Hunting Packs- what do you like?

[6mm Remington]

Blacks Creek Canadian
Both my son Jeff and I have the Blacks Creek Canadian pack and love them. They are very well made and tough, are quiet, and carry more than I want to if needed. Jeff and I used our packs to carry quarters of his buddy Andy's elk this year just to test them out and they worked perfectly. We could have easily put his elk whole on the Critter Cart my dad built and got her out fine but we wanted to test the packs out and what better way than with elk quarters! :shock:

There are several more brands out there like Eberlestock, Badlands, Crooked Horn Outfitters, and a few more that make some excellent packs also.

 

[Guest]

I've got an internal frame pack my wife picked up for me as a Christmas gift a few years ago. It's actually from WalMart, but it's been a good pack. I have no idea what she paid for it, but I'm sure it was in the $20-50 range.. It's a very low nap fleece with a pvc backing, so it's not waterproof, but it's resistant. Big top opening and several side pockets, and carries more than I need to for my day trips into the woods here in north Alabama. I've not carried deer quarters on/in it yet, but after seeing that you carried elk quarters in the pack you have, I believe it could be done. I have used it for some pretty long treks, including a Boy Scout hike into a place called "The Walls of Jericho" which was an all day affair. That was about 7mi and over 2000' of total elevation change (just over 1000' down, and then back up), so I can say the pack is comfortable for all day wear on a strenuous hike.

I'd like to get an external frame pack for camping and hunting, but I really know nothing about what I'm looking for. I'm certainly interested in the dialogue here to learn what I can about hiking/camping packs. It's one of those things that I feel like I could spend the money wrong two or three times before I get it right if I just go headlong into it.

 

[SJB358]

Here is what I use

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camping/ ... t104392080

Awesome pack and external frame. I like the external framed packs and have used them for a long time. Another good ruck is the military issued LARGE ALICE PACK w/Frame. Hard to go wrong with it, you can buy them customized with many pockets and storage also. I have one of them also. Both of those are my go to rucks for carrying heavier weight. Scotty

 

[6mm Remington]

Scotty that's a nice looking well made pack too! I looked at them as well. If I really go in someplace for a few days, that would be the way to go, but for short trips the Canadian will work just fine I believe. My son and I are going to try them this summer backpacking and then maybe use them on our sheep hunts this fall!

David

 

[SJB358]

Man, SHEEP HUNTS! Again, jealous rage!!! I am really looking forward to doing at least one sheep hunt in my life!

There are a ton of great packs, just what you prefer. The big Kelty frame packs are excellent and well designed, plus they are tough. Haven't seen them in camo, but they do come in Green. Lightweight frames and plenty of space for gear. Scotty

 

[JD338]

I have a Bad Lands pack with internal frame, very similar to their 2200.
http://www.badlandspacks.com/
It holds everything I need plus it allows me to tie my coat on for the walk in/out of my blind.

JD338

 

[6mm Remington]

Man, SHEEP HUNTS! Again, jealous rage!!! I am really looking forward to doing at least one sheep hunt in my life! Scotty

Now Scotty don't get jealous just quite yet! I just applied again for moose, sheep, and goat, and put Jeff in for moose and sheep. It's my 33rd year in a row! That is equal to trying for ONE of them for 99 years and not getting drawn!

The area I put in for this year has my odds of drawing at about 0.6%, so with Jeff and I both applying our odds are about 1.2% that one of us might be drawn! :grin:

 

[SJB358]

Wow! Yeah, I am not so much as jealous at you, as I am jealous you live in sheep country! I wish you lots of luck buddy! Scotty

 

[6mm Remington]

Scotty if I get luck and draw I might just have to use his new 300 WSM if he lets me, and if he gets his money saved for a scope before fall! :mrgreen: :grin:

 

[SJB358]

Man, if that was the case, I would consider the cost of renting my rifle about the same as a scope! HA! Just kidding, but what a great sheep rifle it would be! I imagine one of them in 270WSM would be just about ideal for any sheep hunting in the high country. With some 130's buzzing along at 3300+, I couldn't see any sheep being safe! Scotty

 

[Guy Miner]

My hunting pard favors this frame pack, sold as Shockey's. I have to admit it's comfortable. Here he's carrying out at least half a mule deer - I had the other half in my pack. The next day I carried out a complete, boned-out doe about three miles in that pack. It was actually very comfortable:

I've been using this old Kelty off and on since the 1970's. Sometimes it goes a year or two without being used. Sometimes it gets used a lot in a given year. It's very useful for packing camp in and out and does well for heavy loads:

I've also got a couple of smaller day-packs I use while actually hunting. Nothing real special, although I'm fond of one sold by Eberlestock - their mini-me. It's good if a guy doesn't need to carry much and is traveling light.

A couple of months ago I treated myself to a new pack system from Nimrod here in central Washington. Very well built internal-frame pack. I've used it on several day hikes, but only with modest weights of 15 - 25 pounds in it. Am hoping to use it for hunting this fall and should have a better report on it then. Very comfortable.

Guy

 

[6mm Remington]

Guy I have a Kelty that looks identical to yours. It too has seen some pretty good use. When my friend Don drew a Mountain Goat permit in the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness near Anaconda/Phillipsburg Montana that's what I used. I could not believe how big his goat was body size, and I've heard they can really flucuate in a given area even. There were three of us and we all thought he was at least 300-325 on the hoof. We skinned him for a lifesize mount and that wet hide with all the hair was unbelievably heavy. Each of us had some heavy packs coming out, but it sure was a great time.

 

[Guy Miner]

6mm Rem, yup. Have applied for mountain goat and bighorn sheep again this year. If I draw, I sure hope my pack is heavy on the hike back out! :grin:

 

[Polaris]

Those are some purdy packs, no doubt they get the job done. Somebody has to speak for us poor folks out there though. I've been hunting, guiding in the Boundary waters for 3 years, wilderness camping there every year since and trapping for 30 years. Of all the packs I've had, nothing beats a good old US mil. issue ALICE pack for getting heavy gear into or out of remote places. They're durable, comfortable with a low-slung heavy load (essential for keeping your center of gravity low and your feet under you) and they've got a buttzillion tie down points, pockets, pouches and straps for all the extra crap you want to tie down to really make your knees groan. Best of all they're cheap. Good milsurp ones can be had for under $50.

For a lighter day pack, I like the various waxed canvas military ruckesachen available on the surplus or new mfg. market from Switzerland Austria and Germany. Got a 4 pack of Austrian ones a few years ago. Still working on wearing out the first one. Paid $25 for 4 of them. Quality old world construction.

 

[SJB358]

I have put alot of miles on under a large mountain ALICE pack. Great pack for the money and customizable by the right person also. Scotty

 

[jmad_81]

Well as far as pack frames go I have a Nimrod pack frame. It is very well built and is comffy. The most I have ever packed out on it was half a boned out bull elk.

I also have a Badlands superday pack. It fits all my gear and half a deer no problem. Their warrenty program is among the best. it packed out the other half of the boned out elk. Don't think I would to that again with that pack. With that much weight a guy needs a frame of some sort.

My little bro has a Eberlestock , and Loves it. I have to admit that it is one great looking pack, and has lots of room for everything a guy would need for a few day hike in.

 

[velvetant]

I use an Eberlestock G4 Operator Pack. I like my hands free when hiking and it holds enough gear for several days.

Randy

 

[usmc 89]

i like the eberly packs i have a g-3 and a smaller one without the hood cant remember the model #a buddy gave it to me for loading some ammo for him. the rifles i use hunting are between 12-16 pounds so the eberlystocks are perfect for that purpose. use the bigger one for mule deer elk and antelope hunting and the smaller one for bowhunting. i also use a badlands monster for coyote and turkey hunting.

 

[CMBTshooter]

I use a Mystery Ranch SATL Assault Pack or a large Alice Pack. For all you guys that go with the Alice pack, look into the tactical tailor kidney pad and straps and a back pad. You can really beat the hell out of those.

My rig on my last trip was an Alice frame that had about 100 pounds of ammo, grenades, chemlights, extra barrels, water and batteries.

 

[usmc 89]

I use a Mystery Ranch SATL Assault Pack or a large Alice Pack. For all you guys that go with the Alice pack, look into the tactical tailor kidney pad and straps and a back pad. You can really beat the hell out of those.

My rig on my last trip was an Alice frame that had about 100 pounds of ammo, grenades, chemlights, extra barrels, water and batteries.

Wow sounds like they duped you into carrying the whole teams gear!