Hunting packs! Meat hauler vs day pack style

WhelanLad said:
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Best thing ive ever known- Proberly better ones out there- but the Frame pack in general- saved my ass... an back big time.
wish i had one for NZ... but il go back now i got one. pending Covid freedoms etc... :(
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Why carry the legs from the hocks down?

For coming out of the mountains, deboning is the way to go.
 

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I back pack in 3km to where I hunt and I take a pack frame up with a badlands diablo pack inside and when I hit the area where we hunt I drop the elk pack in a large juniper then leave it there till I shoot a mule deer or the last day come, I carry the day pack for the rest of the hikes. I like the elk pack as I can haul out a de-boned deer and my day pack rifle ect. It all depends on how and where you hunt on what you need.
 
I've got a Cabela’s Prestige 85L Frame Pack that I picked up a few years ago. I love it for my hunting needs. It carries loads much better than my last two internal frame packs and the main pack body quickly removes from the frame and the frame has a build in bulk load strapping system. I also find it light enough to use as a day pack while hunting but I am 300lbs so a little extra weight is hard to notice.
 
I have a Eberlestock "just one". I used it in 2019 for Elk in Idaho. It does the trick. It is designed to be "just one". A day pack or meat/gear hauler depending on how you configure it.
 
My current home brew rig is the frame of a Kelty-clone, the main pocket of a pattern 82 CF Suplus (with the extra straps/pockets removed), the harness from a different Kelty-clone, and a grid of surplus web straps for general purpose attachment. I’ve also gotten good mileage out of the upper strap set from an 82 for similar builds.

It doesn’t weight much, and carries more than I can.

The biggest problem I’m still wrestling with is that the framing required to do meaningful load transfer to the hips reduces flexibility the rest of the time. It’s hard enough to get up off the ground after a tumble with a heavy pack on, but the the parallel structure attached to the spine makes it worse. Like "Inverted Turtle" worse.

Also, the’ol hips aren’t as well defined as they used to be. Sigh. But that’s not a problem with the pack design.

The US tried to solve the load transfer problem with the ball/socket joint on the back of a semi-rigid belt, but I’ve never handled one that wasn’t broken so I don’t know how well it worked in practice. I have my doubts because I didn’t see a working cantilever mechanism, or rather, a working cantilever mechanism that didn't depend on the user having load carrying abs.

And if you think “It’s military equipment, it must work.” I reference the previously mentioned pattern 82. Yuck.

I suppose on some level I’m chasing a rainbow. Large mass has to be carried high for balance, which means I can’t have stability. To be stable I have to carry it low, which limits mass. I can’t have both.

Not that people won’t try. There’s a wince-inducing training video on YouTube about how to pack a ‘42 mountain pack. Being 20 years younger probably helps delay the impact of that kind of spine-abuse, but you'd still be skiing along bent forward like Igor.

Also, has anyone found a good solution to the "wet-frozen web straps can't be moved through ladder buckles" problem?
 
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I spent a tonne of time researching packs, I wanted somethings small enough for a day pack, hiking, etc., but still sturdy enough that it had the ability to pack weight. I was set in Badlands Diablo and waiting for Cabelas to have a sale when I stumbled upon the pop up and read a couple reviews people had left on Rokslide (those people are crazy about their packs).

After seeing what the pop up had to offer I was sold! The new model of pop up with the adjustable friction lock frame had been out a short while; I decided to snag slightly used original off eBay at a good discount. I couldn’t be happier! it does everything I want it to and has a tonne of space; that load shelf double the capacity of the bag if you need it. The bag even works as a carry on for your flights when travelling too.

The pack is well made; it’s made of a heavier material compared to some of the other premium packs but I’m sure that it’s durability is better, it has a few pockets for Keeping things organized, it’s got a sturdy frame and a good waist belt.

Hope that helps!
 
I have eberlestock and badlands day packs that I stuffed deer inside, the thing is it’s just uncomfortable hauling weight on them. I upgraded to a stone glacier sky 5900 it’s been a big difference in comfort it makes it easier to haul a heavier bag. I like how the Sky 5900 can made smaller 4300 cu/in. But you can expand it to 5900 cu/in..I find myself carrying more “just in case” supplies just because it’s easier to haul. Gotta decided how you hunt and if your far from a vehicle it might be worth it to invest in a decent bag, but if your just walking to a tree stand not far from a road way then you might save a few bucks… on another note I use my stone glacier as my hiking bag also it comes in a gray colour so I’m not hiking around in a camo bag
 
I've tried all sorts of packs .
I like the eberlestock black widow.

Spike duffel , and meat bag zip on and off.

Bad lands 2200 is nice and slim, for creepin the bush. Did like the pack loaded up, no frame .

Settled on the maverick by mystery ranch.
Packs heavy loads very well, comfortable .

It's a bigger bag, but it packs down tight for day trips.

The bear tooth was a close second ,, with the front zip door on the bag for packabitlity..

Cabalas Carrie's them now.. they brought the price point down also.. paid 800 for mine ,, sad face
Closer to 550 now... hahaha
 
First be honest with yourself about what you want to use your pack for. There's no point in buying a pack capable of carrying 100 lbs if you are never going to do it. It's also not worth the pain of carrying 100 bs with a pack that isn't capable of it. You may have to buy and sell a couple packs before you get one that fits you right.

I use the same hunting pack almost every time I go big game hunting. It's a Kifaru Duplex Frame with a Stryker Bag. I prefer a frame pack with a load shelf type of arrangement and some sort of day pack sized bag. My water, lunch and miscellaneous hunting gear goes in the bag. My .22 grouse gun fits in a slot in the pack. Extra insulation layers, spotting scope and butt pad go in the load shelf. My gun is attached with a Kifaru Gunbearer and my binoculars hang from a custom made aluminum hook on my waist belt with the strap loose around my neck. Some day hunts I am out in -30 weather from before sunrise to after sunset and I have everything to keep me warm and happy. I have spent almost 20 years figuring everything out just how I like it.

The Kifaru Duplex is super comfortable for me. It's build very tough. I'm not afraid of tearing it while sliding over rocks or catching it on trees. It's also very strong. I carried half a mule deer for a couple kilometers up hill last year wondering why it felt so heavy until we later weighed it and the loaded pack was 130lbs. I was never worried about the pack. Kifaru has what I feel is the best waist belt in the industry. It just plain works for me.

I used to have Mystery Ranch Nice Frame with a modified Crew Cab bag for many years. I cut the wing bags off because they were unnecessary weight. It was another very strong, tough and capable pack. I carried quite a few deer out of the bush with it. I loved the pack when it was just carrying my hunting gear, but I hated it when it was fully loaded. It just didn't fit me right and with a lot of weight, it hurt. Even after I installed the load lifters, the pack just wasn't made for me. I don't know if it was my height, 6ft, or something else.

I also have a Kifaru UL5200, which is by far the most comfortable pack I have ever used. I use it for any situation where I have to carry my camp on my back and weight is a concern. It's an 80 liter pack that weighs less than 3 lbs and can carry 100 lbs. I don't use it for my everyday hunting because it's just one big 80 liter bag and isn't as durable or versatile as my Duplex frame.

I also use a little 12 or 15 liter Deuter hydration pack for bird hunting. Just something to carry water, a sandwich, extra shells and a few birds. I've also used it for the rare occasion I take my bow for a walk.

Lastly, I carry 12 feet of paracord. I have used the paracord to drag more deer to the nearest road, than I have carried on my back. Once, I dragged a deer with another one on my back while two guys too "tired" from dragging the deer walked beside.
 
I recently made a switch to kifaru f1 mainframe and batwings as I do more day hunt mode than anything but I've packed out lots of boned out things, quarters etc. so ability to open up and take a stuff sack full of camp for multi-day sheep hunts and or bone out a critter for a couple trips out is simple, I wanted a frame and compact and the f1 mainframe is a small enough frame with proper shelf to go as daypack. Just tired of the meat in a bag approach of non frame bags and want something solid and easier to load onto and cinch to. I have found all packs hurt at 70 plus lb loads and some that hurt you even more, either way it's no fun once you go beyond 35 lbs. I will likely only pack about 75 lbs at a time now, I could get a ewe out solo still but that will be uncomfortable, most deer I'll just do two trips as you don't have to climb back up the mountain, a ram will be worth two trips regardless. I don't like elk so I don't chase them and most moose we shoot aren't in the toughest of spots and just bone them and pack them until it's in the truck. This little frame should be a good do all for me, haven't tested with load yet, just some coyote hunting so far and spring bear but nothing required a pack out yet.
 
For anyone curious, I ended up ordering a new mystery ranch metcalf on the guide lite MT frame. After I saw how small they could pack down to be used as a daypack I was sold on the larger sized bag to be able to use for multiple things. It's a 71L bag that can pack down smaller than my arcteryx assault 30, so I'm thinking it will make a good hunting/backpacking setup. I can always pull the bag and throw a smaller one on the frame too, which is a nice feature
 
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