Recommend Hunting Backpack

[trowt]

mystery ranch 100%

[Jimbob]

I love my kifaru gun bearer and will always hunt with one. So nice to have both hands free and instant access to the gun.

If I were you I would look for a pack with a sturdy frame that offers good height to give adequate angle to the load lifters. Also a nice size day pack in the 2500 ci range and a meat shelf so you can pack out some large loads.

[IslandWanderer]

https://bullpacs.com/

Not made in China.

[180grainer]

Exterior frame is preferable I think. That's all I've ever use although I have an Eberlstock. Just never packed meat out with it. Exterior frames make more sense in a lot of ways......after I bought the Eberl........lol

[sako79]

I picked up this last season a stone glacier sky 5900 and it's been awesome and fits me perfectly. My buddies own EXO and they love them as well as a Kifaru I don't think you can go wrong with any of the top bags you just have to find one that fits you just like mention earlier

[dak0ta]

Any experience with the Aplz Hybrid X bag? Got good reviews, and relatively cheap in the $250 USD range. Has meat shelf that sits between the pack and frame.

[KodiakHntr]

What's wrong with Mystery Ranch that you don't call them top shelf anymore?

Cheaper materials, made off shore, mass produced, same price as when they were made in Bozeman and you could call and have a conversation with the person who actually built your pack.

[huntcoop]

Try them all and buy what fits YOUR body.

SG for me and Exo for my buddy.

[Tripitaka]

Main purpose is for day pack for packing out meat. Plan to hunt deer and moose.

Pretty much anything will work for a day pack, depending on your hunting terrain. The key questions will be 'What do you plan to pack out, where from and where to?" The reason for that is it determines how many 'shuttles' (trips back and forth between the kill site and the closest point you can get motorised transport to) you make and how much load is on each one. With a deer, unless its a monster mulie, you are probably on one trip. With a moose or elk, you will either need a few good buddies to help share the load (and they will also need capable packs) or you are doing a lot of shuttles with a lot of weight. That is where having a solid pack really makes a difference and when you've packed out a few loads, it also determines how you hunt and where/when you hunt.

Having a pack that can hold your gun, is that really a big deal? I like having my rifle/shotgun in my 2 hands at all times unless traversing a fence. Otherwise it's slung.

Yes, it is for me, but most packs with external straps will hold a rifle. Again, it depends on the type of terrain you hunt. For me, the elk terrain I hunt often requires both feet and hands to climb or descend. A slung rifle just smacks you in the head all the time. It's really an 'it depends' answer.

I've had the Eberlestock J107 which I liked and I also tried the Kifaru stuff which I also really likes but in the end I went with the EXO 5500. It is definitely comfortable for heavy loads but a wider, external frame freighter pack is looking likely after this years elk packouts just for the bulk. The EXO struggled to contain two boned-out rear elk quarters plus gear. Pack weight was 158lb (yes, I do have pics) but it was unstable although I doubt it was ever designed for those loads. It handled a bone-in rear quarter and boned-out front quarter (about 90lb) well though. I did a remote solo hunt where I had to pack in water and that was 102lb and it was flawless.

The EXO has just got updated to a K3 frame (I have the K2) and is adjustable to fit. It has a bunck of extras that you can get, I use the meat hauler shelf and the Slurpy Stalker water bladder so I can drop the bag and still be able to haul meat and have water available. The Kifaru depends on buying different backplates to adjust which was teh one thing that put me off it. If I lend a pack to a buddy, I want to adjust it quickly.

[Frank grimes]

I bought a seek outside and couldn’t be happier. Very comfortable with light medium loads, haven’t had an animal in it yet, but I don’t see it being a problem.