Hunting pack suggestions

You need to keep up with the times....advances in backpacks in the past dozen years have been incredible....old-style frame packs are becoming a thing of the past.....thankfully!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are still the odd instances when external frame packs are better. When we shoot a moose, it gets skinned and quartered, then hauled to the boat which is usually a few hundred yards. All I need is an external frame and bungee cords for the 4 quarters, the other deboned meat goes into cheesecloth bags.
That said, for pack in mountain hunts, the new packs like Mystery Ranch can't be beat.
 
mistery pack come too with external frame ...

in my youngers days we carried and hauled food for mountain shelters, i never seen a huge load put into a no frame pack. i spoke few weeks ago with a friend still doing it and still frame there is certainly a reason.

barneys in Anchorage is doing still a frame for hauling huge load.

different bag different mission for sure.
 
everybody may have a different definition of heavy for sure ...

I have been backpack hunting in the mountains for over 20 years. My father/hunting partner was a backpack hunting guide in the Yukon and NWT for around 20 years. Pretty sure we know what a heavy load is...

Go do some research if you don't believe me. Have a look at a dedicated backpack hunting forum like Rokslide.com
 
I'm sure the backpack manufacturers would like us to believe that, but when people talk of using their Eberlestock pack to hike back to the truck to pick up their frame pack in order to pack out their elk, we'll, my visa went back in my wallet. The new packs make great packs, but not load haulers. And if you're tall, like I am, the internal frame packs will never adjust to fit properly and that is a huge impediment to the carriage of heavy loads.

1- Eberlestock is far below the benchmark for internal frame backpacks. Far below. ;)

2- There are companies out there who will build custom lengths for tall peeps. Kifaru for one. Paradox packs- kinda a hybrid, modern take on the external frame pack, also come extra long. With the included frame extension, you'd have to be over 7' tall for the Paradox not to fit.
 
I have two Eberlestock. The Dragonfly is good and you may pack your rifle. I bought the scabbard for scoped rifle and put my shotgun in the pack. You may add accessories depending on how long you must walk or carry. Especially if weight is an issue. The zippers are good and you may buy several pouches. It also fits perfectly on my snowmobile and ATV for other hunts. They are expensive but I don't see a near future where I would buy another one. They are good quality. If you may leave your pack at the camp and need a one day pack, there is also several choices by Eberlestock or 4 hazards. I have two sling packs from 4 hazards and they are great products for one day packs. Small, durable with molle adds on. Finally, the Eberlestock pack covers in blaze or camo are a necessity where I live. It rains or snows frequently. It keeps stuff a bit more dry and it weights nothing. Hope this helps. Good hunting.
 
I can help you out with this.
I packed out a sheep over 20 km with the cabelas pack. The strap broke about 4 km from my truck - it was kinda my fault cause I was pretty tired and just grabbed one strap and hoisted it up. That pack is all right but won't stand up to what you want

Fell for the marketing bs and got a dragonfly pack. This is more of a day hunt bag and is hardly big enough to use for back packing multiple days. The rifle holder works well but you might hit the crown of your rifle when going down hill and it's a joke to put it in there when the bag is loaded. I practiced hiking with 70lbs in it and it's not too bad but not too great either for a comfortable ride. You won't get as much in it as on your tatonka and I don't think the zip in panel would hold up for too long. If you plan to use the extra gear hauler bag or whatever they call it you need to buy extra straps to go around it as the ones they provide are too short and they failed to mention that. I still have mine for a day trip gear bag but in my opinion it's not what they hype it up to be.

Next I went to a mystery ranch 6000 and can say that this is in my opinion the best you can get. Practiced hiking with the same load and it is night and day difference in comfort and you can strap everything in tight to your back so it rides better. If you load up the erblestock to 6000 cubic inches it's gonna be hanging way back.

I have also used the badlands 4500 with the same practice load. It definitely rides better than the erblestock but the 4500 capacity comes from extending the part with the drawcord that is usually under the top cover all the way above your head. Not the way to pack weight.

Hopefully this helps you out and you only buy one bag. Go for a mystery ranch. Hands down the winner. I pack my rifle in the water bottle holder on the bottom with the sling around my neck and bought some extra water bottle pouches for the waist belt.

You can also buy the quick real release for your rifle from stone glacier which works good for just strapping the top of your rifle to the side of your pack and putting the butt in the water bottle holder.
 
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I'm still running a packboard for heavy loads up to 300lbs (one I made myself with "modern" modifications). Proved their worth in the infantry. That being said, show me a new pack that will take 300lbs of 1/4'd moose meat and I am interested.
Who is selling these mystery ranch packs? Sounds like it bears lookining into, esp if they can be adjusted to fit my body length.
 
If you are looking for a pack capable of routinely carrying 300 pounds I don't think I'd recommend the Mystery Ranch. It's an awesome pack for carrying 60-80 pounds for a couple weeks in a row and then does the job well with 100-140 pounds when coming out with your game. If you can pack 300 pounds any distance at all you are one tough SOB.
 
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What is yours?
250-300 lbs of meat quarters, and from the Mystery Ranch website for the NICE frame pack, "remarkable load range: 30-120 lbs" and that's on their NICE pack frame!
My P-84 Rucksack weighed 125lbs if I packed the approved kit list. Strip out the frills and throw in the section and platoon ammo and entrenching equipment, I regularly carried 150-175lbs. Already 25% more than the Mystery Ranch is rated for.
Many "hikers" think a 60lb pack is too heavy, that ain't even startin'. So, tell me again why I need a $400 Mystery ranch pack that will only carry 1/2 the weight I require when I have a packboard I made 15yrs ago that cost me $15 and still keeps me going.
 
I never told you that you needed one....in fact I said you didn't. For the average mountain hunter that appreciates comfort on extended trips and occasionally carries 100+ pound loads, they are a great option though. You would definitely be in the top .1% of backpackers I know carrying those loads. I guess Mystery Ranch focuses more on the the other 99.9%. I've packed 144 pounds in mine for 5kms and it held up fine but I wouldn't put 300 pounds in it...not that I could carry it for any distance anyhow.
 
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Best pack for 300lbs
 
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