket for trash, carabiner clips to hang plastic bags on for excess trash or overly large finds from.

The tools in the photos included a old Black and Decker trowel, a slotted screwdriver, a Cen-Tech pinpointer, and a boot knife I used in gravel areas/roads where a trowel doesn't work.
 

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This time around I started off with Dickies side apron with belt, and I'm in the process of modifying it for my needs. Personally I fit everything inside the pouch for secure (sewn or velcroed) and easy access - no moving sheaths, parts, or loosing things from a belt.

Personally, I hate having my tools in my finds bag as I prefer the my hand digger and pinpointer on the opposite side to my finds bag so the weight is distributed more evenly.

I do dislike them sliding about though, so lock them in place using cable ties through the eyelets on the pistol belt..

I enjoy making or modifying pouches and scabbards etc and wish I could get a small simple but heavy duty sewing machine but have no idea about such machines...My other half has a fairly standard domestic model but I don't think it would stand up to sewing cordura or canvas ect..
 
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Personally, I hate having my tools in my finds bag as I prefer the my hand digger and pinpointer on the opposite side to my finds bag so the weight is distributed more evenly.

I do dislike them sliding about though, so lock them in place using cable ties through the eyelets on the pistol belt..

To each their own, but glad you found what works for you. Weight wise at only 3 pounds on my waist it is of little difference.

I enjoy making or modifying pouches and scabbards etc and wish I could get a small simplye bit heavy duty sewing machine but have no idea about such machines...My other half has a fairly standard domestic model but I don't think it would stand up to sewing cordura or canvas ect..

No fancy sewing machine for me either with the price tag often over $400 for anything rated beyond light hobby use. I have such few projects to worry about saving that kind of money for one.

Years ago I picked-up an old 70s home use Singer machine at a yard sale for $15. It did work for creating the black pouch, the other was made with my new machine. After several years of fighting the worn Singer machine and finally not able to get any more use from it I purchased a new Brother LX2763 at Walmart a few years ago - and is great in making my own specimen nets, beating sheets, and etc for collecting mantids, assassin bugs, and other entomology/business related needs too.

The LX2763 is nothing fancy and a typical hobby priced model (I think $150), but not heavy duty or such. If a machine is rated for any denim use it can do a similar thickness canvas or other material. Just keep in mind any folded over seams and such count in the material layer count/thickness - and why I resort to hand sewing for the final construction.

How I did my pouches is to use my sewing machine to make panels of each section, and then hand stitch them together. Like creating a box from a sheet of plywood, cutting out each piece and then assembling them into a box.

That is sewing together the back fabric panel rectangular pieces. A trick to help is to add a sheet of thin plastic in-between the fabric layers, such as a cut up plastic folder to give the pouch strength to hold it's shape - and unlike cardboard/stock will not degrade from rain/sweat/wear. Then make another panel for each side, the front panel, and then any internal divide pieces. With multiple panels done, such as the back and a side, they are then stitched together by hand using a simple knotted whipstitch.

I find if there is a will there is a way regardless of tools, even a simple needle and thimble can do it (and I've done more adventurous projects in the past all by hand). :yes:
 
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Hi Thomas,

Many thanks for the information and encouragement...I am very much at the hand sewing stage and have limited my self to a couple of small builds and a few mods of existing items. My work is let's say "functional" but no where near as professional looking as yours...

Many thanks again,

Peter
 
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