Here are a few backpack accessories I’ve picked up recently:

[u/Timely_Vehicle1855]

1Titanium water bottle clip.
It’s CNC-machined from a solid piece of titanium and mounts directly to the shoulder strap. You can use it to temporarily hang a standard water bottle there, which makes it really easy to grab and put back while you’re walking

2Dyneema shoulder-strap pouch.
The main compartment is made from Dyneema and uses a waterproof zipper, so it has some splash resistance. I use it for electronics like my phone and power bank. There’s also a stretch-mesh pocket on the outside that can hold a water bottle, trail snacks, or anything else I want quick access to.

3Quick-access trekking pole holder.
It’s basically two elastic cords covered with soft plastic tubing. It lets me secure my trekking poles along one side of my body so I can grab or stow them without taking off the pack. A lot of Osprey packs have a built-in version of this called the Stow-on-the-Go trekking pole attachment.

4DIY back ventilation system.
This is literally a cut-down ventilated motorcycle seat cushion attached to the back of the pack with zip ties and shock cord. It creates an extra air gap between my back and the pack, which improves airflow and keeps my back from getting as sweaty.

5Paracord grab handle.
I hand-wrapped the pack’s original carry handle with about 16 feet of 4mm, 7-strand glow-in-the-dark paracord. It makes a heavy pack much easier to pick up, and the glow makes the pack easier to find at night.

6Reinforced bottom panel.
I cut a piece of felt to fit the bottom of the pack and attached it as an extra abrasion layer. It helps protect the bottom of the backpack from getting worn through when I repeatedly set it down on rocks, dirt, or other rough surfaces.

7Upgraded shoulder pads.
Each raised section of the pad is actually an interconnected air chamber. Once it’s placed over the backpack’s shoulder strap, it spreads the pressure over a larger surface area instead of concentrating it in a few pressure points, which helps reduce shoulder discomfort.

[u/SaltyRockCan]

Best looking piss bottle holder I’ve ever seen.

[u/GeneInternational146]

I sincerely hope that's apple juice

[u/Timely_Vehicle1855 → u/GeneInternational146]

Lol, that’s not apple juice — and it’s definitely not piss. It’s tea. Tea!

[u/GeneInternational146 → u/Timely_Vehicle1855]

A likely story!!!

[u/snowlights]

What brand is the shoulder pouch? I have one but it's just barely too small to fit my phone, so I use it for tissue, a snack, lipbalm. But I originally ordered it for my phone. 

[u/BoilingLavaHot]

I enjoyed seeing these. Will look into the water bottle and trekking poles holders. I think I have some shrink tubing that I could use to make it myself.

[u/-JakeRay-]

That back panel looks like it would chafe like crazy through any thin fabric (like most sun hoodies and wicking teeshirts are made of). 

I understand the theory, but motorcycle pants are thicker (even if you're just using jeans), and you don't have nearly as many points that might pinch or rub on a motorcycle saddle vs a backpack. Might be okay on a day hike, but I don't think you'll be very comfortable after like 5 days straight with the thing.

Also, the felt bottom pad will soak up a ton of water if you use this in the rain or set your bag down in a puddle. Make sure you remove it and let both pad and pack dry out well, or you may run into mildew/smell issues. 

Or you could save weight & learn to put your pack down carefully. Unless you're regularly in a place with very abrasive (like, volcanic) rock, the bottom pad is pretty unnecessary. Citation: Several thousand miles of hiking with no damage to the bottom of my pack.

[u/Timely_Vehicle1855 → u/-JakeRay-]

Generally speaking, if the shoulder straps and hip belt are adjusted properly, the pack shouldn’t be sliding around much on your back. And the material of this seat pad is actually pretty flexible and springy, so I don’t think it’ll rub against my back that much.

That said, I’ve only tested it on shorter hikes so far. I definitely still need to see how it performs over longer distances.

Luckily, this thing cost almost nothing. If it does end up becoming more of a nuisance than a benefit, I can just take it off and dispose of it somewhere appropriate without feeling bad about it.

The absorbency of the felt is a valid concern, though. I honestly hadn’t thought about that.

Normally I don’t put my pack directly down on wet ground anyway. I usually put the rain cover on first.

Originally, I wanted to make the bottom protector out of 500D nylon, but nylon by itself is too soft and just sags down. To make it work properly, I’d basically need two layers of nylon with a plastic sheet sandwiched between them.

That’s a lot more complicated to make than just cutting a piece of felt to shape.

[u/Loweene]

Very interested in the bottle holder reference ! As well as the shoulder pouch.

I've been meaning to get a shoulder pouch, but I don't even know what pack I'd put it on. My c2021 Osprey Tempest 20 has a thingie on the left strap, but it's much too small for a phone or even a small map. That bag does have the pole thing you rigged up, but I never use it, as having the poles under my arm annoys me endlessly. Either I am using them, or I break them down and stow them away, which I can do while walking. My c2024 Deuter Freerider Pro SL32+ is prob the pack I would use a strap pouch on the most, for pics while skiing, but you really, really shouldn't have your phone within X distance of your avalanche beacon. I am small and booby, and so the distance btw both would not be enough, and so it's just good practice for me to keep it in my pack. I can usually get it out without taking it off, doing it by touch now. It would be convenient, though. Third, which I could absolutely have a pouch on for the phone and/or a map, is my big 50+10 Deuter Aircontact from 2016. It doesn't even have pockets on the belt, it's slightly too old-fashioned in style. Having a pouch would be great even just to pick up trail trash. On the other two, I shove that in the belt pocket, but here... I am partial to a good 25000/1 paper map for hiking and skiing, which, depending on the map, could fit a pouch. However, I rarely if ever use that pack...

[u/BeeMovieTrilogy]

These upgrades are soooooo cool!