Anyone have any good/bad experience with the Alps Commander X packs?

[bzb_1]

Anyone have any experience with this system? I am able to get one at half off. I have no (absolutely zero experience) in backpacking or backpack hunting. It seems like a nice set up to me I know just from reading here and other forums that they are not one of the more popular brands here. I will be using it for trips no more that 5-7 days probably once a year.

This is the model I am considering.

http://www.alpsoutdoorz.com/images/p/Commander-X-Shelf-and-Pack-Bag.jpg

Thanks for any input.

 

[NDGuy]

Take what people say on these forums with a grain of salt. People on here are obsessed with hunting and gear performance so just because no one mentions a brand doesn't mean it won't work for you. That being said I have zero experience with that brand, I have always thought they looked cheap and steered away from it. Most people agree that the three things to not skimp on are your pack, boots, and glass. If anything, buy it at half off and sell it on Facebook for what you paid for it if you don't like it.

One other brand to look at that won't kill the bank is Horn Hunter. The Hush guys use their packs and I think they seem like a decent setup. Don't overlook Eberlestock either.

 

[dplantz]

Take what people say on these forums with a grain of salt. People on here are obsessed with hunting and gear performance so just because no one mentions a brand doesn't mean it won't work for you. That being said I have zero experience with that brand, I have always thought they looked cheap and steered away from it. Most people agree that the three things to not skimp on are your pack, boots, and glass. If anything, buy it at half off and sell it on Facebook for what you paid for it if you don't like it.

One other brand to look at that won't kill the bank is Horn Hunter. The Hush guys use their packs and I think they seem like a decent setup. Don't overlook Eberlestock either.

Or take the advice of those who have been there, done that; and buy once, cry once. At half price, might do u fine if you're just getting into backpack hunting and don't really expect to be packing out too much game. But if you've had some success and are looking to upgrade your pack for more comfort when you are successful, don't waste your money on something you're going to find terribly insufficient after a season or two. Go with Stone Glacier, Kifaru, Mystery Ranch, or Exo, whichever fits you best, and never be wanting for a better pack again.

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[NDGuy]

Or take the advice of those who have been there, done that; and buy once, cry once.
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Look man I don't disagree with buy once cry once, but everyone's situation is different. Not everyone can spend $600 on a pack. Especially if you are only going to hunt WTs and maybe take a Western trip once a year. While you may turn your nose up at "lesser quality" packs, they might work great for someone else. I know plenty of people that use Tenzing, Eberlestock, and Horn Hunter packs that are happy with them.

And you prove my point that this forum tends to look down on anything but the best.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I have never used that alps pack. However, I have owned others from the travers down through the Fanny packs. Bottom line is they work and are a great value for the dollar you spend.



I’ve packed a lot of weight in the traverse. More then it was intended for. So much it bent the frame in it. But, I don’t blame the pack. Aside from a top tier or military duck sack, no pack is designed for 93 pounds of reloading bullets to be put in it for training hikes. It did very well upto about 60-65 pounds on comfort. After that, the hip belt really digs in.




You’ll be able to say that about most packs that aren’t high dollar name brands though. So, I finish with this. That commander x will do the job pretty well. If you can haul it, it will do it. But, it’s goi g to suffer comfort loss to a Kifaru belt. Like I said, not the end of the world because no other company out there can say otherwise in my opinion. If you don’t want to spend mucho on top of the line gear, you don’t have too in order to get good gear. Good luck and God Bless

 

[black dawg]

I have looked at that pack several times, it looks very well built, I just cant get past what it weighs. But...my use would also be daypack, so that is why it is too heavy for me. At half price... I would probably have to give it a try.

 

[BWG13]

I have a hunting buddy that uses that same pack. I've never worn it, but have gone over it and we've compared it to my EXO K2 2000. There is definitely a quality difference between the two, but there is also a significant price difference as well, so that should be expected. I would say it's easily on par with packs from brands like Tenzing, Eberlestock, and Horn Hauler. It is fairly heavy (9lbs with bag according to website) and I thought it had hard/stiff shoulder and back pads, but my buddy never complained about them. The bag seemed pretty well designed and some nice features like integrated load shelf, a lid, and side pockets for small items or water bottles.

One thing that was noticeable for sure was how loud the pack was. The material is very thick and stiff (Alps website lists 1680D nylon) which caused it to seem very "scratchy", if that makes sense. When walking through thicker brush it was very noticeable how loud it was compared to the EXO. It also had a few squeaks that seemed to have developed between the frame and shoulder harness (?), but we could never find the source for sure.

It's a decent pack for the money and should suit your needs starting out. I would pick it up if you can get it half price, try it out and see what works and doesn't work for you and go from there. Good luck!

 

[BigMuleyHunter]

I have used the commander pack frame (Not the commander X) to pack bear bait with and for the money ($75) it has been great. I'm sure the commander x is a substantial improvement over the commander. So for 1/2 off I bet you would be hard pressed to find a better value.

That being said, I have also used kuiu, mystery ranch, eberlestock, and currently own an EXO. There is a vast improvement in quality and comfort as you move up the ladder. But if you are only using it once a year and are just beginning to backpack hunt, I would not spend the 4,5,or 600 hundred dollars on an upper tier backpack. Just my $0.02!

 

[bzb_1]

I appreciate the feedback. Thank you all much

 

[bdoug93]

I know this is an old post, but just so people can reference back in the future...

I have taken this pack on a multiday backcountry trip in the california mountains, completely loaded up. It took quite a few tries to get all of the different parts at the right setting in order to get everything to sit right on my back. The clips they provide are a pain to use. I would recommend switching them out with something else. The pack sat nice and high at first, but after two days of off trail mountain hiking the belt would not stay tight, and the load would shift left and right at every step. Nearly knocked me off the mountain several times. The pack is extremely noisy as well. Because of all this, I would not recommend it.

The load shelf itself was actually the best part, despite being on the heavier end. I have a super cheap, and very heavy, tree stand and climbing sticks that I hauled in with it last year, and it made about a 70lb load feel pretty light. I had to lash it with my own straps though. I have also hauled out half a quartered deer at a time with it, and it had no problems.

This year I plan on doing my first western hunt, and I will be buying a Kifaru or Mystery Ranch for what it's worth. I regret not just buying one the first time.

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

I had two alps packs, the little bear hop pack and one of the mid size day packs. I had stitching failures on both of them. They were a great deal and I got a good amount of use from them, but they just didn’t last very long. I won’t be buying any more of their equipment.


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[BigMuleyHunter]

I purchased an alps commander (Not the commander X) several years ago for $75. I used it extensively during bear season and for packing elk out with. I have definitely got my money out of the pack! I've also used mystery ranch, kuiu, and currently own an EXO. The alps certainly isn't in the same conversation as those packs but it definitely serves a purpose for me.

 

[JWP58]

Yes. I've used the commander X for two seasons, and will use it this year. I've packed a few critters with it it. It works just fine. I'm now running it with a mountain ridge gear cody pack in "day pack mode", and with the cody pack in full on hauling mode.

On sale it's great, full msrp? I'd pass.