Looks like I am going to pack in for a 5-6 day high country deer hunt and will need a new pack. Any thoughts on what to use for a large pack? How about a day pack? I'm 5'11 and about 175-180. Torso (waist to top of shoulder) is about 20inches.
Suggestion for a 5-6 day hunt
- Thread starter Work2hunt
- Start date
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
I would use one pack for both uses, and I would look into the high end stuff first:
Kifaru
Kuiu
Stone Glacier
Mystery Ranch
You will need somewhere around minimum 4000 CI, with 6000+ being enough room to get your camp and trophy out in one trip.
Kifaru
Kuiu
Stone Glacier
Mystery Ranch
You will need somewhere around minimum 4000 CI, with 6000+ being enough room to get your camp and trophy out in one trip.
I looked a little bit at the Kifaru packs. $600-700 is a little more than I was hoping to spend. Is there something in the $300 range I can look at that will do the job. I want quality, but I'll probably use the pack about once a year for 5 days or so at a time and I definitely would like it to pack camp and meat if possible and hold a gun.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Eberlestock Just One packs aren't as comfortable as the high end stuff I just referenced, but will do the job. I used a J104 for a very similar hunt to yours, and it did well for me, other than serious shoulder pain on the 9.5 mile packout with the meat/camp load.
Eberlestock packs are super-durable.
A traditional backpacking pack like the Arcteryx Bora, or one of REI's bigger packs, might be a good choice, and has a better suspension than the Eberle.
Eberlestock packs are super-durable.
A traditional backpacking pack like the Arcteryx Bora, or one of REI's bigger packs, might be a good choice, and has a better suspension than the Eberle.
Grantbvfd
Active Member
You can keep an eye out on this forum and on other forums for used packs. This is a great way to get gear if just starting out from scratch. You might be able to find a higher end pack a little closer to your price range. High end packs hold their value very well though.
RUTTIN
Veteran member
Work2hunt I am in the same boat as you, I am looking into getting a new pack so I can go for 5-10 days in the back country. I am on a budget also and cannot afford the high end packs, along with all the other gear I want and or need. I looked at the blacks-creek solution with the grip frame, it is built about as good as some of the high end packs, although a little heavy. If you can get to a trade show they have a pretty good deal on them compared to the retail price. A pack you may want to look into in your budget would be the Badlands 4500 on camofire.com when they run them. As for now I am still in search, if I find something I will post it up for ya, good luck in your search.
Any input on the Eberlestock Dragonfly. I think this is pretty similar to the J104 you mentioned. You said you had shoulder pain. Was this due to the pack couldn't be adjusted to your body or just a poor design on the straps or would the pack not balance right?
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
It was due to the lack of functional load lifters, predominantly.
Otherwise, I really like that pack. The dragonfly is a heavier, more featured version. the J34 is the newest version of my pack.
Has anyone tried the stone glacier "terminus" the design where you can keep the heavy stuff (animal quarters and such) next to your body seems like a real nice design.
Any pictures on the kifaru timberline. There website shows the outside but I couldn't really see any detail
Fink
Veteran member
I really like my BlueWidow, but I haven't humped a 100 pound load with it yet.. Its done well with 75 pounds, but like BB says, the load lifters are little bit suspect, I'm afraid it could run into trouble with a BIG load.
How long have you been using your blue widow? Do you use it mostly for archery or just packing stuff? When's look at eberlestock's website they say the dragonfly is more for the gun hunter and the blue widow was the dragon fly designed for an archery hunter. Just wondering....trying to gather all the info I can.
clacklin009
Active Member
I work with a guy that sells packs, both hunting and hiking, and he recommends the packs like Gregory as the ones to go with when it comes to long trips because they are lighter weight and have better support. They will not have features to carry bows or guns and the waterproofing of some of the hunting packs.
Fink
Veteran member
I've only got a season on it, about 10 days of hunting, and probably close to 50 days just training with it on. I hiked hills all spring and summer with 60-75 pounds in it, and did a 9 day wilderness hunt with it as well. With the spike duffle, it held everything I needed for 9 days, with room to spare.
I use it for archery hunting, but there's no reason you can't crossover with it. the dragon fly comes with a scabbard, the blue widow doesnt.. When I looked at the dragon fly, I couldn't figure out how a guy could get his gun out of the scabbard without being double jointed though..
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Backpacking packs have really comfortable suspensions ... With backpacking weights. They are not designed with hunting loads in mind. The suspensions on the packs I originally listed give up nothing to high end backpacking packs, and were designed with hunting weights as design goals.
clacklin009
Active Member
I guess I should have mentioned that I brought up backpacking packs because you can get a Gregory on close-out in the $200-$300 range, most likely better than high end hunting packs, but you give up the over load principle of the later.
U.P. MAN
New Member
I'm very new to this game, but have heard alot about the badlands packs. I saw that they werent mentioned in the list of upper end packs?