ESEE HEST for EDC?....

B

Bapple

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Feb 1, 2010
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Trying to get some insight on the HEST. Anyone use the HEST as an EDC? If so, how do you carry it? I have an IZULA and was wondering how the HEST compared, anyone who may have both of these, comments? Thanks :thumbup:
 
I carry a H.E.S.T. everyday. I use para-cord belt loops, place it about 3 o'clock, strong side, between my waistband and belt. Very comfortable, completely concealed.

I do not have an Izula, so I cannot comment there.
Love the H.E.S.T. though.
 
I carry mine in a custom kydex, horizontal on my left hip, for right hand draw. I have been using it fo rthe past 6 months or so and really like it. Easy to draw and holster one handed, and overall pretty concealable. Just a slight protrusion under a shirt, but nothing to overt. The pry bar is facing down and doesn't get in the way. i usually forget It is there.

I carried my Izula for a month or so in the same fashion, and it also works very well. Obviously being a smaller, thinner knife overall, it is easier to conceal and less wieghty. I really liked it. The Izula is a greta little blade, I just feel the HEST provides a few more tool options that I like to have, so the bigger heavier blade is worth it to me.
 
tried the hest for a week straight. just couldnt get used to it. i even tried side ways carry with paracord belt loops. but the izzy is back now as my edc. as for the tool usage i carry a sog power lock. but if it was a "pick one" question, i would grind the hole of my izula to make a pry tool. just my humble opinion.
 
I've carried my HEST everyday at work since it arrived. It's not small, but it's a great tool to always have. I just stick it in my off side front pocket for now. For my job I carry a bit of gear. I could go for comfort, but that voice in the back of my head says "how comfortable will you be trying to cut your way out of a seat belt, or pry apart a pallet for fire wood with your fingernails". I wear cargo pants at work. If I wore something else it might be different. I'm still awaiting the DPX HEST Urban Carry Kit for cargo pockets. I would also like a smaller sheath for pocket carry. The HEST sheath is really nice, but big. The bottom line is carry what you'll tolerate, but carry something.
 
I carry mine on a belt in a bikini type sheath i made. I will try take some pics in the next day or so for you.

I carry it everyday, it really is a nice knife a real workhorse. Its thick enough to give confidence that it will handle anything and just long enough for most EDC tasks, nice handle too. Slices fairly well for a thick knife. As to the prybar and bottle opener i dont use them much but its always nice to know you have them available if you need them.

I have an Izula too, which is a great little knife but i do prefer a slightly bigger knife. You might want to consider a RC3 too. My order of preference would be HEST, RC3, IZULA.
 
I use the molle locks that came with my hest. I mostly carry vertical at about 3:15 on my strong side. I also found that the molle locks work great for (me, I'm a thin guy) carrying vertical in the small of my back with the knife handle pointed to my strong side. Both ways are also easily concealed if your shirt is untucked. The izula I also use a single molle lock, vertical on my strong side. It is less noticeable than the hest, as it is a slightly smaller knife. I wear a spec ops riggers belt, I'm not sure how the molle locks do on thinner belts but they stay put on me. I do prefer the hest for the extra features and the handle stash. Its my little SHTF insurance as I can't carry a pack on my person at all times, so that's why I prefer the hest as EDC over the izula. They are both great knives and I couldn't pick just one...
 
I keep mine on my BOB strap:
hestbob.jpg
 
StagLefty said:
I keep mine on my BOB strap:
Click to expand...

What sheath is that? It looks almost exactly like what I have been hunting for: a nylon sheath with an altoid tin sized pocket (like the other ESEE ones) sized for something small (HEST specifically). I would prefer it be a little longer (the full length of the blade) for belt loop use if I needed it, but MOLLE backing would be fine.

Anyways, what is that? :D
 
I sometimes carry mine in my right back pocket with a length of paracord connected to a leather belt clip that's connected to my belt. I can draw it with one hand and the sheath will just dangle at my side until I'm done.
 
StagLefty said:
I keep mine on my BOB strap:
Click to expand...

Upon further investigation, it looks like that is the ESEE-5 / ESEE-6 Accessory Pouch attached to the factory HEST kydex. Did you have to do any modifications or did it fit by default? Also, did you attach a MOLLE backing somehow?
 
Skeet said:
Upon further investigation, it looks like that is the ESEE-5 / ESEE-6 Accessory Pouch attached to the factory HEST kydex. Did you have to do any modifications or did it fit by default? Also, did you attach a MOLLE backing somehow?
Click to expand...

I bought a seconds pouch from ESEE. I attached it with screws right to the sheath and molle locks on back of sheath.Took a little squeezing here and there but it worked.Here's a better pic front and back:


HESTpack.jpg


IM000268.jpg
 
I carry mine in pocket, no biggie-it's nice low profile, you can't even tell it's there-easily accessible. If anything, have someone make you a drop holster with a pocket clip for mounting inside the pocket-I just use the stock sheath and it's fine.
 
StagLefty said:
I bought a seconds pouch from ESEE. I attached it with screws right to the sheath and molle locks on back of sheath.Took a little squeezing here and there but it worked.Here's a better pic front and back:
Click to expand...

Excellent! Thanks a ton for the pics and taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it.
 
I IWB it at 3 with para cord, carry it at 4 between my belt and pants with para belt loops and just in my pocket. I love it, it works great.
 
I can't say I carry it every day, since today is the first day I've had it. But I am carrying it. I attached some of the older polymer/plastic/rubber? MALICE clips to the sheath with the screws supplied with it, and have it attached to my belt at about 3 o'clock. Rides well, high and tight. I would have given the MOLLE locks that came with it a try, but they have almost no space between them, and the gun-belt I wear (a Maxpedition Liger belt) is pretty thick. So I didn't even try. The MALICE clips are working pretty well, with the inherent balance of the HEST.
 
Anyone know if the HEST sheath will mount easily to the Jump-Proof MOLLE Back Plate for ESEE-3 and ESEE-4 Molded Sheath?
 
Skeet said:
Anyone know if the HEST sheath will mount easily to the Jump-Proof MOLLE Back Plate for ESEE-3 and ESEE-4 Molded Sheath?
Click to expand...

I'd be interested in knowing that myself. Although I guess I could get off my a** and check it myself, since I have both.

OK, I did exactly that and went and checked. I did NOT mount it, but holding it up to the back-plate, I'm about 90% certain that it would. It looked like the bottom of the HEST sheath would line up with the bottom of the snap-strap that is used on the back-plate to attach that plate to PALS straps.
 
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