Backpack for alpine

[115 or bust]

Alright guys I made the mistake of reading old threads on alpine hunting lol. Got me all fired up and I've almost got the shakes lol sucks that opening day is so far away. Anyways I'm going to be picking up some new gear for this season (once I go back to work lol damn school;-)) So first on my list is a new pack! I have a couple major requirements 1. Quiet 2. Quiet 3 Comfy 4. Decent frame. 4. Quiet lol. I'm one of those guys that would rather wear polar fleece and get soaked all day than have my raingear rub on a twig and blow my cover. So what are your opinions?? Experiences would be great. I've got about 50km of ridges and bowls lined up (lol maybe not all in one year) to start walking next year and want to do it right.

[MattB]

www.eberlestock.com

[Scobo]

when you say quiet you are probably looking for an internal frame.
just picked up a badlands 2200. haven't used it but damn this is a sweet pack. lifetime guarantee too. if you have the money eberlestock and badlands seem to get most of the votes for what you are looking for. another one i was close to pulling the trigger on was a blacks creek canadian but i heard so much good about the badlands i went that route. the 2200 is bigger then it looks in pictures. check out their website and testimonial section. i'll be able to tell you more about it in june then again in sept.

[bighornbob]

www.eberlestock.com (http://www.eberlestock.com)


X2

I bought one last year and love it. Internal frame and soft quiet fabric. I used mine for a 10 Dall sheep hunt with no complaints other then it did not pack out a Dall. I guess I will have to try and pack out a Rocky Mountain Bighorn first.

BHB

[Sitkaspruce]

Blacks Creek Canadian.

Picked one up on the net and have not looked back. Lots of room, narrow for sneaking through the brush, well made and pretty quite. It packed out my elk last year and can fit an elk quarter, but compresses down to a nice day pack.

Check out the video on the site.
http://www.blacks-creek.com/product.php?id=5

was going to buy the J105 but went with this one and have no complaints.

I think you can not go wrong with any of the packs made by Blacks-Creek, Badlands or Eberlestock.

[KevinB]

It really depends, you don't say what you want to use the pack for - stillhunting for a few hours, full day hunts, overnighters, week long alpine backpack hunt...

It sounds like you want this at least for alpine hunting, IMO absolute quiet is not all that important, at least not in the same way as it is in the timber - distances tend to be a lot greatere, and there's usually not so much stuff to rub you pack on in the alpine. If you are looking at doing overnighters or longer with it, you'd probably be better off to get a pack that first and foremost fits you well, and has a suspension that is good for packing a lot of weight. Think all your regular backpacking load, plus a boned out muley or part of one. A lot of volume never hurts. If you are looking for just a daypack, if you are alpine hunting you'll still be packing out deer with it, so again make sure it is up to the task.

[115 or bust]

The plan would be mostly for overnighters but not more than 2 days most of the time. I would use it for some day hunts but might get a daypack instead for that.

[kutenay]

If, you want the BEST and are willing to pay the price of a lifetime pack for hunting, one that WILL do it all, I suggest buying a Mystery Ranch NICE frame, with a Crewcab, Bivalve Lid, two Longpockets and two Fliptop pockets.

I have been at this for a long time and have owned/used a LOT of packs, with the exception of a full custom $1000.00 + McHale from Seattle, these Mystery Ranch packs are the finest I have ever had, period.

Go to www.mysteryranch.com (http://www.mysteryranch.com) and see for yourself, I have had two Badlands, have one now, my buddy has an Eberlestock and I have Kifarus, etc., NOTHING packs weight like MRs.