Would you wear a drop leg platform hiking?

[Bishop2Queen's6]

I want to have more carry options when hiking other than my pockets and bag. Having things in my pockets when hiking can be annoying and putting everything in my bag is just slow to access and a potential risk if I loose my bag somehow... So I was thinking of wearing a drop leg platform when hiking with an admin pouch set up; have my BK9 on my right thigh, with the drop leg platform on my left with a GPS, radio, and a tin filled with some fire starting equipment, possibly more things also.

My only worry is that it might be a bit too tacti-cool looking, but if I see a number of member's carrying one maybe I'll do it too.

So what do you think.. Yes or No? and why?

please post pics if you have a drop leg rig for hiking or in general.

[machine26]

Edited: I wouldn't worry about what other people think, use what works for ya.

[paranoidsentry]

I would, easy access and no need to take it off for most activities. But I don't care about people giving me strange looks and when I go hiking I prefer to do it where I likely won't be seeing anyone else.

[blt-2-drg]

I agree, dont worry about what other people think, just do what works for you.

That said, i personally dont like drop leg platforms. They just arent comfortable for me. I prefer my knife at my waist and something on my chest for accessories. There are companies that make chest bags for fly fishing that work very well. They are like chest rigs, but not tactical.

[snyper1ad]

I've found from personal experience that wearing a thigh or leg rig works against body mechanics. Putting weight around your legs forces them to swing extra weight working against you. While in the military I tried several configurations of drop rigs to carry mags and everytime I had to run you could really feel the extra effort to build momentum. Hope this helps.

[paranoidsentry]

True if you put any significant weight (more than about 3Ibs for me) they can be uncomfortable to walk long distances and make running a pain. But for items that would normally be in pockets it can keep them from bouncing around and is more secure, they also won't build up momentum of their own.

[spoolup]

Tried a safepacker on your pack waistbelt? Thats what I use.

[KBamhi]

I found I didn't care for the drop leg carry but I too wanted to carry a firearm and fixed blade outside my pack. I ended up with a crossdraw sheath on my pack waistbelt for my 4 inch fixed blade and a maxpedition pouch on my strong side to carry my 9MM. I know a 9MM is just about enough firearm to piss off a bear but I am probably more concerned with the 2 legged threat anyway. I also figure a 9MM concealed on my belt is better than a 44 mag left at home.

[wildmike]

They work well, but as mentioned you must keep the weight down. I have found my RIBZ Frontpack to work better.

[CWL]

I wouldn't but that's me.

I prefer wearing all my major gear between belt and shoulders. When carrying a pack, I attach gear to the pack belt and shoulder straps which I will transfer to belt carry after I reach camp.

[Bowman1911]

A true drop leg pouch is great for a handgun, not so great for anything else. I absolutely adore my blackhawk drop leg serpa. Holds a handgun & a coupla extra mags tight to the body & very little sway. Blackhawk makes a drop leg dump pouch that's big enough for a canteen, a few cook supplies, & some cordage. Way too much sway with 32 oz. of H2O much less anything else in the pouch. However, if you dump the leg straps & wear it high on the belt, it's not unamanageable. Still it's not exactly comfortable, & a dedicated canteen pouch is still 100x's better, but if you really wanna look at a drop leg pouch, it's one I'd consider.

[michaelmcgo]

I voted no. When I'm in the woods, I find my folding pocket knife to solve every problem I've ever encountered ON THE TRAIL. It opens food packets, trims buds off of walking sticks, cuts cheese, etc. I usually have a hiking fixed blade in an outside pocket on my pack. I had a RC-4 drop out of it's sheath once (took almost an hour to find the bright orange handled knife lost in a known area of about a half acre).

[Bob W]

No, I wouldn't want that stuff, or anything extra, attached to my legs when hiking.
I carry a pack for a reason.

Only thing I need access to regularly when hiking is the map and compass. Compass ties to my belt and slips into a pants cargo pocket, and the map is usually just folded and in the same pocket.
I carry a knife in a pocket too, but not because I need it often; it's tied to my belt to prevent loss.

[Unistat76]

Drop leg holsters get snagged on every dang thing, in my experience. Talk to some cops who've used drop leg holsters. They almost universally despise them. K9 officers use them for specific reasons (they can draw easier while kneeling.)

When hiking/camping I carry cross draw appendix OWB. The holster I use for that has one belt loop and I can swivel it a bit left or right for when I squat or bend over.

I did experiment a little with a shoulder holster semi-affixed to my pack, but it never quite worked out like I envisioned.

Cross draw on a chest rig might work out ok.

[Berdar]

I've found from personal experience that wearing a thigh or leg rig works against body mechanics. Putting weight around your legs forces them to swing extra weight working against you. While in the military I tried several configurations of drop rigs to carry mags and everytime I had to run you could really feel the extra effort to build momentum. Hope this helps.

Exactly, Drop legs are just fine for a direct action mission where you will be on the ground a short amount of time. Any longer than a few hours and they become a pain in the rear..

[thatotherguy]

I wouldn't worry about what we think either, if it works for you rock on.
OTOH, I wouldn't use a drop leg rig for the kind of hiking I do, it would get in the way of some of the straps on my pack at the attachment point (belt) and it wouldn't work anyway, as I don't wear a belt while hiking anyway. I use suspenders, so there's really no attachment point for a drop leg rig.
The things I need to access quickly on a hike stay in the hip belt pockets of my pack or attached to adjustment straps on the hip belt.