Cover photo courtesy of vornequipment.com
As a hunter, I’m constantly changing rifle position in the woods.  Low ready when you’re stalking known or suspected deer positions, slung when moving overland and safely in hand when traversing an obstacle. Vorn Equipment of Norway has come up with a patented Quick Rifle Release (QRR) system that’s essentially an open sided scabbard built into a quality hunting pack.  The rifle is locked in position until a pull-ring on the left shoulder strap is yanked: as you reach behind your ear and grab the barrel of your rifle, tug the pull-ring and you can swing the rifle out with ease as the locking clasps have let go. Vorn advertises the ability to have the rifle go from packed up to ready to go in 2 seconds.
Having had seen Vorn’s impressive advertising video, I was excited to hear I was getting a Lynx pack to test.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZDYT5TpqyQ
The Lynx is a 12-20 liter (700-1300 cubic inches) capacity pack with a 6061 T6 aluminum frame and the aforementioned QRR scabbard system.  My test model came in Realtree camo.  The hip belt has molle webbing on it, a feature I’ve already started to make use of for items you’ll want access to without taking off your pack. The quality  YKK zippers come with their own excellent reputation and the cloth material used for the pack itself feels both durable and soft.  Unlike many nylon skinned packs, this material is fairly noise dampening when brushed up against.  There is a nice little pocket for hydration bladders, though no pass through port that I’ve found yet.
I’ve practiced my rifle draws a handful of times so far.  My first came in around 3 seconds, the next few were a little slower as things got hung up behind me.  I started to pay more attention to how I was sliding my rifle into the pack, scope in verses scope out etc.  My draw times still hover around 3 seconds from “GO” to shouldered and ready to fire.  I’ll be taking the Vorn Lynx out hunting this weekend and will be doing more thorough gear testing during that time.  So far, it looks like a winner.
Stay tuned…
