Favorite pack on the duplex

[hunting1]

Mountain Warrior . Let's see how many pick the three you are looking at.

My vote as well!

 

[Kotaman]

I've used a ton of their bags and the Mountain Warrior is my favorite. THe MW is PERFECT in daypack mode with the big front pocket. Just ordered a Reckoning to give a try though. The Argali and Markor are a screaming deal right now if you want to just pick up a bag.

 

[mfllood3800]

All I put in my pack is:
quarter bags
kill kit
trash bag
water bladder
fire/emergency kit
snacks/food for that day
pee bottle
seat cushion

everything else is hung on my bino harness or belt with pouches so I have redundancy if I need to drop the pack and run

So my bag hauls little to nothing

 

[Kotaman]

All I put in my pack is:
quarter bags
kill kit
trash bag
water bladder
fire/emergency kit
snacks/food for that day
pee bottle
seat cushion

everything else is hung on my bino harness or belt with pouches so I have redundancy if I need to drop the pack and run

So my bag hauls little to nothing

But what do you do when you kill something?

I like a fairly empty bag while I'm hunting so WHEN I kill something, it goes in the pack. Now, if you can always drive up to your kill, this may very well be a mute point, but in the mountains, I like to have a little extra space, but keep in mind I'm not a "load sling" guy. I like to haul my meat in the pack. I guess if you are a load sling guy, the Woodsman would be a decent choice. I've owned the other two on your list. The Nomad would work also putting the meat in camp bag or something similar and carry it between the batwings. The .22 Mag is a great little day pack but I've never tried packing anything between the frame and bag with that setup. For your use a MW would actually work great if you like carrying meat in the bag. All of your "stuff" could go in the front pocket (with non essentials in the bag). Kill an elk and open it up!

 

[dotman]

No rain gear or puffy? I take about the same except I always have a tarp, wipes, rain gear and a puffy, pretty much maxed the EXO 2k with gear. Why do you pack in a pee bottle? I just water the ground

 

[wind gypsy]

EXO bag of your choice. I use a 3500 almost exclusively for day hunts, it compresses up just fine and the extra space has come in handy. I've had friends with smaller day packs use up all the space for meat hauling and I still have plenty of space for their extra layers and daypack gear plus my share of a meat pack out.

If you're already using a 26" frame I don't see a big benefit to minimizing bag size but maybe I'm missing something.

 

[mfllood3800]

Kotaman
When I have elk on ground I pack meat in qrt bags and haul between pck fram and bag. never had a different set up so that is all I got. Even with the new soon coming to my house, Duplex, it will be that way.

My first elk kill, I threw the qtr bag over my shoulder and walked out- never did that again, couldn't feel my hand most of the way thru the hike out.


Dotman
I hinke in only a couple miles, scout, set cameras, and pattern the elk, then build ground blinds in key areas. So sometimes I will sit from an hour before light until about 9 or 10 and I usually have to pee by 9.
lol

Once that time frame is over, I start stalking deeper in especially if I heard them bugling in a known area.

I do take rain gear if weather forecast calls for it.

mMy hunt area is unique for me: I have mountain property at 10,000. I haul my fifth wheel up there and use it all summer for fishing, camping and scouting
Then once hunt is on, I drive my Ranger thru the old logging roads and forest trails to a spot, From there I usually hike in a mile or 2 to the ridges or deep draws where I have animals patterned.
So my hunts aren't tons of walking like most of you guys.
I never spend the night
When rain is coming I add the gear.
Never needed a puffy. Coldest Ive seen in bow hunt is 30. My outer is fine as it usually warms up to 50.


I just didn't think I needed the big bags but I never hauled meat in a bag, only over shoulder or in between frame and bag.
Id prefer compartments rather than a big bag with mesh bags or small, med and large bags floating free?

My reason for the post is to discover what I need that I never thought or what is better for me than what I know.
All of your input is great.

I'm heading to Az for a bow muley hunt and all I have is the same Eberle I used this elk season in Utah, an X2. It is fine and hauls the meat, but the pain in my hip area was so noticeable I decided I need a different set up, for me at least...

 

[ljalberta]

I like the meat in the bag, and prefer carrying a bigger bag for even day hunts. Everyone's different though, and it sound like the Woodsmen might be the ideal setup for you. The great thing is, if you don't like it, you can easily sell it for another without much of a haircut off the initial cost.

 

[mfllood3800]

It took me 2 weeks to pick the frame I wanted/needed. I guess now the bag choice will be same lol

I'm still weighing the options

 

[mfllood3800]

I think my Eberle was right at 4lbs dry
With all the limited gear I haul I was right at 20 lbs.

For me any way the weight is an issue.
That's why I am not pulling the trigger on the 22 mag, it comes in a full pound heavier than the woodsman.
But the 22 mag internal mesh pockets, big open back compartment are just what I like, and the two full height pockets are also great for my items carried every now and then but not always. Plus all the molly webbing gives me extra opportunities if needed. Just that dang pound lol

 

[castandblast]

All I put in my pack is:
quarter bags
kill kit
trash bag
water bladder
fire/emergency kit
snacks/food for that day
pee bottle
seat cushion

everything else is hung on my bino harness or belt with pouches so I have redundancy if I need to drop the pack and run

So my bag hauls little to nothing

If your quarter bags are LW synthetic like tag bags, you could easily do that load with a guide lid on your frame. You could add a grab-it and lash kit for hauling quarters. You could run your bladder in the strap pocket of the guide lid. I did some day hunts that way this season and really liked it.

 

[DaveS]

That's why I am not pulling the trigger on the 22 mag, it comes in a full pound heavier than the woodsman.
But the 22 mag internal mesh pockets, big open back compartment are just what I like, and the two full height pockets are also great for my items carried every now and then but not always. Plus all the molly webbing gives me extra opportunities if needed. Just that dang pound lol

As I said earlier the 500D 22 mag is around 2.5 lbs not 3 lbs. It is still heavier than the Woodsman but not a full pound. The Woodsman does not have any pockets so if you plan to add any pouches/pockets to the Woodsmen for organization then you will start to approach to the weight of the 22 mag.

The Woodsman has a meat shelf but you can use the bottom compression straps on the 22 mag as a meat shelf.

 

[dotman]

If your quarter bags are LW synthetic like tag bags, you could easily do that load with a guide lid on your frame. You could add a grab-it and lash kit for hauling quarters. You could run your bladder in the strap pocket of the guide lid. I did some day hunts that way this season and really liked it.

Actually after how he explained his hunting style I completely agree with this. Guide lid, lash straps, grab it and two belt pockets, maybe consider a cargo panel later. Could even mount a large side pocket to the back of the frame for water bladder and extra space.

 

[Randle]

Cargo panel , large side pocket on the inside and 2 large belt pouches on the outside with a grab it. Works well for me . Not a bag like you asked.but will do what you want. I also shed hunt with it .
All my kill kit stuff in the large side pocket . So when I use that the inner pocket flattens out to haul quarters .

 

[mfllood3800]

Excellent guys thank you so much for input.

I got thinking "I wonder how much mesh bags weigh" Then a post on the 22 mag with them and the woodsman w/o them but adding them gets me right there.

I thought of just doing the frame with small add ons and lids, and really looked at that and may do that. It was this idea that had me looking for a used bikini frame just for this reason

I think a lot of us post our "thoughts" for clarity from many of you, kind of like thinking out loud.
Thx

 

[derland]

I like the Tahr.... Seems a bit more of a procedure to get the meat loaded than the 22 mag
But a real nice bag, nicest I've seen in may ways so far
The Argali is just too dang big and will end up with creases and crevises and water pockets for me

For some reason the Kifaru page keeps locking up so I cant check them all out

How would it be more of a procedure? Just open up the bag and drop it in


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[derland]

Actually after how he explained his hunting style I completely agree with this. Guide lid, lash straps, grab it and two belt pockets, maybe consider a cargo panel later. Could even mount a large side pocket to the back of the frame for water bladder and extra space.

This

You can add a belt pocket to the front of the guide lid also


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[luke moffat]

EMR 2 all the way. But if the ones on your list of 3 you are looking at I vote the woodsmen.

 

[mfllood3800]

derland,
Going off the video by Snyder
Not hauling meat in bag, but between bag and frame

 

[dreamingbig]

I really like my nomad with grab it stashed for easy carry of quarters/meat between the wings.

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