Ivo, the belt loop portion of the sheath is made of fairly rigid plastic and extends perhaps 1.5" into the hollow center of the harness. If you pull up quickly on the knife, the sheath catches immediately on the harness and the knife pops out — no problem! Since this knife has no finger guard, I shouldn't benefit from a quick draw unless I'm startled on the trail by a block of cheese!
Eric, I'm glad to hear your recommendation of the pack! I took it out with some other BPLers on an easygoing weekend hike last weekend. I was very pleased. My first two packs were a Golite Jam and Pinnacle, and while I loved the simplicity, in my heart of hearts I envied a frame. This pack does a great job of sticking it to my hips. Alas, I have no small machete, and while I do have trekking poles, I have no idea how to use that thingamajig.
Andy, the back ventilation works WELL. There was a prevalent chilly wind last weekend, and it sucked the heat off my back the whole time! It'll be nice in the warmer temps I normally hike in…
Gordon, nice setup! I forgot to mention that the band that secures your knife is also in the perfect position to pop over the base of my knife's handle for extra security. Strangely fortuitous!