different price range packs

[gabenzeke]

maybe i should throw this out there where does a badlands pack or an eberlystock fit in

I had a badlands pack where the shoulder strap ripped off. It was a whitetail hunt, and wasn't super far from the truck, but based on that, there is no way I'd hike any distance into the wilderness with all my gear or try to pack out an animal with a pack that isn't highly regarded for that specific purpose. My guess is that if you had to pack out an animal a couple miles and had a strap rip off at the carcass, one of those top end packs would seem pretty cheap in that moment.

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[wyelkhunter]

I have had Kifaru dubplex and bikini frame and now have the SeekOutside frame. I like the Seekoutside pack frame much better than the kifaru. It fits me better, I can adjust the frame height on the seekoutside, the seekoutside pack frame is just as durable as the kifaru and it fits me much better with heavy loads.

 

[JPHuntingAUS]

Put 80 lbs in a badlands, sitka, tenzing, eberlestock and hike for 2 miles. Then move the weight over to a kifaru, exo, seek outside, stone glacier pack and hike another 2 miles. You'll see why they cost twice as much.

I did this last year with my buddy on a black bear hunt and we traded packs (exo and sitka) both with 70 lbs in them. It wasn't even close. Another buddy had a Tenzing and we split his cow elk on one mile pack-out. The tenzing couldn't even keep the bone-in quarters strapped in, let alone carry the weight well. Another cow elk hunt with a 2 mile pack-out and another guy with a badlands pack was miserable with 3/4 of the weight and broke the hanging strap on the badlands putting it on.

The cost difference isn't worth it to everyone, and you shouldn't let not being able to afford a top-tier pack keep you from hunting. But there is a performance and comfort difference between the price levels.

What model tenzing was it? I'm thinking about getting one atm.

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[Downeaster]

Im on the MR bus now, but i have a few badlands packs and luckily cant speak to any durability issues. Ive had 86lbs of bear in and on my 2200 and though there was no way i would call it comfortable, it got the job done just fine. If i was hunting back east hunting for whitetails and carrying stands i wouldnt hesitate on a badlands or even eberlestock. Ymmv
Best of luck

 

[Sverimerica]

Resale value on Kifaru is insane, 25# in it, feels like an almost empty Badlands 2200 and it's adjustable down to the minute degree. It makes a difference, as far as the price, well there's a lot of ways to save up the money, I work extra overtime, take my lunch, drive an older truck. You sometimes get what you pay for, do you buy the cheapest bow, gun, or whatever gear you buy. I speak for Kifaru because that's what use, live a couple miles from them and are friends with some of them, it's easy to stop by for help etc, I'm sure the other top tier packs are awesome too but I'm sold on Kifaru!

I wish the resale value was insane... Cant seem to hardly GIVE my packs away. $110 for a tahr and no takers? Jeez I wish I had paid that price.

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[DaveC]

not trying to offend at all i was just grouping by price range.

Lol.

Sewing a frame which is separate from the bag, or a more complex design generally, takes more time and costs more. Especially when paying US labor. Prestige pricing is definitely a thing too.

Plenty of better and lighter options from the backpacking world that outperform Badlands.

 

[boom]

in my hunt history, the HEAVIEST load i took out. no; second heaviest load since i had two trip was with my Badlands 2800. i took the rear leg out. up and over IDAHO mountains. that batwing design was AWESOME. i had that leg into a meatbag, and strapped to my pack in the fastest time. which sucked since i then had to help the others in my group do up their loads. to be honest, i dont remember that load on my back. it sucked. it didnt move around or anything. but it sucked. sucked cuz it was heavy and the mountains were steep. and sucked cuz i was to lazy and tired to take the damn hoof off at the joint. i had to duck more low branches that i wanted to when it hung up on some branch i didnt see over my head. the load still didnt move. me and my pack got it done western style!! i dumped the load and went back for my second. same pack..slightly less weight. my legs were the primary complainers on both loads. i know me, that load in any pack would have sucked.

the HEAVIEST load was my NM - unit 36 elk. there was four of us and i was outvoted..they (much younger, healthier SWAT team types) voted to take the beast out in one load. it was mostly down hill..but damn..that was brutal. my pack cost me $40 new..haha. careful strapping got it done. BUT my shoulder strap broke off taking the pack off at the bottom. it was done. dont spend $40 on a pack OP.

to be honest..i am kinda embarrassed i listened to Internet folks droning on and on about high end hunting packs. i might still have that Badlands. it's good..i didnt know it was that sucky until i hit the forums. i cut it accidentally and sent it back to get sewn up. i offered to pay..they called me and said, "what did you do to this thing?" i told him an elk happened to that thing. (and i spent LOTS of time cleaning that pack before sending it in). he made me tell him hunt details. he didnt charge me either. i should have bare minimum held on to the thing. i gave it to a friend in need.

my brother is still running the same Ebelerlestock he carried those two Idaho elk load with. he loves that things, and if he sees a goal. he will hike my ass into the dirt. his only complaint,, it sometimes squeaks. he doesnt even KNOW names like Kifaru, Stone Glacier, etc.

i'm making him do some long distant small game hikes next year. i might buy him a SeekOutside pack. so he can help me carry stuff.

for me, a great pack pays dividends when i am hiking a regular load in to a back country hunt. my gear. it's comfy..when we kills something..sorry, it all sucks from there. i have yet to look at a dead animal i shot and NOT say, "oh lord, what have i done?" i'll never learn.

to add: i still RELISH the memories of those hunts. i look at photos still. we were newbs at the time and we crushed it. learned to elk call, learn to do the gutless method, etc. i NEVER think about the gear i had on those trips. not ever. i think about the elk and the hunt. i dont think i could even find a pic of my $40 pack. hell, i dont even remember my camo gear.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

I wish the resale value was insane... Cant seem to hardly GIVE my packs away. $110 for a tahr and no takers? Jeez I wish I had paid that price.

Agreed. Resale value is insane as long as it's a current model. I have an old internal frame Timberline 2, and I would be lucky to sell it for half of what I bought it for after watching several of them sit idle on the classifieds page.

 

[280twoeighty]

I am not a fan boy of the frame, different bags, pods, pockets, yada, yada, yada. I tried them and they just did not work for me I currently have am EXO. Which is a great pack imo. Good company. I also own a Spike camp. Which I also like. And a Barney's as the freighter. I probably have just No. of $800 in all three. Bought all used. I can do anything I need to do with these three. It is just a grab and go. No switching, adding and/subtracting. Trying to figure out how they go together, etc. Just grab, and go.

The only thing I will probably change is swap the 3500 bag for a 5500 on the EXO. I do love my EXO. Simple, well thought out. Comfy, great quality. And they are great to deal with. When I go I do not feel I need anything else other than the pack. No this or that or the other thing snapped or strapped on to it. Nope.

Pretty much the same for the other two.

My two cents worth.

 

[bcimport]

Over many years I’ve run the gamut of packs from old school externals, badlands internals, MR NICE frame, MR guide light, Stone Glacier, Kifaru and now a Hill People Gear. Like most things you will pay a premium for made in the USA equipment. All the high end packs have had pretty good construction and have proven reliable. Pack fit is the key to something working well. However the pack companies have done a fantastic job marketing themselves and creating “need” each year and some kind of status by carrying X brand pack. I’ve bought and sold WAY too many packs in my day. My advice would be try everything on that you can, find guys that will let you try them on, go to a trade show etc. Once you find what fits you best, buy that pack and then turn off your internet! A top tier pack is worth it due to quality and reliability but it isn’t worth chasing the latest and greatest every year (guilty) as the improvements are slight if at all no matter how revolutionary they claim to be.