First Pack

[Rt_nevada]

I have an Exo K2 pack and absolutely love it. It’s the 3500 and can do 3-4 days no problem but would definitely go up to the next size for anything over that.

 

[mrbillbrown]

It will save you money in the long run buying Kifaru to start with. I’d have saved a metric ton of cash buying Kifaru first instead of “saving money” trying a dozen lesser quality packs. Buy once, cry once.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jmez]

First trip don't know much about packs, buy the cheaper Kuiu and go hunt. It is a good pack, esp for the money.

Use it for a few years and you will learn what is important to you in a pack. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. If you get to a point where you want to drop a small fortune on a pack, you can make an informed decision based on your needs and wants.

Sent from my moto g power using Tapatalk

 

[Sherman]

So much great info. I really do appreciate all of your inputs.

 

[207-12A]

Go get a 40lb bag of sand, find as many cool friends as you’ve got who own various packs, and go carry as many different brands as you can. A 3 mile hike with moderate slope will tell you a lot. Different people with different builds, gaits, and strengths will swear by different brands. Try to find what works for you.

 

[Sherman]

Go get a 40lb bag of sand, find as many cool friends as you’ve got who own various packs, and go carry as many different brands as you can. A 3 mile hike with moderate slope will tell you a lot. Different people with different builds, gaits, and strengths will swear by different brands. Try to find what works for you.

Great idea. Thanks.

 

[K5Hunter]

Buy once, cry once. Pay the extra 200 and save the hassle of having to sell and buy another pack.

 

[Marble]

Buy once, cry once. Pay the extra 200 and save the hassle of having to sell and buy another pack.

This.

Plus, you can sell that thing for dang near what you buy it for.

If you are looking for a good hunting backpack, and read through these threads, the common quote is, "I wish I bought a kifaru/exo to start with."

Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[RockChucker30]

Starting from where you're at this article would benefit you a lot.

How to pick the right backpack hunting pack (for YOU).

How to logically decide what you need and what you don't in a backpack hunting pack. No BS, just good honest info.

seekoutside.com

 

[j33]

Buy a used pack for your first year. I'm on my 2nd used pack, both were used like 1 day.... Can save a decent amount doing this strategy and decide for yourself how they fit. I've got a Kuiu and Seek Outside pack at home, after packing heavy that Kuiu pack will be sold the Seek Outside hugs my hips better at heavy weight, Kuiu does okay but SO is just more comfortable.

There are some good used packs in the classified ads right now, Mystery Ranch, Kuiu are good budget options while Seek Outside, Stone Glacier, Kifaru are good higher end options that will be an upgrade from the other two.

 

[jd1006]

I don’t think you can get around the process of trying all the frames you can get your hands on and making sure to put a range of weight in them from 25lbs all the way to 80-100lbs. I’m sure people will put even more than that, but that might not be an immediate need to haul 100+lbs. SG frames have load hauling capability on the frame, so you don’t have to have a pack to test it out. You can get a quarter panel with a Kifaru and try that. Get a blackstrap with a mystery ranch guide light MT. Get an exo frame and the load panel. Seek outside sells their frame without the bag. Put them all on the CC, try them out, and return/sell the ones that don’t work. Then, get the bag that suits your hunt. If you don’t do what I describe above, you’ll eventually do it, but just be disappointed that you learned what you didn’t like about a pack during a hunt you’ve been looking forward to.

 

[CO-AJ]

I looked at Seek, Kifaru, and Exo when I was making my decision. My height is the same as yours but I am 180 and ended up going with the Exo. First I liked the packability of the Exo (mine is the 6400 but I can pack it down to almost daypack size), I love the flexibility of the frame, and I like the materials and simplicity. Top and side opening and just a large compartment. I have other Seek products and they are fantastic, top notch quality and construction, but I liked the pocket layout and functionality better on the Exo. Lastly, the Kifaru seemed quite a bit heavier than the other two. I use the pack primarily for long backpack trips and felt I could shave a couple pounds with the Exo over the Kifaru. If you troll around on this forum there was a post about a top 10 pack shootout. May be worth trying to find to help in your research.

 

[dr.fred]

Kifaru has served me well handling heavy loads. Only complaint which echos other’s comments—the pack seems to slide down a bit on my hips. I guessthose a bit bulkier won’t have this issue. But the pack is durable and very well designed.

 

[SaltyBowman]

Another vote for Kifaru ... best fit period. I also have kuiu and mystery ranch and all of them will exceed expectations in any use you’ll ever have for them.

 

[miggy]

Thanks everyone for the input!

I’m glad to hear the Exo works good for us thicker guys. I was really considering heading to the Kifaru showroom, but I just don’t think I could walk out of there spending anything less than $800. While doable, there is so more gear I need to purchase that I can’t justify it. Kuiu has a sweet veterans discount, and being a Navy special forces vet, I kinda want to support the company that supports our veterans. I think I am torn between the Exo and the Kuiu.

I can get the Kuiu Pro LT 5500 full kit for $450 with the vet discount.

The Exo has the K3 system rolled out and the 4800 setup will run $650 and the 6400 set up costs $675.

Is the Exo $200 better?

Absolutely the Exo is worth it IMO, as others have said. Buy once cry once, if you're putting animals down and carrying lots of meat off the mountain I think you'll end up regretting the Kuiu

 

[Carrot Farmer]

Got invited by some pro archery elk hunters to be the fourth on their trip to learn from them. I am 40 years old, just moved to Colorado and got into hunting. The plan is a 4-day hunt over Labor Day weekend and another 6-day hunt at the end of September. I do not have a tag, nor have a compound bow or know how to use one. I do have some lightweight gear and a nice backpacking pack, but not something to haul meat out with. I have spent numerous hours scoring the Internet watching/reading reviews. It seems that preference usually means to what body type somebody has. I haven’t seen any good reviews from guys with my body type. I am 5’11” & 250 lbs at the moment, plan to drop 15-20 lbs (very easy for me) before the hunt. The issue is, I am not a fat 250lbs. Extremely broad shoulders, big chest, type of guy. I’ve been described as a very large, dense human being. Very hard to describe yourself. I usually start showing signs of a six-pack around 230lbs, which is very weird, but might give you some insight to how dense I am.

I have been looking at numerous packs and wanted input from guys with larger frames like myself. I am really leaning toward a Kuiu pack. Exo Mtn Gear is right up there with it, and Stone Glacier is a close third. It is hard to justify the $200 difference between the Kuiu and the SG.

Also, my pack is really just my Hammock Gear Wanderlust setup with top and bottom quilts, Toaks pot with either my MSR Pocket Rocket 2 or Soto Windburner, Platypus 4 liter water filtration setup, and all the rest of the normal items.

if you could please be specific with the size of pack I would need that would be awesome.

We plan to hunt our way in to camp on the first day of each hunt, then set up a base camp deep in the mountains.

I just helped my buddy sell his Sitka and Kuiu packs, as he replaced with Exo K3 4800. Will be used for daypack but will also have the capability for a 5-7 day spike camp


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[CheeseCurd94]

following...

 

[WRM]

Kifaru has served me well handling heavy loads. Only complaint which echos other’s comments—the pack seems to slide down a bit on my hips. I guessthose a bit bulkier won’t have this issue. But the pack is durable and very well designed.

If you are sure you have the pack fit correctly, give the HPG Prairie Belt a try. Has solved my "slide down" issues with any pack I've tried it with. Currently running it on an Exo K3. Their K3 belt was better than K2, but it's still not the Prairie.

 

[kong]

l

If you are sure you have the pack fit correctly, give the HPG Prairie Belt a try. Has solved my "slide down" issues with any pack I've tried it with. Currently running it on an Exo K3. Their K3 belt was better than K2, but it's still not the Prairie.

Love to see how you set it up since the seam in the middle I would assume would need to be removed to place the duplex lite frame in there.

 

[STAGHOUND]

My dad has roughly the same build and runs a Kifaru 44mag and a ma deuce.