Not sure I could trust my phone in the loop, honestly. Maybe it’s just me, but crawling around on a steep pitch, I’d be worried about it slipping out and bouncing down the shingles... never see it again. I’ve stuck a pry bar or speed square in there when I need both hands, but anything that doesn’t hook in tight feels risky. Guess it depends how much moving around you’re doing and what you’re hauling. For me, that loop’s still mostly for what it was built for—hammer or hatchet.
I hear you on the phone paranoia. I’ve watched a guy’s iPhone take the express route off a 10/12 pitch—never seen someone move so fast and still not catch it. That hammer loop’s a one-way ticket for anything slick or rectangular, in my experience. I’ve tried wedging a tape measure in there when my pouch was overloaded, but it just wobbled around like a loose tooth.
Honestly, I stick to the classics—hammer, hatchet, maybe a small pry bar if I’m feeling brave. Anything else, especially something expensive or fragile, goes in a zippered pocket or stays on the ground. I’ve seen folks try to get creative with water bottles or even a sandwich (don’t ask), but unless it’s got a handle or a hook, it’s just asking for trouble.
On steep slopes, I want both hands free and nothing swinging around that could throw off my balance. Maybe I’m old school, but I’d rather keep my phone in my pocket and my lunch in the truck.
Hammer loop’s only ever held a hammer for me, maybe a pry bar in a pinch. Tried sticking my phone in there once during a hail inspection—bad idea, almost lost it off a two-story. Anything that can slip out will, especially when you’re climbing after storm damage. I’d rather keep it simple and not risk expensive gear.
Yeah, I get it—tried using the loop for my meter once and it nearly bounced out when I was moving up the ladder.
For me, it’s hammer or pry bar only. Anything else just feels like asking for trouble, especially on steep pitches.Anything that can slip out will, especially when you’re climbing after storm damage.
I hear you on the hammer and pry bar—those are about the only things I really trust in that loop too, especially when I’m on my old barn roof. But I’ll admit, I’ve stuck a small cordless drill in there a couple of times when I needed both hands for climbing. Not ideal and it definitely felt a bit sketchy, but sometimes you just gotta improvise. Guess it really depends on how much you trust your balance and how tight that loop is...