Best day pack for multi use?

[Brightwhite]

I am looking for a day pack to carry essentials, rain gear, some food/water, and it must have a rifle and bow carrying system of some sort on it.

I also would like it to be just big enough to pack out a full deer quarter, or some boned out elk to at least make one trip back to the truck, then I could take my bigger pack back in for a heavier load.

I will be using this pack for all big game, and will also want to make this my primary hiking backpack as well. It would probably never be used overnight.

I have been looking heavily at the eberlestock X1 and X2, but I really don't like their rifle carrying system. Looks like you have to take the pack off to sit down. I would prefer being able to leave it on if I stop for a few mins to glass something that I may have seen.

Also, what size would you prefer? Something in the 1500 CI range?

 

[duchntr]

How much do you want to spend?

 

[Brightwhite]

How much do you want to spend?

No budget, will spend more if I need to in order to get something I don't just like, but love.

 

[duchntr]

No budget, will spend more if I need to in order to get something I don't just like, but love.

Ok, then I would strongly suggest you stay away from eberlestock as you just won't find the quality/comfort you would with a quality backpacking pack i.e. osprey aether or arcteryx altra to name a few. If you primarily want a pack for backpacking and the occasional deer pack out, I personally think you could get away with just getting a backpacking specific pack from rei. If you don't like that idea you could get a MR longbow or one of kifaru's smaller packs like a late season or spike camp. I personally do not use a day pack for hunting because its just not reasonable for me to take unnecessary trips to the vehicle when i could take everything in one trip, so when big game hunting i just take my duplex frame. On to size, you probably want something in ATLEAST the 3k c.u range, generally the bigger the better in my opinion.

 

[BroodBuster]

You've pretty much exactly described how I plan to use the Exo 3500 I've got on order. I'm sure I'll test it on some overnights but during hunting season it will be my elk pack.

 

[Kevin Dill]

I have an Eberlestock X2 and it's a great little pack for day hunts and light carries. It has the strength for 80 pound loads, but lacks the comfort needed. It is a short pack and not well-suited for weapon carrying. Based on what you've described (and using it for a multitude of hunts and settings) I would advise you to consider a pack which carries heavy loads well but also is a very good all-day hunting pack. I'm into clean pack designs which are fast and simple to use when actively hunting. They should collapse easily when full capacity isn't needed. I also think they don't have to cost a small fortune to get fully rigged. I'm currently carrying a Mystery Ranch Dragonslayer as my all-day hunting pack and it is definitely capable of light bivy duty. A step or two above that will be the MR Longbow and perhaps the Metcalf. All of these packs will carry gear, meat etc...and weapon(s). The EXO 3500 does sound like it's right up your alley. The aforementioned packs will cost you $300-$500+ and accessories on top. The last duplex (Kifaru) rig I priced was a Duplex + Nomad + Lid + Grab-It and I believe it tallied up near $700 in camo. All are superb rigs, but choosing one is a very individual thing.

 

[realunlucky]

If you go with any of the choices Kevin mentioned you could get another bag and use the frame when/if a longer trip came up. Once the frame is adjusted perfectly for you it'll fit the same way every time. I have a duplex and a couple different bags works great for me. Cost can be an issue I collected mine used over a lengthy time span

 

[realunlucky]

I'll also add I had an X2 and packed an elk quarter with it and it was brutal. Sold it and got an badlands2200 which worked better for my longer torso, but is about the same weight as a duplex without the versatility

 

[mrbillbrown]

If you've got the big load frame hauler covered for the subsequent loads....I'd look into a Kifaru Late Season. It's perfect size for multi-use and built like a tank for loads up to 80#+.
I run one for travel, training w/40-65#, trips around town w/the family when I'm the pack mule (zoo, museums, parks, etc), and can go from single day use to 2-3 day trips with minimal strategic packing. It's incredibly comfortable empty or heavily loaded. It's very versatile.

 

[Brightwhite]

Thank you everyone for the advice and spending $500 for me. I had ever researched the Exo 3500 pack...that looks to be what I need. Wish they didn't have a 10 week back order though!!!

 

[westrnwild]

I'd look into stone glacier and mystery ranch packs as well as kifaru too.. All can be outfitter with smaller bags or larger bags are comfortable and can haul out a fully deboned mule deer if necessary. The stone glacier solo might be what your looking for say MR longbow/ Metcalf or kifaru spike camp...exo look great but that 10 week part stinks if you need it now.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Better to endure the wait and get the right pack...worth it when you really need it.

 

[afteamroper]

Here is a review/article I did on the Kifaru X-Ray, it is a great day pack with the modularity of adding Kifaru accessories to it.

http://traintohunt.com/2015/03/kifa...l-pack-clint-meyer-tth-director/#.VQ7BEJ_nbqA

 

[mattstanton]

kifaru duplex frame and a mountain rambler. one and done!!

 

[wpwarren]

I think the Hill People Gear Ute is the best multi use pack out there. It handles heavy weight really well but compresses flatter than any day pack I have used. Plus, with the modular nature of their compression system, you can add more volume easily and securely. You can pack as little or as much as you need. Their packs are also built really tough and should be great packs for many years.

 

[Rizzy]

I think the Kifaru Rambler and Eberlestock are the only two with a rifle carry system incorporated into the pack. I would go with a Duplex frame/Rambler given your criteria for hunting and carrying meat out.

 

[muleman]

If you want a true 1.5 day pack size with serious hauling capabilities the Stone Glacier Approach bag is pretty hard to beat IMO. I've done mountain goat, elk and mule deer pack outs with this setup. The Approach is one of my all time favorite bags.

 

[Brightwhite]

I think the Kifaru Rambler and Eberlestock are the only two with a rifle carry system incorporated into the pack. I would go with a Duplex frame/Rambler given your criteria for hunting and carrying meat out.

I don't like that eberlestock "style" rifle carry system. If I want to sit down for 5 mins it seems that you would have to pull the whole pack off to sit?

I am looking for something that caries the rifle on the side of the pack flush with the bottom, or on the face of the pack (center mass on the outside). No that I have been looking is seems most of the packs I have narrowed it down to (Kifaru, Exo, Stone glacier, Kuiu, etc) have some sort of accessory you can buy, or you could lash it to the outside with some straps.

Question on the kifaru duplex versus bikini...whats the major difference? The duplex looks lighter, and more comfortable...the bikini is for hazier loads and bigger packs?

Kifaru is about 30 mins from me, so I probably need to just go down there instead of wasting hall's time, but I do greatly appreciate the input and advice!

 

[castandblast]

Any pack with horizontal compression straps will carry a rifle in the manner you described. That said, when I used the eberlestock scabbard pack (J34) it was never a big deal to sit on a rock, stump, or log and hang the scabbard off behind it. Had to take the pack off to grab my spotter anyway if I was going sit and glass for any length of time.

Only time I got pissed at the scabbard was when I was five miles in and shoved my rifle into it and heard my elevation turret with no zero stop go spinning around......the rest of the time I found it really handy. It carried most of the weight on my shoulders with heavy loads so I moved it along.

 

[wapitibob]

Kifaru Bikini frame, long side zip pocket across the btm (750 ci), then add the new cargo panel or in my case, I use the GenII meat bag for overflow (coat, etc).