Review: KSUHP1 K-Tek Stingray Utility Hip Pack

OLD SCHOOL to NEW SCHOOL

Working as a Sound Utility Technician in Hollywood has changed over the years. Before, it was a lot more simple. We were responsible for moving carts and laying cables. The Sound Mixer and Boom Operator took care of pretty much everything else. There wasn’t as much wiring as there is today, which means the toolset we need as Sound Utility Technicians is a lot more diverse.

In 2019 and beyond, the Sound Utility Technician is a pivotal role in the success of a production and production sound crew in general. We are not only responsible for those roles of the past, but now immersed in the wiring of talent as well. I would equate our role in the sound department to that of a contest on Masterchef. There are 100 things to do and usually just the right amount of time to squeeze it all in magically.

YOUR UTILITY CART EVERYWHERE

There is nothing more frustrating that leaving your sound carts with all of your tools and accessories only to need something else the moment you get to set. The Stingray Hip Pouch eliminates about 90% of running back and forth to the Sound Utility Cart in order to finish your tasks on set. This repetitive going back and forth is a huge time killer and looks unprofessional if you keep having to go back and forth. I would put any and all of my wiring gack inside so I am always prepared on set.

CLOSER LOOK

• On your Hip
• Over you Shoulder (with Leg Straps Removed)

Dimensions and Weights

• Interior Dimension (width x depth x height): please see Specification below
• Exterior Dimension (width x depth x height): 16 x 13 x 1.5 inch (41 x 33 x 4 cm)
• Product Weight: 14 oz (390 g)

Specifications

• Main Compartment: 10″ wide X 10″ tall X >3″ deep (25 cm wide X 25 cm tall X >8 cm deep)
  • Large elastic Pouch: 6.5″ wide X 8.5″ tall (17 cm wide X 22 cm tall)
  • 2x small elastic pouches: 3.25″ wide X 3.75″ tall (8 cm wide X 10 cm tall)
    each fits Lav Pouches (KSLP1)
  • Large Zipper Pouch (See-Through PVC Mesh): 7″ wide X 7.5″ tall X >1.5″ deep (18 cm wide X 19 cm tall X >4 cm deep
• Front Compartment: 7″ wide X 8.5″ tall (18 cm wide X 22 cm tall)
  • 2x small elastic pouches: 2.5″ wide X 3.5″ tall (6 cm wide X 9 cm tall)
  • Organizer for marker, pens, tools & scissors

SOUND BAG ON YOUR HIP

The Stingray Hip Pack is large enough to fit a Sound Devices MixPre-3 or MixPre-6 plus various accessories for ultra-stealth recording. This allows you to be ultra portable and removes all of the excess weight that can cause fatigue during the day.

These Sound Devices MixPre Recorders can power externally from an external battery pack, and the Hip Pack can accommodate not only this but also wireless receiver backs and cables to truly make the smaller mobile setup imaginable. Having an extremely small kit like this would benefit any DSLR owner or beginning mixer that is just getting their feet wet.

All in all, it comes down to one simple thing on set. We need to be as efficient as possible. The K-Tek Stingray Hip Pack does just that. It makes you efficient by keeping everything you need right on your hip. I highly recommend having one for each of your crew members, as well as an additional “wiring gack pack” that allows you to hand off a wiring kit quickly to someone else.

Hope you enjoy yours… I love mine!