Mountain tool holster

Abstract

A system or device for securely holding mountain tools, such as ice axes/ice tools and avalanche probe pools (and other such tools), on a backpack in a manner that allows the user to easily and conveniently acquire the tool when needed without first removing the backpack. This is applicable in emergency situations such as a crevasse fall where an ice axe in needed for preparing a rescue anchor or in the event of an avalanche where a probe pole is needed for a victim search. The system also allows for easy and convenient stowing of mountain tools without removal of the backpack as the situation dictates in non-emergency situations, such as after using the probe pole to probe for crevasses when crossing a glacier or after needing an ice tool for security when a repelling (abseiling) onto an icy stance.

1 ) A tool attachment device for generic backpacks (or new backpack designs that features the device) that is comprised of:
 a holster component that is located near the hip of the user and is designed to hold the distal end of a mountain tool securely to the backpack;   a shaft restraining strap that retains the shaft (or long axis) of a tool vertically along the side of a backpack and is deformable (has stretch and memory) so as to provides a resistance force that must be overcome thus keeping the distal end of the tool in the holster portion until the user requires the tool;   a safety strap and strap latch that further secures the distal end of the tool at the holster for more assurance against accidental lose of the tool;   and a shaft stop that stops the sharp end of the tool from contacting the inside end of the holster portion so as to reduce wear on the holster and to prevent the tool for puncturing the holster and exposing the sharp point of the tool (the pick of an ice axe/ice tool).     1 A) The holster portion of the design according to  claim 1  that may be manufactured out of a variety of potential materials (injected or molded plastic or resin, formed leather of other robust flexible materials) as long as said material is rugged enough to withstand the abuse of sharp tools being repeatedly inserted and removed and stiff enough to hold its shape and not collapse when the strap latch is under tension from the safety strap.     1 B) The shaft retaining strap according to  claim 1  that may be manufactured out of a variety of potential materials (such as plastic tubing, stretch or shock cord, tension or compression springs, etc) as long as said material can be deformed under tension and has elastic memory that creates a force that must be overcome so as to keep the distal end of the tool in the holster portion of the device.     1 C) The safety strap and strap latch according to  claim 1  that may be made out of a variety of materials as long as said materials for the safety strap have elastic memory (elastic/shock cord, stretch tubing, etc) and can be stretched over the tool end and looped over the strap latch that can be made out of a variety of materials (such as molded plastic or resin, turned wood, plastic or light alloy, etc) as long as said materials are rigid and will not deform under tension.     1 D) The shaft stop according to claim one that may be made out of a variety of materials (turned or molded plastic, resin, wood, alloy, etc) as long as said materials are robust enough to stop the shaft while the shaft is under tension from the safety strap.   
   
   
       2 ) A tool attachment device that holds the tool in a manner (vertically along the side of the pack and against the hip-belt) that allows quick and easy one-handed deployment of the tool without removing the backpack and conversely allows the user to stow or attach the tool to the backpack in a safe and secure manner without first removing the backpack. 
   
   
       3 ) A tool attachment device that holds a mountain tool on a backpack in such a manner as to:
 protect the user from the sharp and dangerous parts of tools (such as ice axes and ice tools) by holding the shaft along the side of the pack while trapping the sharp pick end of the tool against the wearer's hip in a protective sheath and;   protect the user in the event of a fall by holding the tool tightly to the body so that the tool will take the brunt of the impact forces, while also reducing the potential for the tool to be ripped from the backpack to become a projectile that may cause injury.