A good addition to all of these lists proposed is an actual WEIGHT of the included equipment. Those of us on the seasoned side may need to be cautious of what we can realistically carry based on our weather conditions.
Yeah I should start doing that. Problem is I don't weigh my gear but have a general idea what the entire load weighs. Generally my chest rigs will be 10-15 lbs and a day pack of about 15-20 lbs. A larger pack loaded for 3 days can be about 35 lbs. Take the 3 day load plus the chest rig plus rifle and we are at approximately 55-60 lbs total. I could definitely shave 10-12 lbs from that if I needed to but those weights are doable for me.
Now that you’ve used that chest rig how do you feel about it? I’m waffling between that same rough set up or a mini rig. Something that lets me carry the bare minimum of extra rifle mags and maybe a little extra. PS I was the guy asking on YouTube about the pouch specifics in your comments :)
This over a Micro Rig any day of the week for patrolling based activities. I think it gives you the versatility of a larger chest rig with the comfort of LBE.
Micro Rigs certainly have their place but I don't think patrolling is one of them.
Good breakdown of your gear. +1 on having a spare set of gloves. I spent some time outdoors in the snow and just cleaning off my truck the fingers of my Mechanix gloves got wet. Not an issue today since I was in the driveway but it got me to thinking about trying some waterproofing spray and see how it goes. I do carry wool glove inserts and I also have at least one pair of less expensive work gloves in the truck or in my coat pocket.
Yeah stationary in a cold weather OP means taking extra precautions and packing extra gear. Some things to consider is an oversized puff jacket to put on overtop of you and your kit or something like a Helikon-Tex Swagman Roll or HPG Serape. Basically heavy duty poncho liners with a hood. Easy to put on overtop of you and your kit. Another thing is a foam pad for sitting or laying on. Large overmitts for your hands. Also consider those chemical hand warmers to put in your pockets. These will all help with staying warmer stationary positions.
Yeah walking on frozen ground is noisy and worse so with crampons or ice cleats. Best method is to stay off the trails. It means having to break trail so travel will certainly take longer and be more exhausting. But in some situations will be quieter. But straying from the icy trails may mean needing snowshoes or skis to travel with.
For winter CC, I see alot of folks go to a shoulder rig (Miami Vice style) so you only have to unzip the upper portion of your winter coat. And as you mentioned, pocket carry has gained some popularity but then that means having to buy a more appropriate sized pistol to do so. For winter hiking/backpacking/camping I will many times carry in a chest bag similar to a HPG kit bag.
Just throwing a couple ideas out there: several companies offer a pocket holster. I haven't personally tried one and I would definitely do research and check the reviews. There are also pouches for a belt or chest rig that you can secure a weapon in. Another alternative is a fanny pack or a handwarmer muff similar to the ones football players wear. A quick internet search shows several types.
A good addition to all of these lists proposed is an actual WEIGHT of the included equipment. Those of us on the seasoned side may need to be cautious of what we can realistically carry based on our weather conditions.
Yeah I should start doing that. Problem is I don't weigh my gear but have a general idea what the entire load weighs. Generally my chest rigs will be 10-15 lbs and a day pack of about 15-20 lbs. A larger pack loaded for 3 days can be about 35 lbs. Take the 3 day load plus the chest rig plus rifle and we are at approximately 55-60 lbs total. I could definitely shave 10-12 lbs from that if I needed to but those weights are doable for me.
Now that you’ve used that chest rig how do you feel about it? I’m waffling between that same rough set up or a mini rig. Something that lets me carry the bare minimum of extra rifle mags and maybe a little extra. PS I was the guy asking on YouTube about the pouch specifics in your comments :)
This over a Micro Rig any day of the week for patrolling based activities. I think it gives you the versatility of a larger chest rig with the comfort of LBE.
Micro Rigs certainly have their place but I don't think patrolling is one of them.
This sounds like the right fit, thanks Jay!
Good breakdown of your gear. +1 on having a spare set of gloves. I spent some time outdoors in the snow and just cleaning off my truck the fingers of my Mechanix gloves got wet. Not an issue today since I was in the driveway but it got me to thinking about trying some waterproofing spray and see how it goes. I do carry wool glove inserts and I also have at least one pair of less expensive work gloves in the truck or in my coat pocket.
Thanks for taking the time to comment!
Yeah stationary in a cold weather OP means taking extra precautions and packing extra gear. Some things to consider is an oversized puff jacket to put on overtop of you and your kit or something like a Helikon-Tex Swagman Roll or HPG Serape. Basically heavy duty poncho liners with a hood. Easy to put on overtop of you and your kit. Another thing is a foam pad for sitting or laying on. Large overmitts for your hands. Also consider those chemical hand warmers to put in your pockets. These will all help with staying warmer stationary positions.
Yeah walking on frozen ground is noisy and worse so with crampons or ice cleats. Best method is to stay off the trails. It means having to break trail so travel will certainly take longer and be more exhausting. But in some situations will be quieter. But straying from the icy trails may mean needing snowshoes or skis to travel with.
For winter CC, I see alot of folks go to a shoulder rig (Miami Vice style) so you only have to unzip the upper portion of your winter coat. And as you mentioned, pocket carry has gained some popularity but then that means having to buy a more appropriate sized pistol to do so. For winter hiking/backpacking/camping I will many times carry in a chest bag similar to a HPG kit bag.
Thanks, I always appreciate the feedback!
Just throwing a couple ideas out there: several companies offer a pocket holster. I haven't personally tried one and I would definitely do research and check the reviews. There are also pouches for a belt or chest rig that you can secure a weapon in. Another alternative is a fanny pack or a handwarmer muff similar to the ones football players wear. A quick internet search shows several types.