Middle Earth Ranger Forum

As a ranger, a quiver is an item of vital importance, but so is his/her cloak. A shoulder quiver would restrict your cloaks movement, giving stealth a big minus. If you travel though thick brush, your arrows could get caught on branches hanging below.The only way to have a shoulder quiver and a cloak would be to cut a small hole in your cloak where the strap can fit.

If you have a hip quiver you could wrap your cloak over it for stealth, but to get an arrow you need to get your cloak out of the way and that takes time. And if you had to run or climb its likely that it will spill Which method do you prefer and why? Which is better than the other?

Personal choice.

My quivers are made to be usable either way so I can put them where they are most efficiently used. In my case, on the back when travelling and bow use is unlikely, at the hip when shooting at targets, and across the small of my back when hunting.

Eledhwen

I made my quiver so that I can use it in both positions, depending on circumstances.

I find arrows tend to spill much less when using an arrow bag inside the quiver, too. I think I remember that Andy (the guy who set up the original site) used some type of foam?? or something like that that he could spike arrows into to stop them moving too much.

Andy used shearling in his quiver to keep them from rattling around. This is most helpful if you have a large-mouthed and/or stiff leather quiver that has a lot of room, or if you aren't carrying your quiver at capacity.

I, personally, carry my arrows in a long leather tube that's a bit longer than my arrows with a drawstring at the top and a thick leather bottom, which is shaped and sized to fit inside my quiver. This "arrow sock" bunches up around the arrows when they're free/unprotected, keeping them from rattling. I've been rattle-free for about four years now. Works perfectly.

I disagree that a cloak is what equals stealth. There's a lot to be said for breaking up your silhouette, true, but no amount of stealth will protect you from a cloak that's covering you so well that it gets in the way of your bowstring and you miss that all-important shot, be it at game or foe. I'd be much less worried about arrows catching on things than I would be concerned with my cloak itself snagging on everything if I was relying on my cloak for concealment. I have had zero issues with stealth with my over-the-shoulder quiver configuration...the arrows are almost directly behind my head, so they don't snag anything, and if I'm carrying my bow with the intent to shoot it, I have an arrow in my left hand already, or even already on the string.

The Ranger's apprentice novels are a great read, but in the real world, the concealment offered by a cloak is only really as concealing as the cloak's pattern, and middle earth, by most opinions, does not contain any camouflage patterning, so a solid-colored cloak can only do so much. The multi-layered clothing approach, using multiple earth tones (ie. tunic, overtunic, jerkin, pants/hose, etc.) within the cloak is a major part of what breaks up my silhouette...and I fully intend to spot-and-stalk in it this deer season.

I agree with Greg for the most part. He is a Ranger that I trust when it comes to practicality and refinement through experience. There are not many of us who have logged as many hours in the wild in kit as he has in the last few years.

I would offer that on the issue of camo, as we know it, it was not something Professor Tolkien described but the imagery of blending into the surrounding by use of multiple hues is something that he introduced to us with the elven cloak concept.

Now I know few elves, and, unfortunately, of the ones I do know, none have mastered this particular crafting skill.
I was, however, very interested to see that the early forms of Batik and other cloth dying treatments, if applied with the correct colors, could very well achieve a colored and blended fabric that would be very "soft" on the eyes and be much like what I invision the Araluen Ranger cloak to be like.

To me, this is not active camo such as the military or hunting comunity might put forth, but a kind of color blurr, passive form, that would seam a natural response to blending into the elements and could be achieved by even the most primitive of cultures.

I have seen browns, grays, greens and even grey/black/white versions. (not even intended for this purpse) they use simple period techniques that can be accomplished with natural elements.

Not altogether Middle Earth, but since Flanagan never really goes too deep into the pattern or construction of these cloaks, this might be a fun and interesting experiment.

Ringulf wrote:I agree with Greg for the most part. He is a Ranger that I trust when it comes to practicality and refinement through experience. There are not many of us who have logged as many hours in the wild in kit as he has in the last few years.

Many thanks...that's always nice to hear. Particularly from someone who possesses skills in other departments that I can't even touch.

Ringulf wrote:I would offer that on the issue of camo, as we know it, it was not something Professor Tolkien described but the imagery of blending into the surrounding by use of multiple hues is something that he introduced to us with the elven cloak concept.

Pardon me...I did gloss over Lorien-made cloaks. Good reference, there.

Hip vs Shoulder is tit for tat in my book. It's what feels right to you and what you get familar with over time. as you grow know where all your gear is in relation to your own body, the quiver or any other equipment is not in the way. I can remenber when my kids were pre teens, and going through these huge growth spurts. They banged their heads and elbows on everything they walked past. Not so much now they are grown. Just takes time.

And then there's me, who still bangs his head and elbows on everything, and seems to smack everyone in a three-foot radius whenever wearing a sword or a quiver of arrows. I'm afraid I'm not very graceful for a ranger, haha. This is definitely one good argument for a hip quiver.

For me, the ability to wear it however works best for a given condition is what matters most, hence why I make them able to be worn pretty much any way I wish. It keeps me from having to use and choose between various quiver types.

I have both shearling and an arrow 'bag' with mine, and in addition the bottom of the quiver can be unlaced so arrows can be drawn down through it as well as out of the top of it. I'll see about putting up a pic of it at some point. I dislike drawing over the shoulder; too much unnecessary movement for me and since I actively hunt, less movement is better. This would also explain why I like being able to draw them from the bottom of the quiver straight onto the bow.

To each their own. I need multi-use qualities and so make them that way. Some don't. Do what works best for you. In the end, that's the thing that matters most.

Eledhwen

I most recently made this one for a prize at the Ranger Gathering Event, begining of last month. It can work as both back or side/hip quiver. but it excells as a forward draw steath quiver (what you hunt is up to you! LOL)

I have gotten quite a few good reviews from those I have made it for, all seem to enjoy its versatility and have made little upgrades to suite their own needs.

It is a very simple quiver to make and seems like it will prove to be very sturdy in the long run, we will see!

Eledhwen wrote:For me, the ability to wear it however works best for a given condition is what matters most, hence why I make them able to be worn pretty much any way I wish. It keeps me from having to use and choose between various quiver types.

I have both shearling and an arrow 'bag' with mine, and in addition the bottom of the quiver can be unlaced so arrows can be drawn down through it as well as out of the top of it. I'll see about putting up a pic of it at some point. I dislike drawing over the shoulder; too much unnecessary movement for me and since I actively hunt, less movement is better. This would also explain why I like being able to draw them from the bottom of the quiver straight onto the bow.

To each their own. I need multi-use qualities and so make them that way. Some don't. Do what works best for you. In the end, that's the thing that matters most.

Eledhwen

I am waiting on a quiver I ordered from Hidehandler (Steve Catts) called the Mountain Hunter Elite http://www.hidehandler.com/back_quivers.htm
Which has a top lid, a removable bottom panel and can be worn in many different ways.



Something to note is that reaching over your shoulder for an arrow, is flagging your location to game and enemies as it is quite a bit of movement to reach up and draw out an arrow. The side quiver Ringulf posted up is a much better style for stealth when hunting. The quiver I have on order is able to be used similar to that Side quiver, but also as a back quiver (either bottom or top draw). And it seals up nice to protect the arrows from the elements as well as from snags etc.

Yeah that's always something I have to be mindful of with low hanging foliage, catching the arrows in it. I prefer a back quiver over a hip but to be frank I really don't like wearing a quiver at all, however given my calling...somewhat difficult. I have two quivers which I use for different types of gear, ranger garb it's a smaller lighter one and for target and re enactment a more oval version from three rivers.

One of the real tricks is getting your nocks to:
A) Not stick up over your head,

-and-

B) Not stick out way off to the side.

See my earlier post for some simple ways to make this happen, but essentially, once the nocks are lower than your head and the arrows are pretty close to your head, you'll stop hanging up on most stuff.

Wow all these elaborate quivers and all I got is a simple black one with a hook I tend to hook mine sort of in between my second and third belt loops counting from the right backwards, so its actually hooked a little toward the back end of my hip with the nocks forward.

My take on different quiver styles.

Back quiver - for long travel on trails and roads where you don't need regular access

Hip quiver - for target shooting

Side quiver - for hunting and off trail woods travel