I have been through the very informative and completely awesome "What's in your recon pack" thread, and didn't want to hijack it, so here is a new one (that has probably been posted before, so apologies).

I have adjusted my gear at work to include a simple, slick, 3L hydration pack, moving all of my other critical gear not on my duty belt to a simple and lightweight chest rig.  This has afforded me considerably more agility and mobility, and better balance.

Curious if anyone here is using a similar setup -- minimal or no pack + chest rig -- for hunting.  Coyotes and rabbits for now mostly, but I will be going on my first deer (and probably elk) hunt next year.  

At least for prowling around the desert, climbing hills, and calling in dogs, I seem to be able to carry most of what I need for a half-day hunt with some simple pouches on a chest rig, and a few more on my belt.  This leaves my back and shoulders considerably less fatigued than when hiking with a full-on pack.  Not that there's anything wrong with that, I'm just talking about short-duration trips.  And I like it because I can access everything I need from a seated or standing position, without having to remove a backpack.

Anyone care to share similar setups?

Thanks.

For a Do-All-Chest-Pack that does not look to military, I bought a RIBZ Wear pack a few years ago, and itworks pretty well.
Not to big, not too noisy, and has several pockets that are sized right.

I can get my G23 in the front left pocket, but not my G40.
The other nice thing is if you have priority gear you need access too immediately, this pack works well, and the not so used gear can go in a backpack for longer trips.

(Oh, the usual disclaimer stands, I have no pecuniary interest in the company other then owing two of their products)

I use a Chest rig for pistol, -rifle & pistol mags, flashlight. Low profile fits under my jacket. Allows my pack not to bump or ride on my holster.
You can glimpse it here.

Look up Hill People Gear.

I'm a big fan of wearing a chest rig or comfortable belt kit set-up.

For starters, I like to have quick access to my binos, without them dangling around my neck old-school style.

I also like to have access to LRF, wind meter, energy bars, hydration, ballistics cards, a place to put gloves, my veil, my pistol, and a radio.

Using a pack for those goes against everything I've experienced over the years spending weeks-on-end outdoors well off any natural lines of drift.

The main thing I use my 3-day pack for is my tripod, Gore-tex, and my poncho liner.

Not my pic but I like the HPG Recon.

I'm working on something more minimalist actually.

I'll post pics when I have something sewn up.

Looking forward to this

I'm working on putting together a hunting rig for my boys, so not only does it have to be pretty small, but really tuned to hunting which means (to me) less ammo and more of the stuff you always wish you had with you.  Water, fire stuff, water, med kit (not a blowout, more of a boo-boo kit for blisters, slivers and the like), binos, etc.

LRF, binos, GPS, plus small items (diaphragm calls, etc...) in the zippered pocket.

Your own design or something off the shelf?

Nice bull!

It's mine. I intended to have them ready for market by now but have been too dang busy with other projects this year.

I don't really see the point as I still need to hydrate and the easiest way to do that is with a pack.

I realize this a few months old but hunting season is coming up and I'm looking for some options.

I use the ODG systems bind pouch currently but it really is too big for my bino's and load out.  

What I like to carry up front is obviously my bino's (leopold) rangefinder and GPS.  Everything else is going in my LBE "style" harness.  I'm not talking about a kitchen sink load out, just stuff that I need while walking around tracking.  I'll typically ATV into an area, then ditch that and go on foot for the day.

Interested in what you're working on as I think we are on the same sheet as far as loads go....

bump

I made a little integrated hydration micro rig for SCW.  He wanted something that wasn't really elaborate or heavy, saw how I do my hydration in my personal vests, and wanted that.  The harness looks heavy, but it's very lightweight using 500D Cordura and spacer mesh on the back.  It's routed for wiring and hydration hose with absolute minimal chance of snag issues associated with hoses and wires.

The hydration pouch is insulated so there are 3 layers that include either spacer mesh or Cordura, padding, thermal blanket, and 400D pack cloth inside.  It's assembled wrong side out on a heavy duty machine, then bound with tape in a binder attachment and double-stitched like all my binding is.  Stress points are bar-tacked.

Not only does the hydration pouch serve as a place for your bladder, it also has an emergency meal pouch inside a high-vis Aviator's Orange panel pocket, which is what I've done on my personal kit.  I keep a small survival meal with bonus energy bar inside an MRE bag taped-up in the pocket so I always have a meal option if something goes really wrong.  You can throw in an MRE heater in the MRE bag as well for another added bonus in a survival scenario, without adding any real weight.  I put the Knorr brand dinner meals in mine for wet areas.

The whole system is modular so you can unclip the harness from the chest and Camelbak pouch from the harness and rig for ease of filling or transformation of the rig into different configurations if you want.  There is a large pile tape patch for custom inserts inside the chest panel, which opens with quiet snap fasteners that are dull textured to reduce reflectivity.  This was fun to make for me.  I used different sewing machines, starting with a lighter duty straight stitch for the initial flat work on thin pieces.  Bound and final assembly on a Juki-1541S.

Side closure between the panel and hydration is 1" MC webbing in a closed system using Tri-glides and ITW Nexus Side release buckles.  I don't like excess webbing flopping all over, so I try to use closed loop systems when I can.  For the vertical webbing, a closed system would have been too long on this, so I used Coyote 1" elastic webbing retainers on the excess, which was doubled over to eliminate any raw edges.







You can also use it to hold a SAPI plate in the front:

That is one of the more impressive things I've seen on this site.

What do custom rigs such as this cost, generally speaking?

He added the pouches I made for him a while back.  The hardest thing with these is designing it all out, then making the templates.

I wanted the Camelbak pouch to be different than any other that I've seen, rather than just copy someone else's design and try to duplicate it.

I've had plans for integrally-insulated hydration pouches for a while, finally was able to design and fabricate this one.

It feels rigid to the touch since it is padded, with 3 layers.

I use a Hill People Gear Recon for binos and small items that I need to get to easily, plus my regular pack with other gear that doesn't need accessed unless I have something down or for an extended break.

Spiritus Systems. You can use A mags in the 308 pouches, and there's plenty of room for your range finder, kestrel, dope cards, etc

Is that bottom, zippered pouch attached to the chest rig?  Also, isn't that much velcro loud?

Yes, on both accounts. Velcro has no place as a closure system on a hunting rig.

Exactly

HPG Recon Kit Bag. I don't hunt with this all the time, usually just in support of my precision rifle. A couple things change if I carry a fanny pack or a backpack as well, but this is pretty much it.

Rangefinder pouch is ziptied on when I'm done with archery until I get a Molle pouch. TAD admin pouch and a bleeder kit 550 corded to the bottom.


Contents of external pouches


In the Kit Bag admin pouch I have batteries, a light, ammo card, VS-17, compass and a flare.


In the main compartment of the KB I carry my otterbox survival kit. This goes in my pack otherwise and is switched out with a handgun.


(I don't know how to post pics on this new version)

I like my Mayflower UW Gen 4. All the pouches are sewn in so you can't move them, but they're in all the right places and there's plenty of room for hunting equipment.

Here's what I ended up delivering for a custom request.  It's basically a micro hybrid with dedicated central 2 x 7.62 NATO mag pouches that will accommodate either 10rd or 20rd SR25 mags, with an admin fold-out panel over it.  It has 2 wide MOLLE on each side of the central pouch/panel.

The main panel body is 2 layers of gear mesh per request, so you can place maps or cards inside of it behind the pouches.

LRF pouch will hold SiG Kilo, Leica 2000, or similarly-sized LRFs.  It includes a 550 tie-down loop that is bartacked with a buttonhole through the top flap for the user's compass to secure on top of the pouch for ease of viewing.  The top flap is also covered in MC pile tape so the compass can be Velcro'd to it.

I included a 10 x 6.5 Creedmoor/short action .473" cartridge card that attaches to the pile tape inside the Admin pouch, as well as elastic retainer card for his mini IR strobe.  The Admin pouch is lined on 3 sides with pile tape.

On the sides of the Admin pouch, there are 4 different elastic retainer slots for pens.

Underneath the Admin pouch, there is a CAT-T pouch with quick access and internal elastic compression between the outer layer of 500D Cordura, and the inner layer of 400D pack cloth, with elastic loop and double snap closure.

The Gerber folding saw pouch is lined and padded like the other pouches, and will also accommodate an 8" suppressor or tourniquet.

The Kestrel pouch is also padded and lined on all sides, with internal 550 tie-down like the LRF pouch.

The LRF, SAW, and Kestrel pouches are all MOLLE attached to the sides of the rig.

The folding saw pouch also has an elastic loop bar in the top MOLLE slot so it can sit more high, and wraps around the female end of the ITW Nexus clip for the harness, making the pouch securely mounted to the rig without dangling below the bottom line of the main panel body.

Elastic retention and tabs for the mag pouches have 2 primary attachment points for 10rd or 20rd, with back-up 3/4" webbing loops on front and back for traditional shock cord retention if wanted.

The harness has spacer mesh against the wearer, channels for hydration and wiring, and directional routing for the hydration tube to center.

The hydration bladder has the internal emergency meal pouch, padding and lining and this one is covered with MOLLE webbing per user request.

Does anyone know of a molle pouch which I could fit the plastic inserts from a box of 308 (loaded with rounds)? So basically a horizontal pouch the size of a 20 round box of .308.

Thanks.

@Pav56C
If you don't mind losing the plastic inserts this might work for you...it is from Triad tactical....they make it for both short and long rounds...

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That's what I'm currently looking at. I would rather something that takes up less space, and doesn't fold like that.

Easy enough to make.

Not for me.
I did manage to find a pouch by 5.11 which uses velcro inside so you can swap out elastic for either shotshells or cartridges.

Looks like itll be what Im looking for. Time will tell.

Unfortunately my rig is Coyote and I could only find it in a ranger green like color, but function over form.

Hands down a job for Hill People Gear.  I use their minimalist/runner bag and it has plenty of room for my range finder, calls, InReach, and other small necessities.  Protects things from the elements, keeps things quiet, easy to reach.