Backpack Blasphemy!!!

[mxgsfmdpx]

Picked up a New Stone Glacier Sky 5900. Never been a fan of “lids” but I wanted a second large pocket for quick access items.

Between the large outside pocket that comes with the Sky 5900 and adding the Kifaru Sherman Pocket, I can access the following items just from those two outside pockets…

.Meopta 15’s
.Kill Kit
.TP
.Rain Gear
.Glassing Chair
.Tripod
.Gloves
.Beanie
.Puffy
.Snacks
.Paracord
.First Aid Kit
.Garmin
.Backpack Rain Cover
.Rifle Rain Cover

All of these items are currently in those two easy access pockets in the photo.

Sherman unbuckles and flips up and out of the way to access the built in outside pocket on the pack. Can also access items from under the Sherman without unbuckling.

Loving the setup so far.

 

[eoperator]

5900 + a sherman pocket, takes a good man to haul that load.

 

[30338]

Big fan of orange on my backpack for rifle seasons. Looks like a good setup.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Big fan of orange on my backpack for rifle seasons. Looks like a good setup.

Love the bright orange on my pack. Always wear orange even where not required.

 

[Lowg08]

I’ve turned my daypack into just a lid and an access bag on an x-curve

 

[TCUHunter34]

Solid set up! I have one similar, a Kiowa 3200 on a Kifaru frame with a Sherman pocket. I’ve been thinking of trying out the 5900 as well.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Solid set up! I have one similar, a Kiowa 3200 on a Kifaru frame with a Sherman pocket. I’ve been thinking of trying out the 5900 as well.

I just traded my 357 Mag for the 5900, my first ever stone glacier pack. 2 test hikes so far and I am in love.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

This pack setup with the Kifaru sherman and stone glacier 5900 is my favorite hunting backpack setup I’ve used so far.

Extremely versatile and simple. From day trips in the whitetail woods of northern Minnesota to an 8 day grind of a coues deer hunt in the Arizona mountains; simple and effective. This new pack setup got put to the test for sure. 7 day trips in the woods of minnesota and 8 days straight living in the mountains here in AZ. In all it packed out 6 deer, 4 big northern whitetails and 2 coues deer bucks.

Im constantly on the move and need a setup that can have me glassing very quickly, packing back up quickly, and back on the move. Having essentials in the top of the pack, in the Sherman pocket, and chair/tripod strapped to the outside of the pack. I can be seated, glassing on a tripod or be fully packed back up in less than 30 seconds (about 27 seconds when timed).

I was able to kill 4 whitetails in Minnesota on our annual meat trip. I killed a nice 3x3 coues buck on day 2 of our AZ hunt, and my buddy killed a spike buck on our 8th and final day. He couldn’t hike with any weight due to an injury so I was happy to get another haul onto my new pack. Short 2 mile trip back to base camp where we had a nice tree/rope setup to process the deer; since he couldn’t stay bent down/kneeling to process this year it made it very easy.

Great season with the new pack and looking forward to using this setup for many more years to come.

If anyone is interested I’d be happy to do a pack dump video and show how I set it up for day trips or long trips. Also how I set it up to be glassing quickly while on the move.

Oh and I found a new way to hang my pack to dry after cleaning all the blood off. An old whitetail mount in our laundry room works great to hang it from for a couple days.

 

[wind gypsy]

I dont get it. A sherman and a SG lid are the same volume. However, the lid weighs less, snaps right into place as designed with the bag, doesn't cover your front pocket, and keeps weight closer to your body where it carries better.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Good question and comment.

The lid blocks access to the top of the pack, takes too much time to remove and pack up. You have to move/reconfigure buckles when switching the pack from lid mode versus “bivy” mode. Nothing heavy enough to affect weight distribution goes into either the lid or the Sherman pocket. Sherman allows for easier strapping of rifle when/where needed. Sherman can be removed as a stand alone small glassing pack as my wife made me some straps that buckle to the clips. Bright orange is a hard requirement for me on packs/clothing. I can fit more gear into the Sherman than the lid. Pack compression straps can go around the Sherman and make it more secure than a top mounted lid. Top mounted lid makes the pack too tall for woods stalking or dodging cactus/nasty desert brush when packing through. Separate organizing pouches for big/small items on the Sherman with easy access is ideal. No unbuckling, messing with straps, sticking your tongue out and fiddling. Just unzip grab gear and your setup and ready.

 

[wind gypsy]

Good question and comment.

The lid blocks access to the top of the pack, takes too much time to remove and pack up. You have to move/reconfigure buckles when switching the pack from lid mode versus “bivy” mode. Nothing heavy enough to affect weight distribution goes into either the lid or the Sherman pocket. Sherman allows for easier strapping of rifle when/where needed. Sherman can be removed as a stand alone small glassing pack as my wife made me some straps that buckle to the clips. Bright orange is a hard requirement for me on packs/clothing. I can fit more gear into the Sherman than the lid. Pack compression straps can go around the Sherman and make it more secure than a top mounted lid. Top mounted lid makes the pack too tall for woods stalking or dodging cactus/nasty desert brush when packing through. Separate organizing pouches for big/small items on the Sherman with easy access is ideal. No unbuckling, messing with straps, sticking your tongue out and fiddling. Just unzip grab gear and your setup and ready.

Good points. The bolded is the one that most impacts my uses and one of the main dislikes I have in use with my SG - The whole bag/lid to top of frame interface is strappy AF when changing between regular mode and hauling stuff on the meat shelf. Too many steps to go back and forth and probably a reason why the new 4800 bag will be popular without a lid.

 

[Lowg08]

Just wait. I think I can take the bag off the transfer and put it on a x curve. Will post pictures when I get around too it lol

 

[prm]

Good points. The bolded is the one that most impacts my uses and one of the main dislikes I have in use with my SG - The whole bag/lid to top of frame interface is strappy AF when changing between regular mode and hauling stuff on the meat shelf. Too many steps to go back and forth and probably a reason why the new 4800 bag will be popular without a lid.

I’ve spent a ridiculous amount if time looking at SG packs to decide which is right for me (if any). This upper attachment area is where I get baffled. I use the load shelf of my packs regularly. I simply do not understand why it’s designed where you need to unthread straps, swap them with the load lifters, and re-thread through the tensioners. I think the R3 packs are better suited to my use cases, not that I want a military color. Still trying to figure it out.