Downsize from Multi-Day pack to Day pack?

[Chris in TN]

So last year we drove to CO planning on hiking in and camping. Ended up in a cabin for the whole trip. We swapped to day packs, threw our big packs in a cooler to get them safely out of the way, and kept a pack frame in the car in case we shot something.

In years past I have hunted here at home with a daypack - I mean it's been with me hundreds of times - and the only time I killed something too far from the road to just drag it out, I deboned her in the field, stuffed her into the daypack, and strolled out with 40+ pounds of meat and my rifle and various other gear, on my back. Doing that in the eastern US is nothing akin to doing it with an elk in mountains, but it does sort of proof the concept of having a day pack and using it to move the first load of meat back to the car where you can swap out for a frame for the rest of the meat. With careful planning I think I could get all the important parts of a mule deer into a single day pack. Wouldn't be ideal but it would be do-able, especially if there were two hunters together and they could split it between them.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Deboned in a pack not made to haul meat really really really brings the suck IMO. Its the kinda experience that will make a guy spend $700 as soon as he gets home

Maybe I am just lazy, but I will never understand going back to the rig to get a frame.

 

[Hnthrdr]

K4 with a smaller bag is the solution. I guess if there was 0 chance at hauling meat any small backpack would do, but I’ve never thought my k4 was excessively heavy or bulky with the 3600 pack on it. Gets dang small when I want it to. I have switched to using a fanny pack sometimes to run and gun during archery season knowing full well 1) im typically close to a road or camp 2) I will have to go get a pack, but post a shot, usually will have plenty of time to back out go get pack and then ready to start tracking when I get back

 

[Chris in TN]

Deboned in a pack not made to haul meat really really really brings the suck IMO. Its the kinda experience that will make a guy spend $700 as soon as he gets home

Maybe I am just lazy, but I will never understand going back to the rig to get a frame.

Two hunters packing one elk, if one of those hunters is a teenaged girl, you’re looking at two trips no matter what. If my daughter and I get an elk down and we get 40 pounds of meat in my pack and 20 in hers for our first trip then go back with a proper frame pack and I get 60 pounds of meat and she gets 40 (now wearing my pack) that’s 160 pounds. That’ll cover most elk. With a bit of a buffer left for larger critters. Packing on good terrain I can pack more than 60 for sure.

For a solo hunter I’m not saying it would always work that way. But the math behind a day pack isn’t entirely unreasonable for some of us. There’s no single universal best solution here.

 

[wapitibob]

You will be just fine with a small bag for day hunting and hauling meat when you fill your tag, provided your frame has a load shelf. We've been doing it for years.
We use a custom day bag that Pods8 made us and a Stone Glacier frame.

 

[Poser]

When I'm hunting, I have a frame pack. Period. Never know where the day may take you and where you may end up. With that in mind, I have a several different sized bags, ranging from 1800 to 6600 with lid and accessory bag options to augment.

 

[Harpy55]

I’ve walked around with a pack that could probably carry a small deer, and I’m just grabbing snacks and a water bottle. Sometimes I think the EXO is trying to compete in the Olympics for “heaviest pack in a day hike.” Day pack sounds way more my speed

 

[Steve300xcw]

You will be just fine with a small bag for day hunting and hauling meat when you fill your tag, provided your frame has a load shelf. We've been doing it for years.
We use a custom day bag that Pods8 made us and a Stone Glacier frame.

View attachment 1022463

View attachment 1022464

Man, thats about the perfect size!

I would want a few compression straps going around the bag though. I find I use them a bunch to hold extra layers an such.

 

[wapitibob]

Man, thats about the perfect size!

I would want a few compression straps going around the bag though. I find I use them a bunch to hold extra layers.

There are 3 buckles down each side of the bag. Extra layers go under the bag and get synched by the strap that would normally attach to the btm of a larger bag.
This kind of shows the lower straps and you can see jordans tripod atached.

 

[GunsAreFun]

Anytime I have a frame pack that is barely loaded, especially when it’s warm/hot, I let the hips do all the holding and loosen the shoulder straps so my back isn’t touching the pack for better air flow.

 

[Steve300xcw]

There are 3 buckles down each side of the bag. Extra layers go under the bag and get synched by the strap that would normally attach to the btm of a larger bag.
This kind of shows the lower straps and you can see jordans tripod atached.

I like it

I'm just running the serac 1700. Have found that the easier it is to get to my extra layers, the more I use them..shocker lol

big fan of lil packs on a frame

 

[K_pem]

Two hunters packing one elk, if one of those hunters is a teenaged girl, you’re looking at two trips no matter what. If my daughter and I get an elk down and we get 40 pounds of meat in my pack and 20 in hers for our first trip then go back with a proper frame pack and I get 60 pounds of meat and she gets 40 (now wearing my pack) that’s 160 pounds. That’ll cover most elk. With a bit of a buffer left for larger critters. Packing on good terrain I can pack more than 60 for sure.

For a solo hunter I’m not saying it would always work that way. But the math behind a day pack isn’t entirely unreasonable for some of us. There’s no single universal best solution here

160lbs for an elk?!

How many elk have you killed ? Also how many animals have you packed on your back?

No offense man but I don’t think you really know what you’re getting into here and that may explain why you’re considering a daypack. You’re far underestimating the amount of work an elk is to get out of the mountains.

 

[Chris in TN]

160lbs for an elk?!

How many elk have you killed ? Also how many animals have you packed on your back?

No offense man but I don’t think you really know what you’re getting into here and that may explain why you’re considering a daypack. You’re far underestimating the amount of work an elk is to get out of the mountains.

I've killed three elk and packed one whitetail doe out on my back, which I already mentioned in this thread.

I think it's absurd to pretend that every elk yields 200+ pounds of edible meat. The cow I shot had maybe 125-140 pounds. First bull, maybe 160. Second bull was about 250 after adding about 40 pounds of beef fat.

I'm talking about bringing out the *first* pack trip in a daypack. Then switching to a frame. I'm not talking about doing the entire thing in one trip, or using the day pack for the second trip. And I'm not hunting in places where older/bigger bulls are a common thing, and I'm not bringing out a single bone other than the head.

So, no offense, man, but yes I do understand what I'm getting into here, and I'm not *considering* a daypack. I've been using it for years. I know that if my particular pack lasts another year (it's well worn and due to be replaced) it'll hold 40+ pounds of meat, which is nothing, and it'll likely push 50 or even more, depending on what gear I have rearrange to fit on it.

This forum has a whole lot of people who are incapable of grasping that other people are going to do things differently and they aren't wrong. There isn't one magic perfect solution to a whole slew of life's little hunting questions.

If we stumble upon a bull that yields a legit 250 pounds of meat, well, we make a third trip (after we grill a few pounds on the spot, to celebrate). Great problem to have, and making the first trip with a daypack instead of a frame might not be ideal but it isn't the end of the world. Especially if the other option is to haul around a larger pack for days and maybe never kill anything we need to haul out at all.

I get that some of you dudes are young and strong and will haul 100 pounds of meat in a trip, and that some of you never pull the trigger on a bull that doesn't score 340" and yield 300 pounds of meat. I'm not you.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Sombody has a case of the mondays

 

[IDVortex]

I'll always carry my exo even if its only for a single day hunt. Due to the off chance of needing to haul meat out. If I was hunting next to roads and not going fall or into hell holes. I wouldnt. But even a spot I go into, thats about 1000 yards from a road, its a complete down fall hell hole and steep getting into. I have zero desire to hike back to my rig or camp just to get my pack only to go back through that junk one extra time.

 

[elsb0048]

I don't think you're the only one, I've seen a couple other posts like this guy that's DIYing a replacement for the MR popup 18/28.

A long time coming...

I've been telling myself for years that I'm going to make my own Mystery Ranch Pop Up style pack, but life has been busy and I haven't prioritized the time to do so. Paradoxically, that's finally pushing me toward tackling the project--my hunts have increasingly become (half) day hunts and I don't need a substantial bag or frame. To the point that I've been alternating between an ultralight Durston Kakwa 55 and a Mountainsmith lumbar pack.

A couple recent threads and reflecting on how I am hunting nowadays lit the fire in me again. I need to make my own MR Pop Up 18...

B

Thread 'Anybody rocking a lumbar pack?'

Aug 31, 2025

I keep a fanny pack inside of my main pack for still hunting and stalking while archery hunting. It works but I would prefer something just a tad bigger and designed as an actual lumbar pack with more support.

I'd like to carry in it: kill kit (game bags, knife, etc), headlamp, small survival kit, water, and maybe my handgun.

Amy suggestions? Id be using this in conjunction with my bino harness. I've tried small backpacks before and I just prefer the lumbar pack...I think it is more streamlined and when low crawling a lumbar pack works great because I can sling the bow on my back too...

• bobcattin
• Replies: 21
• Forum: Backpacks

Thread 'Quality Lumbar Pack With Decent Suspension / Yoke?'

Dec 27, 2024

Howdy,
I primarily hunt Elk & Mule Deer in Montana. Typically the latter part of rifle season (last 1/2 of Nov).
For my main pack setup, I have a Kuiu rig with a few different bags. I will keep this as I am pretty happy with its overall performance & capabilities for a main pack.
I currently have a cheaper, lesser quality lumbar pack that I use when conditions & hunt type allow it. There is nothing better than staying light and agile while putting on the miles. However, it’s a problem when you get an animal down and want to make some headway on getting part of it out that day. In the past...

• LTC406
• Replies: 28
• Forum: Backpacks

But maybe... maybe I can come up with something that fits my day hunts even better. After all, the MR Pop Up 18 was kind of heavy for what it was--a low volume, low profile, framed pack. At ~4.5lb, it was about the same weight as an Exo K4 2200 setup is now, and I've grown accustomed to a sub-2lb pack and the mobility of a lumbar pack. Maybe I can find a way to get somewhat close to that.

I figure I spend FAR more time hiking around than I do killing and hauling with AZ's seasons, tags, and limits being what they are, so I should prioritize weight and mobility over heavy weight hauling capability and comfort. Enough to get a first or moderate sized-load back to the truck without being miserable to retrieve my K4 frame if needed.

I'll try not to bore you with all of the little details, reasoning, and compromises that I've considered, but here's the direction I'm heading...

The Design

• 12-15L roll top lumbar pack
  • Rear stuff pocket
  • Left and right water bottle pockets
  • Top lashing points
• Stowable frame for load hauling
  • Two, 3-section aluminum tent pole vertical stays
  • Sewn-in, carbon fiber horizontal cross members
  • Integrated load panel
  • Rolls up into ~9" long, ~2.5" diameter package
• Removable belt for future replacement or experimenting
  • Velcroed belt and lumbar pad provides attachment point for stowable frame
• Main Materials:
  • Challenge EPX200 as primary fabric
  • Venom Stretch Mesh ECO MAX pockets
  • Hypalon reinforcements
  • 1/2" webbing
  • DAC aluminum tent poles
  • Carbon fiber strips (undecided on size)

The key design feature of this pack is a removable, stowable frame. Unlike the MR Pop Up (1st gen) the pack in "day pack/non-hauling" mode won't have a rigid, fixed frame. It will resemble a Mountainsmith Day or Kifaru Hellcat. The OG MR Pop Up has two-piece removable aluminum tent pole type stays, but they're not really meant to be removed, and the pack gets a lot of rigidity from a plastic yoke and frame sheet. I'd like to maximize mobility and sweat/heat dissipation for day pack use by doing away with all of that.

View attachment 942005

Without a rigid sheet, and using two, 3-piece vertical stays, I can remove the stays, roll up the frame, and stash the whole assembly in the pack. I'm not sure my drawings would help explain the idea, but imagine the upper part of the OG MR Pop Up with fabric panel reinforcement to cover the back, and an integrated cargo panel. This pack won't have a fully detachable bag, which can lead to a floppy bag in day pack mode in the MR packs. Instead, the integrated cargo panel will take advantage of vertical space afforded by the unrolled, open roll-up bag.

View attachment 942016

The frame won't deploy as fast as a MR Pop Up, but for my intended use that will be a "winner's problem," where a couple minutes rerouting some webbing won't be a big deal.

Materials are inbound or arriving, and I hope to start building within the next week. No telling how long and how many failed designs it will take until I (hopefully) reach a working version....

The first components to arrive--DAC poles from Dutchware Gear and carbon fiber strips from a random Amazon seller.

View attachment 942010

Build-Along (pending)

I'll try to provide updates as I make progress. Usually I will knock a project out in one intense weekend and take few (if any) pictures along the way. Since my time is limited with family activities and work these days, I hope to provide more progress pictures and updates along the way.

Feel free to post any ideas or suggestions, especially if you have ever tried a removable frame (I don't recall seeing anything similar before).

Also you should listen to mindful hunter review of load hauling packs in which I think he compares exo k4 to mystery ranch guide lite and maybe kifaru? There was a little discussion there comparing stiffness/rigidity of exo/MR with a comment than many MR athletes mentioned liking the more flexible frame even though it was less good when actually load hauling.

Ultimately it just seems like you gotta decide where you want to compromise. If you're willing to make an extra trip back to the truck or to have your first trip be a little less comfy then you very well could make the other 70-90% of your hunt time more comfortable. So I can see the draw.

I hunted for 4-5 years with an osprey kestrel In the 40L range and it was great on day hunts. It started to break down when I added a tripod/spotter + strapping the rifle to the pack instead of sling carrying it. That extra ~15-20# of weight snapped me over the design weight of that suspension system (~25#) and it honestly did carry like shit at that point.

I will say I was a little salty the first time I packed a deer with my load hauling pack. My buddy with me just had a regular day pack and so only had space for the front quarters and I ended up with hinds, back straps, organs, neck, flanks. I probably had #100 compared to his 25# total pack weight lol

 

[K_pem]

I've killed three elk and packed one whitetail doe out on my back, which I already mentioned in this thread.

I think it's absurd to pretend that every elk yields 200+ pounds of edible meat. The cow I shot had maybe 125-140 pounds. First bull, maybe 160. Second bull was about 250 after adding about 40 pounds of beef fat.

I'm talking about bringing out the *first* pack trip in a daypack. Then switching to a frame. I'm not talking about doing the entire thing in one trip, or using the day pack for the second trip. And I'm not hunting in places where older/bigger bulls are a common thing, and I'm not bringing out a single bone other than the head.

So, no offense, man, but yes I do understand what I'm getting into here, and I'm not *considering* a daypack. I've been using it for years. I know that if my particular pack lasts another year (it's well worn and due to be replaced) it'll hold 40+ pounds of meat, which is nothing, and it'll likely push 50 or even more, depending on what gear I have rearrange to fit on it.

This forum has a whole lot of people who are incapable of grasping that other people are going to do things differently and they aren't wrong. There isn't one magic perfect solution to a whole slew of life's little hunting questions.

If we stumble upon a bull that yields a legit 250 pounds of meat, well, we make a third trip (after we grill a few pounds on the spot, to celebrate). Great problem to have, and making the first trip with a daypack instead of a frame might not be ideal but it isn't the end of the world. Especially if the other option is to haul around a larger pack for days and maybe never kill anything we need to haul out at all.

I get that some of you dudes are young and strong and will haul 100 pounds of meat in a trip, and that some of you never pull the trigger on a bull that doesn't score 340" and yield 300 pounds of meat. I'm not you.

Woah man.

When I said no offense, I meant it… forgive me but it seems like you’ve taken a little offense to it. First of all, let me preface by saying that I was under the impression that you were the OP asking for advice. So that’s my bad man!

But my thoughts remain the same.

There’s a lot to unpack here (pun intended) so bear with me.

First of all, will EVERY elk yield 200+ pounds of meat? Of course not; people harvest cows and sub mature bulls, bloodshot happens, meat loss happens, ect. But I typically figure about a 1/3 meat yield, (even a small cow elk weighs call it 450lbs?) there’s no reason you should be leaving a mature elk with less than 150lbs of bone out meat (before considering meat loss factors). IMO at least that means there’s elk being left behind on the carcass.

Secondly, let’s make it clear; I don’t care what you do. If you want to pack it out in grocery bags, more power to you. Hell my hunting partners family hunts with basically no pack, they typically get elk out in 4 WHOLE quarters crossways in wheel barrows. So don’t get it twisted, I’m not telling you you’re wrong. To me the upsides of hunting with a “daypack” are far outweighed by the downsides of hunting with something without load shelf capability. Now that being said, there are plenty of situations where I will drop my pack or will leave it at the vehicle all together to chase down an elk that’s near a road or trail. But when I do that, I’m doing it knowing full well that I’m going to have to make a trip back up to go get it. So that’s only being done in very specific cases where I’m a few hundred yards away for a few minutes, not hunting all day. AND I carry the bare minimum survival shit on my person or bino harness in that case anyhow, so I don’t feel without anything in that short instance.

Lastly, for the record, I’m a meat hunter first; and I have a pile of rag horns hanging in my garage to prove it. I may be younger/stronger than some here but I’m not without my ailments; I have had 6 knee surgeries now including a total knee at the age of 33. So I totally get it, sometimes carrying more out in one go just isn’t possible. But I think we’d all be lying to ourselves if we said 40, 50, 60lbs of elk meat on your back feels just as good in a “daypack” as it does on a framed pack. Not to mention, even if you’re day hunting, your pack weight is minimum 10lbs probably more like 20lbs for a whole day in sub par conditions; so now you’re talking a 60, 70, 80lbs pack. Theres something to be said for how nice that is to carry on something like an EXO as opposed to a day pack, and that only multiplies with every mile.

If you don’t agree with me that’s fine. By all means do what works for you. And again, I initially thought you were the OP so I apologize for the comments about not knowing what you’re getting into. I just want to clarify that I only want there to be considerations here. For most people, a framed packs benefits will outweigh the benefits of a daypack if we’re talking about CARRYING an elk out of the mountains, every-time.

If you choose the daypack for your own series of reasons, more power to you man.

 

[4090Sharps]

Well, and again I’m just exploring this, but for me it’s not the bag size itself. That can compress way down so it isn’t an issue. It’s the size and bulk of a frame, huge hip belt, thicker shoulder pads, etc; all the stuff used for heavy lifting that makes the overall experience “bulky” for day packing that has me considering an alternative.

I hate that bulk too. I ended up making my own pack (someone else linked it above) to solve door this, but an ultralight pack like the Kakwa 55 will haul out a load of meat pretty well without being bulky and weighs almost nothing.

 

[K_pem]

OP. Here is a picture of something I put together that might offer a solution for you. I use this mainly for training and when I’m just coming to help pack meat, but have used it for hiking trips with the family or as a light and fast option too.

 

[Chris in TN]

^^^we aren’t that far apart. Sorry for the overreaction.

The deer I packed was 40+ pounds plus my bino, rifle, extra jacket, knives, extra flashlight and batteries, etc. so maybe 60(?) total?

It wasn’t as comfy as a proper pack would have been. Maybe 1.25 miles. But it was downright easy compared to dragging her or carrying her (I carried her 1/4 mile, gutted, before I gave up and deboned her). It was an absolute breeze compared to toting the whole deer.

I’ll freely admit that bringing a half-load of meat back to the truck in the first trip isn’t as efficient as having a proper pack with you. But if having a lighter pack for the initial hike in makes me lighter and faster I’m more likely to kill something, more likely to get up and do it the next day, and so on.

There’s no easy button.