Wrong Burgundy
Well-known member
I like that. What are your other three?
Your Top FOUR Features for Hunting Pack (Not Brand Specific) Who else has thoughts?
- Thread starter Wrong Burgundy
- Start date
smokey24_24
New member
- Joined
- May 18, 2020
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- 24
I am also new to Elk hunting (first trip last fall). I used an Alps Outdoorz Traverse EPS pack...its on the heavy side at close to 7 lbs empty but I had to make choices when getting started. I'm considering upgrading the pack right now or upgrading my rain gear. Which do ya'll view as more important? My current rain gear is some cheap Frogg Toggs...will keep me dry but obviously noisy and hot! Didn't run into any rain last year and the pack is obviously used every day. Thoughts??
BackofBeyond
Well-known member
Buy a pack first. No question about it.
I agree. For the OP. Dig up the thread Why my pack sucks. I would post a link but I'm busy. mtmuley
Lilhowie83
Well-known member
I used the Alpz traverse EPS for four years and still have it. I never had any problems with it other than you can't fit a whole bone in rear elk quarter in it. Last year my oldest boy used my friend's Mystety Ranch Metcalf to help pack out my other sons elk. I wore the pack on about half of the packout and my son wore it the other half. So we each tried the Mystery Ranch, with a bone in hind quarter, and the Alpz, with a bone in front quarter, side by side. The one thing we both agreed on after getting back to the car was how unbelievably uncomfortable the Alpz was compared to the Mystery Ranch. Needless to say I have bought myself and my two oldest boys new Mystery Ranch backpacks.
Like others have said buy the backpack before new raingear. You have your backpack on you almost all of the time while hunting and rain gear very little of the time. Your body will thank you for it
smokey24_24
New member
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- May 18, 2020
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I will check out the Mystery Ranch pack. I'm also intrigued by the light weight of the KUIU Pro LT...any experience with that?
If you do a search, you’ll come up with hours of reading. It’s the little magnifying glass in the top right corner.
Karl
Member
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2019
- Messages
- 86
1.Comfort with heavy loads
2.Load shelf
3.Lid for quick access to tp, snacks, headlamp, first aid kit
4.Enough space for me to do a 5 day trip with it
The not asked for #5: not too many pockets. Originally thought I liked having lots of pockets to put stuff in "their place". Nope, hated the pockets! Just meant I had to search through extra spots to find what I was looking for.
2.Load shelf
3.Lid for quick access to tp, snacks, headlamp, first aid kit
4.Enough space for me to do a 5 day trip with it
The not asked for #5: not too many pockets. Originally thought I liked having lots of pockets to put stuff in "their place". Nope, hated the pockets! Just meant I had to search through extra spots to find what I was looking for.
WVmike
Active member
Agree 100% with this. I use the Mystery Ranch Metcalf with the guide lite frame. Has served me well and can also be used to shoot off of with the frame that it has. If I had to pick another pack to use, I would either do Kuiu or Exo. My buddy bought an Alpz outdoors pack and absolutely hated it with the aluminum frame. He ordered a Mystery Ranch Beartooth and loves it except for the amount of pockets that it has.
npaden
Well-known member
1. Load shelf
2. Durable comfortable to haul heavy loads
3. Adjustable to fit me
4. Lightweight
Most everything else is just extra.
2. Durable comfortable to haul heavy loads
3. Adjustable to fit me
4. Lightweight
Most everything else is just extra.
buxnbullz
Member
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2022
- Messages
- 54
The meat shelf & ability to strap down to a compact size when I'm not using the extra space. An old pack of mine did not perform well with heavy loads & I couldn't adjust the pack to get the weight against my body. The weight sagged & put to much pressure on my shoulders. My new pack solved that issue & I absolutely love the pack!
ImBillT
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 29, 2018
- Messages
- 3,896
Place for my water bladder, preferably two. I drink a lot of water.
Ability to comfortably handle over 100lbs.
Durability.
At least one external pocket.
Enough straps and buckles to cinch it down on whatever is in there, and help get the load well secured to the frame.
While not specifically designed for it, I use two stretch pockets for my water bladders and they work perfectly. There’s one on each side. I usually only fill one, but keep two with me in case I need to cash water, and have filled both while hunting in warm weather when water was not convenient. I LOVE the two outside zipper pockets. It allows me to keep quite a bit of stuff semi-organized and easily accessed. It keeps the weight as comfortable as I can imagine, and I’ve packed over 100lbs in it. The clips that hold the shoulder straps to the load lifters started allowing the webbing to slip out, which was an absolute nightmare. After some minor modifications to fix that, the pack is fine. I wish the main bag was made of a thicker material like my old Gregory, but so far(4 years, 2 elk, 8 mule deer, and a pronghorn) it has no rips, tears or holes. I use the gun bearer when hunting, but when I’m not hunting, I actually use the webbing that adjusts the outer wing pockets to carry my rifle. They also work well for securing my tripod and spotter, which I don’t usually carry inside my pack.
Ability to comfortably handle over 100lbs.
Durability.
At least one external pocket.
Enough straps and buckles to cinch it down on whatever is in there, and help get the load well secured to the frame.
While not specifically designed for it, I use two stretch pockets for my water bladders and they work perfectly. There’s one on each side. I usually only fill one, but keep two with me in case I need to cash water, and have filled both while hunting in warm weather when water was not convenient. I LOVE the two outside zipper pockets. It allows me to keep quite a bit of stuff semi-organized and easily accessed. It keeps the weight as comfortable as I can imagine, and I’ve packed over 100lbs in it. The clips that hold the shoulder straps to the load lifters started allowing the webbing to slip out, which was an absolute nightmare. After some minor modifications to fix that, the pack is fine. I wish the main bag was made of a thicker material like my old Gregory, but so far(4 years, 2 elk, 8 mule deer, and a pronghorn) it has no rips, tears or holes. I use the gun bearer when hunting, but when I’m not hunting, I actually use the webbing that adjusts the outer wing pockets to carry my rifle. They also work well for securing my tripod and spotter, which I don’t usually carry inside my pack.
Last edited:
bigbuck247
Member
Depends on what the pack is for.
Day Pack
1. Good organization (lots of pockets, but they need to be well placed and thought out.)
2. Comfortable/Light weight
3. Able to carry bow or gun if need be.
4. Durable
Multiday/meat hauler
1. Big open compartment so I can organize it with pouches/gear bags as needed depending on what hunt I'm going on.
2. Sturdy
3. Load/Meat Shelf
4. Durable
Day Pack
1. Good organization (lots of pockets, but they need to be well placed and thought out.)
2. Comfortable/Light weight
3. Able to carry bow or gun if need be.
4. Durable
Multiday/meat hauler
1. Big open compartment so I can organize it with pouches/gear bags as needed depending on what hunt I'm going on.
2. Sturdy
3. Load/Meat Shelf
4. Durable
std7mag
Well-known member
My packs would be considered day packs by most of you. Living on the east side of things mine are usually bigger than what i see for hunting. Way smaller than those seen by the serious hiker.
1) durable!! I hate when zipper pulls break! Also don't like fraying.
2) Ventalation between me & the pack. Maybe a frame pace would help with that, but the packs i currently have really have me sweating under the pack. Even in December.
3) Light weight for the pack itself, but still able to carry a load when needed.
4) Couple of pockets on the belt to access things without having to take the pack off.
5) Multiple outside pockets on the pack to easily access them without having to unload one big internal pocket.
6) Water proof would be nice. One pack has a rain cover, which is ok. I could get by with this if it were reversible. Orange on one side, camo on the other.
During rifle season i usually put it on my pack for the added orange.
But when i'm scouting & need it, i'd rather have it camo.
1) durable!! I hate when zipper pulls break! Also don't like fraying.
2) Ventalation between me & the pack. Maybe a frame pace would help with that, but the packs i currently have really have me sweating under the pack. Even in December.
3) Light weight for the pack itself, but still able to carry a load when needed.
4) Couple of pockets on the belt to access things without having to take the pack off.
5) Multiple outside pockets on the pack to easily access them without having to unload one big internal pocket.
6) Water proof would be nice. One pack has a rain cover, which is ok. I could get by with this if it were reversible. Orange on one side, camo on the other.
During rifle season i usually put it on my pack for the added orange.
But when i'm scouting & need it, i'd rather have it camo.
