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K-Tek Harness customization


Simon Paine

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Just wanted to do a little followup on my K-Tek Harness. I've been using it for quite a while now and I'm still loving it. The rigid spine has been amazing for my back. I've also recently been taking advantage of the MOLLE webbing that is stitched into the harness. I wanted to avoid having to bring a backpack with me while working, so I sourced some pouches from Maxpedition.

 

IMG_4312.JPG

 

I use the upper middle pouch for wet weather gear and/or spare XLR. The two square hip pouches are a nice fit. I can fit 1 slim V-mount in one of them and the other I keep mic accessories,tape etc. I also got 2 "Rolli Polli" pouches from Maxpedition. In this upper photo you can see them when they are rolled up and stowed, but as you can see on the lower picture, the quickly open up into a large catch all pouch. The smaller one on the right is perfect size for a water bottle or to stow a shotgun mic with a Softie. The larger one at the back is perfect for at the end of the day when taking back wireless mics or IFB's and you just need to stash them somewhere until you get back to your vehicle.

 

FullSizeRender.jpg

 

Overall I've been really happy with the K-Tek Harness.

 

Pros: Rigid Spine for back support, MOLLE webbing for attaching pouches, ventilated shoulder straps, 6 attachment points to your mixer for weight distribution. 

Cons: only had one issue with the harness, the front sternum strap is attached to the shoulder straps via two plastic connectors that allow you to slide it up and down to fit. I've had the strap slip all the way down and completely off the harness on a several occasions and getting it back on is tricky. Maybe on a future update they can add a little stitching to the bottom of the sliding strap to prevent it from slipping off. But having said that, it's a small  issue when compared to the many benefits of the harness.

For those interested, Maxpedition is having a clearance sale. Many of the pouches I use and lots more are on sale right now.

http://www.maxpedition.com

 

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This is awesome! Been curious about similar add-ons for my own harness. Aside from the Rolli-Polli, could you share with us the other specific models you found useful? I've spent some time on Maxpedition's website and the number of products and options is kind of overwhelming. Did you have to buy their strap things to connect the pouches to the Molle, or did you use another method?

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Looks great!

I use this maxpedition AA battery holder which comes with an 8 AA battery hard case. Really works great for keeping some spares on me without weighing down my bag in front. (Not that they weigh much, but organization is great too).

http://www.maxpedition.com/store/pc/Volta-Battery-Pouch-p581.htm

I also use an ammo magazine pouch in the back for a spare Inspired Energy battery (will also fit an NP1.)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007I4SZYE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_va0WxbWC32ET8

I'm going to have to steal your other ideas as well. As much weight I can put on the back the better!

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On August 28, 2016 at 2:44 PM, Paul Katzman said:

This is awesome! Been curious about similar add-ons for my own harness. Aside from the Rolli-Polli, could you share with us the other specific models you found useful? I've spent some time on Maxpedition's website and the number of products and options is kind of overwhelming. Did you have to buy their strap things to connect the pouches to the Molle, or did you use another method?

Sure Thing: The upper pouch is called the F.I.G.H.T. first aid pouch. I like it because it can quickly be removed via the strap and velcro, but you don't need to undo the Tac-Tie straps. Very quick to get on and off.

The square hip pouches that just fit a slim V-Mount (to give you an idea of size) are called 4.5 X 6.0 Padded Pouch I like the size and the fact that they have more MOLLE webbing and velcro on the outside so you can attach another item to them. 

I have a few other Maxpedition bags and pouches that I swap in and out depending on the gig. There stuff is well built.

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Getting in and out isn't long, no longer then my older harness. However, you can't wear the harness on its own, the mixer bag makes up an important part of the overall system. So if you want to drop the mixer bag, you need to remove the harness. Not a big deal for me. I tend to keep myself "geared up" and ready to go until lunch or a longish break. 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I really do like the add-ons, however I'm very much against adding more things to my harness, which already supports the full weight of my bag. I have personally opted for a drop leg pouch by Maxpedition called the Thermite Versipack along with a water bottle holder and folding RollyPoly dump pouch that also attach to the Thermite Versipack.

This puts the weight of extra AA's, extra NP-1 (1 or 2, depending), 6 transmitters, extra 9V batteries, Lav Bullet, gum, water bottle and at the end of the night Comteks and transmitters back in the dump pouch on my waist, not my harness. I'm in the process of lightening the weight of my bag overall and taking things out of the bag, going AES route and nuking heavy XLR connectors, etc.

Of course each person will have their take on this, but the modularity of the pouches available is outstanding and each of us can find a solution that works well for us in the field.

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Hi all,

Ali from K-Tek here...

Thanks Simon for the kind words; a lot of thought has gone into the harness (and the other Stingray products) and we of course always try to improve our products.

If I may I'd like to address a couple of topics that came up in this thread:

Wearing the Harness without a Bag:

After the first generation harness (KSHRN1) made it out into the field in quantities, we got the feedback that some of you wanted to be able to wear the harness without the bag. So, we released the 2nd generation (KSHRN2) which contains an extra Hip Belt. All KSHRN2 ship with this hip belt attached (it's the only gray belt/strap for easier identification), but if you prefer not to use it: it is removable. These beefy, narrow clips connect this belt to the harness and can be easily removed if "wearing without a bag" isn't an issue for. If it is, the Belt is there for you.
I have to add that unfortunately this Hip Belt cannot be retrofitted onto a KSHRN1 - sorry :-(

 

The Chest strap:

We had some issues in the first generation and fixed it for the 2nd generation. After a couple of months of shipping the 2nd Harnesses the problem started creping up again, so we put our heads together with the factory to permanently fix this once and for all.
We have designed a nice fix that is sturdy, clean and very visible, that'll make it easier for the factory to QC each unit and easier for us to spot QC check here. It also works really well and won't deteriorate over time. We chose this fix, because we're addressing multiple possible fault points of the previous fix - as the previous fix clearly didn't take, we didn't want to take chances a second time. As is the nature of manufacturing, it'll take a couple of months for this fix to make it into the hands of end users (yeah that's all you Pros out in the field).
But... we have a retrofit fix! 
Anyone with this Kit and a pair of pliers can fix up their harness in a couple of minutes; we're expecting this retrofit kit at our office in California around the end of the month September/early October and we'll (properly) announce it then.
Not every harness needs this, but if yours does - you already know that you need it and you'll get one! Just reach out to us once we announce it.

If you have problems reinserting the strap, please refer to this video (not ours, it's from a backpack company that must have had the same problem):

Pouches/Add-ons

Obviously, we chose the strap/Molle infrastructure so you can do exactly what you are doing here: customize your Stingray products to your heart's content - get it just right for you, yourself and nobody else! 
There are millions of Molle accessories out there and being able to use/attach them to the Stingray products is a huge advantage (in our minds). And even though we're not planning to become one of those Molle accessory companies, occasionally we'll come up with our own or modify a great "Molle idea" to better suit the Pro Audio Market; check out our DTS Pouch (DTS - Dump that S..S..Stuff ;-) or our KBG - Gizmo Bag with Peekaboo-See-Through back so you can find your "Gizmos" faster.
We have a whole section on our website for products like this, we call it "Bag Accessories & Accessory Bags". Check it out, and please know that there will be more additions to this section throughout the rest of the year.


Lastly, please let me say Thanks! Thanks for using our products, thanks for loving our products and thanks for letting us know how we can improve our products. We try to make great products from the start, but sometimes a great product can be even better with some input from the field.
So please don't hesitate to reach out to us - we always love to hear from you and we appreciate all the input.
We try to keep up on here and on FB, but we're too small to have full time eyes on all the possible online forums, user groups and online discussion, so we'd like to invite you all to just let us know directly when you have something to tell us: good or bad.
Simply, use our Contact Page on the website and it'll get routed through to the right person: https://ktekpro.com/contact/

Again: thanks! And keep up the good work!
 

Ali @ K-Tek
 

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On 8/27/2016 at 8:50 AM, Simon Paine said:

Just wanted to do a little followup on my K-Tek Harness. I've been using it for quite a while now and I'm still loving it. The rigid spine has been amazing for my back. I've also recently been taking advantage of the MOLLE webbing that is stitched into the harness. I wanted to avoid having to bring a backpack with me while working, so I sourced some pouches from Maxpedition.

 

IMG_4312.JPG

 

I use the upper middle pouch for wet weather gear and/or spare XLR. The two square hip pouches are a nice fit. I can fit 1 slim V-mount in one of them and the other I keep mic accessories,tape etc. I also got 2 "Rolli Polli" pouches from Maxpedition. In this upper photo you can see them when they are rolled up and stowed, but as you can see on the lower picture, the quickly open up into a large catch all pouch. The smaller one on the right is perfect size for a water bottle or to stow a shotgun mic with a Softie. The larger one at the back is perfect for at the end of the day when taking back wireless mics or IFB's and you just need to stash them somewhere until you get back to your vehicle.

 

FullSizeRender.jpg

 

Overall I've been really happy with the K-Tek Harness.

 

Pros: Rigid Spine for back support, MOLLE webbing for attaching pouches, ventilated shoulder straps, 6 attachment points to your mixer for weight distribution. 

Cons: only had one issue with the harness, the front sternum strap is attached to the shoulder straps via two plastic connectors that allow you to slide it up and down to fit. I've had the strap slip all the way down and completely off the harness on a several occasions and getting it back on is tricky. Maybe on a future update they can add a little stitching to the bottom of the sliding strap to prevent it from slipping off. But having said that, it's a small  issue when compared to the many benefits of the harness.

For those interested, Maxpedition is having a clearance sale. Many of the pouches I use and lots more are on sale right now.

http://www.maxpedition.com

 

Awesome man just came across this, I am in the process of doing the same thing. I just down sized my bag to an old porta brace and wanted to get molle pouches for harness to hold all the extras that would usually go in front pouch. Nice job, nice to see someone else's work. I bought the same brand maxpedition I like their quality, I used it for the front of my mixing bag now to start on my harness. :)

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  • 5 years later...

That's really cool how you put stuff on the back of the harness. I've taken a more paired back approach.

I decided on and Entity Utility Pouch Large on my left shoulder and a Medium Rollypoly dump bag on the right shoulder.

https://www.maxpedition.com/collections/entity-series/products/entity-utility-pouch-large?variant=446540414993

https://www.maxpedition.com/collections/pouches/products/mini-rollypoly-folding-dump-pouch?variant=27910305617

 

May they both remain empty under most circumstances. The utility pouch can second as a phone holder. This is real business if you are using it via bluetooth as a transport or notation app, syncing tentacles etc. I ordered the Long version at first, but that's really thin. Would expand to an iPhone 12 mini or first version SE. The large is better than buying a pouch specific to a samsung or a plus. I may even use it as my backup with a DPA MMA-A and a stereo microdot cable. And I guess you could transfer your battery to this location.

 

The Dump Pouch is as you described a great way to collect mics and comteks and that trace of tape backing and trail mix. You could go for the larger size for this purpose, but I thought coupled with my makeshift phone pouch on the other side, this dumping pouch is also the exact size for a 32oz nalgene water bottle, which I am known to carry on set. Again, more versatile than buying the dedicated 32oz water bottle holder. Let's all try to turn down the poland spring sample bottles, please. It's a moral imperative! I know we work in the most important business in the world, but the world might have additional priorities.

 

Finally, I bought two Viviana hooks for over shoulder and under shoulder to one side. Save yourself a buck from replacing the full set. That way, I have a quick escape from the bag, without hoisting, and I have a quick fastening to put it on, without missing. They hook on to the current carabineer. It makes all the difference, particularly when you don't have a bar-top surface to keep things lined up.

https://www.gothamsound.com/product/viviana-hook

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I might add that the carrying tote could be thought out a bit more. With only a loop, you cannot wear it per se. But if it had a strap sewn in, it could be over the shoulder, much like a fanny pack that is worn in that fashion. Take the design further, and you could turn it into a mesh harness belt, competing with the Orca, which I have used for a number of years now. Both are sturdy breathable material. Something to consider, K-Tek

 

All that speculative musing out of the way, the pouch itself is a good enough stuff sack for many of the things you might have considered putting on your back. I've used it for elective items (a book, a travel game set), and it's also a good place for catch all items that you know you are either not using for the rest of the day or can safely take home now that those options have been waved off by the production (the pelican with the wired lav, the phonak kit, the stereo mic that CAM B doesn't want, etc.) Then for those who would have left the carrying tote at home, you could bring these loose items home after your first day.

 

So for @Simon Paine and others who would use the back real estate, what could you convince me is essential back there which allows you to be self contained on set without having to bring that second bag or to load up the mixer, and without burdening yourself with more weight? Without the access to those items while they are on your back? Maybe some dumbbells would be a good thing if it kept our alignment, right? But that's what distributing the weight into the belt is for. Would you trust yourself to unload those items in their pouches once you arrived on set? Is using these additional pouches allowing you to leave that second bag at home?

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