Wild Country
Active Member
I love my blue widow, it has done everything I have asked it to and I used it for a buddy's goat hunt. I am saving for the timberline 1 pack though!!!
What packs are you using??
- Thread starter kjw
- Start date
Elkoholic307
Banned
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
The Metcalf is a good option, but Stone Glacier and Kifaru offer similar designs that are both larger in capacity and lighter in weight. They also compress to practically nothing for daypack use.
crumy
Member
Kifaru - Bikini Dt1. Just got it and have only "hiked" around the neighborhood. but I am very impressed.
After tons of research (as always) I weighed the pros and cons of alot of different companies. For me it came down to
a.versatility
b. weight
c. cost
d. durability
I spoke with stone glacier several times and pondered the kifaru ultralight series. I personally dont care about brand or looks for my applications. So that was a big benefit. In previous seasons I would use a blacks creek canadian jim horn edition with the removable day pack. Worked great and built like a tank but added several pounds that I feel were unnecessary as I started to venture further into to woods. I recently went with the 2012 kuiu frame and icon 3000 pack after speaking with kuiu. I couldn't beat the price I got the "showroom" special and was @ 350.00 out the door with frame,bag,adapter kit and a few other goodies. The newer size pack kuiu offers did not appeal much to me and at first that turned me off. But after some research kuiu said they are introducing a pack similiar to the "approach" from stone glacier. It will lash on to any of their bags. Onto the frame or rock it alone. So that answered all of my questions when looking for my checklist. Price yep! Versatility yep! Durability yep! The 2012 frames are a major change from the 2011. And the weight is on par for me. I could have spent an additional 250-300 to shave a pound but could not justify it.
a.versatility
b. weight
c. cost
d. durability
I spoke with stone glacier several times and pondered the kifaru ultralight series. I personally dont care about brand or looks for my applications. So that was a big benefit. In previous seasons I would use a blacks creek canadian jim horn edition with the removable day pack. Worked great and built like a tank but added several pounds that I feel were unnecessary as I started to venture further into to woods. I recently went with the 2012 kuiu frame and icon 3000 pack after speaking with kuiu. I couldn't beat the price I got the "showroom" special and was @ 350.00 out the door with frame,bag,adapter kit and a few other goodies. The newer size pack kuiu offers did not appeal much to me and at first that turned me off. But after some research kuiu said they are introducing a pack similiar to the "approach" from stone glacier. It will lash on to any of their bags. Onto the frame or rock it alone. So that answered all of my questions when looking for my checklist. Price yep! Versatility yep! Durability yep! The 2012 frames are a major change from the 2011. And the weight is on par for me. I could have spent an additional 250-300 to shave a pound but could not justify it.
sagehunter
New Member
MacDonald
New Member
J-107 here, and really am impressed with it. But I'd get a different pack for a bowhunt. Don't have any use for those butt bucket things you compound shooters have, since I shoot a Toelke Whip longbow. Can't stuff that in a pack and still use a pair of trekking poles. I may have to invest in one of his takedowns!
steve-wv
New Member
I use an Eberlestock J34 for the same reason as forementioned , serves as two packs. No complaints yet.
exit28nevada
New Member
Badlands 4500,for multi day hunts.Blacks creek western hunter day pack.I do miss my old crooked horn fleece, guides day pack,awsome pack i bought it new in 94,used it for years,
Thought I would follow up on this:
I ended up getting the Stone Glacier Solo(3300 capacity). I got the gun sling and the meat bag. Total weight still under 4#. I like the SG because he has a simple 2" belt that is similar to my old daypack. I load up the belt with shooting sticks, knife, ammo, range finder,.......I picked up a pair of "hump" bags from a recommendation on another post. The intent for me is to use the hump bags to carry bulk food and water to get in. These mount on the bag toward the front instead of on the back like many other add on bags. This keeps the weight forward. By having these bags mounting loose, it also allows me to mount them all the way forward even with the shelf expanded. All of this with the idea to keep as much weight forward as possible. As I thin down throughout the hunt, these can be rolled up and stuffed in the Solo bag.
I have also experimented with StatPack hip bags. I have always been interested in this concept. The only ones I ever saw years ago came with a dedicated belt, which doesn't work with other packs. These bags are quick on and off, super light, and the volume is pretty impressive. They use elastic straps on the legs, and i have tested these for quite a few miles without any discomfort. I am not quite dedicated to these yet, because they block access to the hip pockets on my pants. The idea with these was to have something that can be easy access to water and snacks without taking off the main pack.
http://www.theemsstore.com/store/product.aspx/productId/19559/StatPacks-Traverse-Tactical-Leg-Pouch/
As you can see, I brain$%%^ everything. I just wanted to share on my latest ongoings.
lookinforwater
Member
- Aug 28, 2013
- 56
- 0
I don't have a lot of experience hunting in the west,2 backcountry elk hunts in Idaho and a turkey hunt in the black hills. I use a bull pac frame with my badlands 2200 and the rest of my gear tied on until we get to our spike camp,and then use the 2200 for day hunts. I am really happy with both packs. I have 6 points for deer and elk in Wyoming so I am heading there soon, just havnt decided where to go yet.
BigSurArcher
Very Active Member
Lazykmcranch
New Member
Eberlestock J34 when I want the room or meat packing ability, Eberlestock X1A1 for day hunts or when I want a little smaller pack, Camelback Stryker when I am going real minimal chasing my buddy who is in better shape than me. He lives at high altitude, I only visit.
Bow newbie
New Member
I've got the Kifaru bikini timberline 2. Great pack and I hardly even know I've got a load on, and compresses down to daypack mode quite nicely.
weigand
New Member
uhh... a backpacking backpack. Osprey, Kelty, REI. WAY cheaper than the over priced hunting packs (Estock, Kifaru, etc). Currently use a Osprey Argos 85 with homemade felt cover. Quiet and carries more weight than I could physically handle (120lbs+). Decades of research and engineering went into some of these companies, why count them out because they don't come in a fancy camo pattern?
Grantbvfd
Active Member
Camo has nothing to do with the "overpriced packs" your talking about. If I had to pick between an rei pack and an eberlestock I would choose an rei one every time. That being said Kifaru is in a whole other league. Kifaru packs are designed to carry camp and meat out. Most backpacking packs are designed to carry camp in and camp out. Their suspensions are not designed for 100+ pounds. Will the do it? Some of them are capable just not their intended use. I would prefer to spend an extra couple hundred bucks to get a product that I am going to use for its intended use.
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I would say the #1 thing with the high end hunting packs is the ability to separate the meat from the gear with a load shelf. You can get the same type of thing with a quality cabelas pack frame and a day hunting pack like badlands, it just adds a few pounds. FWIW I have a SG pack, and it is not even offered in camo. If a heavy duty backpacking assembly was built with batwings that allowed meat to strapped directly to the frame, that would be something worth looking into.
Grantbvfd
Active Member
Kifaru nomad or emr 2. The emr 2 has a bag against the frame and is bigger when fully expanded . The nomad doesn't have a bag against the frame.
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