HILL PEOPLE GEAR - MULTICAM HEAVY RECON

Discussion in 'Reviews' started by Bushman5, Aug 27, 2017.

  1. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    This is my second HPG kit bag.....the first was from my CDN BRO @Reno Lewis , a grey RECON kit bag. Great chest rig kit for the essentials . Wore it for many months, until my Enabler 5Col had the new HEAVY RECON in multicam....so the old Recon went to @Switchblade and I ordered the new Heavy.

    this new HPG kit bag is the new laser cut fabric HEAVY RECON in MultiCam. The laser cut fabric sheds some weight......but this is quickly nullified by the addition of the Expat Cleaver. :D

    NOTE: things that I would change on this kit back, will be in orange text.




     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2017
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  2. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    Lets start with the harness. The included harness lies flat on your back and shoulders, and is super-light and can be worn comfortably under a jacket and pack. Shown here removed from the kit bag

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    Because i'm carrying a bloody heavy off road Expat Cleaver, as well as a magnum can of bear spray, i needed a little more support, you know kinda like a sports bra.....So I swapped in my SOE Heavy Harness, which sits better on my frame and holds the HPG HR KIT BAG a little snugger to the chest. Also gives me mounting options for a hydration pack or light etc

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    back to the bag, lets start in the concealed weapons compartment. Most of you carry a handgun and some mags in here, fitted in with a velcro holster. Since there is no concealed carry up here in Canada, i instead have 5COL water bags and a package of water pur tabs in this area. (once i get my ROHM 9mm bear scare gun, this will also be added in here). The entire tan portion of the rear pocket is Velcro, so any velcro backed pouch of sheath or gun holster can be simply put in place, at whatever angle you want. I do wish that the velcro panel here had been laser cut to accept Molle/Pals pouchs like the one in the front pocket.

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    gear retention loop tab on the bottom,nice touch.

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    my contents rear pocket: 5Col WHIRL-PAK waterbags x 6 and a package of Water pur tabs. I can purify 6 liters at a time if need be.

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    Lets move to the Front pocket

    The very front part has two open slots, just big enough for 2 AR mags. You can fit pretty much whatever in there....HOWEVER...they are open and stuff can fall out....I would personally like to see HPG offer a zipper option for these two slots, and extend the slots UP to just 1" under the top of the kit bag.

    There are two loop tabs here as well, for gear retention cords or for clipping your key biner to etc. Nice touch, like that.

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    moving to the back of the front pocket, we have a laser cut Velcro Molle panel. You can add pouches or sheaths or whatever to it, or use velcro backed pouches . I like using velcro wrap to retain gear, it works perfectly in the laser cut panel.

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    double sided velcro keeper straps (NOTE: behind the tan laser cut panel, is the hook portion . So when you weave velcro straps thru the laser cuts, the straps fasten and stay put.)

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    Another item secured in place with double sided velcro straps

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    close up of the laser cut panel

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    lets move onto the outside of the kit bag.

    the top of the bag,in front of the shoulder straps, are webbing loop tabs. From the factory these have Grimlocs mounted on them, however i removed them and placed them on the underside of the kit bag, where there is also two webbing loops.

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    I mounted my hank of paracord underneath, using the two Grimlocs and a retainer strap of double sided velcro

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    double sided Molle clippy thingy - VERY USEFUL. You can also see a single row of Molle/Pals platform, suitable for anything you want to mount there. (NOTE: glo sticks fit perfectly under there)

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    Included with the kit bag are two load lifter straps ,for attaching the kit bag to your pack shoulder straps if you wish. These connect to the top mounted Grimlocs

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    Moving on to the outer front panel. Again, laser cut multicam Cordura. NOTE: I would like to see the option of having the grid go the other way, so one could mount sheaths horizontally instead of vertically. Its a much more natural draw (left or right draw ) than trying to pull a blade or bear spray out VERTICALLY. ) That being said I know a lot of people put AR mag pouches on the front, so in its current config its just fine. But would like to see the option of a horizontal molle platform.

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    I have a HSGI SOFT TACO pouch mounted on the front, This holds my bear spray. Knife sheath is shown to demonstrate how i would like to mount it (horizintally) Currently I can mount it vertically. I would really like to see the MOLLE / PALS grid go the other way.....

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    secret velcro hidden behind the Cordura laser cut panel....again, you can weave double sided velcro straps thru here and they stay in place. Nice paracord zipper pulls. Easy to grasp with gloved hands.

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    So thats about it for pics..........I like the kit bag, its VERY well made, great company. For myself personally , I would like to see the changes i listed in orange made. (or at least have the option to order options like that).
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2017
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  3. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    some notes on mounting your knife sheath UNDERNEATH..........

    I removed the paracord keepers and mounted the sheath underneath. While it looks great, and is very secure, there are multiple issues (NOT HPG fault at all - more of a gear location issue)

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    Issues:

    Drawing the knife requires a wrist twist and the handle is backwards, so you have to turn handle around. This presents a safety issue during drawing or resheathing.....your soft beer belly is right there. The potential for slicing your belly open is very high. Factor in 5 days in the woods, cold tired hungry and the risk is deadly....never mind trying to draw your blade in an emergency, under all the above factors and duress........huge potential to slice your own belly bacon.


    Also the edge of the sheath, although cordura, is rigid...and digs into your belly.

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    Re-Sheathing is also a gamble...the potential to pierce your belly is high, as you are re-sheathing blind, you simply cannot see where the knife is going. There is a risk of cutting clothing or the sheath straps too.

    About the only thing I would mount down there would be a ASP Baton holder, in fact i think it would be the perfect location for one.

    Food for thought....
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2017
  4. koolaidnd

    koolaidnd Member

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    I was on the fence between the Recon and heavy Recon. I'm not sure about the molle slots cut in the front of the Heavy Recon. Looks like a potential failure point. I'd like to know how yours holds up.
     
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  5. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    I have other gear that is laser cut......very beefy. If you put on 3 AR mag pouchs or 8 pistol mag pouches and leave em on, i cannot see failure happening.

    I could see it happening if you were CONSTANTLY putting on and taking off pouches.,.......but its pretty beefy.

    on my load bearing rig I have two canteen pouches with cups and canteens and water...pretty heavy,......all mounted on laser cut fabric. Never an issue with failure./
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2017
  6. Reno Lewis

    Reno Lewis Knot-A-Challenge Champion

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    What brand spray do you carry? I've got a large can of Counter Assault which expires end of this year, needs replacing.

    Also, I completely agree about the pouches inside the bag needing some form of closure.

    I'm a tracker in training, and both while using my old Recon and my current radio harness which has the same internal pocket design, I have had things (ferro rod, pencil, lighter etc) fall out of the bag and onto tracks due to forgetting to do up the main zipper after opening it for my tracking cards, notebook, pencil/pen etc.

    Yeah, it's my fault. And yeah, I've been remembering to do it back up, but for pockets with emergency, or at least, rarely used items like my ferro rod and lighter, bandaids etc, it would be a nice feature if it could be zipped up so the chance of loosing them accidentally is reduced while just getting something from the main compartment.
     
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  7. Dagwood

    Dagwood Member

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    Use a couple small carabiners and hang it off the bottom webbing
     
  8. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    FRONTIERSMAN XTRA 1% , made by SABRE. Nuclear Pepper Hell in a can.

    https://www.sabrered.com/canadian-bear-spray

    I have bear spray that is over 10 years old, I keep them in the truck or pack as backups. Works fine, every time.
     
    Last edited: Aug 28, 2017
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  9. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    updated pics, some gear organizing....

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  10. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    hmmm.......
     
  11. Reno Lewis

    Reno Lewis Knot-A-Challenge Champion

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    Could always weave 550 through the MOLLE lashing points too. Might get a tighter fit that way, as compared to carabiners.
     
  12. Dagwood

    Dagwood Member

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    I did it with an esee4 on a chest rig it works pretty good. Or if that knife is gonna stay with that rig key rings might be a good option as well
     
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  13. Reno Lewis

    Reno Lewis Knot-A-Challenge Champion

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    Cool, I've been looking at a can of Frontiersman Xtra.

    As far as the 10 year old cans, just be aware that they normally don't loose capacity, they just loose potency.
     
  14. Dagwood

    Dagwood Member

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    Carabiners will be good for quick removal paracord better for tighter more permanent attachment
     
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  15. Reno Lewis

    Reno Lewis Knot-A-Challenge Champion

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    Agreed.
     
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  16. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    true....

    the truck cans though are not for bears......but for when /if street riots occur and I get hemmed in. :)
     
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  17. DYSPHORIC JOY

    DYSPHORIC JOY Administrator Staff Member

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    Good overview.
     
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  18. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    go Heavy Brah! the Recon is nice, but the Heavy has MORE options........more adaptable....

    .................think...................BUSHCRAFT/SURVIVAL LEGO!
     
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  19. 5col

    5col Moderator Staff Member

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    One of the things I really love about ESEE is the thoughtfulness they put into their designs. When you run into problems like how to mount knives on the Heavy Recon, more often than not the ESEE crew has already thought their way through it. Belt, boot, neck, scout, missionary, reverse cowgirl, half gainer--they have a carry solution for all of them.

    In the pic below, I mounted a Model 6 to the Kit Bag horizontally using the cord and cord-lok included with the knife. It's a snug fit and doesn't slide around. Below that I'm holding a Model 3 with MOLLE Back up to the Kit Bag to show how you can mount that there with the blade away from your gut. That said, I prefer mounting the knife to the face of the bag and saving the PALS Column underneath for rain gear or a tarp.
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  20. Bushman5

    Bushman5 Member

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    LOL @5col 'reverse cowgirl' :D
     

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