First heavy pack out nightmares

[WV Mountaineer]

I’ve always pack out a whole deer in one trip with my gear and weapon. And, I’ve never approached anything remotely close to a150 pound pack. 20 pounds of which was gear.

It’s important to realize that a 130 pounds of meat and horns would require almost a three hundred pound deer. Not many of those wandering around. But, they seem to be common on rokslide threads discussing packs.

Back on topic. Your pack is close to if not 10 pounds empty. And, a whole deer on the big side is going to yield 50-70 pounds of deboned meat. However, that skull and horns truly are dead weight. And heavy at that.

So, you could have easily had a 100 pounds on your back. And, it easily could have been more. 100 pounds is a big load. And wasn’t going to be truly comfy with any pack.

You said this was your first solo pack out. I’m assuming it’s only going to be more frequent in the future. So, you need to determine if it was the pack not working, the pack not fitted correctly, or you just not being familiar with that kind of weight.

To do that, I’d buy a Kifaru tactical frame and load it up with a measured 100-110 pound load and try it. Then compare it with the same load on your current frame. In order to determine where you are at. Buy that frame because it’s the gold standard by which all others are measured. Others will work. Some better for others no doubt. But, their tactical frame is best bet to get the best feel under really heavy loads. In my experience. And, I’ve owned a bunch of pack frames.

It's my guess that your torso was too long. So long in fact that when loaded that heavy, you had no chance of the hip belt holding on your lumbar. And, you were cinching down on the shoulder straps to compensate for the problems too long of a torso adjustment causes on your shoulder harness.


Also, the way the back pack is packed will make a huge difference.

I hope this helped.

 

[Wrench]

I've hauled out a mule deer and camp on a mystery ranch nice frame. I had to adjust a few times to get perfect....but it is absolutely tough enough. I was 47# going in and added a solid 80 on my way out.

My buddy and I single tripped a Roosevelt elk with the original BL 2800s and that was enough that my shoulders were bloody. The frame on my pack took it because I left the bone in pn the hind and strapped the loose meat to that hind.

I'll never one trip an elk again as I'm too old and fat.

I hauled my wife's mule deer out in a 44mag on a 24" tactical frame. The frame took it, but the shoulder straps were never perfect and that frame isn't one to fit quickly....so I toughed it out.

This year I hauled my mule deer out on the original dana designs k2 and really liked the way it handled the load.

Every one of the above except the elk were entire deer quartered or boned and heads.

The one thing that every good experience I've had is keeping the load from shifting about. When stuff moves, adjustments move and hot spots develop. Stiff frames help a bunch and solid tie out points with great compression help a bunch.

I wish all packs could learn from barney's and Alaska range shoulder straps. They have it figured out. Mystery ranch has the yoke nailed. Kifaru has the hip belt. (I like the freighter hip belt....but the Kifaru two block to pull forward is slick).

 

[roosiebull]

I've hauled out a mule deer and camp on a mystery ranch nice frame. I had to adjust a few times to get perfect....but it is absolutely tough enough. I was 47# going in and added a solid 80 on my way out.

My buddy and I single tripped a Roosevelt elk with the original BL 2800s and that was enough that my shoulders were bloody. The frame on my pack took it because I left the bone in pn the hind and strapped the loose meat to that hind.

I'll never one trip an elk again as I'm too old and fat.

I hauled my wife's mule deer out in a 44mag on a 24" tactical frame. The frame took it, but the shoulder straps were never perfect and that frame isn't one to fit quickly....so I toughed it out.

This year I hauled my mule deer out on the original dana designs k2 and really liked the way it handled the load.

Every one of the above except the elk were entire deer quartered or boned and heads.

The one thing that every good experience I've had is keeping the load from shifting about. When stuff moves, adjustments move and hot spots develop. Stiff frames help a bunch and solid tie out points with great compression help a bunch.

I wish all packs could learn from barney's and Alaska range shoulder straps. They have it figured out. Mystery ranch has the yoke nailed. Kifaru has the hip belt. (I like the freighter hip belt....but the Kifaru two block to pull forward is slick).

I feel the mystery ranch yoke only fits a small range of body types. I despise the yoke system on the full size mystery ranch frames

 

[Idaboy]

I got rid of all my eberlestock, they are tanks and dont carry loads well.
Have no experience with Kifaru
-Any exo pack...would rec pick up. K2 or K3 at lower price used..
- bone out meat
- pending your gear and size of deer, may take 2 trips
- I have been amazed at what exo pack can handle with loads

 

[mt terry d]

I don't like packing out inedibles.

Boning out , leaving the hide, carcass, lower jaw , etc cuts the weight considerably.

More trips makes a much more pleasant experience.

Congrats on your success

 

[Grassymike]

I would just buy a Kifaru frame off the classifieds to go with the bag you already have. Also in the "two trip it" crowd. Your body will thank you later in life.

 

[roosiebull]

@Timgunner

Did you ever get a new pack? If you are already invested in kifaru bags, it would be a good time to buy a duplex lite now with the new kifaru frame out, you might find a good deal

I have not heard of anyone putting kifaru bags on the K4. I had a duplex lite that mostly wore a Stryker xl, And it was a great setup, and carried weight well

I have since moved to the K4 and love it, and their 2200 bag is a great day pack, but obviously it’s a bigger investment if you already have kifaru bags. I have nothing bad to say about the duplex lite, it’s a great frame

The k4 is more comfortable, I like the bags, and it legit hauls brutally heavy loads as well as my duplex lite, and it doesn’t give me a rash from getting debris stuck between my back and lumbar pad, but the duplex lite is a great frame and there are probably quite a few for sale now

Whatever way you go, make sure to get a proper height frame with good load lift angle

 

[Taudisio]

No experience with the exo, but I can’t say enough praise about the kifaru. 2 bucks, a cow elk (3 trips) solo this year. I only carried the bear (whole) about 1/4 mile after we drug/rolled it most of the way to the truck. I did a solo through hike/scouting roughly 16 miles over two days with a 56 pound load. Just switched from a mystery ranch from years before. The mystery ranch will be a loaner pack for the rest of my life.

 

[Timgunner]

I ended up getting a duplex light frame from the classifieds on rockslide after Christmas. It fits radically different than the Eberlestock. I can see why the reviews talk about the butpad not slipping down onto the hips. The pack seems to lock into the lumbar area unlike any pack I’ve ever tried. I’m excited to put it to the test. I have taken it out on a few ruck walks and it was very comfortable but i only packed 40lbs in it so nothing like the weight I had in the pack last fall.

 

[trophyhill]

My nightmare of a pack out happened in 2012 when I killed my first bull. I had a Badlands 2200 which I’d packed 3 cows out in previously hunting from the truck. 2012 was different though. I hiked into the wilderness 4 miles and one of the shoulder straps gave way. I tied it all back together with some 550 but it sucked. The following year I owned my first Kifaru.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Exo 4k… honestly I really like my F1 for strictly hauling meat… I have had a front and rear elk quarter + extra meat bag and thought it rode well, I would check to make sure the pack is properly fitted to your body and packed correctly with the bulk of the weight closest to you spine. But sometimes heavy packouts just plain suck… packed my muley buck half way out this year, he was 95lbs of meat quartered, plus a head plus maybe 13lbs of gear and water… I normally 1 trip it but I found a nice middle spot, dropped half the buck and it was 1000xs worth it! Cruised to the jeep, loaded him and the grabbed the rest, my back was glad I didn’t try to tough it out…