Why my pack sucks: Kifaru, Stone Glacier, Exo, Seek, Mystery Ranch, Kuiu, etc.

[TrumpkinTheDwarf]

Kifaru Reckoning user here. The damn bag won't wear out on me, and nothing will break so I can justify replacing it. The stupid frame is too sturdy and encourages me to carry way too much meat out in one trip, and then I don't even get to b#&$! about how sore I am the next day, because my legs don't hurt enough. It's also boring and outdated. Not nearly as cool as the newest Kifaru and SG bags or frames. And to top it all off, the dang thing went and took permanent blood stains on some of the webbing so I can't sell it for as much money now.

 

[Jwill]

I upgraded from an Osprey Aether to a MR Pintler w/ guide light MT frame this year. Bought off of camofire for a decent discount. Overall review I'm very satisfied with it.
A few notes -
The bag is a nice size for a daypack that can pack meat, though on the small size for late season when carrying around several layers. Good mix of size and features, but not too heavy.
Size wise I think the Selway might be a little better, but I like the organization and pockets in the Pinlter.
The meat shelf worked great for both boned out meat in bags and bone-in quarters, though most of the boned out meat I carried was frozen/rigid.
The non-slip buckles were nice, though a little tough to operate in very cold temps or with gloves on.
I'd like there to be another set of buckles on the vertical straps near the bottom to attach a sitting/sleeping pad, but works OK to just loosen those up for that.
While carrying a sandbag to train the bottom was sagging. Moving the vertical straps in closer together on the bottom for additional support of the bag seemed to fix this issue.
Probably a complaint with any pack, but the water bottle pocket is tough to reach while using the load shelf. I'll probably add a water bottle holder to the belt in the future.
Used a Kifaru gun bearer with it and that worked great.

 

[ChaosOneZero]

I've owned a ton of packs over the years, for both hunting and backpacking. But I think the OP is specifically interested in the hunting variety, so I'll keep it focused on that.

Kuiu Icon Pro 7200 and Kifaru Reckoning

My first "hunting", or load-hauling pack, was a Kuiu Icon Pro 7200. I wore it for one season, on a 7-day Colorado elk hunt, but also used it a ton to train in prep for that hunt, mostly on a stair climber, a couple "shake out" trips, and on the treadmill in the basement, all of which was under load, usually 30-50 lbs. I went into the backcountry at around 55 lbs (rifle, gear, food, water, etc). Primary reason I went with Kuiu was simply the price point of the pack. I think I got the entire setup for around $300-400 or so brand new. But at no point was the pack ever really all that comfortable. I spent four years in the Army, wearing heavy loads, so I figured this was more or less normal, and the cost of doing business in the backcountry hunting game.

Kuiu Icon Pro -

Pros: price, style;

Cons: not comfortable

And then I borrowed an older (2005?) Kifaru pack from a friend and shortly thereafter hit up Aron Snyder on Instagram with a couple questions. He encouraged me to give him a call and I did. He was incredibly helpful in answering questions about pack fit, torso size and body type and how that affects pack fitting, etc. Bottom line: I ended up purchasing a Kifaru kit - Duplex frame, Reckoning bag, couple belt pouches. The difference was remarkable. I haven't packed out an animal yet, but thus far, I've been able to load it up to 70-80 lbs of sand and, while its not necessarily "comfortable", it's not really uncomfortable, either. The materials are incredibly durable; all Kifaru stuff is well-built, made in America, etc. And the customer service is top notch. The downside, of course, is the price point. I think I spent close to $900 for the setup, which included a free upgrade on the lid due to the cheap lid being out of stock. Kifaru packs are typically on the heavier side, too. Think my pack is prob around 7-8 lbs empty. But, I consider that a worthwhile trade-off for durability and comfort.

Kifaru Duplex Frame and Reckoning Bag

Pros: durable, comfortable, well-made, good fit.

Cons - price; heavy; another downside with Kifaru can be availability. Most of their stuff is made to order, so if you need something in a hurry, you made be out of luck.

 

[rocky15]

This past year, I bought the mystery ranch pop-up 28 for hunting deer in ND and it performed well! Wish there was a little more room but all in all I have liked it so far. I am looking into Exo pack for more of the backpacking hunt adventure. Looking to hopefully draw WY elk this coming year, so I better start shopping around for an Exo pack!

 

[CB1]

I have the Eberlestock Just One pack. Havnt hauled meat but have loaded it up relatively heavy. The pack itself is pretty heavy and doesn’t seem to fit me well. It is uncomfortable when I get have 50 pounds or so. Not a fan of storing meat in the main compartment where my stuff goes but I guess that’s the point of their additional bags to zip in. When the bag is winched I have trouble using the water bottle holders. Seems like a small thing but pretty annoying.

It does seem durable though and I’m sure it can haul more than I can carry but I doubt it would be comfortable (relatively), at least for me.

I am going to start looking for a new pack. This thread has been very helpful! These are all nice packs but it is nice to see some negatives.

 

[The Lame Trapper]

Badlands 2200- I was not impressed with the load shelf being son the outside of the pack. It was very awkward with a full antelope hanging so far behind me and not tight to my back. Also the pistol holsters are to far back and you can barely reach your pistol.

 

[get-n-birdy]

Bought my first spendy pack off gohunt on sale and used the $50 gear bucks or whatever they call them. Got a MR pintler for $303, which was a "good deal' but seems insane at the same time a year or so ago. Was lucky enough to try the pack on at Scheels before buying it from gohunt. Have used old aluminum framed backpacks that we've found at thrift stores to pack out 2 elk down to trails then used a single wheeled cart to get the elk out. So not experienced enough with long, heavy pack outs on the back.

Have used the pack a lot getting into areas with tripods, bulky clothes, camera gear and a stool strapped to the back with pads and a bunch of other crap.

Took a little getting used to and my biggest gripe so far is the waist belt. It fits perfectly perfectly for hunting, but through this winter had to get creative with a lot of bulky clothing on with extending the length of the waist belt straps.

The amount of straps on the back is nice for loading gear on the back, but the velcro strap holders are more than annoying. When you go lite, with minimal gear the 1,500 dangling straps are time consuming and irritating to deal with.

The access to the water bottle exterior pockets are way to hard to use. In the cold a hydration bladder isn't possible, so you can't just easily grab a drink.

The inside isn't terrible, but it can turn into a cluster if you're in a hurry and turns into a junk drawer that constantly needs to be reorganized after use.

Use the lid storage a lot and it's not easily accessible.

Have a camera holder mount on the molle shoulder strap and really wish they'd have incorporated horizontal ones, not just vertical ones.

The fit is good, but had to do a lot of tweaking to get it right. It's time consuming over a lot of uses. Had the pack on 58 out of 60 days last spring and have used it a lot over the last year, and it takes a lot of time and fiddling with to get it perfect. Once it's there, it's been a great fit though.

It is a heavy pack for it's size, but seems bullet proof.

Used it in Colorado last fall and really liked how easy it was to strap the rifle to the back of the pack. First time I've ever done that and absolutely loved being able to do that.

Everything is solid and tight for me and it fits me very well.

It's small but there's a lot of ability to make the storage bigger by using the shelf for gear, not just meat. Not easy to do but can be made functional for bigger gear loads. Like the smaller build for my needs and makes getting through more dense, thick cover fairly easily with it's more compact size vs a bigger pack, but it lacks ease of use for gear for longer, extended trips. Highly doubt it's more than a 2 to maybe 3 day pack in trip, with minimal gear, food and water.

Overall have gotten use to it's quirks and have been happy with it. Quality seems great after a lot of days used. But have come from a lot of less than quality or ideal packs, so it was a huge upgrade for me personally. My sample size is tiny and miniscule.

 

[magtech]

Eberlestock X2, why does it suck?
Rubs on my lower back
Waist buckle broke, but thats not covered under their lifetime warranty
- $3 buckle costs 11 to get shipped... Annoying more than anything
Causes shoulder pain when using a rifle, even with gun the Kifaru Gunbearer (When setup for front/side sling)
Load adjusters are unusable

Once I fit it to me, I liked that little thing EXCEPT for the fact that it was uncomfortable to sling a rifle to.
I did just get a Beartooth 80 and it feels like having a mini exoskeleton compared to the X2, but the Beartooth is causing me to have backpain where i blew out multiple discs.. I think its due to the fact that its supporting my back better, thus realigning my spine under load.

But those are my cons for it. Once I put some miles on the Beartooth i'm sure i'll find some things I don't completely agree with.

 

[Redman]

The one that fails you during your hunt...

 

[Trbrincefield]

First real pack was a Badlands 2200, not great, but worked good to carry all my stuff all base camp/day hunts. Next was a Sitka bivy 30. Nicer than the Badlands pack, but not an upgrade. Used one season, then was able to pick up a Mystery Ranch pop up 28. Love it. Fit is great, very comfortable, carries all my junk for.base camp/day hunts. I love it so much I bought a Mystery Ranch Marshall for backpack hunts. I have an old external frame pack I used for backpacking when I was younger, but never used it for hunting. MR makes good stuff.

 

[Nameless Range]

I have nothing good to contribute, but am bumping this pretty epic thread as I am researching what I want to spend a bit of my Joe Biden money on.

Haven't done a meaningful backpack hunt in over half a decade, and am looking to replace the only pack I've used on longer backpack hunts:


Lowe Alpine Sirocco 2 - 15 seasons but not used in the last 7: I've packed mountain goat, 2 elk, and a high elevation whitetail out with this. All over 10 years ago.

cons:
- It's a womens pack (I was broke and it was on sale. I was also....not as wide)
- Not built for large loads
- Cheap and old

Alps Traverse EPS - 3 seasons: Can you tell I'm a cheapskate? Current daypack

cons:
-narrow between the shoulder straps
-Cheap construction ( zippers, clips, chest strap failures)
Pro: Cheaper than dirt ($100)
Has a meat shelf that actually works

Boots, glass,and packs. I need to learn and believe the "buy once cry once" ethos. Fact is I am usually looking at the ground and am rarely killing things. Those two facts are related.

Good thread.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I bought a alps hybrid x a few years ago, its comfortable, sturdy, and suits my needs for hunting out of a base camp. The biggest gripe I have is that I have a fairly thick neck and the straps rubbing on the sides of my neck.

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I've been using the same pack for the past 28 years.

Dana Designs.
Pros: Made in USA, high volume, proved the test of time, will last my lifetime
Cons: Heavier than some more modern packs

 

[hank4elk]

I can't remember how many packs I've had. Hunting packs only a few.
Still have an Alaska freighter. Best at heavy loads,on a trail. Have not used it in years.

Have a J-104 that still works,love the scabbard & bladder system, it can carry too much,can shift some with heavy weight. Heavy for a day pack but it rides better on me in the woods than any I've tried. Quiet!

Even the rock climbing packs. I've still got some Jansport & Sierra Designs.

Had a MR Crewcab for a few years.Nice daypack. Never did get it to fit right.... Felt heavy with any load.

 

[peterk1234]

Hmm... why my pack sucks. Well, it sucks because I have a 40pound bag or rock salt strapped to it for the past six months

 

[BrentD]

Hmm... why my pack sucks. Well, it sucks because I have a 40pound bag or rock salt strapped to it for the past six months

Well better that than sand - 40# of sand is really heavy....

 

[thebestusernamesaretaken]

Only one Hunting pack - prior to that was combinations of old Military Stuff or a variety of big box store bags that didn't last more than a season or two. This was a difficult purchase for me because there seems to be a lot of great quality packs out there. I got by for so long with out a major purchase because I knew that I could do it with less. Just seemed like it was unnecessary. I've been kicking myself for not buying one sooner because wow, what a difference!

Exo 4800
One season; worked great at doing what the manufacture said it could do under heavy load.

downsides: $Price tag and still not sure about the hip belt fitment.

 

[Greenwood]

Packs are necessary, and as long as the one on your back fits and is comfortable no matter if it's a high dollar or low budget pack, you're golden. But there's nothing like going lite. Last October in the CO Rockies, I purposely ditched the Metcalf for half the season after a 24" snow event and wore instead my vintage 1985 Cabela's fanny pack. Packing just the bare essentials and carrying a few extra goodies in my Sitka mountain pants was liberating. Granted, the only way that this was possible was to stick to day hunts only, but, man, talk about feeling like I could leap over a mountain in a single bound.

 

[MTLabrador]

Stone Glacier customer service does not suck. Broke a waist belt pull while bear hunting last night, thankfully not with a bear in my pack. I called this morning and they told me they updated the X-curve belt design, so instead of fixing it they’re sending me a complete new belt. Already got the shipping confirmation. Pretty great customer service.

 

[ThunderNocked]

Stone Glacier customer service does not suck. Broke a waist belt pull while bear hunting last night, thankfully not with a bear in my pack. I called this morning and they told me they updated the X-curve belt design, so instead of fixing it they’re sending me a complete new belt. Already got the shipping confirmation. Pretty great customer service.

View attachment 183124

interesting - mine broke on my SkyGuide on my Sheep Hunt - 3 days into 11 days. They sent me a new belt but with the same XL Tri-Slide I believe. Let me know what is different on the new belt! I'd be interested to find out!