HPG In Use

Discussion in 'Knives, Gear, Guns And Other Tools' started by Hammer, Mar 19, 2018.

  1. Hammer

    Hammer Member

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    I know we have various threads on specific HPG items, but given how modular they are, I thought it might be good to just have a general "HGP In Use" thread so that we can share the various ways we mix and match all those different components and use them in the field.

    I thought I'd kick it off with what I carried for a hike up in the hills behind the house this afternoon:
    • Recon Belt
    • Butt Pack
    • Medium Pocket
    • Bottle Pouch
    • Tool Roll
    • Maxpedition Single Sheath
    Of course, I left my phone in the truck, so tailgate pics will have to suffice... :rolleyes:

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    The Tool Roll fits perfectly inside the Butt Pack and velcros in place to the PALS panel. You can open it up and it folds out, making it easy to get what you need without needing to remove the Tool Roll from the pack. It works really well:

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    The big learning for me using this setup over the last few hikes is that every other butt pack I've ever used (and I've tried quite a few) fails when it comes to the waist belt. With few exceptions, the belts are typically too narrow and too thin, which leads to them sagging and flopping around as you hike if you load them up too much, which often doesn't take much at all. At first, I thought that the Recon Belt seemed like total overkill for use with the Butt Pack, but that's only because of what I've been used to. After using it in this capacity a bit, it works incredibly well. The width of the Recon does an excellent job of distributing and supporting the weight, and making it really comfortable and solid while moving. I had almost 8 lbs. of stuff on the belt today, which isn't much at all of course, but it would have been enough to make a lot of other butt packs ride like crap. This setup could easily carry twice that much.

    The quick and easy modularity, and the fact that in a minute I could pull the Butt Pack off and attach the rest of this setup, just as it is, to one of my backpacks and be ready to go, is a great bonus and a testament to the thought and design that have gone into this line of gear.
     
    Last edited: May 29, 2018
  2. Hammer

    Hammer Member

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    The Tarahumara was the first HPG item I purchased, about 3 or 4 years ago. I've used a lot of different day packs before and since, and I keep coming back to the Tara as the perfect day pack for my needs. Why? Mainly because it is very simple. No bells and whistles - it's all killer, no filler.

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    The other big reason I love the Tara so much is the HPG harness, which really makes this pack (and all HPG packs) bat above it's weight. Because the harness spreads the weight out so much more than most pack harnesses (especially on most day packs, where the shoulder straps are often pretty lame), you can effectively and comfortable carry a lot more weight than you would think. I've loaded the Tara down with a fair bit of gear at times, and even without a waist belt and having all the weight hanging on your shoulders, it's still more comfortable than any comparable pack I've used.

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    Pairing the Tara with a Kit Bag, I've rarely needed more capacity for a day in the woods. It's a great combo. However, the Tara has been reviewed pretty extensively elsewhere already, so I'll leave it at that. Moving on...

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    As mentioned above, this winter I grabbed the HPG Tool Roll. I've had an "on again, off again" relationship with it since, and to be honest, it's taken me a while to warm up to it, versus some other options I had. For a while, I thought I might even sell it. But the more I use it, the more I appreciate how it's just like every other piece of HPG gear I own - it's simple but well thought out, with nothing extraneous.

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    You can hang it from the loop when you're in camp. You can velcro it into a HPG PALSpocket, or other hook-and-loop backed panel, and the pockets are designed so that things don't fall out when you open it. The more I play around with it, the more versatile I realize it is.

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    I'd love to see more folks posting their HPG gear in use in this thread - let's see it!
     
    Last edited: May 25, 2018
  3. Reno Lewis

    Reno Lewis Knot-A-Challenge Champion

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    I started out using HPG around 2.5 years ago when I was going through my GSAR course. It was a Recon Kit Bag that I used in conjunction with some Maxpedition pouches as a radio harness, before I actually bought a proper radio harness.

    I ended up selling it, and due to the nature of how I was using it, I don't have many pictures at all of me using it. Maybe one or two on break, and one in a class photo, but that's about it.

    As of more recently though, I've been putting some serious distance on my Tarahumara. Around 5-10km every other night or so, for nearly a month now, running, jogging and hiking.


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    I had just taken my jacket out of my Tara as the skies opened up, and decided to show how it rides mostly empty with a jacket on.

    Feels like it's a part of you.

     
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  4. koolaidnd

    koolaidnd Member

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    This is my Recon in use. We have a weekly catfish league at work and I was growing tired of having bulging pockets while being soaked in sweat. Enter the Recon. I keep it loaded pretty light. Leatherman, Izula, phone, keys, wallet, handgulnof pre tied rigs, bug dope wipes, flashlight and bandana. Not sure that the Hill brothers had this use in mind but it excels.

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  5. R Stowe

    R Stowe Moderator Staff Member

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    @koolaidnd I just want to say a weekly catfish league at work is one of the coolest things I've heard...
     
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  6. koolaidnd

    koolaidnd Member

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    The 12 week season starts in a few weeks. Can’t wait.

    I should clarify. We fish after work. Lol. Fishing at work would be better but oh well.
     
  7. Jim McLeod

    Jim McLeod Member

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    Reno

    Thanks for the short video since many still pictures don’t really show how thin the pack actually is....
     
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  8. shaneadams90

    shaneadams90 ESEE Knives Marketing Director Staff Member

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    Trying to post some I haven't posted in the other thread....
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    one of my buddies at Whistler putting his kitbag to use in a different way...


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  9. STPNWLF

    STPNWLF Member

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  10. Hammer

    Hammer Member

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    Nice. I use my Kit Bag quite a bit for skiing. Super handy.

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  11. Blake G

    Blake G Member

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    Coors Light is like sex in a canoe - both are F'in near water...
     
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  12. Bruno_GO

    Bruno_GO Member

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    Very nice. Thinking on include HPG on my new project (PB or RB, GPMD, BP and KBV2).
     
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  13. shaneadams90

    shaneadams90 ESEE Knives Marketing Director Staff Member

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    Packing my Heavy Recon Kit Bag for Idaho and Bear Country with the essentials....taking my Umlindi as well...

    Will have more pics soon as I'm sure there will be a few others in that class too!

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  14. Reno Lewis

    Reno Lewis Knot-A-Challenge Champion

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  15. shaneadams90

    shaneadams90 ESEE Knives Marketing Director Staff Member

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    Hill People Gear was well represented at our recent Wilderness First Responder Class......

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  16. STPNWLF

    STPNWLF Member

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  17. shaneadams90

    shaneadams90 ESEE Knives Marketing Director Staff Member

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    lol.......you wouldn't believe me if I told you........ @Jeff Randall
     
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  18. STPNWLF

    STPNWLF Member

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    Considering this forum I probably would:p
     
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  19. Hammer

    Hammer Member

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    That Recon Harness looks awesome. It would be great for mtn biking - slim and trim when that's all you need, but able to expand a fair bit for longer rides too. Hmmm.....
     
  20. Hammer

    Hammer Member

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    Umlindi all kitted up:

    M2016 butt pack doing double-duty as a pack lid
    PALSpocket
    Recon belt w/bottle holster & med. pocket

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