Bino harness

Has anyone used Alaskan Guide Creations Classic Maxx or Reese Outdoors Surge Predator Pack? If so what do you like or dislike. The Reese is more designed for the predator hunter. I like the fact you can have your hand calls ready for use. But I'm not sure of the magnet to keep the main compartment closed. The packs seem to be pretty similar in design. I'm looking to carry less gear and get my small pack off my back. Tried a waist pack did'nt like it either. Any opinions will be appreciated. Thanks
 
I use an ACG for big game hunting and love, love, LOVE it!
The owner was a little difficult to get ahold of but once I did, he was awesome to work with. I wasn't sure which one or pattern I wanted so he sent me 3 different packs. He said try em out, keep the one you want and mail the rest back with a check for the one I kept. Don't get much better than that.
Also said he could get pretty good prices on some Austrian optics if I was in the market.
 
Originally Posted By: crapshootI use an ACG for big game hunting and love, love, LOVE it!
The owner was a little difficult to get ahold of but once I did, he was awesome to work with. I wasn't sure which one or pattern I wanted so he sent me 3 different packs. He said try em out, keep the one you want and mail the rest back with a check for the one I kept. Don't get much better than that.
Also said he could get pretty good prices on some Austrian optics if I was in the market.

That's exactly what Jaret did for me a few years ago when I asked this same question on this site. I ended up getting the Kodiak Cub and have never regretted it. I carry it on every hunting trip, and usually on other hikes or backpacking trips with Scouts. It's a great investment in hunting gear. Now that I have used one for a few years, I can't imagine getting along without it.

You can see mine in action in many of my posts here, including this bobcat hunt.

ACG was also discussed in this post.
 
I've been all over the internet looking at ACG, Reese Predator Pack, and Nightgoggles chestrig. Alot on ACG. Nothing on the Reese except for their Facebook page and their website, aleast that I could find. Nightgoggles chestrig looks interesting. I liked the D3CR better than the X model. But I didn't care for the H or X harness and the velcro (noise) on the side pouches of the D3CR. Having most of your gear at the ready was very nice though. The Haley chestrig with the ACG harness would probably be perfect if you could have it sitting a little higher on your chest. Price wise the AGC and the Reese were close to each other. The Haley a bit more. Quality, all 3 look very well made. I'm not in a hurry to buy. I just want to make sure I buy once. They each have things I really liked. I'll just keep looking at these 3. Thanks for the feedback.
 
I see what you mean about riding low. My AGC would drift lower as hours and miles passed, so I had my wife put her fancy sewing machine to work and stitch the shoulder straps at their highest/shortest setting. No more issues.

Here's a picture of my rig with everything tucked up:
SnuggleBuddyClosed-M.jpg


And laid out:
SnuggleBuddyOpen-M.jpg


Kahles 10x42 bino in the main pocket, Canon P&S camera in the front, spare calls and batteries in one side pouch, wind checker in the other, plus a Vortex rangefiner and Garmin Oregon GPS, both secured by FHF coiled lanyards and protected in FHF pouches.

It's about perfect, though I would like to also be able to carry my phone. For that reason, I am considering the Kodiak CUB with MAX pocket. Problem though, the American-made AGC chest rig is so sturdy that even after more than three years of pretty heavy use it looks and performs like new! Hard to justify a replacement.
 
Your AGC is 3 years old. Did you have the auto-locking buckles or their old style. If you do have the old buckles could that be the reason it was sliding around. Those side pouches you have, I don't see them on AGC website. The only pouch I see is the In-line Accessory Adapter. Thats a lot of gear you have in the Kodiak Cub. If I do decide on the AGC I'm leaning towards the Classic with Max pocket. One thing I'm a little worried about is these harnesses, I'm 6'6 250 lbs. Will I have hard time getting it on when its really cold out and I have my really cold weather cloths on. That will probably be a question I'll have to ask the manufactures.
 
Originally Posted By: marine guyYour AGC is 3 years old. Did you have the auto-locking buckles or their old style. If you do have the old buckles could that be the reason it was sliding around.
No, these are the old styles, so yes, that's probably why it slipped down. I wasn't aware of the locking buckles when we "fixed" it semi-permanently.


Originally Posted By: marine guyThose side pouches you have, I don't see them on AGC website. The only pouch I see is the In-line Accessory Adapter.
Those aren't AGC pouches, they're made by FHF Gear: rangefinder pouch and GPS pouch with their equipment lanyards.

Originally Posted By: marine guyThats a lot of gear you have in the Kodiak Cub. If I do decide on the AGC I'm leaning towards the Classic with Max pocket. One thing I'm a little worried about is these harnesses, I'm 6'6 250 lbs. Will I have hard time getting it on when its really cold out and I have my really cold weather cloths on. That will probably be a question I'll have to ask the manufactures.
No, I think you'll be fine. The straps are very long. I'm 5'10 about 180 and I have at least a foot of extra strap on the two sides.
 
Originally Posted By: crapshootI slip my phone in the mesh pocket on the back with my license and tags.

I find that very uncomfortable.
 
Thank you DesertRam, your making my decision much easier for me. I don't see how I could go wrong with AGC. I also saw a guy on youtube that was using retractable key chains to hold a couple hand calls attached to his AGC.
 
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