Full review of the Kenai Chest Holster for the outdoorsmen

[Yugomaster]

A review of this badass holster, for those who do a lot of outdoor activities might want to consider this setup. http://defensivepopulace.net/kenai-c...olster-review/

[JHC]

The review might have mentioned the care that must be exercised to keep from muzzling your support hand and arm during the draw. I like mine a lot, but the mechanics of the draw are radically different if not muzzling your offside appendage is a priority.

[voodoo_man]

The review might have mentioned the care that must be exercised to keep from muzzling your support hand and arm during the draw. I like mine a lot, but the mechanics of the draw are radically different if not muzzling your offside appendage is a priority.

Yep first thing that stood out to me as well.

I had emailed the company, twice, about the holster and the muzzle issue, still waiting on a response...(not)

[Yugomaster]

Even if they were to design the setup for the gun to angle straight down at your feet, it will be awkward to draw and not that easy. That's why we train to never rush reholstering and once the gun is in your holster, you then have a nerf gun.

[JHC]

No argument there.

If you have many thousands of reps drawing it's very likely you are working with both hands/arms out in front of you. It takes some concentration to draw the offside arm and hand back and clear of the muzzle as you grip and rip.

I'm not against this carry position for the cicumstances that may warrant it, but the draw and reholster struck me as trickier than AIWB which requires care.

It's not a deal killer, the HPG chest pack is somewhat similar and that's great gear too.

[JodyH]

Resurrecting this thread from the grave and revisiting the Kenai chest holster from GunfightersINC.

I recently won a bid for a backcountry infrared survey project that will be starting next spring in the central Rocky mountains, a little south for brown bears but solidly in big black bear country.
We (by "we" I mean two to three of us) will be in the backcountry for 3-4 weeks, with a lot of multi-night backpacking involved.
The work equipment I'll be carrying pretty much rules out also carrying a long gun so I've started looking into backcountry handguns.
For now I've settled on a H&K P30L .40 LEM Trijicon HD's , loaded with Underwood Xtreme Penetrators, carried in a Kenai chest holster.

I've been "test driving" the gun/ammo/holster combination over the past few weeks and am very happy with the results.
As usual the P30L just works no matter what abuse it receives and the Underwood functions great and has impressed me with its penetration through various mediums.
I chose to go with .40 because A: I already owned a P30L and B: the Underwood Penetrator ammo is a great equalizer versus picking up something in .45+P or .45 Super (especially on black bears).
The P30L can also be loaded up with 165 HST's and easily carried AIWB for trips back to civilization.

The Kenai has worked great.
The wide elastic harness rides under a pack without hot spots and supports the weight of the gun well.
The retention is perfect, it takes a solid tug to draw one handed, but I've never had an issue with the gun falling out (even after a tumble down an arroyo bank).
I also use a HPG Heavy Recon Kit bag for when I want to maintain a lower profile (National/State Parks where CCW is legal but open carry often isn't or draws too much attention).
I've found the safest, most positive draw is to bring my weak hand up high on the chest and grab the large fastex buckle, then draw into Southnarc's #2 and then do a press out.
Fast, positive and the muzzle stays oriented away from my chest and support hand/arm.
I'm currently wearing it where the breech is just about my xiphoid process
One thing I'm still working on the the placement of my backpack chest strap.
Under the holster is best, but I hate having the chest strap under anything because being able to exit a backpack quickly can save your life (especially around water).
For now I've slid the buckle over to the far right and trimmed away all the excess strap and taped what little tail remains down with Gorilla Tape to make it slick enough to reliably come out from under the holster straps without hanging up on anything, that also keeps the straps away from the trigger guard.
I still have a few bugs to work out on my overall backpacking setup but the Kenai will definitely be part of my kit.

Attachment 20970

[JHC]

For those on FB, Gunfightersinc has been hitting it hard. Somewhere on there is a video review which keeps showing up on my newsfeed until I went to look for it now.

https://www.facebook.com/GunfightersINC/

[GJM]

I am just not carrying, drawing or holstering a striker in a chest holster. I want a hammer to trap and a longer trigger pull when drawing. With AIWB, Ethernet a foam wedge and tilting my pelvis, I can avert the muzzle. Bunch of people have shot themselves in Alaska with chest holsters.

[JodyH]

I am just not carrying, drawing or holstering a striker in a chest holster. I want a hammer to trap and a longer trigger pull when drawing. With AIWB, Ethernet a foam wedge and tilting my pelvis, I can avert the muzzle. Bunch of people have shot themselves in Alaska with chest holsters.

LEM for the win.
I dabbled with VP's for a few months and came right back around to the LEM.
The slight shootability advantage of the striker just wasn't worth the loss of a hammer to ride and the longer LEM trigger press.

I will say that if Alaska is anything like New Mexico, the trigger type is pretty far down the list of mistakes that led up to the self-inflicted GSW.

[GJM]

Most of my USP pistols are set up with the match hybrid, but I have a pair of P30L DA/SA pistols I got from BCL, that have the most amazing DA/SA triggers for an HK, that I can shoot them better than any LEM, especially one handed. These two pistols really changed my thinking about which HK trigger I prefer.