Which Hunting Pack should I buy?

[tjt2050]

Hi All,

I've mostly just trolled this forum enjoying all the insight everyone shares here. I'm entering the market for a hunting pack, and I'd love some advice.

The use case:
A day pack, with maybe the capacity to stretch it to a one night trip (so far I've only ever hunted from a basecamp)

Goals: Carry day hunting gear, food/water, and game meat out.

Further details:
For a day hunt, I want to pack processing gear (kept on the light side), water (in a bladder), food, first aid, possibly a spotting scope, some small items like wind checker etc. and maybe rain gear that's about it. Mostly I want the pack to carry that stuff plus game meat (quartered or deboned) if I'm a few kms distance from the base or from the nearest road when a kill happens. Ideally I'd like to be able to pack out a whole muley myself if I have to in one trip. Most of the time I hunt with people, and especially if I was hunting anything bigger than a muley.

Right now my budget is around $300, but if it is really best to wait and save for something more like 500 I'd be open to that possibility.

Things I've seen to date that kind of interest me: Badlands 2200, Kuiu 1850. I also like the idea of the packs like the kuiu that you can get a bigger bag for it if I decide to start doing longer overnight trips. But that's not crucial, I would be good with something that will only be a day pack.

Thanks in advance for the insight.

[HarryToolips]

I personally recommend the Alps Commander + Pack, I use it for all you stated, plus I will carry those items you listed, plus a sleeping bag for overnighters - then if I shoot something, the meat I secure tightly to the pack frame, and my stuff in the main pack overlaps the meat..

[Lastcar]

I'll let others chime in on brands, models etc. What I will say, is don't be afraid to buy used if you are looking at the "big" brands. Mystery Ranch, Kifaru, Stone Glacier, Barney's, EXO. All these brands have a great reputation for durability, quality and great customer service. Hence the my label "big". Others may feel otherwise.

A well cared for used pack is very much like a new vehicle. Once it has left the lot, it drops in price but often is just a little dirty or scuffed up.

I bought my Mystery Ranch and first Stone Glacier used. The MR was obvious but was also a great deal. The Stone Glacier you could have fooled me.

I just ordered a brand new Stone Glacier, and my KUIU experiment was also buying new.

The one variable in buying used is availability and timing.

And of course, you miss out on that brand new smell!

[Lastcar]

I personally recommend the Alps Commander + Pack, I use it for all you stated, plus I will carry those items you listed, plus a sleeping bag for overnighters - then if I shoot something, the meat I secure tightly to the pack frame, and my stuff in the main pack overlaps the meat..

I've recommended this pack to a few guys who need a pack for a few days or nights a year but don't want to spend a ton.

No personal experience but sure seems like a ton of people like what you get for the price. Which is what the people I suggested it were after.

[HarryToolips]

This is what the alps commander pack looks like, this is a pic of the bear I shot this fall before packing it out 3 miles..

[IMG][/IMG]

[roymil]

Exomtn works the best for me after trying many other high end packs. You get what you pay for and sometimes the best is only just good enough.

[ajr5406]

I am in the same boat and started a thread a couple of weeks ago on external frame packs. Still undecided as to an internal vs external, but some great comments and suggestions are in this thread:

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/showth...56-Frame-packs

[Rob]

Trekker has a Kifaru for sale under hunting gear. Not sure if the frame is with it or not though

[nedarb2]

Mystery ranch! I have a nice 6500 and a scapegoat in the mail as we speak for day trips.

[AgSilver]

I'm starting to sound like a fanboy, even though I actually quite despise much of the owner's political beliefs....but...

I like the Kuiu Icon Pro series (I have one, so I'm biased and I acknowledge that) because it's light, seems strong (although I know there are some reports of the carbon cracking, but those aren't common reports from my research), and versatile. What I mean by versatile is that I have 3 different sized bags that all fit on the same frame and they only take a few minutes to swap out. I have the 5200 (good for moderate length outings of a few nights, etc), the 3200 (good for a night or two and not too big for a day pack), and the 1850 (great for daypack only trips). That's pretty handy, if you ask me. And the price isn't crazy if you can score it on a good sale (frequent).