Hiking chest rig?

[TK-710]

Does anyone use or has anyone used a chest rig for hiking/Search and Rescue (SAR)? Any recommendations? Thoughts on their usefulness.

Quick story as to why I’m looking. I joined a search party the other day. Ended up in the woods for nine hours, 8 of which it was completely dark and the temperature dropped 30 degrees from when we started. As this is primarily the DEC Rangers job I was not entirely prepared. Although it’s not my agency’s primary function we help out often enough. Usually not for that duration but often enough that I want to be better prepared for it. I already put together a good SAR backpack but want a chest pack as well.

What I’m looking for is something that can hold cell phone/satellite phones, extra batteries, extra hat and gloves, compass and a few other things you want to access or store on the go. Stuff you need quickly but when you’re with a K9 team and they are tracking you can’t stop, drop the pack, and fish for gear. It also can’t be a hip pack because that’ll get in the way of my duty belt. It’s also important it fits comfortably with a backpack.


I’ve seen a bunch of rigs for binoculars but not sure that is what I’m looking for as most of those are just one big pouch. Others seem really slim with limited space for a granola bar and not much else. The ones I’ve seen that actually look like they might work are sold as fishing rigs. A few I’ve found are reasonably priced around $150-200 but that’s way more than I want to pay for something that’s not what I need. None of the rigs I found are sold locally where I can see them before ordering.

To be clear this is for searching for lost hikers. This is not for manhunts. I learned all the lessons I need for that during Dannemora. That gear I have covered and do not want to discuss here as that could lead to off limit topics.

So that’s the need and the reason for it and would like some first hand experience of any that work well and hold up to abuse. Hopefully there’s some active woodsmen/women/person that can point me in the right direction.

Thanks.
Josh