Anything compare to a Barney’s

[Steve O]

Looking at picking up a heavy duty hauler. Have definitely seen what the Barney’s can do but have not worn one. Have had an old Dana Designs Terraplane and a Wilderness Wanderer in the external frame style.

Has anyone tried the Outdoorsmans Pack in comparison to a Barney’s? Any others out there worth looking at?

 

[Voyageur]

A little over a year ago I purchased an Alps Outdoorz Commander Lite to be used as a loaner pack and to keep in my vehicle during our 4 month long archery deer season. So far I have used it while shed hunting, hauling 50# sacks of feed, and for tree stand set up and maintenance. In addition it has packed 3 antelope, 2 deer, and 1 bear from the field. The shortest pack out was 3/4 of a mile and the longest 2.5 miles. I keep my loads to 75 lbs. or less with the average somewhere around 50-60 lbs.
I'm not in any way suggesting the Alps pack to be on par or even close in quality to the Barney's pack. It is however a less expensive alternative that works in the right scenarios. If I were still of the age where I was loading the pack up with 100 lb. loads the Alps probably wouldn't hold up. Because I'm of an age where I purposely limit the size of my loads the Alps pack works just fine for me.
The Alps won't replace my SO Fortress, but it does have its place.
Hope this adds perspective to your search.

 

[cnelk]

I have 2 Kelty Cache Haulers. They are a rugged, plain jane meat shelf pack that work good for heavy loads

 

[Voyageur]

Hoping someone chimes in with info on the Outdoorsmans Packs. I was not aware of them until Steve mentioned them in his initial post.

 

[roosiebull]

Hoping someone chimes in with info on the Outdoorsmans Packs. I was not aware of them until Steve mentioned them in his initial post.

I have worn them a little bit, some friends of mine have used them for years… they aren’t bad at all, but much prefer exo/kifaru… I don’t think they would fill the niche that Barneys do

 

[Goodtimekiller]

I have used exo, kifaru, mystery ranch, alps, kuiu and i have an outdoorsman atlas trainer. I do training hikes of around 100# in the summer about once a month, and that is specifically why i bought the atlas trainer. I have 3 frames for the atlas trainer because the first 2 warped. After the second one, they told me of you tighten straps too tight it could cause the warping. I am 5’6” and use the kifaru curved stays, so my back in in the 10-15 percent of not being really comfortable with normal packs. Over 40#, no matter how i adjust, i can’t get the atlas trainer comfortable.

Exo does not make adjustable frames and i can’t really get them comfortable either. When i switched to the kifaru curved frame, it was like a ton of weight was lifted off my sciatic. That’s my experience.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[wapitibob]

@Beendare has years with a Barney

 

[cnelk]

@Beendare has years with a Barney

Last I heard Beendare dumped Rokslide
Probably won’t get a reply to the tag

 

[AlaskanBeardedSamsquanch]

Having hiked a Barneys pack, Mystery Ranch and Stone Glacier, I much prefer my Stone glacier sky guide 7900. it is ultra light, super customizable with the waist belt, back pads and shoulder straps. Pricy but totally worth it.

 

[madcalfe]

kifaru tactical frame with a grab it or cargo net should be able to haul about anything your willing to carry

 

[Bighorse]

I have used Barney's packs for Elk, Mt. Goat, Deer, and Bear extractions. I've also used seekoutside packs

I can't comment on the other makers as I've never handled them.

I grab the Barney's when I just know it's not an ultralight minimalist situation. IE wood stoves, heavy harvest, excess food, heavy clothing, ect......when I have just accepted the heavy suck factor will be high. I know the Barneys is easy to operate and the frame holds the pack bundle in a manageable form. Think Boat to shore, cliff to ground, ground to shoulder.....

The ultralight system I use is for larger distance pursuits where I know the efforts are long and difficult. I pinch ounces and expect to harvest a large animal and carry it much further than I prefer. IE I'm putting physical performance ahead of pack performance. Barneys just works! Not knocking on other makers....It's just what's in my stable.

Ultralight packs just don't take AK abuse like welded frames and such....

Go get em boys!

 

[Steve O]

Good info guys. Thank you.

 

[Life_Feeds_On_Life]

I have an outdoorsman's pack i used for years. They're quality packs and can haul plenty. But I'm too tall for it to fit me as comfortably as others.

 

[chinook907]

Steve-not sure what you're looking to do with it, but I've used a number of different packs over the years and a few years ago settled on a Seek Outside, Revolution Fortress.
.
Light - about 4 lbs.
.
Waterproof!!
.
Large - with the added outside pouch that you can use as a daypack, almost 8,000c.i. total.
.
Comfortable. The heaviest thing I've hauled with it is a brown bear hide and skull. They are notoriously heavy, but it handled the load well.
.
Probably can get an average-sized moose quarter in the bag itself, but can also strap it to the outside or take the bag off and strap it to the frame.
.
The frame is very small, and it's hard to tell that's it not an internal frame pack. in fact, it "wears" like an internal frame.
.
An open pouch, low on both sides of the main bag, for water bottles, spotting scope...
.
It's light enough and comfortable enough that I use it for everything.

 

[Steve O]

Ideally, I’d like to carry a brown bear hide and skull with it…

I will have to take a look at that Fortress. Way back when they started SO had a very irritating salesman jumping in all over the place and it really turned me off to the whole company.

I enjoy my Stone Glaciers quite a bit; figured an external frame might be better for the biggest of loads.

 

[cnelk]

Here are my two Kelty Cache Haulers in action last Sept in Alaska.
Nuthin but heavy loads

 

[AKSandman]

@Steve O
Have been using Barney’s frames for over 15 years. Tough as nails and nothing really compares with load hauling ability of that frame!

Put a WrangellGear bag on it and you have wicked good setup!

 

[Voyageur]

@Steve O
for the use you described I have to agree with @chinook907 and say the SO Fortress with a Revo set up would be a good option

 

[5MilesBack]

I enjoy my Stone Glaciers quite a bit; figured an external frame might be better for the biggest of loads.

I have a SG, but when I know I'm going to be hauling the really heavy loads, I always use my Bull-Pac frame. I've been using it for 17 years.

 

[wapitibob]

Last I heard Beendare dumped Rokslide
Probably won’t get a reply to the tag

just talked to him, Mod being a kindergarten cop