How many packs?

[ChrisAU]

For 3 years now I’ve done 100% of my whitetail, elk, turkey, dove, duck, quail, hog, coyote, grouse, and squirrel hunting with a Kuiu Stalker 500 and Kuiu Ultra 4000.

So of course I now have a Divide 1200 and Pro LT 5500 to play with lol.

 

[Poser]

I had previously passed this thread by, bit someone asked me how many I have recently.
Total? As in hunting specific and non hunting specific? I counted 8.

3 ski specific. 1 BCA Avy pack, 1 BD Dawn Patrol pack for when I need a pack but not an air bag and a Salomon touring pack that’s beat to shit from years of use as a climbing pack.

A Mtn Hardware frameless day pack I use for Peak bagging.

A Lowe Alpine ultra light pack that I have used as a summit day pack on some mountaineering trips.

A Camelback hydration pack I often use for training hikes.

A TNF backpacking pack that I can’t seem to let go of because I had so many adventures in the 90s with it, but otherwise collects dust.

Exo Gen 1 frame with a Gen 1 5500 bag and a K2 3500 bag.

On my list: Exo K2 2000, SG Xcurve with a smaller to mid size bag.

Planning to do more overnight ski touring this winter utilizing a Cimarron hot tent. My intention is to use my Exo bag for skinning to camp with my Avy pack on the meat shelf and then leave the Exo in camp taking only the Avy bag for whatever the day’s objective is. At least one ski company has multiple and interchangeable pack designs, but they are expensive and the designs on terms of carrying weight are a joke. As ridiculous as it seems to carry 2 packs, I want the safety of an air bag and I don’t want to carry the weight of camp with a sub par pack.

 

[prm]

I disapprove of this thread! Creating a public record of the number of packs I have is not wise.

However, I do find packs are useful for the following:

Daily use for work to carry a laptop, electronics, notebooks, etc. Perhaps a nicer version for special occasions?
Trips to the gym
Travel for work
Eastern whitetail hunting.
Local day hikes
Rucking with weight for training
5-day Backcountry mule deer hunts
5-day Backcountry elk hunts

Also, it would not be possible to appreciate the capabilities of any one pack if you didn’t actually compare to others for the same tasks.

 

[wyelkhunter]

one pack for everything. Seek Outside frame with Kuiu ultra 1800. I add drybag for multi day hunts. I use this set up for everthing from elk hunting to spot and stalk for deer/antelope or in treestand or blind.

 

[default22]

Kuiu Venture 1800 for scouting, hiking, Javelina, etc. Hauling anything heavy the MR Pintler gets the call.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

If you don't have enough packs for it to be a problem...welcome to Rokslide noobie.

 

[Brunt The Grunt]

MR BDSB for 7+
Kifaru ZXR for 3-5 day
Maxpedition vulture 2 for 3 day
Noveske Discreet Eagle Ind edition for an overnighter
day hikes I'll use a Hill people gear kit bag

 

[rootacres]

Im with you, Im trying to consolidate down to just two packs which I think I have done. I have a small, what most would consider "tactical" looking pack for tree stand hunting. I just liked the size and having a couple extra outside pockets. Its just big enough to day hunt out of.

Then for everything else I use a SG Solo 3600. If I need to add a lid or pockets I can. The way my trips shake out Im never away from resupply more than 5 days (usually 3). So I don't need anything huge. And you can suck that 3600 down to a really nice day rip size. If I find myself going on an extended trip I don't think there is any way around needing another pack but until then I will be good with the two.

 

[scott_co]

For my frame bags, I have two Kuiu Ultra 6000's. One for me and one for my phone a friend if I need help packing out an elk. And I have a 2200 bag for shorter trips.

Plus, I have a Venture 2300 for my whitetail and hog hunting day trips.

 

[EmperorMA]

I have three but used to have more. I have gotten rid of anything over 4,000 CU INS because I simply don't want to carry that much shit anymore. To hard on the back, the knees and the ankles.

1. Mystery Ranch Scree 32 - Just a tiny bit under 2,000 CU INS and no meat shelf, I use this for EDC, scouting, hiking, fly fishing and travel.

2. Mystery Ranch Terraframe 65 - Just a hair under 4,000 CU INS, this is my multi-day hunting and backpacking pack. It uses the Guide Light MT Frame and the meat shelf makes it easy to pack out A LOT of weight rather comfortably.

3. Mystery Ranch Pintler 38 - About 2,355 CU INS, this is my day hunting pack, also on the Guide Light MT Frame. This was purchased as a bag-only option and I swap it out onto the Terraframe 65's frame for day use. It can also carry a ton of weight, and essentially makes it a two-trip endeavor to carry out an entire buck, one trip if it is boned out meat.

I wouldn't mind trying an SG pack if they had something in the 4,000 CU INS range that also has a meat shelf. The Kifaru 44 Magnum also looks nice, but I don't consider any of these "upgrades" to what I already have. Just different packs of equal quality.

 

[Pullmyfinger]

1.) McHale & Co. Inex Alpineer that I bought in the 90's after getting out of the Army.
2.) Kifaru Duplex Lite frame.
3.) Kifaru Reckoning.
4.) Kifaru Stryker.
5.) Kifaru 357 Mag.

I've owned some various Camel Bak bags over the years, but the packs above are the main load haulers I spent my money on.

 

[Marbles]

Depends on how you count them. I could survive with only one.

I have an Exo K3 frame with two bags for it. I have yet to use the larger bag, and it works great as a day pack.

I have a Seek Outside Revolution Frame I just picked up for my wife. It works well with the larger Exo bag on it (or with a child carrier strapped to it).

I have a 36L Osprey Stratos that I only keep because the frame dimensions are such that it works as a carry on for every airline I have ever looked at. I use to use it as a day pack, but my Exo takes that role now.

I have a 5.11 bag I got years ago, it is really just a fancy duffle bag and I would never use it as a pack with what I know now.

I have sent a few that I not longer used down the road. In the end, an Exo or Seek Outside frame with a large pack bag can do everything, other than be a carry on for the skin flint airlines that measure every bag (only an issue with international travel).

 

[actionshooter]

I have a few but basically use 2

SG 6900 for 90% of everything from a day pack to multiday and then I have an old MR Kodiak internal that I can get whole moose hind quarters in... that's my "big load" pack.

 

[Dioni A]

I'm a big fan of just having one pack. I leave mine half way loaded and adjust gear for different seasons.
For the last 5 years I've been running exo packs and currently have the 4800. I plan on getting a 6400 for next season because there's no such thing as too much extra space and the weight penalty is almost nothing. The k3 is incredibly comfortable and I like that it's modular so you can adjust fit and frame length for different loads.

 

[RJC]

I use two- Kifaru Stryker and Hoodlum and couldn't be more happy about it covering everything I do.

The Stryker is the best backpack I've ever used for day hunting and can easily stretch into a night or 2 in warm weather. The whole grab-it concept is handy as hell.

Hoodlum covers everything else.

I initially had a 44mag which I would use for overnight trips but it was just too clunky for day hunting and didn't hold a TON of stuff if I wanted a few luxury items on extended trips; easily can do 5+ days if you're packing light though. Hoodlum just gives you a few more CU and isn't heavy as the 44mag- I had no need for that much pals webbing. If I would have committed to it long term I would have cut a lot of them away.

 

[roosiebull]

How many packs do you run? Do you have a pack for several hunting scenarios or one pack for all?

I always seem to be adding another pack, it’s the one piece of gear I’m constantly testing and experimenting with.

Currently I have a couple of tree stand packs, a short day pack, a meat hauling day pack and a multi day meat hauling pack.

I’ve been trying to consolidate to one or two packs recently, I’m not doing so well.

I’m the same, always trying different packs... the 2 I’m keeping are my exo and pop up, but just sold a metcalf and will replace it with a duplex lite... last pack I want to try, hopefully I like it, if not the hold resale good enough it’s not a big risk

 

[Newtosavage]

1) Small whitetail day pack
2) 5000 cu. in. Cabelas internal frame backpacking/camping pack
3) Old Kelty pack frame for weight training and packing out meat
4) Eberlestock F1 tall mainframe (modified) with batwings and a lid.

Still haven't found anything better for hauling weight than that very old Kelty pack frame, and after quite a bit of trial and error with different western hunting packs, and a few modifications, that F1 setup is my go-to for western hunts. After two seasons, I still love it.

 

[Beendare]

Hunting I'm down to 2;
Exo 4800 for most everything....and a monster fanny pack for short pig hunts and such

I do have a generic REI daypack I keep some weight in for training purposes......

 

[452b264]

I have always found myself with 3 to 5 packs laying around so I sold all of them and bought a Kifaru fulcrum to all my needs. The reviews for this pack are spot on and its perfect for me.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Lots of packs rolling around in my gear closet. I have flirted with a bunch over the years and came back to mystery ranch.

the ones I use for hunting are:

- 22 liter day pack by tactical tailor
- pop up 38
- pintler
- beartooth 80.

thats takes me from a light day in the woods to a week or more for around $1000. If I wanted to slim that down I would own a Metcalf and a day pack For $500 and that would honestly cover the need.