As some of you may know from a different thread on here I am a backpacker. It has been a bit difficult for me to find a proper way to carry and carry concealed while having my pack on. One of the biggest concerns has been having access while concealed because of the pack. If I could open carry everywhere I hike this wouldn’t be a problem but I cannot. I think I might have finally figured out a solution for my conundrum. I came across the site for Hill People Gear and found this.
This weekend I will be doing an overnight 2 day hike (yes, it’s going to be very cold. I know I’m crazy lol) about an hour away from where I live. So I will be testing this piece of gear out on it. I will let you all know my thoughts on it later. I am curious if anyone else here has tried any of their products and your thoughts on them.
Yeah, I remember some very cold nights I had to be out with my son when he was in Cub Scouts. One night hit down to 19 degrees if I remember correctly.
I was a Scout in Nebraska as a youth and I remember one winter we braved an overnight trip where it dipped down to the -30’s with wind chills in -40’s…….all the boys that stayed received “The Hairy Chest Award” (little wooden plaque with a bit of beaver pelt on it)……I still have it to this day in my Scout memorabilia 40yrs later…and Klondike derbys before light weight materials came along and your sledge was a bunch of heavy 2x4’s nailed together…great times
Hey, It does not matter how you carry it…Just leave protected (lawfully of course)
It was so funny because in the La CHP class, they attempted to sell
what I would assume were ugly purses because not one woman wanted them. Therefore, the answer must be…UGLY! There was a little pocket made specially for the weapon, as I’m sure you guys have seen before.
I appreciate the suggestion. The problem with carrying concealed as I discussed a while back in another thread (don’t remember which thread that was off the top of my head) is the backpack restricts you from access to your firearm while wearing it. Between the should straps and the hip belt it basically stops any chance of having your top conceal your handgun and still be able to get to it. I can’t ankle carry because I hike in a utility kilt (during cold month I put on leggings under it. Thigh rigs tend to need the use of a belt (at least the ones I have found do. Therefore to conceal under the kilt is a bit difficult when a belt is worn on the outside. Carrying the pistol inside my backpack pretty much renders it useless if I need it at a moments notice.
The kit bag harness fits under the pack and the straps but allows you to wear it outside of your clothing and still conceal your firearm. A lot of hikers have started using a chest bag that hooks onto their packs shoulder straps so they can keep essential needed throughout the day easily accessible. Using this kit bag because of that no one will suspect that I am carrying.
I always lawfully carry. Not everywhere I hike am I able to open carry. Which was my biggest problem figuring a way out how to conceal with a pack on. Especially long distance hiking where you have to go into town to resupply. Not all places allow you to take your backpack in with you.
I am not a fan of purse carry when in an urban type of environment let alone in the back country lol. There are just so many different downfalls to purse carry that I know @Zee and I have harped on in here. Cannot say whether those were ugly or not. Maybe most of the women didn’t like them for the same reason that we don’t here.
He is my initial assessment of the kit bag. I definitely like how I can wear it separately from my backpack and that the shoulder straps of my pack don’t interfere with it. It was comfortable to wear even with my pack on. The H harness is thin enough that you don’t notice it while wearing that pack.
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Without the pack on.(upload://5rpoRUltxoPpzsQqFICdQSzwtLW.jpeg)
While hiking it does keep your chest pretty warm on a cold day. So my thoughts at it will be fairly hot on the chest on warmer days. Inside there is a strip of velcro and a loop if you want to fasten a holster in it. The makers said it’s designed not to have to put a holster in it but if you want the extra added security you can. For this trip I did rig it up with one of my kydex holster but it was clunck. I definitely would want to have a trigger guard of some sort as you are reaching into a pouch for your handgun. I’m probably going to get and try one of the lanyard trigger guards to see how that works.
Over all I liked that kit bag. I will continue to use it unless I come across something that will work better. The company that makes it has designed it to be worn with or without a backpack on which is something that I like.
There is definitely a learning curve with using this. I did do some dry fire draws with it. The more I train and hike with it I think it’s going to work out well for me.
Thanks for the product review. I’ll probably check it out. I am also considering the SneakyPete.com disguised holsters for same. Anyone have any experience or thoughts on Sneaky Pete?
@PappyDewBoston yes, it’s ambidextrous so you won’t have to worry about ordering a right or left handed draw. Just move the zipper pulls to which ever side you draw from in the upper corner. I leave a little gap between the two pulls making it a little easier to draw from. You can either grab the corner of the bag or the front pocket zipper pulls to access in a hurry. Just pull downward in a diagonal direction. You do have to teach yourself to keep the elbow of the arm you’re open in it with up and out of the way so you don’t flag yourself.
I did add a lanyard type trigger guard just for a bit of safety aspect when reaching in for my firearm. There is a loop on the inside bottom to tie it off too.
