Hill People Gear
Hiking and hunting chest rigs, mil-spec chest packs, manufactured by FirstSpear in USA
Philosophy
Everything you need fast should be in front of you, not behind. Hill People Gear reinvented how to carry essentials in the mountains, and left manufacturing to the real military equipment specialists.
History
Colorado, 2010. Evan and Scot Hill, two brothers who literally live in the mountains, create Hill People Gear with a simple observation: when you hike with a backpack, everything you need quickly (map, compass, snack, knife, radio, binoculars) is inaccessible. On your back. Under the flap. At the bottom.
Their solution: the chest rig. A lightweight vest with a central pocket on the sternum, worn OVER the backpack. All essentials accessible in one second, without setting down the pack, without stopping. Hands stay free.
The Kit Bag, their signature model, becomes cult in the American backcountry community. Thru-hikers, hunters, park rangers, mountain guides. In the US, where carrying firearms while hiking is legal and common, the Kit Bag also serves as a concealed carry holster, explaining its popularity on enthusiast communities.
The industrial masterstroke: entrusting manufacturing to FirstSpear, a certified mil-spec military equipment maker. Not 'military style', actual gear made with the same materials and standards as US Army body armor.
On specialist forums: 'I don't think HPG makes a bad piece of gear. Expensive but likely to outlast most people's outdoor career.' The kind of comment you never read about a brand that cuts corners.
The aesthetic is unapologetic: camo, PALS webbing, military look. It's not discreet, it's not urban, it's made for the mountains and doesn't apologize for it.
Iconic Products
Kit Bag
THE original chest rig, the one that created the genre. Central zippered pocket on the sternum, adjustable straps, backpack compatible. Sizes from Runner (ultra-compact) to Full (map + radio + holster format). Mil-spec nylon, reinforced stitching, military buckles. The product that convinced the American backcountry community there was a better way to carry essentials. Everyone has copied since, nobody's done it better.
Runner's Kit Bag
The ultra-compact Kit Bag version, for trail running and fast hiking. Just enough space for phone, keys, energy bar, and possibly a small knife. Disappears while running. The chest rig for those who find the standard Kit Bag too big. Backcountry minimalism.
Tarahumara Pack
The HPG backpack, named after Mexico's Tarahumara runners. Lightweight format, clean design, FirstSpear construction. The bridge between chest rig and traditional pack. Less known than the Kit Bag, but the same philosophy: carry less, carry better, access fast.