Hill People Gear, Catalog & Digest

Catalog & Digest

Our Logo Evan picked up this bleached skull in the Washakie Wilderness before the fire season of 1994. As is so often the case in extremis, things came into focus for Evan over the course of that summer and come winter time he painted the skull to reflect his understandings.

A handful of things have been added over the years for the same reason. When it came time for Evan to embellish his outdoor designs with a maker’s mark, it was only natural to adapt this longstanding personal symbol to the purpose.

Contents Catalog & Digest 03 Origins 05 Retail Store 07 Design Principles 09 Pack Fitment 13 Kit Bags 27 Packs 47 Pack Components 59 Pack Pockets 65 Pouches 73 Supplies 77 Garments 83 Mobility 89 Suppliers 91 Education We hope you enjoy this journey through the world of Hill People Gear. Yes, it’s a product catalog – but it includes a whole lot of background and educational information we think you’re going to appreciate as well.

Prices accurate as of the date of publication – actual prices at the time of purchase may vary from what is represented in the catalog.

Origins How Hill People Gear Got Its Start

A

fter being born in Grand Junction, Evan and Scot grew up all over the west including Colorado, Alaska, Washington, New Mexico, and Texas. Their parents always lived on the edge of town and all of their free time was spent in the backcountry with their dad who was a professional hunting guide during his time in Alaska. Evan started sewing outdoor gear for himself shortly after he joined the Boy Scouts. At about the same time, he submitted a GI Joe design to Hasbro that was responded to with a letter from a lawyer about how they didn’t accept designs because they probably already have the design in the works. Hasbro subsequently produced Evan’s design with very minor changes. As the younger brother, Scot was a couple of years behind Evan in Scouts and they both ended up earning the rank of Eagle. Their early outdoor adventures in the Boy Scouts were mostly in the rugged desert escarpments and mountains of West Texas along with backcountry trips for each to New Mexico.

By high school, Evan and Scot were back in their home state of Colorado where they became avid rock climbers.

Backpacking, hiking, and motorcycle camping were frequent activities. Evan got into mountaineering including ice climbing and a handful of 14er ascents. During college, both Evan and Scot worked summers for the US Forest Service -- Scot as a wilderness ranger and trail crew member in Colorado and New

Mexico, Evan on the Wyoming Hotshots fire crew. They got to and from their duty stations on their motorcycles and took several long distance tours including their first 1000 mile day.

Living close to the elements for months at a time with little more than their equipment to sustain them gave the brothers a strong appreciation for gear that was simple, practical, multifunctional, and built to last. Evan and Scot both majored in Anthropology in college. This gave them a more nuanced appreciation of how humans have used their gear to interact with their environment since the very first “rabbit stick” was picked up by a frustrated rabbit chaser. Efficient gear has always mattered.

After college, Evan followed his future wife to the West Coast and the brothers both ended up working the fleshpots of Seattle. Scot entered the field of environmental consulting.

Evan became a web developer at a time when that made you a graphic designer, database developer, programmer, and network operations manager. This period of work life added a whole layer of rigor and specificity to Evan’s lifelong flair for “making things”. It also gave him a strong working knowledge of starting and growing companies. When Evan’s oldest daughter was about to enter kindergarten, he realized he didn’t want his kids growing up in the midst of such an ungrounded materialistic culture so he and his wife moved

Our Story their family to her summer childhood home of Bend Oregon.

Being a bachelor, Scot had already made the decision to flee and he made it to Bend before Evan did. Now that they had escaped metropolis, the brothers rather quickly returned to their “natural way”.

the valley. There’s something about a landscape that has you growing to match it. Now that the brothers were back in big country with big mountains, big deserts, big wildernesses, and big solitude their trips got bigger. Evan took to spending time alone with a backpack deep in his home wilderness through all

The brothers discovered that the extremely useful backcountry gear of the 80s and 90s had been replaced by a whole slew of items driven more by fashion than function. Some things had gotten lighter and better but backpacks in particular had gotten much worse. Evan started sewing again to address the shortcomings of available gear, and to fabricate gear that was not available. During one lull in his day job, Evan turned to a couple of really big projects to keep his morale up – one being the now famous Kit Bag. When he posted pictures on an online forum, quite a few folks said they wanted one. Light bulb moment – Evan knew everything about starting an online business and could do just about all of it himself. Put that together with his design skills, and there might really be a business there! During this period Evan was approached by an established company to eventually become its front man and lead designer. He initially jumped in with both feet but frustration after frustration on the design side finally gave him the impetus he needed to stop making other people money and go into business for himself. It was a natural thing to have the dependable and level headed Scot join him as a business partner. In 2010, Hill People Gear shipped its first batch of products to a small group of customers – some of whom are still using one of those original Kit Bags to this day!

Not too long after HPG was launched, Evan’s wife consented to let Evan move the family back to the Rockies. As motorcycle wanderers and Forest Service workers, the brothers knew the highways and byways of the American West rather well. Many potential cities and towns were discussed from Montana all the way down to New Mexico. For a whole host of reasons, Grand Junction was the place that had the most appeal. Or maybe it was just the “dirt curse” that keeps those born in the Grand Valley always returning to

four seasons, often off-trail. Gear was developed to meet their needs, with Evan designing and Scot playing the role of tester, devil’s advocate, and “why can’t you make it do this?”.

Today, Hill People Gear has 3 full time employees including Evan and another 3 part time employees including Scot who acts as CFO. It operates out of its storefront on historic Main Street in downtown Grand Junction.

Retail

Retail Store O

n November 18 of 2018 we opened our first retail store on the historic Main Street of Grand Junction, Colorado, The business grew outside of the confines of Evan’s basement and we realized that having a retail space would give customers that hands on feel that is missing from online shopping.

This has become our World Headquarters as well as where we ship all of our online orders from. We carry our full line of products along with products from companies like SOLKOA, ESEE Knives, Petzl, Hydrapak, and North American Rescue.

We also stock some special edition items not available online.

If you’re on the Western Slope of Colorado, or just passing through town, please come visit us at: 525 Main St, Grand Junction CO, 81501.

Design Principles Load Carriage, Flexibility, Longevity

O

ur products don’t happen by accident, and they’re not born in a design studio. They’re built on years of backcountry, engineering, and quality assurance experience.

Inspiration usually comes on the trail and multiple iterations are mentally tested and discarded to the beat of hiking boots before pattern making even starts. Designing things conceptually is par for the course in the software industry where Evan started his career. So is refining a “design pattern” or “design principles” to ensure a consistent and functional product.

Specifications like empty pack weight, number of pockets, and weight capacity are nearly irrelevant when it comes to whether or not a piece of equipment will perform for you in the backcountry. The real metric is efficiency -- greatest functional return on least amount of effort. You don’t often hear about efficiency when it comes to outdoor gear design because it can’t be conceived in a studio and it doesn’t go into a retailers comparison chart. But efficiency is at the heart of what we do -- at Hill People Gear, we build tools to solve or avoid problems that we’ve run into over years of backcountry travel, both for work and adventure.

Design LOAD CARRIAGE Load carriage is a pretty straightforward discipline if you’re paying attention -- basic Newtonian physics, vertebrate anatomy, and the dynamics of bipedal locomotion. All items in the toolbox of a guy with a degree in anthropology. Here are the key points we adhere to:

unnecessary weight. You’ll find that our packs are uncommonly efficient with very low empty pack weights relative to the chassis capability. Here are the principles we use to meet that goal: •

• • • •

• •

Place load center of gravity (COG) close to body COG for stability and efficient skeletal loading Use an effective compression system to keep the load tight and unitized Use adjustable frame and suspension elements to direct the load COG into the skeletal system of the specific individual bearing the load Use wide and contoured suspension elements to minimize impact on soft tissues Arrange suspension elements to avoid putting pressure on nerve bundles

•

• • • •

Made in the US at a very high quality factory that is the culmination of decades of textile manufacturing experience Materials include 500d and 1000d (very little) Cordura, hypalon, mil-spec webbing, and ITW buckles YKK zippers backed up with straps to ease zipper strain and ensure load integrity in the case of zipper failure (frustratingly common with all but #10 zippers which we make extensive use of) Tabs and straps sewn inseam, edge bound, and bartacked for strength Minimal use of zippers Suspension and compression components removable / replaceable Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects.

Product Videos:

FLEXIBILITY Human beings have been evolutionarily successful for one simple reason -- adaptability (thanks to our brain). We believe in outdoor gear that is similarly adaptable. “One pack to rule them all” is a holy grail probably forever out of reach -- but “one pack to handle 80% of what you need to accomplish” is very achievable. Here are the principles we use to maintain flexibility in our lineup: •

• • • • •

Pack sizes from 450ci to 6000ci comprise a modular system allowing small packs to be used as pockets on large packs.

Reinforce pack chassis beyond the size of the packbag to allow for burst capacity Compression systems to allow for overflow All tabs and straps placed on PALS spacing for compatibility with multiple systems Epicurean use of PALS and Velcro fields to allow the end user to organize as they see fit Very little organization built into the pack itself to allow for flexibility in us

LONGEVITY Our goal is to build packs with enough durability to get you reliably through any backcountry misadventure without any

We have a collection of product videos on the Hill People Gear YouTube channel. These videos cover design features and best use of our products. To view these videos head over to youtube.com/hillpeoplegear

Pack Fitment

Shoulder Harness / Torso height

E

very Hill People Gear pack uses the same shoulder harness, and needs to be adjusted so the harness rides in the correct position front to back. The HPG shoulder harness is designed to drape the shoulders and spread the load across a wide surface area without impinging on the trapezius or brachial plexus.

To set the harness, you need to lengthen or shorten the torso height so that the bottom of the pack settles into the lumbar curve and the rear center of the shoulder harness settles in 1-2” below the cervical portion of the spine as depicted in the image above. This fitment is the same regardless of how tall the pack is or whether it has load lifters. The packs with load lifter will all stick up above the harness on an average height person. The critical dimension is between the bottom of the pack and the rear center of the shoulder harness.

If you’re using a pack belt, the shoulder harness should be lightly resting on your shoulders. It’s more for stabilizing the pack than bearing any weight. If you can’t easily get a couple fingers under the harness on your belted pack you need to lengthen either the torso length, harness front straps, or both.

On the front of the harness, you do not want to over-tighten the bottom straps. The harness is meant to drape in such a way that the pack settles into your lumbar. The point of a sternum strap is to take the pressure off of your brachial plexus. As such, the sternum strap should be level with your brachial plexus which is about 2” below your collar bones. Tension the sternum strap just enough to take the pressure off.

Pack Fitment

Waist Belt Placement

Note that the Prairie Belt is designed with two sets of removable pads. This is because everyone’s body is different. For heavy loads, most people will prefer both pads. However, some people will find the belt more comfortable with just the thick cushy pads or just the thin high density pads.

A proper load bearing waist belt locks the load into your lumbar area and also settles the load around the top of your pelvis. The ultimate goal is to load your long bones (femur on down) instead of your spine. Just like the HPG shoulder harness, the HPG waist belts (Prairie and Recon) are designed to drape the skeleton and distribute load over a wide surface area. In general, the correct height for the waist belt is half above the iliac crest, half below the iliac crest. Once positioned, cinch down as tightly as possible so the load settles evenly around the circumference of your pelvis.

Start the process without anything attached to your belt. Once everything is set up and adjusted properly, add accessories carefully and pay attention to whether they are causing discomfort.

There are LOTS of variables involved with different MOLLE pouches and different people’s bodies. What is comfortable will also vary from pack to pack and Prairie to Recon Belt.

(waist belt is half above/half below the middle of the pelvis)

Stay Adjustment The purpose of the frame elements (stays, frame sheet, closed cell foam) is to direct the pack’s center of gravity into the lumbar area. Even without a belt, a properly bent stay will direct some of the load into the lumbar area. With a belt, that same stay will also load the pelvis in addition to the lumbar area.

The stock bend on Hill People Gear stays is meant to work OK for most folks. However, just about everyone will benefit from fitting their stays to their own unique spinal profile. If you purchase from us in our store in downtown Grand Junction, we’ll fit it for you. If you’ve purchased online, you’ll need to do it yourself. With the high quality 7000 series aluminum we use, you can do this yourself over your knee or a log along the trail. Once set, it won’t flatten out although it will have a springy quality which helps absorb impact.

Follow these steps to bend the stays to your back: 1. The frame elements (and also the bottom of the pack on the small frameless packs) start at the bottom of the lumbar curve 2. With a single stay out of the pack, set it against your back alongside your spine. Bend it to match your lumbar curve.

3. Towards the top of your lumbar curve (which will also be a little below your scapula) allow the stay to keep bending outwards away from your lumbar curve i. If you’re fitting an Umlindi or a Connor stay, that’s about where it ends.

4. For all of the taller stays, bend the top of the stay gently back towards your body once it is an inch or so behind your scapula.

You don’t want it right on your spine at this point, but you want it to mirror the spine somewhat.

5. For the larger 2-stay packs, bend the second stay to match the first stay.

Pack Fitment Removing Your Pack 1. If your pack has load lifters, reach up and loosen them.

2. If your pack has delta straps, reach back and loosen them.

3. If your pack has a waist belt, loosen it.

4. Unbuckle your sternum strap.

5. If you are using kit bag lifter straps, unclip them.

6. Unbuckle your belt.

7. DO NOT LOOSEN YOUR SHOULDER STRAPS once you’ve got them properly adjusted, leave them alone.

Kit Bag Adjustment All Kit Bags, including the Snubby Kit bags, share the same mesh harness and will be adjusted the same way. The Kit Bag harness comes with four straps, two on top and two on the sides. The two top straps will adjust how high or low you want the Kit Bag to ride. Once you find the preferred ride height, you will not have to adjust these straps any further.

The Kit Bag has one side release buckle on the wearer’s right hand side. To get into the Kit Bag you will unclip this buckle and throw the kit bag over your head like a shirt. You will then clip the buckle.

Putting Your Pack On 1. If it is a heavy pack, lift it in front of you and set it on your knee 2. Slip into the shoulder harness 3. If it is a belted pack: i. Buckle the belt. ii. Lean forward at the waist to move the belt up your body. iii. While leaned forward, tighten your belt as much as possible. iv. Stand upright. The shoulder straps should only be lightly resting on your shoulders, not bearing any load.

4. Buckle the sternum strap and tighten a touch if need be.

5. If you are running Kit Bag Load Lifters, clip them in.

6. If it is a belted pack, tighten your delta straps. On an Umlindi, this is crucial. Doing so should remove almost all the load from your shoulders 7. If your pack has load lifters, snug the load lifters to lift your shoulder harness off your shoulders and turn the top of the pack into a little bit of an s-curved spring 8. Walk a ways and then snug everything up as necessary

Lift up on the bottom of the bag with one hand and tighten the side straps with the other. Lifting from the bottom of the bag will allow the harness to level out in the desired position and keep it from riding up onto your neck.

If you are using lifter straps, you would then use the grimlocs to clip into the straps. You can then pull on the straps to transfer the weight to the suspension system of the pack.

K

Kit Bags

it Bags are small chest bags that can be worn by themselves or underneath of any backpack. They all have a concealed rapid access pistol compartment, but are far more useful than mere pistol carriers.

The Kit Bags can be broken down into two categories: Full size and Snubby. The full size Kit Bags all share a the same foot print which is 11.5 inches x 7.5 inches. The Snubby footprint is 8.5 x 6 inches. Most people with an average build will find the full size footprint more comfortable due to the way it wraps the chest.

The Snubby footprint is not designed for smaller handguns as much as it’s meant for people who have a narrow chest. The full size footprint can easily accommodate a smaller handgun without it floating around. You will find that you do not have to dig around for the handgun, and it is just as easily indexed as a larger handgun would be.

The snubby footprint can fit up to a Glock 19 or similar size firearm, while the full size footprint can fit the smallest handgun up to a Glock 40 (long slide 10mm) or similar size handgun. If you are using a large revolver, you will want to consider using the Original Kit Bag or Heavy Recon Kit Bag to aid in concealing the cylinder.

The Kit Bag is designed so that you can take your pack off and still retain the Kit Bag on your chest. It is not intended to be attached directly to your pack’s shoulder harness. You can aid in comfort by using lifter straps with the Kit Bag, but you will still want to use the included harness of the Kit Bag to have a self supporting system.

Selecting a Kit Bag will depend on your chest measurement, the size of your handgun, intended use, amount of items you need to carry, and whether you need to add pouches to the platform.

FULL SIZE FOOTPRINT 11.5x7.5”

SNUBBY FOOTPRINT 8.5x6”

Kit Bag Comparison chart

Mesh H-Harness All kit bags, whether full-size or snubby, come with the same mesh H-harness. This low profile harness fits under any pack, will not build up heat, and is very durable. The harness is one size fits most and can fit a small child, up to a 50� chest, with elastic strap keepers to store the excess strap.. We do make an extended kit bag harness that is available upon request. The Kit Bag harness can also be removed and replaced with our Recon Harness as an option to carry a hydration bladder.

Not for individual sale

Kit Bags

Lifter Straps For docking the weight of your KB onto a host pack to create a counterbalanced load.

These straps come standard on the Original Kit Bag, Snubby Kit Bag Original Pattern, SAR Kit Bag, and Heavy Recon Kit Bag. On all of the other Kit Bags they are an optional accessory. They don’t replace the KB harness, but supplement it. You may want a pair to leave on every pack you carry your KB with. $7.50

Stabilizer Strap This is an adjustable length bungee cord assembly that attaches onto the two tabs at the bottom of any Kit Bag and goes around the wearer’s back to prevent the Kit Bag from bouncing while running. You won’t need it for hiking, you won’t need it for mountain biking, but you will appreciate it for running. It comes standard with the Runner’s and Snubby Kit Bags and is an optional accessory for the other Kit Bags. $7.50

Recon Harness This is a replacement back harness for those wanting to turn their Kit Bag into more of a stand-alone load carriage option.

It will go on any Kit Bag, and is *not* available as a substitution.

•

6/12 PALS fabric outer for mounting organizational pouches.

4 channels, 7 rows.

•

Mesh sleeve inner for a water bladder or light layer - bladder area dimensions 8”x15”.

Water bladder hang loop on inner top.

Tabs and bungee cord arrangement on outside.

• •

$35

V2 Original Kit Bag Our largest most capable general purpose Kit Bag. Kit Bags are our original and most popular item. Kit Bags were born out of the desire to discreetly carry a pistol in a way that doesn’t interfere with a full size backpack. Kit Bags are so handy for keeping small items close at hand on the trail (or in the ATV, or in the canoe, or on the stand, etc.) that many folks choose to use them even without a pistol.

The original Kit Bag is the bag that started it all. It provides a place to conceal carry a pistol with two additional pockets to store additional items you want at all times.

The original Kit Bag includes the following features: • • • • • •

• •

500d Cordura construction Quick access concealed pistol compartment.

Comfortable mesh backed H-harness allows you to wear the Kit Bag by itself or underneath of a pack.

Elastic keepers for the H-harness straps.

Velcro loop and dummy cord loop in pistol compartment allow for various retention options Tabs with grimlocs at the top for hanging on another pack, or for use with Lifter Straps (included) for docking to a host pack.

Front zippered access flat pocket with two interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them.

Large 1” deep main compartment with dual interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them. $125

Kit Bags

Runner’s Kit Bag A thin version of our regular footprint bag, optimized for a lower social profile in urban and front country environments.

The Runner’s Kit Bag was designed specifically for carrying a pistol while running in urban environments. It also works well in higher activity situations (running, mountain biking, rock climbing) where you would like to discreetly carry a pistol and very little else.

The Runner’s Kit Bag includes the following features: • • • • • •

• •

500d Cordura construction or a lightweight ripstop option.

Quick access concealed pistol compartment.

Comfortable mesh backed H-harness allows you to wear the Kit Bag by itself or underneath of a pack.

Elastic keepers for the H-harness straps.

Velcro loop and dummy cord loop in pistol compartment allow for various retention options.

Tabs with grimlocs at the top for hanging on another pack, or for use with Lifter Straps (optional) for docking to a host pack.

Tabs on the bottom for attaching to another pack, or for use with the Stabilizer Kit (included) for running with.

Front zippered access flat pocket with two interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them. $85

Recon Kit Bag A minimalist MOLLE chest rig with a single pistol / admin compartment.

The Recon Kit Bag takes the thin Runner’s profile and adds a PALS grid on the front. This gives you the option of running low profile or adding your own PALS compatible pouches on the front. It also makes for a great mini-chest rig with the addition of mag pouches.

• • • • • • • • •

500d Cordura construction.

8 channel / 3 row PALS grid.

Quick access concealed pistol compartment.

Comfortable mesh backed H-harness allows you to wear the Kit Bag by itself or underneath of a pack.

Velcro loop and dummy cord loop in pistol compartment allow for various retention options.

Tabs with grimlocs at the top for hanging on another pack, or for use with Lifter Straps (optional) for docking to a host pack.

Tabs on the bottom for attaching to another pack, or for use with the Stabilizer Kit (optional) for running with.

Front zippered access flat pocket with two interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them.

Can be combined with the Medium or Large Bino Pouch for quick access to binoculars. $95

Kit Bags

Heavy Recon Kit Bag All the tacti-cool features in a mid-volume Kit Bag that still retains a low profile.

When we were planning the Recon Kit Bag, we kicked around basing it on the original pattern instead of the Runner’s pattern.

We decided not to do that at the time because a full thickness original with even more stuff hanging off of the front was not a good idea. It’s still not a good idea, but we’ve continued to work on that concept off and on since then. We’ve also continued to test different variations of internal organization, partly due to requests from specialized units, partly for our own uses. When our manufacturing partner First Spear introduced their 6/12 fabric it really solved some weight, bulk, and heat problems as well. All of that fiddling around has resulted in the final iteration of what we refer to as the “Heavy Recon Kit Bag”.

• •

500d Cordura construction .5” thinner than the original KB to account for the addition of PALS accessories on the front • Rear of pistol compartment is fully lined with Velcro loop if you want to set it up for something other than pistol carriage • Rear of 1” deep main compartment (.5” thinner than original KB main compartment) is fully lined with First Spear’s 6/12 fabric with Velcro loop facing outwards.

• Front of main compartment has dual slot pockets with dummy cord loops.

• Front of bag has 4 row / 8 channel PALS grid implemented with First Spear’s 6/12. It can be used with First Spear’s proprietary 6/12 pouches or any PALS accessory.

• Bottom of bag has 5 row / 1 channel PALS grid. Good location for knife, suppressor, or tourniquet.

• Pistol compartment and main compartment both have buttonhole style drain holes at bottom. $115

Snubby Kit Bag A small footprint bag for folks who want to carry a subcompact pistol and little else.

The Snubby was designed for folks who don’t have enough chest width to comfortably carry one of the regular footprint Kit Bags (original, Runner’s, Recon). The largest pistol it is sized to take is a Glock 19 with Streamlight TLR-3 mounted on it. With that in, you can get a couple other small things in the bag. Smaller pistols like the M&P Shield will leave enough overall space for other things.

• • • • •

• • •

500d Cordura construction.

Quick access concealed pistol compartment.

Elastic keepers for the H-harness straps.

Velcro loop and dummy cord loop in pistol compartment allow for various retention options.

Tabs with grimlocs at the top for hanging on another pack, or for use with Lifter Straps (optional) for docking to a host pack.

Tabs on the bottom for attaching to another pack, or for use with the Stabilizer Kit (included) for running with.

Front zippered access flat pocket with two interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them.

We also have a Snubby Kit Bag - original pattern which adds back in the middle pocket of the original KB for more volume. $85

Kit Bags

Snubby Recon Kit Bag A minimalist MOLLE chest rig in the snubby footprint.

Many folks have been asking for this for years, a Recon Kit Bag in the Snubby size foot print. This gives you the ability to mount PALS compatible pouches on a smaller platform. This compact version loses the outside zippered pocket to take advantage of another row of PALS that would otherwise limit the type of attachments. The Snubby Recon Kit Bag also makes for a great low profile hunting chest rig when you attach a medium bino pouch to the outside.

The Snubby Recon has the following features: • • • • • •

•

500d Cordura construction.

Quick access concealed pistol compartment.

Comfortable mesh backed H-harness allows you to wear the Kit Bag by itself or underneath of a pack.

Elastic keepers for the H-harness straps.

Velcro loop and dummy cord loop in pistol compartment allow for various retention options.

Tabs with grimlocs at the top for hanging on another pack, or for use with Lifter Straps (optional) for docking to a host pack.

Tabs on the bottom for attaching to another pack, or for use with the Stabilizer Kit for running. $85

Kit Bags

Snubby Kit Bag Original Pattern V2 A larger volume Kit Bag option for folks with smaller frames.

The Snubby Kit Bag - Original Pattern takes the small Snubby footprint and adds back in the 1” deep middle pocket of our original pattern. It is the choice for folks who need the small footprint but want to carry more stuff. It will carry about the same amount of gear as one of the regular footprint thin bags (Runner’s and Recon).

• • • • •

• • •

500d Cordura construction.

Quick access concealed pistol compartment.

Comfortable mesh backed H-harness allows you to wear the Kit Bag by itself or underneath of a pack.

Velcro loop and dummy cord loop in pistol compartment allow for various retention options.

Tabs with grimlocs at the top for hanging on another pack, or for use with Lifter Straps (included) for docking to a host pack.

Tabs on the bottom for attaching to another pack, or for use with the Stabilizer Kit (optional) for running with.

Front zippered access flat pocket with two interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them.

Large 1” deep main compartment with dual interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them. $125

SAR Kit Bag A modified version of the V2 Original Kit Bag for Search & Rescue and First Responders.

With input from Jeff Randall of Randall’s Adventure & Training, we developed a Search & Rescue and First Responder version of the V2 Original Kit Bag. It is exactly the same as the V2 Original Kit Bag but with a strip of loop for name tapes, and diagonal PALS webbing to attach a radio.

The SAR Kit Bag includes the following features: • • • • • •

• •

500d Cordura construction.

Quick access concealed pistol compartment.

Comfortable mesh backed H-harness allows you to wear the Kit Bag by itself or underneath of a pack.

Elastic keepers for the H-harness straps.

Velcro loop and dummy cord loop in pistol compartment allow for various retention options.

Tabs with grimlocs at the top for hanging on another pack, or for use with Lifter Straps (included) for docking to a host pack.

Front zippered access flat pocket with two interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them.

Large 1” deep main compartment with dual interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them. $133

Kit Bags

Packs

Hill People Gear packs are among the most comfortable, dependable, and user configurable on the market. market.

HOW MUCH CAN IT CARRY?

VOLUME

Context for an often asked question regarding load carriage.

So we started using some voodoo math of our own to come up with “volumes” that allow you to compare apples to apples with other manufacturers. We still hear that our volume measurements are on the conservative side compared to other manufacturers but we’re OK with that. At least it’s in the same ballpark and you’re not going to have the experience of one of our packs being smaller than you thought based on our volume.

W

hen you’re looking at a pack, one of your very first questions is “how much can it carry?”. We want to give you as much information as possible to answer that question, so we give you three different sets of information for each pack dimensions, volume, and chassis capacity. Each one gives you a different look at what a pack can do. Read below for more detail on each one.

Everyone who has taken geometry knows that volume is length * width * height. Except no backpack manufacturer uses that metric. They use a combination of loading a bag with something like beans and voodoo math to arrive at their pack volumes which are expressed in either cubic inches or liters. We used to use simple “dimensional volume” like we learned in geometry for our volumes. Then we started hearing back from unhappy customers that our packs were *way* bigger than we said they were. This is because they had an idea in their head based on other manufacturers’ published volumes.

In addition to the volume measurement, we also give the dimensional measurements because it’s another way to understand just how big a pack is. You can always get out a measuring stick and plot out a rectangle using the dimensions.

Packs CHASSIS CAPACITY Volume is useful, but it doesn’t really tell you how load capable a pack is. All of our packs are engineered for load carriage and will safely and comfortably carry much more than their volume suggests. Chassis capacity is how much you can load onto a pack in a pinch and expect it to still be functional. It’s a representation of what is possible, not what you should be doing.

Our haulers (the Ute and qui-Ya and Decker frame) have a chassis capacity of 300lbs. We know this because we’ve done it.

However, there are very few people in this world who should be carrying much more than 80lbs in a pack, particularly over

broken and uneven terrain.

Our smallest pack (the Tarahumara) has a chassis capacity of 50lbs. Does this mean it makes a good overnight pack? Of course not. Other packs in our lineup are far better suited for that role. But, like most of our packs, the Tarahumara has a useful and robust compression system that will let you add a lot of volume to it if necessary.

So if you’re out on a hike and find a stash of Spanish gold bullion in some desert canyon, don’t hesitate to load that pack up with a few bars to take home. You know you’ll never find the stash again so count yourself as fortunate that your pack can carry a lot more weight than you would normally want it to.

Tarahumara A trim little pack with a surprising amount of capability that disappears on your back.

The Tarahumara pack is named after a tribe of natives in northern Mexico, famous for their running prowess. It is a simple stripped down pack designed to carry 2 quarts of water and just enough gear for a light day in the field. However, with its very capable shoulder harness and horizontal compression straps, you’ve got some overflow capacity if you need it.

The Tarahumara has the following features: • • • • • • • • •

•

• • • •

16L / 1000ci.

1.44 lbs.

Length 4in.

Width: 9in.

Height 17in.

Chassis Capacity: 50lbs.

500d Cordura construction.

Two generous wand pockets .

Hang tab for a water bladder on the inside. if you are using a water bladder, the hose routes out the top of the zipper underneath the zipper hood.

Quilted padding on the body side with an exposed flat slot pocket suitable for stashing a netbook, machete, or even a lever action rifle.

Comfortable contoured shoulder harness.

Can be used as a back pocket on our larger packs.

Parachute and cord lock lashing system on bottom.

Dual horizontal compression straps. $140

Packs

Junction A day pack just big enough to carry everything you SHOULD have on a backcountry day hike.

The Junction pack is named after our hometown and came about over the course of conversations with customers in our retail storefront. For most HPG employees, a belted Umlindi is *the* choice for a backcountry day pack because we’re beprepared kinds of guys who are often off trail. The reality that confronted us in the shop is that a lot of folks day hiking the local trails simply aren’t going to carry that much gear. On the other hand, the Tarahumara isn’t big enough to hold the 10 essentials PLUS the puffy coat that you ought to have in your pack 3-4 seasons out of the year in Colorado. The Junction was designed to be the first pack we’d point to when somebody walked in the store and said “I want to get a day hiking pack”.

Along the way, we added in some things more suited for a less technical group of users. Instead of compression straps with SR buckles, we have a paracord compression panel. We’ve observed that a whole lot of folks either remove or leave unbuckled the compression straps on the Tarahumara. With the drawcord compression panel on the Junction, use it or not but you’re not going to be going down the trail looking like a soup sandwich if you don’t use it. We also added a small zippered top pocket which is a pretty common request. The other big thing that folks really want is a dedicated bladder pocket. The Junction has one of those as well which also doubles as a zippered device pocket that will take up to a 13.3” display laptop. Oversized slanted wand pockets round out the package on what we believe is going to become our most popular pack.

Features include: • • • •

•

• •

10"x17" footprint.

Large pack dock-able.

Top loading main compartment Oversized slanted wand pockets will each hold a 2 liter water bladder without intruding significantly into interior space.

9” zippered suspension side pocket fit every 13.3” and smaller display laptop we tried, some of the 13.5” display laptops, and even one of the 14” display laptops. Or one of the pocket frame sheets. Or the water bladder folks ask about.

Small zipped top pocket Padded quilted back panel $165

Umlindi A versatile mid-sized pack.

The “Lindi” is an exercise in making the largest pack practical for use without lifter straps. It carries very well with just the shoulder harness it comes with and carries even better as a large lumbar pack with the addition of the optional Recon or Prairie Belt.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

30L / 2000ci.

2.82 lbs.

Length: 6.5 in.

Width: 11 in.

Height: 19 in.

Chassis Capacity: 120lbs.

500d Cordura Construction.

Velcro opening lumbar pad for use with a Prairie or Recon Belt.

Removable plastic frame sheet in slot pocket with a single stay channel and 7075 stay.

Ute style pulley compression system Large dual wand pockets.

Hose port.

Half depth slot pocket for small items.

Bottom compression straps.

Single top compression strap.

Parachute cord tool loop in back center. $220

Packs

Connor V2 Small belt capable panel loading backpack good for EDC or backcountry carry.

We’ve taken our popular Connor pocket / backpack and updated it for version 2. Version 2 is a dedicated backpack, although it still retains the tabs necessary to be used as a back pocket if so desired. The V2 Connor has the following features: • • • • • • • • •

•

•

• • •

26L / 1400ci 3.5 lbs Length: 5 in.

Width: 10 in.

Height: 21 in.

Chassis Capacity: 150lbs 500d and hypalon construction.

Extremely load capable chassis allows for an optional belt and also carries very comfortably in shoulder only mode.

Large main dimensional pocket fully lined with First Spear’s 6/12 PALS cut Velcro loop fabric lets you create whatever organizational system you want.

Center zip outer pocket with stretchy tweave fabric on the outside expands as you stuff it.

Twin outer mesh pockets on either side of the center zip.

Sized to take a bike bottle size bottle.

Full height zippered spacer mesh pocket on the inside of the pack.

Hypalon compression wings have a 2 channel pals grid cut into them for additional pouches either inside or outside of the wings.

Dual wand pockets are large enough to accept round or GI sized Nalgene bottles. Will not accept a GI canteen cup.

Generously long bottom compression straps.

Includes (2) ITW repair female SR buckles. This allows conversion of the straps from center pull to side pull. $265

M2016 Butt Pack Our rendition of the venerable military butt pack.

This is our version of the venerable and popular design of the M1967 Butt Pack. It can be used in the following ways: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Shoulder Bag - with the included shoulder strap.

Butt Pack - goes nicely on our Prairie Belt or Recon Belt (sold separately), Top Pocket - can be mounted as a top pocket on our larger packs including Umlindi, Ute, and qui-Ya 8L / 500ci.

1.3 lbs.

Length: 4in.

Width: 11in.

Height: 7in.

Chassis Capacity: 35lbs.

Full size panel opened by #10 zipper.

Internal mesh zippered pocket.

Full PALS cut Velcro internal panel.

2 PALS cut side slot pockets.

PALS grid on bottom.

Rear diagonal PALS cut panel with delta strap wings for compressing onto a belt.

Removable HDPE frame sheet.

Simple lumbar flap attachment works on a variety of belts.

Top grab handle.

Shoulder strap attachment tabs.

Top and bottom compression straps that also attach the butt pack as a top pocket on other packs. $135

Packs

Belt Pack A concealed carry solution that can be worn around the waist or cross body.

We took our Snubby Kit Bag Original Pattern and replaced the mesh harness with a 1.5” webbing belt that can be worn around the waist or cross-body. This is a great solution to keep all your EDC items organized when you go to the gym, travel to a new city, or on a front country hike.

• • • • • • • •

500d Cordura construction.

Quick access concealed pistol compartment.

1.5” webbing belt with ITW Nexus buckle Elastic keeper for the webbing strap.

Velcro loop and dummy cord loop in pistol compartment allow for various retention options.

Front zippered access flat pocket with two interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them.

Large 1” deep main compartment with dual interior slot pockets with dummy cord loops above them.

Main Compartment lined with 6/12 Velcro loop that is laser cut to accept PALS style pouches. $115

Aston House Backcountry A mid-sized panel loader suitable for long backcountry day trips and urban use.

The Aston House BC (backcountry) is a mid sized panel loader suitable for long backcountry day trips and urban use. It has the following features: • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

•

48L / 2900ci.

4.4lbs.

Length: 8in.

Width: 11in.

Height: 21in.

Chassis Capacity: 150lbs.

500d and hypalon construction.

Single panel loading main compartment.

Rear of main compartment is fully lined with PALS cut Velcro loop (First Spear 6/12).

Main compartment can also has quick access top and bottom zippers located near the suspension side.

Panel opening has an open top mesh compartment on the inside.

Outside front of the pack has a zippered slot pocket.

Sizable dual wand pockets.

Suspension is belt capable (belt not included) and has dual full height 7000 series aluminum stays as well as hdpe frame sheet.

Aston Panel is a hypalon / Velcro loop laminate cut with PALS. It will support pals pouches on the outside or inside, and it will support Velcro pouches on the inside $310

Packs

Attache The Attache functions equally well as a stand alone laptop case or as the back pocket on an Umlindi backpack for an integrated travel system.

The Attache is a compression panel / attache case. As a stand alone case, it is the computer bag that we’ve been wanting for years - a padded sleeve for the laptop plus a full footprint accessory pocket. A grab handle and removable adjustable shoulder strap complete the picture.

Rather than make some arbitrary decisions about accessory pocket layout, we lined the entire accessory compartment with First Spear’s 6/12 fabric. This allows you to use either PALS backed or Velcro hook backed pouches to set it up as you wish. You can set it up for off body firearm carry, or with rip out medical pouches, or exactly the commuter layout you want.

The Attache Case is also designed to integrate seamlessly with our Umlindi Backpack for “everyday carry” and travel uses. What was an end entry laptop slot is now top entry for easy laptop access when mounted on the Umlindi.

The Attache is a great choice for a stand alone laptop case or an integrated travel system when used with the Umlindi backpack.

It has the following features: • • • • • • • • • • •

1.44lbs.

Length: 3in.

Width: 11in.

Height: 17in.

500d Cordura construction.

Beefy #10 zippers with reverse zipper pulls for smooth look.

Accessory compartment is 1.5” deep with 11 channel 4 row PALS grid / full size Velcro loop field.

Removable adjustable 1.5” carry strap.

Side carry handle.

Padded laptop compartment accepts up to 11”x16” laptop.

Can be used with pocket harness or pocket sling. $150

Packs

Ute Pack This is the do it all pack which handles loads from 20 pound day loads to 60+ pound multi-day loads with equal aplomb.

Named after “the brothers to the bear” who ranged from the front slope of the Colorado Rockies out into the desert wilderness of the Colorado Plateau in eastern Utah. The Utes are an independent and adaptable people who inhabited a wide variety of landscapes from slickrock canyon to alpine bowl.

The pack we have named after the Utes is similarly adaptable, designed to handle loads from 20 up to as many pounds as you can safely carry with equal aplomb.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

60L / 3600ci.

5.5 lbs.

Length: 7.5in.

Width: 12in.

Height: 24in.

Chassis Capacity: 300lbs.

500d, 1000d, and hypalon construction.

Dual 7075 aluminum stays 1/8”x1”.

Removable lightweight frame sheet rides in internal hydration / frame sheet pocket.

Hydration port.

HPG original pulley compression that can be used with and without an external pocket.

Single main compartment.

3 heavily reinforced internal hang loops on inside suspension side of pack for hanging heavy items Dual wand pockets.

Zippered slot pocket on underside of top lid with PALS underneath.

HPG original pulley suspension for adjustable shoulder articulation. $420 w/Prairie Belt

To get a better idea of how to fit the Ute pack or any of our packs, please visit our pack fitment page at: hillpeoplegear.com/packfitment

Qui-Ya Pack Dedicated large load pack built on the same heavy duty internal frame chassis of the Ute backpack .

The qui-Ya is the big brother to the Ute and is identical in many ways. With the same heavy duty chassis as the Ute, it will carry as much weight as you can handle but with all the nimbleness of an internal frame pack. However, the qui-Ya has a taller frame and much larger internal volume which makes it quite light for its capacity and a great choice for a dedicated multi-day pack.

• • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • •

100L / 5500ci capacity.

6.25lb.

Length: 10in.

Width : 12in.

Height: 29.5.

Chassis Capacity: 300lbs.

500d, 1000d, and hypalon construction.

Dual 7075 aluminum stays 1/8”x1”.

Removable lightweight frame sheet rides in internal hydration / frame sheet pocket.

Hydration port.

HPG original pulley compression that can be used with and without an external pocket. When used with an external pocket, the external pocket can be used as a free floating compression panel or locked in for “almost sewn” performance.

Single main compartment.

3 heavily reinforced internal hang loops on inside suspension side of pack for hanging heavy items.

Dual wand pockets.

Velcro field on underside of top lid for mounting Velcro pouches.

HPG original pulley suspension for adjustable shoulder articulation. $455 w/ Prairie Belt

To get a better idea of how to fit the qui-Ya pack or any of our packs, please visit our pack fitment page at: hillpeoplegear.com/packfitment

Packs

Decker Frame Pack frame based on the proven 300lb load capable Ute chassis.

The Decker Pack Frame takes the proven load capacity of the Ute / qui-Ya chassis and strips it down to just the chassis and a robust compression system. From there, you can build it out how you like. It has the following features: • • • • •

•

Dual 7000 series aluminum stays.

Full size frame sheet.

3 horizontal compression straps on each side 2 top compression straps Center compression yoke for the horizontals and top straps to clip into. It can be replaced with any of our pockets by switching the repair side release buckles from the yoke to the pocket.

Sewn on hypalon / loop laminate capture flap that can tensioned at two different locations on the sides of the frame, or taken all the way to the top of the frame. $370 w/ Prairie Belt

Decker Pocket A large floating pocket that pairs with a Decker Pack Frame.

The Decker Pocket works with the Decker Pack Frame to create a configurable haul system with enough volume for a heavy day or light overnight load. It replaces the center compression yoke on the frame, clipping into the exact same location.

• •

•

•

• •

Sewn in center compression yoke out of Hypalon with horizontal tunnels.

2 accessory straps that pass through the horizontal tunnels on the compression yoke can be used for tripods, crampons, sit pads or any other accessory that needs fast external access.

Dual high volume angled wand pockets suitable for spotting scopes, tripods, large water bottles and other frequent use items.

Rear slot pocket with horizontal zipper access is backed on the inside with tweave for additional pocket volume as needed.

Interior of lid lined with Velcro loop for Velcro backed accessories.

Dual tabs on top positioned to be clipped into the grimlocks on the Decker Pack Frame. $110

Packs

Components

Components

Shoulder Harness We use this piece on every pack we make, for very good reason.

Also available separately for other applications.

Our Shoulder Harness is wide, contoured, and lightly padded to spread the load. It doesn’t interfere with shouldering a rifle.

• • • • • • •

500d Cordura construction.

Dual adjust sternum strap.

Four accessory straps for help in mounting to a variety of third party packs.

Dual 1” attachment points and single 1.5” attachment point.

Dual tri-glides (above and below sternum strap) for various accessories including Kit Bag docking straps.

Can be set up to use load lifters.

Adjustable bungee cord loops on both sides for attaching water bottles, gloves, etc. $50

Load Lifters Load Lifters are 1 inch webbing straps with an ITW Nexus metal oval slider sewn into one side. The strap connects from the shoulder harness to the top of the pack. When you pull on the load lifter straps, the top of the pack will suck into your upper back, then will provide “lift” of the shoulder harness. The will take pressure off your shoulders.

Not for individual sale.

Delta Straps Delta Straps were originally pioneered at Mountainsmith packs by Patrick Smith. They are 1 inch webbing straps with a ITW Nexus flat G-Hook sewn onto one end. The running end threads through a buckle that is halfway up all the belted packs. The G-hook end then connects to either the Prairie or Recon Belt. When you tighten the Delta Straps, the load will “suck” into your lumbar area, which allows the pelvis to support more of the pack’s weight rather than your shoulders. The Prairie and Recon Belts both come with Delta Straps. $10.00 (pair)

Components

Compression Straps You may notice that Hill People Gear packs can be quite “strappy�. This is for good reason, as internal frame packs rely on compression to stabilize the load and make it feel lighter, leading to greater efficiency. The compression straps on larger packs, such as the Umlindi, Ute and Qui-Ya have a pulley style compression system, along with G-hooks on the end to attach one of our pockets. The Aston House Backcountry, along with the Aston Pocket and Panel, have a side pull compression system.

Another utility of compression straps is to stabilize external items, such as jackets, trekking poles, rifles, and antlers. We sell the top, bottom, and horizontal compression straps for the Ute as stand alone items. The top and bottom come as a set, while the horizontal straps are sold individually.

$7.50

Components

Frame Sheet All belted packs come with an HDPE (high-density polyethylene) frame sheet that is cut to the shape of the pack. In the mid size packs like the Umlindi and AHBC there are stay pockets sewn directly into the frame sheet. In Larger packs like the Ute and qui-Ya, the frame sheet has it’s own pocket separate from the stays. There is also a Pocket Frame Sheet that is cut to fit most of our pockets, the Tarahumara, and Junction packs. The Frame sheet provides rigidity, but is also flexible enough to conform to the bend of the stay.

When inserting the stays, make sure the lumbar curve is facing towards the flat side of the frame sheet rather than the side of the webbing channel. When inserting the frame sheet into a pack, make sure to check that the flat side of the frame sheet is facing the wearer’s back.

Stays We use 7075 Aluminum stays in all of our belted packs. The aluminum stays provide excellent load support, while still being hand bendable, and flexible enough to absorb shock. Our stays are manufactured in the USA by Harper Works in San Diego CA. Stays will vary in length depending on what size pack they will be used in.

Aston Panel A Velcro-backed hypalon compression panel that is laser cut to a PALS standard.

This is the compression panel from our Aston House BC pack.

The panel is a single layer of hypalon laminated to Velcro loop on the back. It is PALS cut with holes on the edges for accessory cordage. You can mount PALS pouches on the front, and either PALS or Velcro pouches on the back. It includes side, top, and bottom straps. It is suitable for mounting on the original Aston House, the Umlindi, and perhaps a variety of other maker’s packs. $50

Components

Capture Flap A pals cut, Velcro-backed, hypalon panel that can be attached to a wide variety of packs.

The Capture Flap is mounted via non-adjustable G-hooks on the bottom that connect to the webbing tabs on HPG packs.

The top of the flap comes with an adjustable amount of webbing on G-hooks to loosen or tighten the flap against the pack. Any location that you can connect 4 G-hooks to is a potential candidate for the Capture Flap. $50

Tara insert A 7.5” x 16” stiffened organizer panel.

The Tara insert is a panel that encloses a piece of HDPE in a combination PALS grid / Velcro loop field on one side and 500d on the other side. You can maintain different types of loadouts for a single pack, or switch a single loadout between packs as necessary.

• • • • •

4 channel / 7 row PALS grid.

Full size Velcro loop field.

Top grab loop sewn so it lays flat when in a pack.

Top tab with grimloc for hanging inside of various locations.

Functions as a frame sheet for the Tarahumara pack. $25

Aston insert A 11”x19” stiffened organizer panel.

The Aston insert has the same construction of the Tara insert but is a little wider and taller for use in larger packs.

• • •

6 channel / 8 row PALS grid.

Full size Velcro loop field.

Top grab loop sewn so it lays flat when in a pack.

• •

Top tab with grimloc for hanging inside of various locations.

Works well hung on the inside of Ute, Umlindi, or Aston House. $30

Components

Aston Pocket A flat compression panel / organizer pocket.

This is the same pocket and strap setup as used on our original Aston House pack. As it turns out, it is a nice setup on an Umlindi.

Due to the open ended nature of this item, it may also work nicely as a compression panel / pocket on packs from other makers as well.

• • • • • • • •

Panel opening zippered pocket. Inside of this pocket there are: 3 organizer slot pockets 1 two thirds length mesh pocket Pocket is surrounded by hypalon wings with parachute cord accessory loops 2 straps on each side that are secured by SR buckles 2 top straps secured by SR buckles 2 bottom straps with adjustable G-hooks This will completely replace the compression straps on the Umlindi. $95

Prairie Belt A very comfortable and capable backpack waist belt that is also equally useful as a stand alone load bearing belt.

The HPG Prairie Belt is a nod to the prairie belts of old worn by the US cavalry. First and foremost it is a very comfortable and capable backpack waist belt. However, it is also designed to be equally useful as a stand alone load bearing belt -- what is called a “battle belt” nowadays.

• •

Available in three different sizes, 27+,33+, and 36+.

1000d Cordura construction.

•

Center closure is Osprey style with a tan ITW plastic cobra buckle.

Includes 2 sets of G-hook straps for attaching to optional shoulder harness, or compression buckles on various packs.

Delta and lower stabilizer straps are easy to unhook so they can stay with the pack when you want to use the Prairie Belt stand alone.

Lower stabilizers can either be hooked to the PALS, or if you have pouches on the PALS, they can be hooked wherever you can find purchase to the outsides of the pouches, or not used at all.

Lumbar area permanently contains 1/4” closed cell foam and a thin sheet of plastic at the back for structure.

Inner lumbar has domestic equivalent hypalon so it seats well in stand alone mode.

Waist pad areas are accessible via Velcro closure compartments so you can remove the pads or put in pads of different densities or thicknesses.

Includes 1/4” closed cell inserts and 1/2” of a foam that is like a closed cell version of memory foam. These pads can be used together, separately, or the belt can be used with no pads at all.

Cordage in lumbar area works for strapping a jacket under but disappears when the Prairie Belt is used with a pack.

• •

•

• • •

•

•

$110

Components

Recon Belt A trimmed down version of our Prairie Belt suitable for small packs and battle belt use.

The Recon Belt is for those times when a full Prairie Belt would be overkill.

•

• • •

•

It has a single layer of non-removable thin closed cell foam (the same as the thin foam in the PB) and an outer layer of First Spear 6/12 PALS cut fabric that goes all the way around the back.

There are also included delta straps for use on the Umlindi, Connor, and Aston House, packs.

The closure system is the same Osprey style with ITW Cobra buckle used on the Prairie Belt.

Because there are no stay pockets, this belt can only be used on packs that have a lumbar flap style capture system.

The Recon Belt also makes a good battle belt that can be worn under or over cover garments. $85

Pack Pockets

Pockets

Every Pocket a Pack ™ At Hill People Gear, we’ve always understood that not everybody uses their gear in the same way. As a result, one of our design principles is interchangeability of components. Our larger packs are engineered to accept a variety of back pockets. This lets you swap a single constantly loaded back pocket between a couple of different sized packs, and it also allows you to maintain different back pockets set up for different uses for the same backpack.

Every Pocket a Pack expands on this interchangeability and allows you to use your favorite pocket either as a small pack or a sling bag. All of our largest pockets (Pals Pocket, Tara Pocket, Admin Pocket) have foam inserts in framesheet-like pockets for stiffness when used as a pack. Your new favorite small pack might just be the HPG pocket that you already own!

For more information on “Every Pocket a Pack™” Please visit: hillpeoplegear.com/everypocketapack

PALS Pocket A panel loading pocket / compression panel with a full size PALS grid / Velcro field inside.

The Pals Pocket is a relatively shallow panel loading compression panel / pocket where the interior side is a full 6/12 panel. You can mount PALS or Velcro backed accessories inside, or you can mount PALS accessories to the back side in between the Pals Pocket and the host pack. The PALS grid is 6 channels by 7 rows. It works well on the Ute, qui-Ya and Umlindi.

• • • • • •

Outside zippered pocket with stretchy tweave backing. #10 YKK zipper on the main compartment.

Grab handle.

500d Cordura construction.

Parachute cord on bottom for lashing.

Compatible with pocket harness and pocket sling. $105

Tara Pocket The Tara Pocket is a simplified version of our Tarahumara pack.

It is the same size and shape as the Tarahumara, but removes the outside slot pocket, padded back panel, and wand pockets. It is a great choice for the back of a Ute or Umlindi, It will hold slightly more than the Pals Pocket.

It does not come with any straps. For use on our Umlindi or Ute, it goes right on with the straps that are included with the packs themselves. For use on third party packs, you’ll probably need some of our compression straps.

• • • •

500d Cordura construction. #10 YKK center zipper.

Parachute cord on bottom to attach a jacket.

Compatible with pocket harness and pocket sling. $70

Pockets

Admin Pocket A small pocket with lots of organization that can be converted to a pack The Admin Pocket is a compression panel/pocket that can be attached to the Umlindi, Ute, or qui-Ya. There are two zippered pockets on the front, one is 11x8.5 inches. The other is 9.5x8.5 inches and is also separated by two tweave slot pockets which are 5x4 inches.

The main compartment is accessed by a full length side zipper.

There are 3 horizontal tweave slot pockets on the inside which are 5x8 inches. There is also a slot at the very top of the main compartment that stores a removable foam pad. The bottom of the pocket is equipped with paracord and cord lock for attaching a jacket or similar item.

Compatible with pocket harness and pocket sling. $95

Pocket Sling Turn any of our pockets or small packs into a sling bag.

The Pocket Sling will attach to most of our pockets and small packs to convert them into sling bags. The Pocket Sling is made out of 500d Cordura and 1/4th inch foam. It attaches using 3 ITW “Grimlocs�, which connect to the webbing tabs on the appropriate pocket. The sling can be set up for left or right shoulder carry by moving the repair-style side release buckle to the corresponding webbing tab on the sling. It also comes with two 3-bar sliders to create loops out of the shoulder harness attachment points on the Tarahumara or Junction $40

Pockets

Pocket Harness V2 A lightweight and compact shoulder harness for turning any HPG pocket into a backpack.

This is a sleek, lightweight, and quick detach shoulder harness that will let you turn any of our pockets into a backpack. You might use this on multi-day trips to create a day bag out of your back pocket, or you might use it to turn one of our revamped V2 pockets into a dedicated day bag. The V2 pocket harness features: • • •

Fixed position 3/4” sternum strap.

1/8” closed cell foam padding.

Attaches to pocket via quick detach grimloc buckles. $47

Pouches

Pouches

Tool Roll A stretchy multi-pocket organizer that will mount to a Velcro panel or can be used loose.

This organizational wonder is constructed out of durable and stretchy tweave fabric. It is very light at 3 ounces, but when full expands to hold the contents of an entire Kit Bag. It has the following features: • • • •

(2) 5” wide slot pockets.

(4) 3” wide slot pockets with daisy chain between them.

(1) 5”x10” mesh faced zipper pocket.

Velcro hook back for mounting on any loop surface - You

• • • •

can also use it loose inside of any pack or pocket.

Organized so that nothing falls out as you unroll it Grab handle.

Tab on flap lid allows hanging the entire tool roll open Comes with (2) Velcro tabs to be used as labels for differentiating between multiple tool rolls. $45

Organizer Bucket A padded Velcro backed pouch for internal storage of electronics.

The organizer “bucket” is a padded pouch that will go on any Velcro loop panel. As it is meant to be used internally, there is no retention. The bucket offers protection and consistent placement for electronic devices. $12

58 Pouch A 5x8 inch admin pouch with Velcro backing.

The 58 admin pouches measures 5x8 inches, with a zippered main compartment, and an assortment of slot pockets on the front for tools and magazines. The back of the pouch is lined with hook Velcro, to attach to the inside of the Kit Bag or any other loop Velcro panel. $25

Pack Bucket A rather simple solution to the problem of attaching bulky and awkward items to the outside of a pack.

• • • • • • • • •

HDPE back for stiffness.

Dimensional 1/4” closed cell foam front.

Suspends from pack in one of the following ways.

Dual G-hooks can hang off of the tabs on HPG packs, or any horizontal compression strap.

Bottom tabs can be tied into a pack.

Velcro hook on back for applications involving Velcro loop fields.

Drain hole in bottom.

500d Cordura construction.

This can be hung at a variety of heights on HPG packs for different uses. Also, it can be hung either beneath or on front of HPG back pockets. $40

Pouches

Bike Frame Bag Large enough to fit smaller bike pumps plus a spare inner tube and all your tools.

This is a very rugged pouch that can be attached to a bike frame a couple of different ways. It is big enough to hold all of your “on the bike” stuff. It has the following features: • • • •

1000d Cordura construction. #10 YKK zipper.

3 attachment straps.

Additional adjustable attachment / tightening strap. $35

General Purpose Pocket Medium A fundamental unit of organization, useful across a wide variety of applications.

When we realized that we were finding more and more uses for the First Spear medium general purpose pocket, we decided to do our own version of it. This is a 6/9 PALS backed pouch made out of 500d. It fits on a 4x3 PALS grid. There is a full width slot pocket on the inside rear, and two half width slot pockets on the inside front. $50

1Qt Bottle Holster •

• • • • • • •

Sized for use with the GI 1qt canteen size. This is the best shape for carrying a quart of water bar none. Nalgene produces a very nice canteen to the same dimensions called the Oasis.

Will not fit a standard 1qt nalgene.

Will not fit a canteen cup.

3oz weight.

Bungee retainer.

Takes 3 channels and 2 rows.

Perfect for mounting on your waist belt, or the bottom sides of your pack.

Can serve as a “wand pocket” for packs that don’t have them. $25

3” Bottle Holster • •

• • • •

3” / 16 oz size.

Designed for use with the “bike bottle” size. This is the size that will fit 16oz Nalgenes, 16oz Gatorade bottles, tall and short bike bottles, and many off the shelf disposable water bottles.

3oz weight.

Bungee and cordlock adjustable retainer.

Takes 2 channels and 2 rows.

Good for those situations where PALS space is at a premium, or a 1qt is just too much. $25

Pouches

812 Stuff Sack Fits horizontally inside of a Ute or Umlindi. Good size for a loosepacked Mountain Serape.

• • • • • •

8” in diameter, 12” tall closed.

Side grab handle that you can loop Umlindi or Ute top compression straps through to ensure it doesn’t slide out.

Bottom grab handle.

Reinforced 500d drawcord detail.

Rain shedding silnylon fabric.

Edge bound seams.

•

Flap closure inside drawcord opening. $20

717 Stuff Sack This stuff sack was designed to mount vertically on the back of a Tarahumara. It doubles the capacity of a Tarahumara, although we’d recommend only having light and bulky stuff on the back • • • •

7” in diameter, 17” tall closed.

Side grab handle.

Bottom grab handle to make removing contents easy.

Reinforced 500d drawcord detail. $20

915 Stuff Sack Our largest stuff sack gives you lots of emergency overflow capacity at 2 ounces. This is an ultralight option for adding volume to your pack. It is designed to go on the top of full sized packs • • • • • •

9” in diameter, 15” tall closed.

Side grab handle.

Bottom grab handle to make removing contents easy.

Reinforced 500d drawcord details.

Rain shedding silnylon fabric.

Flap closure inside of drawcord closure. $25

Bino Pouch Medium Binocular pouch designed around the popular 10x42 binocular size.

• •

• •

Mounts on Recon Kit Bag or Snubby Recon Kit Bag Soft Velcro loop on inner lid and bottom to avoid scratching lenses.

Fully padded except top flap.

One hand opening flap closure can be fastened either for full retention or quicker access.

Top flap stays closed by default.

Mounts on 4x3 PALS grid.

•

External tabs for tying retention strap to if desired.

• •

$45

Bino Pouch Large The large Binocular pouch is designed to accommodate binoculars that are taller than your standard 10x42 binoculars.

• • • • • • •

Mounts on Recon Kit Bag or Snubby Recon Kit Bag. Soft Velcro loop on inner lid and bottom to avoid scratching lenses.

Fully padded except top flap.

One hand opening flap closure can be fastened either for full retention or quicker access.

Top flap stays closed by default.

Mounts on 4x3 PALS grid.

External tabs for tying retention strap to if desired. $50

Pouches

Supplies

Supplies

Slot Pocket Survival Kit V2 Professional quality survival kit that fits in the slot pocket of a Kit Bag. This is all top quality gear, but probably the best feature is the survival information that comes with it. SOLKOA’s principal quite literally “wrote the book” (senior editor on both Army FM 3-05.70 and the Multi-Service Survival Evasion manual) and it shows in the SPSK’s information sheet. The information is organized in order of survival priority (real survival priority, not imagined) and conveys easily acted upon principles rather than useless arts and crafts ideas. We’ve not seen better anywhere $47

KISS Survival Kit A useful survival kit for folks with minimal training.

Realistically, most survival kits expect a level of training and skill that is beyond that of many outdoor recreationalists. Our K.I.S.S. Kit is designed to be something you can hand to anyone regardless of skill level and it will be of use to them.

The outside of the sturdy Specialized KEG container is printed with colorful step by step instructions that walk a person through what they need to do and boost their morale at the same time.

The contents are directly applicable to the instructions on the outside and can be used by anyone. $35

Stock Cuff Non-slip and lightweight hypalon cartridge holder with a data card window on the offside.

Hypalon construction is light weight, tough, won’t soak or stretch, and is also non-slip. We used high quality 2” elastic, added a fixed butt loop to completely prevent walking forward, and a windowed slot on the offside for a data card. Right and left hand models.

• • •

30.cal.

45/70 - Magnum.

12g. $25

Lever Light Mount V2 MLOK light mount (with included MLOK pic-rail section) for lever action carbines.

This is the second generation of the Lever Light Mount. It is a multicaliber MLOK mount that comes with a picatinny rail section. It has the following features: • •

• • • • •

Machined and hard anodized aluminum construction consisting of two side plates that sandwich the MLOK section Adjustable from .565”- .705” -- works on Winchester .38 / .357 carbines all the way up through .30-30 carbines to Marlin.45-70 carbines on the upper end.

Includes MLOK mountable polymer picatinny rail section for compatibility with any picatinny accessories.

Includes rubber shim for use on smaller magazine tubes such as the .38 / .357 30.cal 45/70 - Magnum 12g $110

Supplies

Coyote Knife A general purpose knife designed by HPG and hand made by LT Wright Knives.

Just like its namesake, the HPG Coyote knife is a generalist – eminently suited to a wide variety of tasks and uses. It’s equally at home in the wilderness of the high Rockies and the nocturnal streets of Los Angeles.

• • • • •

3.5” blade length.

8.25” overall length.

5/32” thick A2 full tang with lightening holes under the scales.

Micarta scales.

Brass guard and pins. $365

Garments

Garments

HPG Wind Cheater A versatile shell / mid-layer that is useful in most conditions short of rain.

This garment is the perfect backcountry shell / mid layer for a wide range of conditions short of rain. The slightly stretchy Cordura Ambush fabric is on the robust side for a wind shirt, breathes better than most wind shirts, and cuts the wind and light moisture quite well.

• • • •

• • • •

1lb 8oz in size large.

Fully contoured and adjustable oversize hood can be worn over a helmet but is manageable without one.

Zipper half and Velcro tab arrangement for removable coyote fur ruff (available separately).

HPG “Napoleon Cargo Pockets” - dual oversized napoleon pockets are positioned above a pack belt but low enough you can get at them while wearing a Kit Bag. Behind the napoleons are open side entry hand warmer pockets.

Adjustable cuffs.

Pit zippers for additional ventilation.

Drop tail with drawcord at bottom hem. #8 main zipper. $225

Fur Ruff Coyote fur ruff that is set up to attach directly to our Wind Cheater.

When temperatures drop, a fur ruff becomes a very useful part of an outdoor garment. The extra warmth around the neck or face area is nice, but a ruff will do a lot more than that. It will protect your eyes and face in driving snow so that you can still see out. It will also pre-heat the air entering your lungs during heavy exertion in sub freezing temperatures.

Our fur ruffs are supplied by Glacier Wear and come from coyotes taken in Montana and Alberta. We add the zipper and Velcro tab arrangement that allow them to be attached directly to our Wind Cheaters, which already have the corresponding zipper and Velcro halves. $80

Garments

Mountain Serape The Mountain Serape is an exercise in insulation versatility. This single item functions in the following ways: • • • •

Insulated hooded poncho.

Knee length greatcoat (zipper or hook secured).

Blanket for two in a survival situation.

Half zip sleeping bag good for a 20-30 degree temperature gain.

It has the following features: •

• • • •

66” x 88” - Note that the way the sleeping bag mode works makes this effectively much longer when in that mode. It will extend 12” past the head of a someone who is 5’10” and 220 when in sleeping bag mode.

DWR treated 70 denier mini-ripstop shell sheds snow and light rain.

2.6oz / 80g Primaloft Fusion insulation (US made Primaloft Gold).

YKK zippers.

At 2.5lbs it is heavier than a comparable sleeping bag, but lighter than a comparable sleeping bag plus comparable jacket. $205

Garments

Backpacker Mountain Serape A shorter/lighter version of the original The Backpacker Mountain Serape is a trimmed down version of the original. It is right on the line for someone who has a 46” chest and is 5’10”. At that size or even a little smaller you still might want the original. For smaller folks and those looking to pare down some, the Backpacker version could be the way to go. It is 7” narrower in girth, 8” narrower in length, and 5 ounces lighter. Other than that it is the same as the original •

• • • •

59” x 80” - Note that the way the sleeping bag mode works makes this effectively much longer when in that mode. It will extend to the top of the head of someone who is 5’10” and 220 when in sleeping bag mode.

DWR treated 70 denier mini-ripstop shell sheds snow and light rain.

2.6oz / 80g Primaloft Fusion insulation (US made Primaloft Gold), YKK zippers At 2.2lbs it is heavier than a comparable sleeping bag, but lighter than a comparable sleeping bag plus comparable jacket. $205

Mobility B

ackcountry travel often means capable vehicles, if only to get to remote jumping off points. Sometimes an entire trip is vehicle based and you’ll never see another person.

Either way, HPG Mobility might have just the accessories you’re looking for to make your rig more capable in the backcountry and frontcountry both.

Our approach to motor powered backcountry travel is the same as to muscle powered travel -- practical and realistic.

vehicle accesories for backcountry travel

JL Seatback half Width Although it’s designed for JL seatbacks, this can be mounted anywhere that you have a MOLLE grid with a 3 channel x 3 row space on it. It has the following features: • • • • •

Fits 3 x 3 MOLLE grid. #10 dual slider YKK zipper closure.

1 internal organizer slot pocket.

1 external organizer slot pocket.

1000d milspec + Cordura construction. $50

JL Seatback full Width Although it’s designed for JL seatbacks, this can be mounted anywhere that you have a MOLLE grid with a 7 channel x 3 row space on it. It has the following features: • • • • •

Fits 7 x 3 MOLLE grid. #10 dual slider YKK zipper closure.

2 internal organizer slot pockets.

3 external organizer slot pockets.

1000d milspec + Cordura construction. $64

mobility

Mobility Bottle Holster Although it’s designed for JL seatbacks, this can be mounted anywhere that you have a MOLLE grid with a 7 channel x 3 row space on it. It has the following features: • • • • •

Fits 7 x 3 MOLLE grid. #10 dual slider YKK zipper closure.

2 internal organizer slot pockets.

3 external organizer slot pockets.

1000d milspec + Cordura construction. $30

Photo by Josh M. Jones Photography

Universal Seat Back A fully Velcro and MOLLE compatible seat back storage system.

The HPG Mobility Universal Seat Back is your multi-functional solution to seat back storage. It will go on just about any seat back, it accepts either MOLLE or Velcro organizers on the entire surface, and it has an aluminum stay which can be bent to match the contour of your seat back. Here are the details: •

Attachment - (2) bottom straps loop around any hard point you can find underneath the rear of your seat. Worst case scenario, they can be threaded through the seat springs themselves. (1) top strap loops around the head of the seat.

By unclipping 3 side release buckles, you can remove the entire panel for storage elsewhere or moving it to another vehicle. Extra Car Kits are available which consist of another set of bottom straps that can be permanently left in a second vehicle.

•

Construction - Proprietary First Spear 6/12 fabric has a Velcro Loop face with laser cut MOLLE. There is an internal HDPE panel for stiffness as well as a 7000 series aluminum stay that can be bent to match the contour of the seat back.

Most seat backs curve inwards and the stay keeps all of the organizational pouches nestled into that contour, saving 2-3” of legroom over straight seat back panels.

•

9 perimeter tabs can be used with other HPG products such as the Capture Flap or the Pack Bucket to handle a variety of seat back storage requirements.

•

Top Grimloc and headrest loops can both be used to hang the Universal Seat Back in other locations for working off of. $65

mobility

Factory Rail Hi-Lift Mount Designed around 5th gen Toyota 4runners, this extremely low profile mount will work with any factory rail that accepts a 1” tall x .25” thick backer.

Although aftermarket roof racks look the business, the extra weight and cost of them is not necessary for a lot of backcountry applications. However, the venerable Hi-Lift jack is one of the primary building blocks of any vehicle recovery system.

•

The factory rail mount for Hi-Lift jacks helps bridge that gap.

It is designed around 5th gen Toyota 4runners, but will work on rails that accept 1” tall x .25” wide backers. This lets you add the weight of the jack to the strongest part of most factory rail systems in an extremely low profile manner. It does so without taking up valuable cross bar space and still allows you to use the factory cross bars.

•

The mounts (sold in pairs - Hi-Lift not included) consist of black powder-coated rail brackets, grade 8 mounting bolts, dual washers, and a heavy duty wing nut. $60

Suppliers Hard Working Americans Producing Quality Gear

W

e’re able to make decisions based on more than just the bottom line because we’re a family owned business.

Helping maintain American manufacturing infrastructure means we have smaller profit margins, but at the same time we’re doing our part to build stronger communities here at home. This is how you fix social and economic problems the American way.

Individuals freely deciding to do what needs to be done brick by brick, not governments bungling around with top down halfsolutions. Our customers understand this and part of why they choose to send their hard earned dollars our way is because they also believe in investing in American infrastructure.

Suppliers

First Spear was built by the same team that made Eagle great. It First Spear is a family and partner owned business with a brand new state of the art production facility in Fenton Missouri. They have their own line of tactical equipment and a number of OEM customers such as us. We’re a small company ourselves, but we have a lot of manufacturing capability through our partnership with First Spear.

We were lucky enough to fall in with First Spear before they had their production line set up. We knew a guy, who knew a guy.

That’s really been the basis of our partnership with FS. From the beginning, we were doing business with people who operate the way we do. Do a good solid job without cutting corners, fix problems head on when they come up, don’t be chickenshit about the little things, and above all be trustworthy. It should come as no surprise that this results in production quality as good as you can get anywhere and a very easy going working relationship.

Incorporated in 2005, SOLKOA, Inc. brings 30 years of direct experience in Joint and Multi-Agency Personnel Recovery (PR) and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, & Escape (SERE) education, operations, and technologies. SOLKOA Inc. traces its roots to the mid 1980’s with its founder’s seminal work at Fort Rucker under the late COL James N. Rowe’s direction as one of the Army’s handful of qualified Special Warfare SERE Instructors of the time. of the time.

Dale Fricke has built a reputation for top quality kydex holsters over a number of years. His shop is a family run business in Bozeman Montana. We sell his Zacchaeus holster for Glocks, but we urge you to check out the rest of his product line or approach him with your custom needs. You can find him on the web at DaleFrickeHolsters.com.

Harper Works is a family owned business located in California (run by two brothers, who would have thought?). They produce all of our stamped aluminum parts including our internal frame pack stays. They have produced stays for a number of top brands. Most recently, they produced all of the ILBE stays.

Education W

e started out making the gear we wanted for the backcountry travel we do. We knew that folks with similar needs would eventually find us. They did... but so did a lot of others as well.

We realized that the experience and knowledge base we take for granted isn’t particularly common and we needed to help our customers not just with gear, but with knowledge and skills as well.

Our focus is practical and efficient backcountry travel. Not historical re-enactment, not “extreme hunting mountain ops”, and not whatever this season’s “outdoor lifestyle” couture looks like. Just like the animals we most respect, we try to cultivate generalized and flexible approaches that allow us to quickly adapt to a wide variety of environments.

Education

Equipage The HPG equipage taxonomy is a systematic approach to thinking about backcountry living systems -- what you need to carry and when. For seasoned backcountry travelers, it may serve as nothing more than a way of understanding under which circumstances each piece of gear we produce is most useful. For everyone else, we hope it serves as a good introduction to their own integration with a backcountry or austere environment. Our Equipage taxonomy is based on the very solid military taxonomy of first line, second line, and third line. Since our focus isn’t combat operations, we have made a couple of modifications. First, we’ve added a couple of sub-levels (.5 and 1.5) that represent very real distinctions in the gear we carry. Second, our taxonomy isn’t universally additive - in the military system it is understood that if you are carrying 3rd line, you are by default also carrying 1st and 2nd line. For our uses, the higher “lines” or levels often replace one or more of the lower lines. For example, a backpacking trip consists of 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0.

outside the boundaries of what you expected. If you aren’t interested in a bail out as part of your trip plan, you go heavier.

If your knowledge of the environment and your sensitivity to it is in doubt, you go heavier. In another example, if you have a good sense of where the more sheltered eco-niches are in your environment (sleeping mid-slope in a dense copse of trees on a southern exposure for example) and you make use of them, you can go lighter on shelter and insulation layers than if you slept wherever you found yourself.

Backcountry travel gear is the interface between you the individual and the environment in which you are traveling. As such, there are an inevitable series of trade-offs in any equipage plan: Different environments require differing equipage plans.

Obvious, but worth re-stating. There is a lot of overlap between environments, but there are some significant differences. Our sample equipage plans (and even gear design) are biased heavily towards travel in high desert to montane environments up to timberline in the American west through all four seasons.

This includes temperature ranges from -15f - 105f and ground conditions from dry to muddy to several feet of snow. Winds as well as violent and spectacular storm events are fairly common. One attribute that is pretty constant is relatively little precipitation. We’ve traveled a reasonable amount in the Cascades and Olympic peninsula and understand what those environments are like. In general, however, our precipitation plan is to not go where it rains all the time, and to lager up until the storm passes when it is raining.

Your responsibility for others. As a solo traveler, you only need enough gear to look after yourself. But what if you want to be prepared to help others - either those you encounter, or those you are traveling with? That can impact your equipage plan significantly.

The greater your knowledge of your environment, the less gear you can carry. First of all, if you have a very good sense of the environment you will encounter on a given trip, you can go light to start with on your shelter and insulation layers and be prepared to bail out if you see that the environment is moving

The greater your skill level, the less gear you can carry. At it’s extreme, a skilled bushcrafter with a good axe, saw, fire starting materials, and something to harvest game can build a cabin fit to survive the winter and with luck procure enough food to make it through until spring. However, this approach takes a huge amount of time. Would you rather carry an extra 3lbs and have a very snug little shelter that goes up in 10 minutes, or would you rather start camp construction every day after your nooning so you have enough daylight hours left to build a snug camp?

Remember that if you are thermally stressed or hurt, your skill level goes down significantly. Plan accordingly.

You are always operating within an energy envelope and every equipment and behavior decision affects that context. This is a very important concept that is rarely understood or addressed by backcountry travel educators. At the beginning of any journey, you have a baseline reserve of energy. This consists of your physical fitness and your mental fitness and it goes way beyond gym time. If you slept poorly the night before or are bothered by a personal problem, your overall fitness level is reduced before you take one step of your journey.

(continued from previous page)

Your ability to travel and your decision making ability are both compromised. Every step you take reduces your fitness level by some amount. Every recovery period you take increases your fitness level. In life, but especially in the backcountry, you should always be monitoring your fitness level and making decisions accordingly. What does this have to do with gear selection? Here is an example. You choose to travel with a modern “ultralight” load. Due to the much lighter weight of your pack, your fitness level isn’t reduced nearly as much as you travel so you arrive at camp with a higher fitness level than you would otherwise.

However, your sleeping pad is a 3/4 length closed cell ensolite pad and your shelter is a simple tarp. It takes you 45 minutes to get a good pitch on your tarp that protects you from the prevailing wind because there aren’t any really good spots where you are. An hour after you lay down, you’re still not sound asleep due to the discomfort of your sleeping pad.

A storm blows in and the wind reverses 180 degrees. Instead of sheltering you, your tarp is now funneling wind and hail into your sleeping position. You throw on every piece of clothing you have and re-rig your tarp in the middle of the storm. After an hour of messing around, you’re back in your bag and chilled. Finally you warm up and fall asleep exhausted for a fitful few hours of sleep. Come morning, your high fitness of the evening before is a distant dream and you’re wishing you’d carried enough gear that the night’s storm occasioned nothing more than a smile and rolling over in your bed to fall back into a deep and rejuvenating sleep. Or maybe no storm blew in at all and you wake up still ahead of where you would have been if you carried enough gear to weather the storm in comfort. A whole book could be written about the energy envelope and how it affects backcountry decision making and equipment selection, but hopefully the foregoing gives you enough of an outline to incorporate it into your own planning.

You can’t cheat the mountain.

Bear Claw Chris Lapp of Jeremiah Johnson movie fame uttered our favorite piece of wisdom and it always applies. It doesn’t matter how physically and mentally hard you are, there is some guy out there who is harder. And on the one day that you happen to be the hardest dude in the world, the mountain can still eat you for breakfast. Your equipage plan is a thin layer of insulation that, combined with the appropriate measure of humility, might keep you alive another day until the mountain eventually claims its due anyway. Plan accordingly.

All of these trade-offs, plus the arbitrary nature of any taxonomy, means that the HPG equipage taxonomy is subject to much variation between environments and individuals. Regardless, it is a useful heuristic for understanding how to think about integrating with your environment, and how to evaluate the gear we produce in the context of how it will be a useful part of your backcountry equipage. The taxonomy itself is to the right.

To continue reading about the HPG Equipage taxonomy and to review the comprehensive equipment lists, please visit:: hillpeoplegear.com/Education/Equipage

Education

Longhouse YouTube Series Winter has always been a time for gathering in the long house and sharing information around the fire. This is our contribution to that tradition. This video instructional series is an ever growing library that is free to everyone!

You can do a YouTube search for “Hill People Gear Longhouse” or clink the link if viewing the catalog online. https://youtu.be/6q-OjqtvpeM

Community Forum Different experiences, different environments, different methodologies... Our community forum is a place to learn from a wide variety of backcountry travelers, some of them quite seasoned. https://hillpeoplegear.com/Education/Overview

Hill People Gear Owner’s Group on Facebook It took a longtime customer’s suggestion for us to create an HPG specific user group on Facebook. We’re glad we did, because the quality and popularity of this group has exceeded our expectations. The group is a great place to ask questions about the gear, or buy, sell, and trade. Our community of users often has answers to questions about specific use cases that we may not be able to answer. The HPGOG is also a place to discuss other topics relating to the outdoors such as skills, experiences and trip reports. This group needs little management as most of our customers are the type of people that treat each other respectfully even in the midst of disagreement.

You can request to join the HPGOG by going to: facebook.com/ groups/HPGOwnersGroup

HILLPEOPLEGEAR.COM

525 Main St. Grand Junction, CO 81501

888.464.1875