Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting HPG Kit bags vs. waist packs

How many of you are running one of the Hill People Gear kit bags?

What do you like about it?

What do you dislike?

Does it interfere with keeping you from overheating when you are the move or when it gets hot out?

What about glassing, shouldering a rifle or drawing a bow?

Is it a hassle to get extra layers on and off with it on?

Getting kind of tired of using my pockets to store and carry small items as I sometimes forget something or leave something in a coat pocket, take the coat off and forget I had something in the pocket. I want to consolidate all those items into one easy to carry bag.

Also being able to carry concealed would have a advantage I am considering.

I bought myself a kitbag, one for my daughter, and a Snubbie for my wife. I'd plan to wear in on top of a long john top, or maybe a light hoody in the cold. Every thing else on top.

I carried a KU Koala a bit this summer in the heat and had no overheating issues, but it carries a bit different than the Kit bag, so I can't really say about the heat with them.

Me

Everything

Nothing

I usually use it in conjunction with a backpack, which means I'm probably going to sweat anyways. I wear Merino Wool, so no big woop

What about it?? Doesn't bug me glassing, you're going to smash [bleep] when you shoot a rifle prone, and it didn't keep me from shooting 3rd place finish at Cataldo last Saturday.

Duh...

Duh again... I mean that in the nicest way possible

I keep a No-Dash S&W 696 in mine. You need to make sure you lift the butt of your gun when you draw. It's not Ninja Supah Fast, but it's a good compromise.

Love mine, don't know how I made it so long without it. Yes it can be hot underneath if you're exerting yourself but so is a waist pack or small daypack. I've never shot a bow with it but it absolutely doesn't interfere with rifle shooting or glassing, at least not to me. I usually wear it on top of any layers, I really can't zip a jacket closed over the kitbag. Maybe I pack it too full! I carry all my small stuff in it.
I intend to use it for turkey calls this Spring.

It certainly solves the problem of how to pack a handgun and keep it accessible though as Dan mentions above, while it's easily and quickly accessible, you're not going to outdraw Wyatt Erp.

There's not much negative I can think to say about it.

I have both the runner's bag and the kit bag. I used the runner's bag all summer and loved it-it does add to the heat factor but no big deal. I'm using the kit bag as a bino-rangefinder + misc. pack and ran it all winter with no problems whatsoever.

I have hiked, hunted and shot skeet while wearing it, and as mentioned you'll know it's there shooting prone but you can make it work. The HPG bags are well thought out and put together. There may be a better system for concealed carry but for all else they get the nod.

I haven't been able to hike with my kit bag yet since I got it for Christmas and the Forest Service roads are all snowed in. I like the kit bag because I can wear it with a backpack. I wouldn't be able to do that with a waist pack because then I wouldn't be able to use the waist belt on my pack. As for layers the kit bag is very easy to adjust the straps to accommodate any layers you put on or take off.

What do you like about it? Carries my essential gear for any outing close at hand and not stuck in my pack when I drop it at camp. Discrete handgun carry with reasonable draw.


What do you dislike? Nothing specific to the Kit Bag, but general chest bag issues addressed in other questions.

Does it interfere with keeping you from overheating when you are the move or when it gets hot out? Just like a backpack, you have a chunk of not very breathable nylon strapped to your chest. In warm weather, I do sweat more in that area, but it's nothing compared to what is going on with my back.

What about glassing, shouldering a rifle or drawing a bow? I've had no problems with any of these activities.

Is it a hassle to get extra layers on and off with it on? It is one more thing to take off, but not really different than taking off your pack.

For me, having my survival gear, navigation equipment and handgun all in one convenient place is simply a great way to go. I can keep all that packed and ready to go, regardless of the backpack I'm using and it is always with me whether my pack is or not.

At first I thought I'd need a HPG Runners Kit Bag for bow season, with it's slimmer profile. Last weekend, I had a half litre water bottle in it, a camera, scorecards (on a little clip board) and some other odds and ends.

I've shot 3 3D mathes while wearing it, and used it through all of Montana's bow season last year. It really kicks ass for hanging treestands. I load it up with screw in tree steps, and 2nd hitch rope, and clip the haul rope for the stand on the webbing in the center of your back with a carabiner.

Lots of good discussion here. For the guys who run the kit bag with a back pack, are you using the kit bag suspension and then putting the backpack over that ? Or, are you hooking the kit bag to the backpack straps ? If hooking to the backpack straps, any issues getting it hooked up ? Taking it on and off ?

Thank you !

You don the Kit Bag first, then put the pack over it. If you have a pack that has load lifters, additional straps are available to clip the Kit Bag to the packstraps, transfering the load to your waist, for the most part.

Damn, thanks for all the great input guys, I appreciate it.