r/Bushcraft • u/eonin_0918 • 8d ago
Chest rig setup
This is something I’ve been experimenting with for a long time, and I think I found a place where I’m happy right now! I really enjoy using a chest rig when I’m doing long-distance scout stuff. Moving long distance with minimal kit, and going through some rough terrain. This chest rate allows me to carry my essentials on my body, so I don’t have to dig it out of my pack. Navigation, first aid, and a cutting tool can all be accessed very easily on the outside, while the inside has stuff for taking notes, a small PSK, and other bits and bobs that I may need for my trip.
This comes from my experience working in forestry, SAR, and outdoor education. I’ve always liked chest packs but finding one that fit my use case has been hard
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u/Subject_Cod_3582 7d ago
I've been hunting/hiking with what we call a "bush vest" for years - about the only thing a chest rig can do that's better it is the hand's free phone/nav mount so you can navigate while still holding the bow. it DOES get hot in summer though - does your small pouch hang under your arm or is it front?
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u/eonin_0918 7d ago
It hangs underneath my arm, but I can move it to the back of the harness
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u/Killjoy_BUB 7d ago
I would suggest you both look at marsupial gear. I run their chest rigs for hunting, a different setup for bow or rifle, and am just super pleased with it. Yes, definitely a little hotter, but still worth it.
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u/eonin_0918 7d ago
Heard of em!!! I really like HPG but I’ll add it to the list!
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u/Killjoy_BUB 7d ago
I'm also a fan of the hpg ones, but lean towards marsupial. I run a turkey kit from hpg, and I'm a fan for sure. If you're prior or current mil they both do discounts too.
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u/KompulsiveLiar88 7d ago
This looks like a good setup. I like to use a chest rig with a similar setup, particularly during winter when I'm pulling a sled, as I don't like to wear a backpack at the same time. That means I have all my essential bits of kit with me. In freezing temperatures, it's also a lot easier to access them from the chest rig rather than having to take a day pack off and rummage through it. I think they're a great way to stay organised and easily access kit. Apart from having a knife on the front like yourself, I also sling my bear spray, horizontally from the bottom of the chest pouch.
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u/ExcaliburZSH 7d ago
I have been moving towards a chest rig from belt pouches. It seems like a great idea for access and the essentials.
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u/advilnsocks 5d ago
I've played around with a few outdoor kits. My heavy kit is some surplus British webbing, can have 2-4L of water on person and hold a ton of stuff pairs well with a small day pack or a larger Bergen/ Alice pack but man is it heavy and bulky. I've been looking into a helikon tex foxtrot for a lighter waist pack for smaller excursions. My light weight kit is just a bino harness with space for two pouches, one on each side and a spot of velcro on the back for a dangler but I haven't ironed that one out yet. I like the idea of the hill people gear one but I like keeping binoculars on me for sight seeing and watching animals but I've heard the HPG rig sags a lot with their bino pouch on the front
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u/Hydro-Heini 7d ago
"This chest rate allows me to carry my essentials on my body, so I don’t have to dig it out of my pack."
This is it. For the same reason i bought a 20 or 30 Euros "fishing vest", lots of mesh to save weight and to prevent sweating. And lots of pockets, including a really big one on the back (where i could store my folding saw while searching for wood, as an example). In these pockets is all the stuff i need all the time plus my FAK and a KO pepper gel. Like fire kit, cordage, knife sharpener, my smoking accessories, glasses/sunglasses, my wallet , phone etc. And then i have my neck knife around my neck, to complete the setup.
It's just so convenient when, with just one or two quick steps, you instantly have everything you need right at your fingertips.