Debating pack options

[Knobbcreek]

Good morning all!
Going on my first moose trip up in alaska and cannot decide on a pack.

I’ve narrowed it down to the kifaru Fulcrum

Or a Barney’s

This is a bone in unit. I’m 6ft 1, 210 lbs.

Can I get some feedback on the packs? Thanks in advance!

 

[Superdoo]

Could you tell us more about why you’re hinging on these two packs?

 

[Knobbcreek]

I’m def open to more options haha! From utube university and my research has kinda lead me to these two packs.

 

[VernAK]

Is the pack to be used only for packing meat/cape etc or will you be packing a camp also?

 

[Knobbcreek]

Is the pack to be used only for packing meat/cape etc or will you be packing a camp also?

It’s a boat ride in, then set up base camp within a couple hundred yards from the river. So it’s a bit of both. Ideally don’t want to harvest a moose too far from the river. So I’m thinking 2-3miles max.

 

[WCS]

Barney's frame with a dry bag, especially if the area requires bone-in. Have yet to find anything that handles moose like a Barney's.

 

[adventure907]

Barneys, end of story. Nothing else will compare in the ability to carry heavy loads.

 

[snowymtnwolf]

I’m def open to more options haha! From utube university and my research has kinda lead me to these two packs.

Stone Glacier has some good videos that show how they “technically rate” packs and “how to” load packs

Kinda neat to see how they tested and arrived at their analysis

At the end of the day - I think a handful of packs will
Meet your needs - but you’ll need to decide what “accessories or niche options” best fit your wants.

I personally have and love the Stone Glacier Sky Guide 7900 (also easily collapses down when all the extra space isn’t needed. Has built in load shelf. And it had a pocket for rifle buttstock too


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[HuntHarder]

Depending on how you are planning on hunting, I went with a 26" kifaru with a Stryker for a bag. Really no need to pack a bunch around since we were dropped in by plane and hunt around camp. I only needed to pack essentials ( kill kit, game bags, food, tarps, tripod, survival stuff and trek poles.) Kifaru frame handled moose quarters.

 

[HuntHarder]

It’s a boat ride in, then set up base camp within a couple hundred yards from the river. So it’s a bit of both. Ideally don’t want to harvest a moose too far from the river. So I’m thinking 2-3miles max.

Have you ever packed out a moose? 3 miles would be extremely difficult unless your terrain is different than both times I've been to Ak. Most guys I hunt with in Az would say I'm a Billy goat. In AK, I felt like I was a biatch. Lol. First hunt I packed a rear and front quarter of a caribou close to 4.5 miles. I about died in the boggs. Ak landscape is different than anything I could have prepared for. I learned a valuable lesson about ankle support on the caribou hunt. Hunting in mucks was great until I threw over a 100lbs on my back. On my moose hunt, I went with simms and some nice lace up boots. What a difference. It still sucked huge balls packing out bone in moose quarters but worth it.

 

[Knobbcreek]

Have you ever packed out a moose? 3 miles would be extremely difficult unless your terrain is different than both times I've been to Ak. Most guys I hunt with in Az would say I'm a Billy goat. In AK, I felt like I was a biatch. Lol. First hunt I packed a rear and front quarter of a caribou close to 4.5 miles. I about died in the boggs. Ak landscape is different than anything I could have prepared for. I learned a valuable lesson about ankle support on the caribou hunt. Hunting in mucks was great until I threw over a 100lbs on my back. On my moose hunt, I went with simms and some nice lace up boots. What a difference. It still sucked huge balls packing out bone in moose quarters but worth it.

Never done a moose but I’ve done my fair share of mtn goats from sea level up. Also huge suck factor. 3miles is a stretch I know ha! Still my first moose hunt and I’ll have two buddies to share the load with. It’s going to be a learning exp, so always good to listen to others.

For this one no waders required just quality rain gear and it may snow on us. In a perfect world we will have a bull show up on our side of the river bank.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

Good morning all!
Going on my first moose trip up in alaska and cannot decide on a pack.

I’ve narrowed it down to the kifaru Fulcrum

Or a Barney’s

This is a bone in unit. I’m 6ft 1, 210 lbs.

Can I get some feedback on the packs? Thanks in advance!

Get the Barney's pack. Forget the other options.

 

[roymunson]

I have a KUIU 7800 pro that I plan on using, but I have help. There will be 6 of us in the field with packs and at least 4 available to help pack if I knock one down. So it's not ALL on me to get it out. We're also in a bone in unit.

From what I've heard, you won't beat a Barney's for meat transportation.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

From what I've heard, you won't beat a Barney's for meat trtransportation.

You heard right.

 

[SliverShooter]

Everybody I know, that has used them, say you can’t go wrong with a Barney’s. I believe them. One friend has every gadget and piece of gear imaginable, he has used an old Cabel’s pack frame with the load shelf to pack all of his and friends moose, over a dozen moose I know of. I think the Barney’s is built tougher, but The Cabela‘s works well for him.

I have used a Kuiu to pack the better part of one moose 1 1/2 miles, wound not recommend them for any load over 70-75#’s. I was wishing I had my old army ruck before the packing was finished.

I use my pack for a lot more than meat transport, with a 65# weight limit I don‘t have the option of taking an extra pack just for packing meat. The best pack frame I have found is the Kifaru. Used a Kifaru to pack my 2021 solo moose 1 1/4 miles. The difference between the two packs is huge. Used their 44 Mag on that trip, it was too small, hard to get two bags of boned out meat to fit inside of it (around 140# +/-). Bought the MaDuce before I got back to Montana.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Get a Barney’s frame and that moose/meat sling from wrangell gear.

 

[Arcticmanak]

Am I correct to assume your buddies are hunting too? I would recommend you guys set a boundary of how far you will shoot a moose from camp. One guy gets all gung ho after a big bull and shoots it three miles from camp and then you all spend 2+ days packing it out, you might relegate him to to cargo hold for the ride home.
I know a group that broke their predetermined perimeter two years ago with two guys going in opposite directions after bulls they glassed up. It didn't take long for them to call back to town requesting help when they realized what they'd gotten themselves into.
I would think long and hard before I shot a moose over a mile from camp. I have packed out several and used a Kelty Cache hauler, Cabela's pack frame and NRS rafting straps and they work fine for me.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Am I correct to assume your buddies are hunting too? I would recommend you guys set a boundary of how far you will shoot a moose from camp. One guy gets all gung ho after a big bull and shoots it three miles from camp and then you all spend 2+ days packing it out, you might relegate him to to cargo hold for the ride home.
I know a group that broke their predetermined perimeter two years ago with two guys going in opposite directions after bulls they glassed up. It didn't take long for them to call back to town requesting help when they realized what they'd gotten themselves into.
I would think long and hard before I shot a moose over a mile from camp. I have packed out several and used a Kelty Cache hauler, Cabela's pack frame and NRS rafting straps and they work fine for me.

I like shooting them in the rivers then pulling my jet boat/raft up to them. Last year we shot one about 400yds from the river and one around 30 feet from a river. The one closer to the river was bigger and easier.

 

[Mykolaivka887]

I would think long and hard before I shot a moose over a mile from camp.

/\ /\ /\ /\ This is sage advice. I'd seriously pay attention to it.

 

[wrexstex]

Barney's is good to go.