Armageddon Gear Big Game Chest Rig

[menhaden_man]

Curious if anyone has this bino/chest rig and can share their opinion. Couldn’t find anything in the search.

I’ve used the Alaska Guide Creations Kodiak for maybe last 7 years and like it, though wouldn’t mind something that’d tote a little more so I can ditch the daypack on morning sits. Would have binos, knife, compass, lighter, water bottle and maybe a protein bar.

Thanks

 

[menhaden_man]

Seems like the average Rokslider has 2.7 bino harnesses and no one has this one?

 

[Formidilosus]

Seems like the average Rokslider has 2.7 bino harnesses and no one has this one?

I’ve used one for a year or so. What do you want to know?

 

[menhaden_man]

I’ve used one for a year or so. What do you want to know?

More or less curious if folks are happy with the layout and build. Lots of reviews or opinions on other bino setups just can’t find much on this one.

I tote a 10x42, knife, compass, lighter, flashlight, RF (not really needed), maybe bottle of water and protein bar on 3-5 mile half day rifle hunts in south Appalachia. My AGC Kodiak is good but just a little more space I can ditch the daypack (k3 1800).

Thanks -

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’ve used one for a year or so. What do you want to know?

I like the look of the layout up front. Do the non-padded straps start to chafe or “dig in” if a guy wears it 4-5 days per week? The oversized back panel… Does it make a guy sweat there more than other styles?

I really can’t stand bino harness with “pockets” that then strap to the harness as add-ons. They are always clunky and get in the way. So I’ve gotten by with the Marsupial for years and sacrificed with what all I can carry on the harness.

This one seems to be more like a one piece unit that can hold everything I want quick access to. Would you say that’s correct? Again, I don’t want side pouches sliding around and getting in the way of shooting, backpack straps, etc.

 

[glennjones]

I have been running the Armageddon gear for a little while now and I like it. To me it's pretty comfortable. I don't have a Alaskan guide to compare it with. You should be able to fit everything on you list in the Armageddon gear. Mine holds 10x50 binos, range finder, knife, folding saw, flashlight, TP, and two extra rounds of ammo with one of the side compartments left open in case I need to add something.

 

[menhaden_man]

I have been running the Armageddon gear for a little while now and I like it. To me it's pretty comfortable. I don't have an Alaskan guide to compare it with. You should be able to fit everything on you list in the Armageddon gear. Mine holds 10x50 binos, range finder, knife, folding saw, flashlight, TP, and two extra rounds of ammo with one of the side compartments left open in case I need to add something.

Thanks that’s about what I was wondering.

 

[Formidilosus]

More or less curious if folks are happy with the layout and build. Lots of reviews or opinions on other bino setups just can’t find much on this one.

I tote a 10x42, knife, compass, lighter, flashlight, RF (not really needed), maybe bottle of water and protein bar on 3-5 mile half day rifle hunts in south Appalachia. My AGC Kodiak is good but just a little more space I can ditch the daypack (k3 1800).

Thanks -

I like the look of the layout up front. Do the non-padded straps start to chafe or “dig in” if a guy wears it 4-5 days per week? The oversized back panel… Does it make a guy sweat there more than other styles?

I really can’t stand bino harness with “pockets” that then strap to the harness as add-ons. They are always clunky and get in the way. So I’ve gotten by with the Marsupial for years and sacrificed with what all I can carry on the harness.

This one seems to be more like a one piece unit that can hold everything I want quick access to. Would you say that’s correct? Again, I don’t want side pouches sliding around and getting in the way of shooting, backpack straps, etc.

I will get pictures and explanations here in a bit- but in short: the platform is good, the harness you need to cut and modify, the side pouches are worthless.

 

[Chris in TN]

How big is your water bottle?

It's hard for me to imagine a water bottle (like 1L smartwater?) being on my chest and not being in the way.

Also - last month when I took my kid to CO I put all of that other stuff you mentioned in an old HPG chest pack, minus the water bottle and binos, and just let the binos ride on top of the chest pack. That seemed to work fine. I know binos can be in the way if you need to kneel/crawl/stalk but otherwise they were not a bother at all across 10 straight days of all-day use.
You mentioned being in the Appalachians. Do you carry a treestand to hunt?

I ask because I have tried carrying a stand to public land with a backpack at the same time and that's torture, but if I'm not carrying a stand, I can pretty much wear a small, light pack all day and not be bothered by it.

 

[menhaden_man]

How big is your water bottle?

It's hard for me to imagine a water bottle (like 1L smartwater?) being on my chest and not being in the way.

Also - last month when I took my kid to CO I put all of that other stuff you mentioned in an old HPG chest pack, minus the water bottle and binos, and just let the binos ride on top of the chest pack. That seemed to work fine. I know binos can be in the way if you need to kneel/crawl/stalk but otherwise they were not a bother at all across 10 straight days of all-day use.
You mentioned being in the Appalachians. Do you carry a treestand to hunt?

I ask because I have tried carrying a stand to public land with a backpack at the same time and that's torture, but if I'm not carrying a stand, I can pretty much wear a small, light pack all day and not be bothered by it.

When it cools down I can get pretty hydrated before hike/climb and be fine with just a 12 oz plastic water bottle. Now when it's warm I can burn through 2 L on a hike and need more than a chest pack.

I have a climber but actually do quite a bit of hunting from the ground (probably have 20 hunts on NF in already). I've got a shitty fanny pack that I use sometimes when trying to ditch the pack, but wouldn't mind a chest harness to check the boxes. This is for our lengthy rifle season so less concerned about getting in the way than I would be for archery. Plus I can take stuff off when I get in a tree or sit down.

 

[glennjones]

Here's a picture of mine with a .5 liter water bottle in what is the pouch I keep empty. Rangefinder is in the other side. I'm 5'10" 200 for reference.

 

[Formidilosus]

FYI: The platform= the flat chest rig whole piece that everything is sewn to.







The platform is really good, and in my view how bino harnesses for rifle should be made- very stable, and very comfortable. The waxed canvas is excellent IMO. The way the shoulder harness supports the platform and carries is very good- like a real chest rig, save one large issue that I will address below.

The bino pouch and flap are fine. Some will prefer it, and some will prefer a different design.



The pockets on either side of the bino pouch are nearly functionally useless. They are just open top pouches with a draw cord.


Cinched all the way down and they are still open, and the contents fall out.


I have a headlamp and lighter in this one-



Cinched as tight as I can-


If it gets tipped over, the lighter, the light, or both fall out.


The little pouches on the side of the bino harness are, again- nearly useless. They’re just open, small pouches with no strap, cinch cord, or stretch. Anything you put in and don’t tie down, falls out.



The front zippered pocket is kind of tight, but at least can be secured and is useful.


The back of the panel does have three mesh pockets, and they are well designed and useful-




The shoulder harness needs to be cut pretty deep and aggressively. Without do so it rides really hard on the back of your neck-





Overall, it’s a mixed bag. The platform itself is excellent. The waxed canvass is excellent. The way the harness attaches is very stable and comfortable. However the harness yoke is awful and boggles how they thought that was good. The pockets are poorly sized and laid out. Overall it’s a very mixed bag, and in use there is no way that whoever designed it has used a bino chest pack for western hunting. Armageddon had a picture of it in an add as a joke with two beers in each side pocket- and actually, they seem to be built around just that.

For me, I will probably cut off the side accessory pockets and have other pouches sewn on, or molle webbing attached to use functional side pouches.

 

[Formidilosus]

I like the look of the layout up front. Do the non-padded straps start to chafe or “dig in” if a guy wears it 4-5 days per week?

No, not that I’ve seen. Quite opposite- I can’t stand padded straps because they only feel good when fresh, but after wearing day after day, the bulk starts to chafe.

The oversized back panel… Does it make a guy sweat there more than other styles?

A bit- about like any small chest rig. But, all bino harness make you sweat where they cover… so- ehh whatever.

I really can’t stand bino harness with “pockets” that then strap to the harness as add-ons. They are always clunky and get in the way. So I’ve gotten by with the Marsupial for years and sacrificed with what all I can carry on the harness.

Depending on how you use it, the Stone Glacier Sentinel is the best currently on the market. The pouches don’t slip or flop.

This one seems to be more like a one piece unit that can hold everything I want quick access to. Would you say that’s correct?

Designed better, yes this would be it. However as my last post showed- it requires some pretty heavy modifications to make it work right.