HPG Recon Kit Bag on Kifaru hipbelt?

[ArrowForester]

I'm sure this has been discussed but my feeble search attempts have left me hanging.

Does anyone have experience, good or bad, with trying to run a HPG Recon Kit Bag on a medium sized Kifaru hip belt? Will it attach securely and what mods are necessary for it? Is it too big so as to exceed the belt pad excessively when holding heavy contents?

Any and all insights, opinions and alternative suggestions welcome.
I'll keep trying the search function as well.
Thanks

 

[LBFowler]

I would hazard that it is a bad idea. I have an original kit bag and it is very large to be a belt pouch, a snubby kit bag might work, but it would still be large and expensive.

 

[ArrowForester]

Thanks LB.
I suspect you are right.

 

[2ski]

I don't honestly recall this ever being discussed, so good question. I have the original Kit Bag and I can check when I get home from work and see what might work. The other option is call HPG. They are good guys and if they aren't in the office, they'll take your call in the car. When I called to order my Kit Bag, I want to say it was Evan that took the call, he pulled over in his car and took my order. Give them a call and ask what they think. Is there a reason you don't want to carry it like normal?

 

[ArrowForester]

Thank you 2ski. If you get a chance to lay the kit bag along a hip belt and give your impressions I would appreciate it.

I'm not interested in chest carry due to binoculars already there and the heat I'm already holding in with a backpack and binos hanging on me.
I've not found a carry method I'm happy with for an L-frame revolver while wearing a pack. Won't access the gun often but want access to it if I'm going to carry the weight. Also want to maintain convenient carry and access for several items that do get used a fair amount throughout a day. A pouch on the hip belt seems like the answer to combine things and the Recon Kit Bag seemed like an option - not too thick/bulky but possibly too long and tall.

Ideally wanting a pouch that does not hang much below the belt pad. If the HPG is too much I may try to modify a Kifaru 1000D Organizer with malice attachment.

 

[larryschwartz]

Since you already carry your binos on your chest, why not let them ride behind the kit bag that holds your L frame or use an elastic strap around the kit bag to hold your binos in place on the front of it. Or, wear your binos in a pouch on your hip belt.

 

[2ski]

I guess I agree with Larry. If you have your binos on your hip on a pouch, its not an emergency that you need to get them fast. The kit bag is made for fast deployment. On your hip I don't think it would work better than just buying a belt pouch from Kifaru for either your gun or binos. Significantly cheaper than buying a kit bag too. Don't get me wrong. I love my kit bag, but if I wasn't going to use it as a kit bag I would look at cheaper options. I'll still check it out when I get home for you.

 

[larryschwartz]

If your handgun has a barrel of 4" or less the Kifaru Tombstone is a great little pouch for your purpose.

Tombstone – Kifaru Intl. Online Store

Larry

 

[ArrowForester]

Personal preference I suppose. I use the binos quite a bit while still-hunting with my bow and am quite conditioned to raising them from chest to eyes. Seems less movement than raising them and returning them to a belt pouch. Naked binos offer more ventilation and less bulk on my chest as well.
The pistol on the hip appeals to me as more out of the way and more similar to hip holster carry/draw. Also puts the weight on hips rather than neck/shoulder/chest. And the pouch offers full coverage of the firearm with a few convenient pockets for other small but high use items.
I realize the quick draw intent of the kit bag would be diminished on the hip but in my application that is a fair trade off for the other benefits I am trying to find. And when I am not carrying a backpack and using binos I would have a chest carry kit bag available by putting the harness back on. This flexibility would justify the higher cost if the HPG Kit Bag could work as a belt pouch

Thanks for the good ideas. It is good to think through all aspects of the question.

And the Tombstone is too small I believe, particularly for additional items.

 

[Murdy]

I have an original kit bag, I can't quite picture the quick-opening set up working on a hip belt. It's designed so you reach across, grab a corner, and pull. From a hip belt, I guess you'd have to push down (and probably do all that with one hand). You could just unzip like a normal zipper, but then you're back to using it like a regular pouch, so why spend the extra money.

 

[ArrowForester]

As I said above..."I realize the quick draw intent of the kit bag would be diminished on the hip but in my application that is a fair trade off for the other benefits I am trying to find. And when I am not carrying a backpack and using binos I would have a chest carry kit bag available by putting the harness back on. This flexibility would justify the higher cost if the HPG Kit Bag could work as a belt pouch"

And I can not find a regular pouch that offers what I am looking for. The Recon Kit Bag and the Kifaru Organizer come the closest but neither are quite perfect. I have an Organizer but am curious about the fit of the Kit Bag on the hip belt. There must be other options out there so I am open to suggestions.
Thanks

 

[2ski]

So here is what the back of my kit bag looks like. Granted it's not the recon but you can see what it has on the back. If you could rig something to go from the top d ring down to the bottom loop which is where I have the runners strap attached you could probably go through the kifaru waist belt strap or the webbing on the hip pad. I think it would move around quite a bit. I personally carry my firearm by unthreading the strap on the outside of the waist belt, threading the holster on and then threading the strap back in place. I don't have any experience with the gun setup you have been using but you aren't the only one that's not liking to carry that way.

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[2ski]

But at least you can look at that picture and see what you think before you order a kit bag.

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[ArrowForester]

Thank you 2ski. I appreciate the picture. Looks like it could be rigged to attach with the loops but the challenge could be keeping it tight like you say. Going to give it serious consideration. I may also try a holster on the delta strap like you describe and see if I can run a standard belt pouch over it without interfering.

Thanks again for the help! I appreciate the effort to take and post a pic along with your thoughts.

 

[Lockster]

I have attached my Recon kit bag to a belt. I removed the harness and used lightweight carabiners threaded though the side web loops to attach it to a thin webbing belt. It works ok for me but I can still reattach and use the harness if kayaking etc

You could probably use side release buckles to attach to the delta straps or a repair buckle to lock it into the molle.

That's what I intend to do with mine eventually, be able to use side release buckles to drop it from the duplex belt and attach it to the back of the pack via the buckles, or hang it from the front of the pack straps if I want to.

 

[2ski]

I didn't think of this yesterday but you could always sew something to the back of the kit bag to fit in the webbing similar to have the belt pouches from kifaru attach.

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[Lockster]

True, that would certainly hold it tightly to the belt, good call.

 

[ArrowForester]

Thanks for the feedback Lockster. I can picture what you are saying. I also thought about adding connection points like the 3-bars or two rows of PALS webbing on the back. Still having it as a chest bag for canoeing is one of my desires.

When you had it on a hip belt was it hanging to low so that it rubbed bad when you set the pack down?

 

[larryschwartz]

Personal preference I suppose. I use the binos quite a bit while still-hunting with my bow and am quite conditioned to raising them from chest to eyes. Seems less movement than raising them and returning them to a belt pouch. Naked binos offer more ventilation and less bulk on my chest as well.
The pistol on the hip appeals to me as more out of the way and more similar to hip holster carry/draw. Also puts the weight on hips rather than neck/shoulder/chest. And the pouch offers full coverage of the firearm with a few convenient pockets for other small but high use items.
I realize the quick draw intent of the kit bag would be diminished on the hip but in my application that is a fair trade off for the other benefits I am trying to find. And when I am not carrying a backpack and using binos I would have a chest carry kit bag available by putting the harness back on. This flexibility would justify the higher cost if the HPG Kit Bag could work as a belt pouch

Thanks for the good ideas. It is good to think through all aspects of the question.

And the Tombstone is too small I believe, particularly for additional items.

So, if I understand you correctly, you would use a chest rig like the kit bag (with handgun and quick access items) when you are not using binoculars and when you are using binoculars you are looking for a bag to carry handgun and quick access items on your belt. If that is correct, instead of trying to make one chest pack sized bag work in both places, why not just get a holster and a pouch for the quick access items to go on your belt? Maxpedition has several items that would fit those criteria, specifically their concealed carry pouches that come i three sizes (0480G, 0481K, and PT1470K) for your handgun. Any one of their medium or small sized pouches would work for your frequently accessed items.

Larry

 

[ArrowForester]

Thanks for continuing to think on this Larry. I have looked at most of the MaxP options and the 481 option you list is the closest size for the weapon. The drawbacks I predict with it are the length of drop below the belt pad and the amount of room it takes up on the belt. Not enough room left for another pouch to hold the other things. There is a similar pouch from Tactical Tailor as well as a quick draw design from Wilderness Tactical. Seems like the layered pockets approach of the HPG or K-Organizer are needed to accommodate gun and other items on the same side of the belt. And the lengthwise orientation of those may allow for attaching so the pouch doesn't ride too low below the hip belt.

Looks like I will have to modify something - either a Kit Bag, an Organizer, or my equipment carry desires - unless a different pouch surfaces or I come up with a custom design. Never hurts to discuss and explore the possibilities though so I appreciate everyone's thoughts on the subject.