Middle Earth Ranger Forum

Thanks Willrett I had actually seen that one too. It's an interesting take on the Strider quiver, but I find it considerably too bulky, and generally not the right shape at all. The straps are strange looking too. Overall it looks like a totally different design than the film quiver, but it was a noble attempt nonetheless.

Incidentally, I should also probably point out that I am not really interested in mimicking the "bow slot" or whatever it is on the bottom of the quiver that holds Strider's bow in place while carrying it. I'll probably never actually strap a bow to the quiver, myself.

What happens if I give you a spear?

he gets really happy

A good spear may be one of the next things I work on getting.

Ok, I took some pics of the quiver accessory that came with the 18 inch Strider figure from NECA. It is well made, and shows the strapping on the back. I took these with the cell phone, so sorry in advance for any fuzziness! Hope they help!

Ken

Awesome! Thanks! It may not be the real quiver, but it's a lot better than what I had been working with. Still, it's the construction itself that confuses me. I just don't get how it all goes together. In the end I'll probably just have to fudge a bunch of it.

I'm just thinking that from personal experience, wearing a cloak or open coat...
WITH..
a quiver or bedroll or "whatever" over makes either item of clothing unusable!

The cloak bunches up in the back and becomes a dragging blanket! The coat cannot easily be buttoned and works its way open.

I always found that I'd have to remove my pack/quiver/bedroll/etc, then remove my cloak, pack the cloak away or bundle it over everything, then re-don my quiver and roll.

I have one suggestion that may be useful. Instead of a classic backpack, with two straps, use something of a similar size, but fashioned more like a shoulder bag: with a single strap attached between the two top corners. Now, the wearing of it:
Slip your upper body entirely through the strap, so that it slips under your armpits and you're holding the pack in your hands, facing the inside of it (the part that rests against your body). Kneel and let the pack rest on the ground. Put on your cloak. Now flip the pack over your head so that the strap comes from under your arms and over each shoulder, and the pack rests on your back like a backpack. The pack's weight is now supported not only by your shoulders, but your back and chest as well. AND... your cloak still works!
You could attach your bedroll to the bottom of this pack with straps. You could also potentially attach your quiver to the side of it the same way.
Dunno if that explanation is clear; I should maybe make a diagram

It's funny, that is EXACTLY the set-up I had considered for a while myself. In fact, I think it may even be how they rigged up Frodo and Sam's packs in the LotR films.

Considered for a while? Meaning you changed your mind? Why? If it doesn't work as well as I think it would, I would like to know now, before I make the damn thing!! I've used shoulder bags this way, and it seems to work, but haven't yet made my official "Ranger" version yet. Did you have hangups?

Nah, I just never really got around to trying it, and in the end I thought it seemed a bit cumbersome. But honestly, I bet it would work really well.

There are, however, three potential drawbacks that I can see:

1) Having the strap lay this way might be uncomfortable, as it will probably give you a sort of permanent armpit-wedgie.

2) you have to flip your pack upside down to put it on, which means it could totally mix up the contents if they're not secured well.

3) It's not very easily accessible.

All good points! I'll just have to make one and try it out so I can report my findings!

Actually, one way to do away with nearly all of the problems listed above would be to add some kind of simple clasp at the middle of the strap. That way, all you would have to do would be to reach around and attach the clasp behind your back instead of physically flipping the whole pack over your head.

Yes, if there is some sort of period quick-release, that would be good, so long as you could reach it back there, and so long as it was comfortable, i.e., didn't rest between the pack and your back and therefore cause unpleasant pressure point stuff.