Appalachian tree stand pack.

[SCmountainHunt]

I'm over here on the "right" side of the the country trying to sift thru all of these hunting frame packs......this has proved to be a daunting task. Well, maybe I'm just too cheap or picky. What I'm looking for is a frame and "day" pack that I can sandwich my climbing stand in between. Surely I'm not the first to think of or try to do this. I'm looking at pack sizes 1500-2000 but that's negotiable. The pack will be going up trees with me. So, cumbersome and awkward need not apply. I keep some climbers and lock ons in the woods, but when going to new or "theft likely" areas I don't like leaving a stand in. I use the x-stand sit and climb or X-1. They are only about a dozen pounds and compact. I can't imagine why it would work between a pack and frame. Here's where my experience runs out. I've never owned a "frame" style pack. Hopefully someone out there has done or seen this done.

 

[Titan_Bow]

Not sure about a climber, but I haul hang on tree stands all the time in my EXO Mountain Gear pack. I have the 3500 but they make a smaller one, I think 2200. The bag can seperate from the frame so you can sandwich a stand there. When we hunt whitetails out east in Eastern CO and Nebraska, the pack gets alot of use hauling treestands

 

[1_pointer]

I use my climber as my "frame pack". Mine's a Summit, so I roll my fanny pack into the seat, strap it down and go. It'd be easy enough to bungie cord a small pack to the climber to carry in. Put it between the cables and the seat with two bungies. If you are set on a pack to haul with, I'd give the Hunter Carryall from LL Bean a look. Still have to strap a backpack to it.
https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/643...yall-pack&attrValue_0=Olive&productId=1077114

Other packs with a load/meat shelf like the Stone Glacier or Seeksoutside might meet your need. They may expand enough to get the climber between the frame and pack.
https://www.stoneglacier.com/hunting-packs
https://seekoutside.com/hunting-backpacks/

But, IMO/E I'd not want a "frame" pack up in the tree with me. To big, cumbersome, and rigid. I'd leave the frame on the ground and just have a smallish soft sided pack to take into the tree with me.

 

[Tikka06]

I have carried my Summit climber with a dry bag strapped to it and also used my Kuiu Icon pro 3200 to carry small lock on stands into the mountains here at home. I prefer carrying the lock ons with the pack over the other.

 

[SCmountainHunt]

This is my current setup for warm weather bow hunting. (The Bow is just propped up not attached. That's another reason I'm looking for a new pack.). Once it gets cold and I add coat/overalls etc things get cumbersome. This stand hunts same as a lock on and packing it like this isn't bad. If I can stay upright and on flat ground the whole time. That never happens. I haven't been able to find shoulder straps that don't slid around on the stand frame. I appreciate all of the input. I'm leaning toward Kuiu or mystery ranch, but haven't finished researching companies like Kifaru, stone mountain, and EXO yet. Thanks again

 

[Bob Vetter]

Take a look at the Horn Hunter Full Curl pack. Made in America and I think it might be just what you are looking for. I like mine a lot.

Cheers

 

[Flatland Crusoe]

Sitka makes a dedicated treestand carrying pack.

https://www.sitkagear.com/products/whitetail/packs-bags/tool-bucket

I have one and don't really like it that much. I love Sitka clothing, but those guys cannot make a backpack.

http://engineeredpursuit.com/sitka-whitetail-tool-bucket-review/

Despite having one I just bungee a jansport sized backpack to a summit treestand as mentioned above. Really the better options are a load cell equipped internal frame pack.

 

[SCmountainHunt]

Sitka makes a dedicated treestand carrying pack.

https://www.sitkagear.com/products/whitetail/packs-bags/tool-bucket

I have one and don't really like it that much. I love Sitka clothing, but those guys cannot make a backpack.

http://engineeredpursuit.com/sitka-whitetail-tool-bucket-review/

Despite having one I just bungee a jansport sized backpack to a summit treestand as mentioned above. Really the better options are a load cell equipped internal frame pack.

That's the idea, but looks like they failed to connect on that one. Their website is kinda lacking on pack info compared to other sites. Thanks for the tip.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I've been using a Black's Creek All-American for years. I hang my pack on my Ol' Man climber by the shoulder straps. It works great. I use the shortest EZ Hanger to hang the pack on once I get setup in the tree.

 

[Adamm88]

Iv put a Molle 2 waistbelt and shoulder straps hooked to mine and it carries much better, then conect the pack to the treestand, not the the tree stand to the pack.

I had a horn hunter full curl and was able to strap my stand to that too but that pack carried like crap for me. I would think any frame like a kifaru you could rig to carry a stand and pack.

 

[NCSU_Lewis]

http://exomountaingear.com/western-hunting-packs-for-the-whitetail-hunter/

Thats a good blog post on an exo carrying a Lone Wolf that I think could be applied to a climber. I am hoping to bite the bullet and get one to try soon. Also, if you listen to the gritty bowman podcast from Alabama, Aron says Kifaru is planning to make one as well so keep your ear open for that.

 

[N2TRKYS]

http://exomountaingear.com/western-hunting-packs-for-the-whitetail-hunter/

Thats a good blog post on an exo carrying a Lone Wolf that I think could be applied to a climber. I am hoping to bite the bullet and get one to try soon. Also, if you listen to the gritty bowman podcast from Alabama, Aron says Kifaru is planning to make one as well so keep your ear open for that.

I saw that podcast. If it's based off of their framed packs, I can't imagine that being handy at all. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

 

[SCmountainHunt]

http://exomountaingear.com/western-hunting-packs-for-the-whitetail-hunter/

Thats a good blog post on an exo carrying a Lone Wolf that I think could be applied to a climber. I am hoping to bite the bullet and get one to try soon. Also, if you listen to the gritty bowman podcast from Alabama, Aron says Kifaru is planning to make one as well so keep your ear open for that.

I have been planning to listen to the gritty bowmen. I only started listening to podcast a couple months ago, got caught up on the MeatEater podcast and am about half way caught up on hunt talk radio. This is exactly what I had in mind. Don't see why this wouldn't work with a lot of different frame packs. Kuiu, mystery ranch, etc....

 

[SCmountainHunt]

I saw that podcast. If it's based off of their framed packs, I can't imagine that being handy at all. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with.

Ok, so if the EXO is a framed pack and it works well, why wouldn't a Kifaru framed pack?

 

[N2TRKYS]

Ok, so if the EXO is a framed pack and it works well, why wouldn't a Kifaru framed pack?

I wouldn't want the Exo, either. I don't have the need to carry the extra weight of a frame, only to leave it at the base of the tree.

If it works for you, then that's all that should matter to you. It just doesn't work better than my current setup.

 

[SCmountainHunt]

I wouldn't want the Exo, either. I don't have the need to carry the extra weight of a frame, only to leave it at the base of the tree.

If it works for you, then that's all that should matter to you. It just doesn't work better than my current setup.

Ah, ok. Wasn't sure if that statement was based on functionality or opinion. Thanks for the advice.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Ah, ok. Wasn't sure if that statement was based on functionality or opinion. Thanks for the advice.

Don't get me wrong. I love the way my Kifaru handles a load of elk meat. Unfortunately, it was my buddy's elk and not mine. Lol

 

[NCSU_Lewis]

I wouldn't want the Exo, either. I don't have the need to carry the extra weight of a frame, only to leave it at the base of the tree.

If it works for you, then that's all that should matter to you. It just doesn't work better than my current setup.

I'm tempted to try it if I can get my hands on a pack to test with my climber. Hoping to avoid dragging a deer a couple miles this fall, and figured with a decent frame pack it could be one trip, no problem.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I'm tempted to try it if I can get my hands on a pack to test with my climber. Hoping to avoid dragging a deer a couple miles this fall, and figured with a decent frame pack it could be one trip, no problem.

Good luck and keep us posted how it turns out.

 

[SCmountainHunt]

Don't get me wrong. I love the way my Kifaru handles a load of elk meat. Unfortunately, it was my buddy's elk and not mine. Lol

Ok makes sense, thanks.