3/3 - VANQUEST MARKHOR-45 VARIANT - YOMP-ENGINE No2 - WHAT'S UNDER THE HOOD?


YOMP-ENGINE No2 - WHAT'S UNDER THE HOOD?

Finally! and sorry for the delay, this is the final post in the YOMP-ENGINE No2 series based around the VANQUEST MARKHOR-45 rucksack. In this post we will look at the internal config and how gear is kept in its place whether we are climbing a mountain, crawling on our guts through undergrowth or swimming a river crossing. 

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WHY IS GEAR ORGANISATION GOOD?

This was always a bane of mine. Imagine you’re hiking, the weather turns foul and you need to grab your wet weather gear quick but you can’t find it, cos it’s worked it’s way to the bottom of your pack, cos you haven’t used it since last winter and now you’re just getting soaked! Planned organised and strapped in, that wet weather gear or base layer or IFAK or cook set is going to be where you want it, when you need it.

WHY USE A GREYMAN TACTICAL, RIGED MOLLE PANEL? (RMP)

I've chosen to base the YOMP-ENGINE No2 on the VANQUEST MARKHOR-45 for reasons I discuss HERE. The MARKHOR has excellent internal features for organisation, both MOLLE and Hook-and-Loop compatible so why do I use a RMP?

THE MARKHOR-45 HAS AN EXCELLENT MOLLE / HAL COMBO


Mostly for familiarity of platform, i.e I always use one. I especially like the rigid foundation it provides my gear, making it easy to just pull gear from the panel and it stay where it should. The MARKHOR has 4 sets of compression straps to cinch down a water balder if you’re using the standard hydration pocket. These work very well for securing the RMP.

USE THE STANDARD ISSUE COMPRESION STRAPS TO SECURE THE RMP

 

AS ABOVE DONE AND DONE



OTHER BENEFITS

USING THE RMP MEANS YOU CAN REMOVE ALL YOUR GEAR, ALL AT ONCE


Being able to remove gear all at once, leaving your rucksack empty for other tasks. This is super useful when you get to camp, I’ve used my rucksack, many times for simply collecting fire wood.

The RMP can be strapped the outside of the rucksack giving you a ton more capacity.

But I think I get ahead of myself.

I’ve talked about the VANQUEST MARKHOR-45 in detail HERE but as a recap. The MARKHOR-45 can be unzipped and laid flat exposing the entire content, allowing us to layout, organise and grab what we need.

THE COMPLETE LAY-OUT


ENGINE ANATOMY

So how have I organised my rucksack? Starting with the inside front of the pack is a secondary access to the top hood pocket. This is a useful feature and use this pocket for my BREW KIT.

ALL IMPORTANT BREW KIT

 
Next are 2 good capacity pockets which I use for odds-n-ends and a large capacity SEATOSUMMIT dry bag, big enough to fit the rucksack in.
 





Pocket 2 is for “get wet quick” gear, cinched to a 8”x6” RMP with shockcord. This includes a large LIFEVENTURE field towel, EXPED rucksack rain cover, 550 PARCORD and my trusty BURTON cable lock. I prefer this RMP arrangement over using an organiser pouch, because I can see what I’m getting as I grab it, kind of like... the RMP is the organiser, the pocket is the pouch.

To the back of the main compartment is the MOLLY / Hook-and-Loop combo I mentioned earlier, today I’m going to ignore this and add a GREYMAN TACTICAL 19”x10.75” RMP.

SOLID MOUNTINING POINTS FOR THE 3L HYDRATION 


Starting at the bottom and working up I have my wet weather gear cinched to RMP with shockcord. There’re x2 SEATOSUMMIT dry bags, the top marked with the red AnchorWrap is the Jacket so I know the other is the pants. (Technically I don’t need to keep my wet weather gear dry, as I’ll probably be wearing it when it’s wet : ) but this is a good way to always have a couple of drys bags handy for when I need them. Think car keys, phones, cameras, wallets etc.)

Above the wet weather gear is the all important hydration. This is a 3L CAMELBAK bladder cocooned in an insulated CAMELBAK StoRWay. This serves two purposes

1 - Gives me good anchor points to mount it to the RMP where I want it. Close to my back and high in the pack. When full this is one of the heaviest items I carry so this is my favourite position for long distance hikes even running.

2 - Being insulated is useful and the close cell foam gives the bladder extra protection even from other gear in the rucksack, that could puncher it.

The wings of the open MARKHOR have Hook-and-Loop fields.

LEFT - MULTIBLE ACCESS MADE POSSABLE BY THE SUPER CHUNKY DUAL ZIPPER

 
Left - I’ve attached my PWR KIT which is stashed in PPM-SLIM ORGANISER. Next is STICKY PANEL 2”x7” for multitools, waterproof firelighting and flash lites.

"I HAVE THE POWER"! (PWR)



HEAD TOURCH MOUNTED AT THE TOP OF THE RUCKSACK YOU NEED THAT EASY ACCESS


Right - MAXPEDITION MINI ORGANISER for admin, notebooks and pens. Above this is a FATPack 4”x6” for the IFAK. This is mounted to the Hook-and-Loop using a MOHL-AIR Hook-and-Loop adapter, so if need be, the IFAK can tear-away.

RIGHT WING ACCESS - LOVE THE CHUNKY DUAL ZIPPER


EVEN ON THE TRAIL ADMIN IS IMPORTANT

All of this gear is accessible without fully opening the rucksack vie the 2-way zip config. This benefits access to the rucksack from top and both sides.

All this gear is kept in place via Hook-and-Loop so can tear away and stash in one of the those dry bags if events dictate.

IN CONCLUSION - WHAT DO I THINK?

OPEN UP AND LAY IT OUT


A ton of gear organisation at not much extra weight. I’ve been using this config for 9 mouths and here it still is, I come up with a lot of configs then get what I think is a better idea and move on to that, not in this case, this one has stuck, must mean it’s good.

Why don’t you try it? or somthing similar? or maybe just use some of the ideas? Anyway leave a comment, let me know how you get or just ask a questions.

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Comments

  1. Hi Anon - Thank for your comment - So I've used my Burton Cable Lock to lock up my ruck, outside shops, when I'm in the pub, just when I have to leave my ruck unattended for a time. Also good at camp sites, bunk houses and hostels : ) I've used it to lock up other loose gear and even my boots before. I hope this helps, thank once again.

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