bison gear backpack

[marathonbowyer]

I have decided on a pack from bison gear. I need some help deciding between the lost river or first trip explorer. i will use the pack for the pursuit of elk. mainly for day long trips. any advice from owners of one or both models is appreciated

[Ted Fry]

Todd , I have had both and loved both , I prefer the extra sections of the FTE , I recommend you talk to Angelo , tell him what you want in a pack and let him tell you based on his knowledge and experience. He is a great guy to deal with and you will love your new pack.

[JockC]

I have the FTE, which I bought used here.  Never used the Lost River.  I find myself appreciating the separate compartments.  I don't know if the side pockets come off the Lost River, but that's a nice feature; it slims down the profile quite a bit.
I can carry a lot in this pack without the side pockets, making it my go-to hunting pack.

[Bill Turner]

Have you considered the Lemhi by Bison Gear? Great pack. A little bigger then the one you mentioned. The large compartment comes in handy when layering is a must.

[Nole]

Todd, I have a First Trip Explorer and I have used it for deer hunting and it is a great pack.  I am with Jock in that I like that the side pocets are removable, it really slims down the pack.  Another great feature of the FTE is the expandable game bag inside the top compartment.  I think this would be great for packing out meat on an elk hunt.  I use it to carry my heavy clothes when walking to my stand on cold days.  When I ordered mine I was torn between the bucksuede or wool and I ended up deciding on the wool and I am glad that I did as it is real quiet.

[Shedrock]

I like the seperate compartments on my FTE also. Makes organizing and finding stuff easier.

Great pack.

[Herdbull]

marathonbowyer- I know you listed only two models of Bison Gear packs, but I strongly recommend the Bison Gear Elk Hunter pack. It works great for me as a western day-pack because it is large enough to carry extra camera gear and suplies needed to stay out with the elk away from your base camp if needed. It will also allow you to carry the first load of meat off of the mountain. I also use it all fall during our northern whitetail season to bring enough cloths, camera gearand rattling horns for all day hunt. You can choose from several different outter layers. I like wool. It is not well known, so you might want to call BG and talk to Angelo about it and the customized features. Mike
 
 

[Shinken]

That's quite the Great Northern quiver set-up that you have there Mike!

I haven't seen that one before.  You are puttin' your creative juices to work!

Shoot straight, David Camp

[Herdbull]

The piggy back quiver is for packing into my remote camp, then just cut it away leaving extra arrows for hunting and play at camp. Ha!
I practice shooting while wearing the pack. Something else to consider. Mike

[Gary Logsdon]

I totally agree with Mike on his recommendation of the Bison Gear Elk Hunter pack.  I've hunted with mine the last two Septembers in Colorado and it was perfect.  I actually sold my First Trip and had Angie custom build the Elk Pack for my hunts.  As a bonus, it works great for all of my turkey hunting needs.

[marathonbowyer]

Thanks everyone for all your replies. They were informative and helpful. I plan on ordering first trip explored soon.

[wingnut]

I have hunted with both the elk hunter and the lost river.  I prefer the lost river because it's smaller and I have a habit of filling them up if they are large.  LOL

Mike

[groyce]

Mike,

will the elk hunter fit as a carry-on for airline purposes.

Gary

[Herdbull]

Yes I have carried ithe elk hunter on airlines, and if its not over stuffed it will fit in overhead bin. Mike

[Ben Maher]

because it's smaller and I have a habit of filling them up if they are large. LOL
 

I know exactly how you feel Mike ...LOL
If i don't keep mine small i'll feel it with "stuff" that i will never use!

Ben

[Davt]

I have a lost river that I purchased when they were first starting up, close to 20 years ago and it works great. I can see the advantage of seperate compartments but over the years I have developed a system of light small bags to compartmentalize the pack. I also attach things on top if I need more room. If I am doing a pack in hunt however it is not big enough. It can serve as an overnighter but not for a several day supply carrier. Durability is amazing.