Tatonka packs

[Buck]

Was just at AJ brooks looking at packs.I am interested in the Pack freighter frame with bag.The bag looks a bit small say to put a sheep or goat in anyone have any experience with this combo.

[Devilbear]

Was just at AJ brooks looking at packs.I am interested in the Pack freighter frame with bag.The bag looks a bit small say to put a sheep or goat in anyone have any experience with this combo.

I have tried both the frame pack and that heavy internal pack that buddies bought from AJB; they are mediocre at best and I would not buy one.

If, you cannot afford a Mystery Ranch, Barneys or other highend hunting pack, or, just do not want to spend that amount, look at the Cabelas Freighter style frames, not my choice, but, very good for the cost.

If, you are serious about hunting mountain game, buy a fully rigged Mystery Ranch 6500 or 7500 or Wolfpack and it will outlast you. If, you prefer an external frame, find an old Dana Design Longbed Terraframe or buy a Barneys Carnivore Frame. The high cost is worth it as you get older!

[Everett]

The external frame Tatonka is a good economical choice. I used to have one sold it to a member on HBC. I will second the devil and say mystery ranch is the way to go if you have the cash. I have the nice system with the crew cab and the cerabus. But I will contradict him to say the cabelas freighter is seriosly inferior to the Tatonka. As for Tatonkas internal frames I have no first hand exsperiance but looking at them they did not come up to the standards of the cheap commie co/op bags. If your looking for a quality internal frame I am considering parting with my Granite gear stratus 4500 to finance this years sheep hunt. If your interested drop me a PM

[HD95]

The pack question has been beat to death on most hunting forums.I will say,contrary to DB,that the Tatonka external frame pack is a good choice for the money.It is highly adjustable,very comfortable with a heavy load.It's capacity is a little lacking.On this years sheep hunt,I added another small detachable bag from another pack i have here at home,that made all the difference.I hunted for a full 14 days,carried everything I needed to go in,then loaded it with a large mature ram and walked out in a blizzard.Not everyone can afford to spend 6-800 on a pack.BTW,I bought this used from Everett.

[Everett]

Glad to hear it worked out for you nothing better than hearing you sold a piece of gear to someone who used to help get a sheep. Lets see some pics of the sheep strapped to the pack.

[mcrae]

I bought the Mystery Rance Nice frame and CrewCab bag from a fellow HBC'er and I can honestly say it blows my Cabelas Frame and bag out of the water. I also got rid of my Eberlstock J107 after getting this pack.

Have not decided if the CrewCab will be big enough so I may be adding the 6500 bag before the fall. I am not rich by any means but I appreciated a good pack. I am as thrifty as the next guys but an MR pack is money well spent...

[Buck]

I had no issue with the Quality of the pack it fit really well and was easily adjusted.I had them load weight into it and said weight sat on my hips nicely which has been a problem in the past i have narrow hips.I just wasn't sure if the capacity would be enough for a 10+ day hunt.Of course the price is very good.
A buddy of mine is a packer in Alaska and he highly recommends the Barney as it is the guide standard in Alaska.

[Everett]

I had no issue with the Quality of the pack it fit really well and was easily adjusted.I had them load weight into it and said weight sat on my hips nicely which has been a problem in the past i have narrow hips.I just wasn't sure if the capacity would be enough for a 10+ day hunt.Of course the price is very good.
A buddy of mine is a packer in Alaska and he highly recommends the Barney as it is the guide standard in Alaska.

It all depends on how compact your gear is I personally can do a week in 50L Dana Design Bomb pack as long as I don't have to carry meat. The Barney isn't even close to thye mystery ranch. Another you may wan't to look at is Kifaru. The Tatonka is fine if you can't afford the exspensive stuff.

[Krico]

When I was buying a pack I didn't have $600 to spend. I got a Tatonka. No complaints. If I did have that much, and was shopping now, I'd be lookin hard at the M.R.

[Buck]

It's a funny business researching packs here is what my packer friend had to say


Good luck with the Spring Grizzly! Do it yourself hunt? If so go Barneys and don't look back. If its a guided hunt a Mystery ranch would probably be fine. Don't listen to all the hype, though. Mystery makes a great pack, but its a hiking pack, no matter what they say. If you are serious (and if you want to be comfortable packing out your next elk, moose, whole deer, etc.) get the Barney's Freighter with the big bag. Its expensive but its bullet proof and I hauled several loads in the 100 to 150 range in mine and I don't think you will find a better built, more comfortable pack anywhere. Its the standard alaskan guide pack...that should say something.



I will have to see each pack for myself

[Devilbear]

My comments on packs are NOT ...hype..., I have been backpacking in BC, Alberta, NWT for well over 50 years; this included over 20 years as a bush worker and I carried loads to around 150 lbs., every day, for months on end, in a wide variety of packs. I have owned, used and fitted/sold for my living about every pack available since the '60s and I have found that most young guides have used one or two packs and then think that they know it all.....which nobody, me included, does.

The Mystery Ranch NICE system was developed for the US military and is the most versatile and toughest production pack I have ever seen, including other military systems. The Barney's is a strengthened version of the old "CampTrail's Freighter" pack and I had two of these for years, wearing out two sets of harness on each. They are DIFFERENT designs and have somewhat different parameters of "best use", BUT, the MR is FAR more versatile than the Barney's external.....try climbing with a frame pack on and see if you "peel" and come home in a bag.

The use of the Barney's by AK guides may just have someting to do with Barney's having been strongly promoted for years by Bob who owns " Barney's Sports" as one would expect. It IS well suited to A GUIDE who must pack large, oddly-shaped loads and often power saws, outboard engines and other tools, however, the MR is NOT merely a ...hiking pack... and the comfort is simply superb, FAR superior to ANY frame pack.

I had and have Kifarus, the MR is a better pack by a long way and will carry much more in comfort. My Kifaru Longhunter Rendevous, their largest model, would carry about 70 lbs. max. before becoming very uncomfortable within an hour, this is a LIGHT load for a MR and I have comfortably put a weighed 100 lbs. on my three large MR packs and carried it for hours in total comfort....NO contest.

I do not care what pack anyone buys and the Tatonka IS a decent pack FOR THE PRICE, but, compared to some others available now, I consider it "mediocre", as in "OK", "nothing special" and "about average".

For Moose hunting, I WOULD tend to choose a Barney's and, if I were a few years younger, I would buy one; however, I damm near died in the Valhalla's in 1975 while climbing while wearing my Fjallraven Expedition Pack, the best frame pack available then and will not "try that again".

For ALL other BC hunting, the MR NICE system is superior to anything I have ever used and WILL carry ANY weight that ANY frame pack will carry and much more safely in rugged mountain terrain.

Anyone, who wishes to personally examine many of the packs I mention here is very welcome to come to my little, old home in East Van., check out mine and I will help you with some fitting tips, should you wish that. Just PM me here and we can arrange this as several here and from other forums have done and seemed to find it helpful.

BTW, I have never been to MR's factory, met or know any of their staff or am affiliated in any respect with any gear maker; I simply post what I have experienced and to help others avoid spending the bux I have, over the years, finding the best gear.

Ideally, for BC hunting, I would have a complete NICE system and a Barney's frame for Moose and packing tools.

[Devilbear]

It all depends on how compact your gear is I personally can do a week in 50L Dana Design Bomb pack as long as I don't have to carry meat. The Barney isn't even close to thye mystery ranch. Another you may wan't to look at is Kifaru. The Tatonka is fine if you can't afford the exspensive stuff.

Couldn't agree more, I have a DD Bomb pack from spring 1978, used HUGE and STILL in perfect shape....Dana KNOWS how to build 'em!

I prefer about 5000 cu.in. for a pack to do what you describe and I use either my fully rigged Kifaru Siwash or a discontinued MR "Futura Deluxe" with extra pockets. One can slide through the "Buckbrush" much easier with one of these than with an external frame pack....you might want to find an older DD "Terraframe", just an awesome rig from the early '90s and they can be found on various US backpacking sites.

Yesterday, there was a guy selling a very good condition older Kelty frame and bag for TWENTY BUCKS plus shipping and bringing this here, would run about FIFTY BUCKS Canuck, all told. Deals like this are on some of these sites regularly, I scored a LIKE NEW pair of Galibier boots for $75.00 to my door and these were THE boots in the '60s and '70s and FAR superior to the crap sold now. So, " a word to the wise"..... :)

[338 winmag]

I agree with Kutenay here , a guy needs 2 packs , a external frame for lashing moose quarters (Barneys) and a internal for everything else which i would choose the MR 6500, 2nd choice the Kifaru Longhunter.

[Buck]

My comments on packs are NOT ...hype...,

That comment from my friend was without any discussion about the various packs before hand.I value your opinion and experience and appreciate your generous offer to look at the MR.


Ideally, for BC hunting, I would have a complete NICE system and a Barney's frame for Moose and packing tools.


It appears to be the case. My first use will be for spring Grizzly i hope.This trip will be more of a series of day trips so a frame is all i need.The MR can be separated into two pieces can it not?