How Big of a Pack for Daypack and Meat Hauling? Any Suggestions?

[TaperPin]

The best thing about the pop-up is the low profile ducking through thick brush when it’s folded up. I would use a pop up over my Exo while eastern deer hunting thick public land.

The popup is also great because it’s the realistic solution to how 80% of people use a hunting frame pack for a very reasonable price.

Do people carry meat much higher than the shoulders? Even the marketing photo shows the white game bag only contacting the pop up maybe an inch above the top of the shoulder straps. If the pop up in either photo were completely compressed wouldn’t it still carry ok? I’m not poo pooing the idea if users actually feel a benefit to extending the pop up, I just don’t see the benefit from the marketing pics.

 

[Kurts86]

It’s not about the height of the load, it’s about the upward tension on a load helps to carry better and more efficiently.

 

[Hoofing It]

Do people carry meat much higher than the shoulders? Even the marketing photo shows the white game bag only contacting the pop up maybe an inch above the top of the shoulder straps. If the pop up in either photo were completely compressed wouldn’t it still carry ok? I’m not poo pooing the idea if users actually feel a benefit to extending the pop up, I just don’t see the benefit from the marketing pics.

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I can see stabilizing the load to be helpful. When I ruck I can get injured pretty easily if the load can move around a bit.

I'll carry around a garbage back and give my backpacking backpack a shot, and keep an eye out for some good deals on these MR bags.

 

[trophyhill]

Whatever you get, make sure has "functional" load lifters.

 

[Steve300xcw]

Whatever you get, make sure has "functional" load lifters.

Learned that one

 

[Hoofing It]

Whatever you get, make sure has "functional" load lifters.

Oh yeah my current old bag doesn't have load lifters. A bit of a PITA, when you load it up you almost have to treat it like an army ruck and lean forward quite a bit.

 

[mtnbound]

To be frank I haven't killed a big game animal yet so I don't have experience on meat hauling. But every time I go out I get closer. I've run into herds with spikes that'll be legal next year already.

But these places wouldn't be easy pack-outs. So I'm looking for a daypack and meat hauler on a budget (I've already spent too much on backpacks for hiking/backpacking). Not looking for something elk-worthy, but pig and blacktails I've definitely got my sights on. I have an old external frame but it's not well suited for the task, it gets caught on a lot and clanks and damages the finish on my gun.

Or maybe a large internal frame backpack would be able to handle a quartered out pig or deer? I regularly see used Terraplanes for much cheaper than something like a Pop up. Would packing out a deer suck a lot worse than with an external frame?

Watch the classifieds; you will start seeing packs being sold after the season.

 

[trophyhill]

Oh yeah my current old bag doesn't have load lifters. A bit of a PITA, when you load it up you almost have to treat it like an army ruck and lean forward quite a bit.

My first couple packs were Badlands packs and when I started killing elk and hauling meat, loadlifters were non functional. All the weight was on my shoulders. Talk about "embracing the suck"

 

[rookieforever33]

I bought an Eberlestock f1 frame a few years ago and 4 batwings. Mounted a couple small pouches on the molle for essentials and add batwings as needed for space. Sometimes i dont even use the batwings and just use the straps to hold what I need. I have used it for day, turkey, and coyote hunts and love it. Using the meatshelf as a backrest when sitting and calling saves bringing a chair. If I ever need more space Eberlestock sells bigger bags that zip right onto the frame. I've heard these dont carry weight as well as some pricier backs but have had over 50lbs on it and felt fine.

 

[kcm2]

Go on Ebay and look for a used Lowe Alpine frame pack. You should easily beat $100 shipped.

 

[MtnSoft]

As others have said, the mystery ranch pop-up series is a reasonably priced option that does a decent job. I’ve been using the pop-up 38 the last few seasons and used it to pack out my buddy’s cow last year. Going to try stone glacier this year though and put some more comfort and stability into the hopefully heavy loads.

 

[Macintosh]

Do people carry meat much higher than the shoulders? Even the marketing photo shows the white game bag only contacting the pop up maybe an inch above the top of the shoulder straps. If the pop up in either photo were completely compressed wouldn’t it still carry ok? I’m not poo pooing the idea if users actually feel a benefit to extending the pop up, I just don’t see the benefit from the marketing pics.

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No, but 2 notes.
1) i actually think the old-style popup with tent-pole style “extensions” is better than the new style, because its lighter and lower profile so if you dont use it much/at all it is noticeably less obtrusive.
2) the “extensions” are only to add a load lifter that is above the shoulder so its functional. One significant reason the big packs carry weight better is because the frame extends above the apex of your shoulders so it provides a load lifting function to keep it close to your back with less weight on your shoulders….that is precisely the reason I DONT want to use those packs unless really needed, as that extension is in the way and limits mobility in tight quarters. This may be a non-issue for you guys living in sagebrush country, but for an east coaster or someone ducking through very thick cover this makes a massive difference in ease of carrying and how quietly you can move through the forest.

They carry light loads (like a quartered 80lb skipper) fine without the extensions up, but it makes a difference the more you want the load to sit on your hips.