to all the over night alpine hunters out there

[luger]

Looking at the cabelas 100L internal frame or a kelty exterior frame. Biggest kelty is a 65l though. My brothers got a 100L that I'm gonna borrow on my bear trip may long weekend and I'll see if I like the internal frame in that size.

[604redneck]

Very funny bud, the extra room is for packing the animal out amd to get all the gear for week and longer trips in. My price range is 300-400 but I'd like go buy cheaper if it's decent quality. I'm thinking external frame to help get the animal on the pack. ( sturdier to tie Parracord on to) I've been thinking about the Alps commander pack but I don't know the quality of it.

I use an osprey xenith 105l its really comftorable even fully loaded they are around 400$

[Andrewh]

I only take a 100+L bag on sheep hunts, everything else (up to 5 days) and I take my Mystery Ranch Metcalf2. A smaller bag is so nice to have on your back but then it has the ability to carry game out in the load sling.

[angus5024]

I have used an eberlestock J107 dragonfly for about 5 years. Has a scabbard and a TON of room. has a removable fanny pack for your daypack once you get up the hill. This is too big for me for over-nighters, but Its my go-to for three days plus.
It is a heavy pack, at 9lbs and change... but it is tough and dependable which is a fair trade for my young legs.

[cas-has-cars]

J107 is my Pack as well and it fits like a glove with the adjustments made right, it expands for extra storage and the weight is an issue but the trade off for the comfort works fine even for these Old legs. Just pack light. Scabbard makes it easy to access the gun while on your back, and offers lots of protection for the scope.

[Rob]

Kuiu has a 6000 ultralight, which is in your price range. For the last few years I used a Dragonfly, I used this from a week long sheep/goat hunts to an everyday pack for packing mule deer out after deboning etc, it wasnt to heavy to use as a daypack. Ive since upgraded to a Kifaru pack which is 7200 (115 liters or so). this I will use as a daypack/sheep/goat and mulie day hunts. Buy the best you can afford. Ive always preferred internal packs but a few years ago when I was at Cabelas I almost bought their external pack as it seemed pretty skookum. I would stay away from the dragonfly, the scabbard is good but when you put an animal in it the weight goes away from your back and leaning forward to compensate for this sucks. Good luck.

Rob

[Amphibious]

I would stay away from the dragonfly, the scabbard is good but when you put an animal in it the weight goes away from your back and leaning forward to compensate for this sucks. Good luck.

Rob

This was my experience as well. Awesome day pack though, will pack out quarters easy in the short haul.


I'm running an REI pack. It's essentially Osprey made, but a couple year old design. Love it, very light and fits like a glove. Lots of positive reviews on 'merican hunting sites.

http://www.rei.com/product/844652/rei-xt-85-pack

If you're an REI member they send out 20% off coupons couple times a year. A little small for the long-haul sheep guys, but if you pack right, and debone your meat, it works pretty well.

[RiverBear]

http://www.backcountry.com/kelty-red...-CAPS90-ONESIZ

I have the red cloud 110lter tons of room in it and was pretty inexpensive.

[hunter fisher]

Hey luger, i bought an alps commander frame and bag a couple years back. so far, its been unreal. longest I've taken it for is 5 days, and its been awesome. I've always been a little weary of the quality only because its priced so affordably, but after a total of sayyy.... 20-25 days hiking and hunting, zero signs of wear, and i really don't have anything bad to say about the pack. the frame was too narrow for my shoulders at first so i bent it out just by carefully jumping on it, and if i look up to sharp, the back of my head rubs against the top crossmember of the frame. other than that, comfortable, sturdy, and reliable. usually weighs in at 60-70 pounds loaded, and theres plenty of extra room (i think its 86 litres total volume)

hope this helps!

[Ferenc]

Agreed, for serious alpine hunting, you need a large pack, 100L+ and there are now more excellent, hunting specific packs on the market than ever in my 58 years of toting packs.

The issue is the $$$$$ as the specialized hunting packs COST, boy, do they EVER!!!

You can find a good used Mystery Ranch, my first choice for top quality and durability in the heavyweight packs for what still may be more than you can afford and there are others.

There are now very light packs for hunting coming out of the USA, my choice here would be one of the Paradox-Seek Outside units and, again, these cost a few shekels.

Maybe just buy a good, larger MEC pack, or a Cabelas frame rig and use that as you gain experience and then can choose what works best for you.

Or, keep an eye open here for used packs-gear as some of us are selling stuff due to age, health or whatever; I recently sold an as new outstanding pack to a HBC member, for example.

Could not have found a better pack...took the longbed out for a test drive ... Exactly as described BgBlkDg this backpack rocks !!!!!!! Quality of workmanship is second to none...as you said it will outlast me. : )