Kenai Chest Holster

[PJG]

Thanks for posting this. Do you ever wear a bino harness over the top of the holster?
Also, do you ever feel like you are sweeping yourself when your are drawing or holstering your firearm?

 

[WoodyGFI]

Thanks for posting this. Do you ever wear a bino harness over the top of the holster?
Also, do you ever feel like you are sweeping yourself when your are drawing or holstering your firearm?

I don't personally. (Not much of a hunter myself. 1 high hunt under my belt but zero deer brought home, let alone seen.) But we have a few guides using the kenai with a bino harness and have reported it works pretty well. Unlike a lot a of chest rigs out there, the Kenai fits fairly snug and doesn't have much stuff that can snag on your binos. So it seems to work for some folks.

One down side of ANY kydex rig if you fancy yourself to be mr. uber ninja sneaky black ops deer slayer who obsesses over everything being dead silent, is that there is some noise potential of the plastic. It's the nature of the beast. But on the flipside, there are no straps to deal with when drawing the gun due to the retention of the kydex.

That being said, I have photo upon photo of dead deer, moose, elk, hog and coyotes as either a direct result of the Kenai (mostly 10mm handgun hunters) or at least it was worn by a rifle or bow hunter while hunting. Noise factor seems to be just fine for those folks.

Never worried about sweeping when drawing. I am very very careful when reholstering. I'd say appendix carry is probably more risky than our chest holster, since you're not worrying about a cover garment with the Kenai. Just don't be stupid and take your time. Big boy rules apply... finger away from the bang switch, not being in a hurry, watch for crap that can be hooked into the triggerguard, etc. Since the Kenai sits so flat on your chest it is technically pointing away from you once its partially in the holster. It's just getting there that can be done poorly.

(On a somewhat related tangent... we have folks using the Kenai concealed under a button-down shirt very happily with a small 9mm such as the Glock 43 or Shield.)

 

[from_ky]

Quick reply on the GS holster. Over all I'm pleased with it.

There is a lot of webbing allowing a ton of adjustment. On the down side, there's lots of webbing. It sometimes does get bundled when I first put the harness on but stays put once seated.

I cannot draw single handed. Perhaps I just don't synch the system down enough, but if I wear it comfortably tight, and draw single handed, the holster comes up with the pistol. This isn't a show stopper, but if u have to draw single handed it is problematic.

Overall quality is good. Sturdy webbing, sturdy clips, and sturdy kydex.

Currently using it with a SpringField XD 4".

I cannot comment yet regarding wearing with a pack. First backpacking trip with it is in a few weeks. Experience comes from wearing around the homestead, in town, and walking the dog.

I like the way the Kenai looks, especially with the stretch nylon, as I think it would help single handed draw. But it is almost 2x the cost.

I'm not yet recommending one over the other.

 

[MattB]

You don't make those for Freedom Arms model 83 - correct? I would like to get one for a Nov. Kodiak trip.

 

[WoodyGFI]

You don't make those for Freedom Arms model 83 - correct? I would like to get one for a Nov. Kodiak trip.

Unfortunately we don't have a mold for that gun.

 

[castandblast]

You don't make those for Freedom Arms model 83 - correct? I would like to get one for a Nov. Kodiak trip.

Have you checked out the Freedom Arms leather holsters? I have carried my Stainless Ruger Bisley in the cross draw model while fishing on Kodiak and really like it! Not terribly expensive either.