Batwing style packs

[j43097]

I'm wondering what back wing style packs are out there and what people think of them. I'm aware of the kifaru Nomad, and Eberle stock makes one, or at least add on. but what other companies. and do people like them or are they just a unique solution to a problem that doesn't exits.

 

[mrbillbrown]

Horn Hunter Full Curl frame has bat wings


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[Ross]

Exo used to have them available you may be able to find a used set

 

[Loper]

I had the the batwings in an Eberlestock F1 mainframe. I bought it because I thought the design was a interesting concept and would be great for day hunts. However, it didn’t work as well as I envisioned. I’d rather have one bag with full capacity than two bags with half capacity. Two smaller bags places size restrictions on certain items. I ended up selling the batwings and frame and got an EXO K3 and haven’t regretted it at all.

 

[Marble]

The kifaru straight jacket is like a bat wing style pack. I've used one a few seasons and packed a handfull of animals with it.

I like it, but I think I'm going to get another pack that is more traditional.

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[tater]

Oregon Packworks was one of the original manufacturers of a batwing hunting pack. Part of their modular system at the time. The only downside to that system was the lack of truly effective load lifters and barreling with full load. As a day pack or up to 45lbs of weight it was great.

The Kifaru Nomad 1 was a direct rip off of that design.

I've used an OPW, Kifaru Nomad 1 & 2 as well as an EMR2 and Fulcrum (both of which have fold in batwings on a larger bag when in day mode).

I like the design of batwings for a variety of reasons, and always have at least one bag with that feature.

 

[Coveyleader]

I love them, I don't think I'd use a pack without it. The OG was the Badlands 2200 which I still use alot and it's beyond versatie.

 

[338edge]

I love it. I have had both Nomad 1 and now 2. But I will be switching to Eberlestock. My son has them on the mod frame. So comfortable. Unreal. The third picture is of my son with his new system from Eberlestock

 

[Evergreen]

+1 On the Eberlestock. Ran the Mod frame and bat wings this year on my day hunts and it worked great. Had my first aid kit and puffy on one side and game bags with misc equipment on the other. Spotter was strapped in the center. Quick and easy to open up for packing out game.

 

[dgfavor]

I did the two batwings day pack set up for a few years and worked fine - I think the batwings are about 700c each. They do limit "hard" fixed shape items a little and lend themselves more to stuffables IMO. I did this configuration a ton - two batwings, tripod/scope in between, rifle Slik Sling right side:




In '24 they came out with the large batwings at about 1000c each and I decided one of those would work vs two smaller ones just fine and went that route, worked great! Usually set up like this with single large batwing, tripod/scope offest left side, rifle Slik sling right side:








There were times when weather got colder that a single 1000c batwing got a little tight last year so this year I just added a lid, extra 800c, to the system (and new Mod frame). Worked great - I never wanted for space and managed to not fill up the extra space just cuz I had it, which I've been guilty of in past and hauled around a bunch of crap I didn't need. It's kind of hard to see the setup but it's a single large batwing that I just set into the meat cradle then put lid over that - it gives me quik access to the batwing from above to pull out a puffy and just stuff it back in. Day food went in the lid:
Single large batwing and lid - pretty tidy setup IMO:






Single large batwing and lid is my favorite/preferred of the configurations I've used.

 

[338edge]

I did the two batwings day pack set up for a few years and worked fine - I think the batwings are about 700c each. They do limit "hard" fixed shape items a little and lend themselves more to stuffables IMO. I did this configuration a ton - two batwings, tripod/scope in between, rifle Slik Sling right side:
View attachment 993470

View attachment 993476

In '24 they came out with the large batwings at about 1000c each and I decided one of those would work vs two smaller ones just fine and went that route, worked great! Usually set up like this with single large batwing, tripod/scope offest left side, rifle Slik sling right side:
View attachment 993472

View attachment 993477

View attachment 993478

View attachment 993479

There were times when weather got colder that a single 1000c batwing got a little tight last year so this year I just added a lid, extra 800c, to the system (and new Mod frame). Worked great - I never wanted for space and managed to not fill up the extra space just cuz I had it, which I've been guilty of in past and hauled around a bunch of crap I didn't need. It's kind of hard to see the setup but it's a single large batwing that I just set into the meat cradle then put lid over that - it gives me quik access to the batwing from above to pull out a puffy and just stuff it back in. Day food went in the lid:
Single large batwing and lid - pretty tidy setup IMO:
View attachment 993473

View attachment 993474

View attachment 993475

Single large batwing and lid is my favorite/preferred of the configurations I've used.

I will go with two large batwings lol

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I’ve used a “batwing” style pack since I started backpacking in the early 90s, using my dads hand me down Boy Scout pack from the late 60s.




I then moved to a large osprey pack in high school and college that also had side wings for both hunting and backpacking trips.

Next I went to a Kifaru I think it was called the EMR, then the Fulcrum, and then the Ma Deuce.

I moved away from wing style packs with my Stone Glacier for the last 4 years and just went back this season with the S2H/EXO Teratorn.

Being able to fold the wings behind the main bag and not use them makes it very versatile compared to some other bat wing style packs. Or you can use only the wings and nothing in the main bag depending on the load and hunt.

When fully loaded up with main bag and wings, having all the quick access items for glassing and getting warm in the side wings is fantastic.

I’d highly recommend the Teratorn on the EXO frame.