I'll be taking my first trip out west this year & I've got a question regarding packs.
I have a great daypack, but it's nowhere near big enough to pack in a week's worth of gear, plus tent, plus sleeping bag etc...
I have a great long-term pack, more than big enough to haul enough gear to keep me comfy for a month, but waaay too big to carry only a day's supplies. It has an internal frame, so it's not very versatile either.
Do most of you guys carry 2 packs, a small day pack inside a large pack, or do you prefer a smaller, external frame pack that will cover both duties?
I'm really lost as to how to handle all my needs. I need something I can use while I'm hunting plus something to get me & my camp where I need to be & hopefully haul meat.
I've gone with a Kifaru internal pack for the whole deal now. On our moose hunts in Alaska we carry about 20# into the field each day from our base camp. If we get a moose we are carrying 50-80 pounds back to camp for days. I'd go with the long-term pack and cinch it down for daily use.
Remember you will have a lot of meat to take care of if you are lucky.
Mike
I am no expert as last year was my first elk hunt . However i used an ILBE which is a military internal frame pack plenty of room and handles heavy loads well. I considered carrying small daypack but didnt want the extra weight . I will be taking the same setup this year cant wait for september .
Glad to hear you'll be headed west for a hunt, Rob. You'll love it.
I used to carry in an extra daypack to use once I packed in and base camp was established, but found it to really be a waste of weight and space. I bought a kifaru duplex longhunter last year and use it for everything (backpacking in, day hunting, packing meat). It packs a mighty load, but can also be compressed for dayhunting. It works well and saves a trip going back for the frame, should you drop an animal. I'm sure there are other packs worth their salt in this use as well. Just find a large cu.in pack that can compress down.
I used a eberlestock j104 with the super spike duffel. Once I set up spike camp I unzip the super spike duffel and the pack shrinks to 2300 cubic inches. If you do harvest a animal on one of your day outings unzip the zipper and the main compartment expands giving you something like 4500 cubic inches to haul meat out. Keep an eye on the classifieds here as I just upgraded to a like new blue widow for a fraction of the price of new.
I carried a barebones frame with all my gear for years. When hunting I would have a fleece day pack on it with my hunting gear. Its much nicer hunting without a pack, but I always carry emergency stuff, food, knives and game bags.
I have a mystery ranch crew cab but still prefer to hunt with a lighter daypack or fanny pack.
It depends on how many days you will be on the ground. I use to carry a kifaru longhunter with a hunting top lid for day hunts away from spike camp. I sold it because of the physical weight of the pack. Counting ounces is everything depending on the gear you carry. For a 7 day hunt, look at the kifaru nomad with a hunting top lid and a grab it , bikini frame. Longer than 7 days doing bivy hunting, go with the EMR 2. I can send you my pack list with weights. It can get real expensive, real fast.
I went last Sept. for my first elk hunt, your going to love it. Iwas lucky enough to buy a Kifaru UL3700, with most of the bells and whistles, it would expand up to about double its size, but still only weighed in at about 4lbs.Can't say enough good things about the Kifaru line, but there are many good packs on the market today.
Best of luck on your hunt.
Probably going to get several different opinions because there are several ways to skin this cat.
Personally, I prefer an internal frame pack that is 4000-4500 cubic inches. It is large enough to easily handle a weeks worth of gear and food yet compresses down small enough to use as a day pack for hunting. If you are successful it can also handle hauling out your meat. There are lots of packs that fit the bill. Below is a pic of the pack I've been using for the last several years. It's a Gregory Baltoro 70 (4300 cu in). I've had up to 12 days worth of food and gear in it(stuffed to the max) yet I can remove the top lid and compress it down to about the size of a typical day pack. Again, there are MANY packs out there that will work, the most important thing is finding one that fits you.
I've been down the route of carrying a daypack lashed to my larger backpack and for me it's not worth the extra weight. For some it might be.
Either way you'll have fun. Good Luck!!
(http://i.imgur.com/HanyDBo.jpg)
I really prefer one pack that can do everything and there are a number of options that can do that very well. The first elk I killed taught me that I want a pack on my back while hunting that is fully capable of hauling meat. When you have an animal on the ground you have your work cut out for you. The last thing you need is to add a five or six mile round trip hike through the mountains to retrieve a different pack from camp.
I use Eberlestock. Good middle of the road pack. Lots of others are out there as well, and like most things in life, the more you spend the better they get.
I could bring a couple of mine for you to fondle this weekend if you want. Or I could bring them to Tennessee in May if you're not in a hurry.
However if you want to use what you have it shouldn't be too much to lash that daypack to the bigger one. Not like you're changing camps every night so it's only a small burden for a couple of days.
Thanks guys. I'll be on the ground for 6-7 days, so I'm guessing that a 4500-5000cui pack would cover my needs.
Joe, if you could bring yours this weekend, that'd be great. Looking online is ok, but having one in my hands would be much better.
Right now, the packs that've peaked my interest are the Tenzing TZ 4500, the new Exo mountain gear 3500 & the Kuiu Icon 5200
I'm hoping that if I need to replace one or more of my packs, I can stay under the $400 mark...
I run Kifaru longhunter and use the lid as a day pack when necessary. Plenty big enough for rain gear and daily kit.
QuoteOriginally posted by smoke1953:
However if you want to use what you have it shouldn't be too much to lash that daypack to the bigger one. Not like you're changing camps every night so it's only a small burden for a couple of days.
That's kinda what I initially though, but as Joe says, if I have meat on the ground, I really don't want to have to hump however many miles I've gone back to camp to swap out packs.
try a sling made from nylon webing (or plastic catch fence)...it dont take up much room in ur day pack and it will get the job done on that first trip back to camp to get ur pack frame.
Rob, when I pack into the area I like to search for elk in, I carry in a larger pack (external frame) in my case and then I strap my mostly empty hunting pack on to that. The external frame pack I have had since my teens. I am able to get what I need into camp several miles in and then I have my smaller, quieter large day pack for covering country in search of the elusive elk. On the occasion that meat has been packed out both internal frames with a liner (trash bag) and the external frame packs got the job done. I'm in the two pack camp. If your big pack fits you and you can carry you camp load comfortably I'd say go with it. I am still looking for the right hunting pack for me. Best of luck!
rob, I've been kicking around the same thoughts since my last couple trips outwest..
I just ordered the Kifaru nomad,with a Bikini frame, got the camp bag (which you can drop in camp with all your gear) and you still have an awesome hauler/day pack. It's over your budget of $400.
I looked hard at the Stone Glacier packs, and Kuiu...but after alot of research i went with the Kifaru!
I guess I am going to support the minority opinion.
IMO I would lash on a day pack...the vast majority of your miles will not be bringing your camp in and out. It will be humping around all day and I would not want the 3-4 extra pounds AND the bulk of a full size pack on needlessly for those 60 - 75 miles (at least). And I know Wingnut knows his hunting, so I am not questioning him, but I know I don't carry close to 20# of stuff with me during the day. All I have is lunch, rain gear, water, knife and safety stuff.
And hopefully you will get lucky - seriously - however with elk hunting with a bow, the statistics say you will not. Only about 10% get lucky. Not trying to be rude...it is what it is. The good news is you will hop skip and jump back to camp to get you meat hauling pack if you need it. And frankly you will have multiple trips for meat going it alone any way. One more will not matter.
I would also consider looking for an outfitter that is willing to just pack out your meat if I was going alone. If you do that, then the small day pack is all you need during the day.
And again, I wish you the greatest luck and adventure. Elk hunting is awesome and the mountains are even better. It is just reality that taking elk home - most of the time - is not in the cards for most of us.
QuoteOriginally posted by lt-m-grow:
I guess I am going to support the minority opinion.
IMO I would lash on a day pack...the vast majority of your miles will not be bringing your camp in and out. It will be humping around all day and I would not want the 3-4 extra pounds AND the bulk of a full size pack on needlessly for those 60 - 75 miles (at least). And I know Wingnut knows his hunting, so I am not questioning him, but I know I don't carry close to 20# of stuff with me during the day. All I have is lunch, rain gear, water, knife and safety stuff.
And hopefully you will get lucky - seriously - however with elk hunting with a bow, the statistics say you will not. Only about 10% get lucky. Not trying to be rude...it is what it is. The good news is you will hop skip and jump back to camp to get you meat hauling pack if you need it. And frankly you will have multiple trips for meat going it alone any way. One more will not matter.
I would also consider looking for an outfitter that is willing to just pack out your meat if I was going alone. If you do that, then the small day pack is all you need during the day.
And again, I wish you the greatest luck and adventure. Elk hunting is awesome and the mountains are even better. It is just reality that taking elk home - most of the time - is not in the cards for most of us.
Remember those 10% statistics include road hunters, lazy hunters and residents who might buy a license and not hunt at all. If I truly believed I only had a 10% chance at success I'd find something else to hunt. A guy that's willing to put forth the effort to pack in and hunt hard for 7 days has WAY more than a 10% chance at success in my opinion. I certainly wouldn't choose my gear expecting failure.
I have hunted for 2 to 3 weeks each year for over 20 years. On all hunts, I used a $69 freighter frame and lashed a wool day pack to that along with all the rest of my camp. I plan for success and carry the appropriate game bags in my pack each day. I used to use the Screaming Eagle Elk Hunter day pack, but now I carry the Bison Gear Elk Hunter as a day pack. This is a bit larger, but allows me to carry camera equipment as needed. But it also is big enough to carry 60 to 80 pounds of meat back to camp my first trip and retrieve the pack frame for subsequent trips. I have been trying to cut back on weight, and there may be other and better methods now, but the longer your trip the more weight there seams to be. I am certainly open to other suggestions, but thisd has worked well for me including long trips in Alaska. Mike
I use a pack frame to get gear in/out and also to pack Elk out but use a day pack for hunting.
Cabela's Alaska pack frame
Badlands super day pack
I used an Eberlestock X2 with a spike duffel strapped between the bat wings when I went.
Drop the duffle at camp and you will have a pack that can bring out the first load without going back. That will give you about 4,000 cu in if I remember. Oh you will need to buy some extension straps but it works. Plenty extra lashing points for tent, pad, and sleeping bag.
Not a bad deal for the money in my small experience. It's all about weight. The altitude will tame an in shape flatlander and every ounce less helps.
ENJOY!!!
I carried a Mountain Smith Tour Lumbar pack. It is very packable and light. Kept it rolled up in the main pack until camp was set up. I can carry all I need for a days hunt.
If you're trying to stay under the 400$ mark watch the classifieds, or check out The Horn hunter full curl system, has frame big bag and a day pack that all work as a system easily detachable. I just picked one up, haven't been able to put it to the test but I'm liking it so far.
I am with herd bull. I pack my kifaru day pack with my food and clothes and strap it to the pack frame. I also strap on my sleeping bag, pad and tent. At my age I want to keep the weight as low as possible but want a good day bag for the hunting days out of main camp.
Sort of like herdbull. I have a small fleece daypack that might weigh one pound and carry it in the external frame pack while backpacking. I can't imagine having enough money to buy a $400 pack for one trip! And this has been my setup for 30 years.
QuoteOriginally posted by IdahoCurt:
I use a pack frame to get gear in/out and also to pack Elk out but use a day pack for hunting.
Cabela's Alaska pack frame
Badlands super day pack
I do this exact thing. And like mike said. I pack game bags all the time.
Horn Hunter Full Curl System it is a main pack and daypack all in one
Horn Hunter Full Curl System it is a main pack and daypack all in one
While the Gen II Kifaru's are great packs, the Gen I packs can be had for half the price used now, and will do fine for what you need.
Gen I frame with a Hill People Gear Highlander and a sill nylon drybag will come in around 5 1/2 lbs, expand to carry 12 plus days of gear, and haul 100 lbs of meat. For a daypack gives you 1000 Cubic inches inside, and the room to use as a compression panel for extra jacket etc.
If you shop around, this should be doable for $400.
Not as spiffy cool as a new Nomad on a Duplex Gen II frame with all the bells and whistles, but will do everything you need it to.
check rokslide.com and the classifieds killer deals on there I got a 250 pack for 90 bucks there.
There are probably a hundred ways to do this. Expandable hunting packs sound great, but most are very heavy. A good backpacking pack with a day pack strapped to it will weigh about the same as some of the fancy hunting packs and will cost about $500 less new. Theres no right way to do this, youre going to have to try something and see how you like it.
Rob - Kuiu has a new pack system coming out called the "Ultra" series. I watched part of a webinar on it a couple weeks ago and looks like it would suit your needs. In a nutshell, the ultra frame is compatible with 3 different size bags - 6000, 3000 and 1800 cu in. So you could buy the 6000 (bag and frame) and 3000 bag only. Pack all your stuff in with the 6000 and then use the 3000 for day trips. Each of them have a "load sling" that allows you to carry and additional 2000 cu in between the bag and the frame. Price-wise, they are not too bad, either - $349 for the 6000+frame and $89 for 3000 bag only. Check it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNBw1FWWyU0
Dark Timber, Either I over emphasized something or you overly focused on the wrong thing :-)
The point I was trying to make was the vast majority of your time and mileage will not be humping elk meat while elk hunting - regardless of your success rate. Therefore, I would and do avoid the daily burden of a large pack.
In fact, I do what herdbull and others do. I use a cheap frame (garage sale) and a nice day back. Stuff that needs to be dry goes into heavy duty garbage bags which are very useful for all sorts of stuff including a windbreaker and extra rain coat if need be. And just tie everything on the frame. Meat ties on the frame easily too in game bags.
Dave...sorry if my response came off brash. That's now how I intended it but after re-reading it I can easily see how it could sound that way. Sometimes the typed word doesn't always come out quite right :knothead:
I definately understand your point of view and obviously it works. Lots of guy that have more experience and success than I do it that way and have chimed in. I've done it that way in the past as well.
Personally, now I always want to have a pack while hunting that will handle a full load of meat without having to go back to camp (which might be 2 or 3 miles away) and get a meat hauler. I haven't found one that can handle a full load of meat that weighs much under about
4-1/2 lbs and my full size pack only weighs about 5lbs so for the way I hunt this just works best. Obviously it's not the only way or the best for everyone. I think Gringol is right on when he said try something and find out what you like.
What ever pack you go with make sure that you can stalk quietly and shoot well with it on. You will spend most of your time glassing/stalking.
Gilbert
I usually dump my gear and go on to hunting, but looking at a kuiu 6000 and 1800, harness and frame just switches over to the other bag and 1800 is only around a pound of extra weight.
@Rob, where are you going where are you hunting?
Flat Tops Wilderness area, GMUs 25 & 26. Not severe country, but waaay tougher than I'm used to.
After looking around, talking to a few guys & from advice here, I think I might invest in the Cabelas Alaskan Guide frame & strap my daypack & camp kit to it. It does seem like the most versatile option without spending a bunch of money.
I'm planning on this being a first trip, not just a single adventure ;)
QuoteOriginally posted by DarkTimber:
Personally, now I always want to have a pack while hunting that will handle a full load of meat without having to go back to camp (which might be 2 or 3 miles away) and get a meat hauler.
That was my point too, why add an extra trip? That why i chose a modular system too. Packs can be expensive, but it's an investment thats worth it like good boots/optics/gear!
Kuiu just had a sale on packs, not sure what is left.
GMU 25 is "flat" on top, but has deep canyons and a lot of burns and fresher beetle kill where it is a pain to get through at all. Mostly only one or max. 2 roads to get in. Lots of hunters, lots of muzzleloaders with ATVs on the "dirt roads". If the elk get pressured too much, they get down in the canyons or on the eastern slopes down onto private land. The canyons can be accessed comparably easy but the wind is hard to play and the elk have long legs and can move back up the other side of the hill fast. Not much open area to glass there either, at least not where the elk are, you hunt usually for bugles and go after them then. If the elk don't bugle, you will stand in front of great landscape and have no idea where they are. You have to have a lot of luck to locate them within 7 days and even luckier to kill one within that time frame. Just bumping into them will usually not get you shots. One year the elk did bugle very little or hardly at all during the whole season there. Still, one guy was lucky enough that a bull came trotting by and he shot him :-))
Also, hunting alone in this terrain can be risky. One very easily slips on those steep side hills and can break a leg or get a puncture wound from a fallen tree with limbs still sticking out. When no-one knows where you are and you're immobilized, you have a real problem. And most places up there have no cell phone reception either. We may see at the classic.
Horn Hunter Full Curl- can be had for under $200,. Used it on AK with no prob. check out review on youtube. Not sure why more do not get it. USA too!
PM at ya Rob
Fanny pack/ Camelback combo for day hunts...
Robtatto, I agree with your plan. I have a Kelty external frame pack for pack packing which can also haul meat. And a small day pack. I also have a freighter back in the truck for heavy duty meat hauling. Keep in mind there are those in here that kill zillions of elk each year and need those great packs that cost big time. Folks like me are lucky to get an elk every five years and do just fine with what you mention.
I don't have a specific answer for your question, but the linked thread might.
http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=118711#000000
I am not a big fan of having a large pack only for hauling all the gear I think I need for a week. Its food that will bust your back, it should not be the gear. The gear should always be about the same, one night or 20.
With that in mind, I opt for a pack that will carry three-four days of food and gear. When its not hauling into a spike, its small enough to be my day pack with all my needed stuff- game bags, bad weather clothes, etc. And because it has an internal frame, it can also haul 90lbs of elk.
I use an Eberlestock x2. Sure you can spend 3-400 bucks on a pack or on a pack system. But you won't be any smarter packing it.
IMO, hauling in more than 35lbs for any kind of hunt is too much when we are talking elk in the Rockies.
BTW, can you haul out 250lbs of boned out elk AND the gear you hauled in? In many areas the terrain is enough to make that really hard to do over three miles in and at some temps loss of game from spoilage is a real danger. At 3 miles you can re-stock mid-hunt with no loss of back country enjoyment.
Joshua
Most of my BP hunting consists of 2-3 night trips. I have used a Dwight Schuh hunt pack that is a 3500" external with a upper pack and a lower fanny pack. I would drop the upper pack in camp and hunt with the frame and lower pack. I always carry game bags and day/survival gear. It has worked well and hauled out elk but not the most comfortable under heavy load.
I now use a Badlands 2800" pack as a camp haul in pack and compresses to a day pack capable of hauling a elk quarter (2 elk) and all your gear out. I know I could get my gear and 5-6 days of food into this pack.
What kind of shape are you in? Be honest with yourself here. I like to elk hunt with all my gear, all the time. I want to hunt until the very last bit of light and then drop my gear down and sleep. If you are going to hunt from a spike camp I wou look at a different set up. What kind of country? Open or dark timber? I hunt dark timber and there is no need to bring a spotter or really even a binocs. I carry one set of clothes on me and some rain gear, I like to "travel light and freeze at night" but you may like a different way of hunting. Thus needing a different tool.