HPG Ute and Qui-ya

[Cvmarks]

Good evening all,
Looking for people with experience with the packs mentioned above. I found a mention of Hill People gear and now find myself drawn to them. I am looking for people with real world experience with either of these two packs, and hauling loads of around 80-90 lbs. I don't believe the size of either pack will be an issue, and if anything the qui-ya is a bit large possibly. I am most worried about comfortability with weight. I would like to stick with the Ute size (24" tall) rather than the qui-ya (29.5" tall), But need to know how well it handles. I wonder if the load lifters and frame sheet will falter as the pounds add up. I know there is a bit of bias out there, but I am just looking for honest answers if these packs are worth pursuing.

 

[arthurvino]

Ute is a great pack, but for 90lb go with qui-ya


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[Clinch]

I think it was in the video about the qui-Ya that Evan from HPG said something to the effect of the taller height and larger volume of the qui-Ya makes better use of the suspension capabilities both packs share. Or, both will handle the weight but the qui-Ya will be more comfortable. As much as I want a qui-Ya (because of my pack fetish) it would have limited use for me. I am better off with my Ute as a day pack that will occasionally be pressed into use for meat and 2-3 pack-ins.


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[Cvmarks]

As much as I want one pack to do it all, I need to seperate what I need from what I want. For now I am going to be going out during the day, and maybe one night and packing meat ( if all turns out well). I want a pack that I can do this and do a 7-10 day trip out of also, but the long trips are in the future. I am starting to think future me may want a different pack for that objective. Clinch, just a guess on weight you have taken with the ute? Or at least what parts of the meat you took out at once and felt comfortable.... Any regrets with this pack? Good and bad examples of personal experiences? I have also taken a look at Kifaru nomad. That route will end up costing a bit more though. Sorry about all the questions. Not a lot of people with these packs from what I can tell. Or they just don't talk much about them.

 

[Clinch]

Cvmarks, I've only had the Ute for a few months and haven't been able to pack meat. My plan for this fall and winter is to have my day stuff in either the Connor or the Highlander, with the bag collapsed under it. Then either boned out meat in the bag, or if need be leave the bag collapsed and pack a quarter under the panel with the compression straps. I've had 50-55 pounds in the Ute so far but it has felt great, and am doing a pack in fishing trip with a buddy in Colorado next week. It will be for 2 nights, and 3-4 should be pretty doable in the Ute. 7-10 not so much. No regrets or drawbacks, but the suspension on the Ute is pretty intricate and requires a fair bit of adjustment. Also I have had to learn that while their compression system lets you crank the load down tight, too much will affect the way the stays flex as intended. I have been curious about a Kifaru frame with HPG compression straps and panel that lets one use different sized dry bags for different trips but that will have to wait a while.

 

[Walker6]

I used a Ute last year. Great day pack and handled an elk hind quarter nicely. Pack weight was right at 60 lbs. with the quarter. I'm 6'1" and with 60 lbs in the pack there was basically no shoulder lift for me with the ute's shorter stays. It was still comfortable though, and I'd credit the HPG harness for that. No shoulder fatigue at all, but only a 1.5 mile pack out. If I'd had the taller stays and larger size of the qui ya I would probably have remained content, but I decided I needed a bigger bag and ended up going another direction. I played around with a Connor as a compression panel, but ultimately decided I like to have all my stuff in the main bag.

Their stuff is built great, and holds its value quite well. I say get the qui ya and report back to us. Good luck!

 

[I Beam]

Good evening all,
Looking for people with experience with the packs mentioned above. I found a mention of Hill People gear and now find myself drawn to them. I am looking for people with real world experience with either of these two packs, and hauling loads of around 80-90 lbs. I don't believe the size of either pack will be an issue, and if anything the qui-ya is a bit large possibly. I am most worried about comfortability with weight. I would like to stick with the Ute size (24" tall) rather than the qui-ya (29.5" tall), But need to know how well it handles. I wonder if the load lifters and frame sheet will falter as the pounds add up. I know there is a bit of bias out there, but I am just looking for honest answers if these packs are worth pursuing.

Did you get the qui-ya? I'm looking seriously at this pack. I have the connor pack, and love it. I'm just wondering how it "scales up" with more weight. I put 35-40 lbs of ammo in my small connor at it did "ok" better than I expected it would. But it doesn't have a hip belt just testing the harness alone with heavy weight.

 

[bcimport]

Old thread but figured I would put in my two cents. I didn't have enough space in my MR Metcalf for a 12 day sheep and goat hunt and I don't like the Marshall bag layout. I have used hpg kit bags over the last few years and really liked them so I gave the qui ya a shot. Not the best idea to switch gear so close to departure but I got about a weeks worth of hiking on it around home before we left. I have previously run MR, SG and Kifaru packs leading up to this trip. The qui ya belongs right in there with all the other alpha packs. Stitching is better than the other alpha packs and fit/finish was great too. Had the stays in and out a few times before everything was where I wanted it. Pack took an absolute beating over a nearly two week trip. Alder, devils club, rock, rain and snow. It's stained but no loose seams or popped stitches. Belt and lumbar fit was very good for me and the load really locked in. I hauled a goat out in it no problem. The shoulder harness takes some getting used to but it does provide more range of movement. When I got home I set it up to use the 2 1" webbing mounts rather than the single piece of 2" as I could feel that on my vertebrae when the pack was stuffed and you had to bend way over. All in all it was money well spent.

 

[calico pig]

Good evening all,
Looking for people with experience with the packs mentioned above. I found a mention of Hill People gear and now find myself drawn to them. I am looking for people with real world experience with either of these two packs, and hauling loads of around 80-90 lbs. I don't believe the size of either pack will be an issue, and if anything the qui-ya is a bit large possibly. I am most worried about comfortability with weight. I would like to stick with the Ute size (24" tall) rather than the qui-ya (29.5" tall), But need to know how well it handles. I wonder if the load lifters and frame sheet will falter as the pounds add up. I know there is a bit of bias out there, but I am just looking for honest answers if these packs are worth pursuing.

I ran a UTE for quite a bit of hiking and backpacking. It's a strappy ass pack. Lot's of compression straps. Not necessarily a bad thing. Some keepers and it cleans up nice. The material is high quality and it's sewn very well. The articulating shoulder harness is sort of unique in that it attaches in the middle of the pack. The downside is if you overload the pack it will definitely start barreling. It's just a plastic frame sheet slid into a cordura sack with two aluminum stays that terminate to the waist belt right at the sacrum. I'm 6'1 with a 17.5 inch torso. I got lift out of the UTE with 50lbs in it. But I have a short to average torso. If your torso is over 19 inches I don't think you'd get much lift with 80 lbs. 20-50 lbs felt like it's sweet spot. I'd be miserable with 80 in it for any length of time. Personally 80-90 pounds I think is not what it was really designed for. Can it? yes. Do you want to? NO. Just my two cents. Great daypack/3 day pack, kind of like the Kifaru Late Season. Oh ya, the belt is nice. I kept that and run it on an Umlindi sometimes.

 

[calico pig]

I ran a UTE for quite a bit of hiking and backpacking. It's a strappy ass pack. Lot's of compression straps. Not necessarily a bad thing. Some keepers and it cleans up nice. The material is high quality and it's sewn very well. The articulating shoulder harness is sort of unique in that it attaches in the middle of the pack. The downside is if you overload the pack it will definitely start barreling. It's just a plastic frame sheet slid into a cordura sack with two aluminum stays that terminate to the waist belt right at the sacrum. I'm 6'1 with a 17.5 inch torso. I got lift out of the UTE with 50lbs in it. But I have a short to average torso. If your torso is over 19 inches I don't think you'd get much lift with 80 lbs. 20-50 lbs felt like it's sweet spot. I'd be miserable with 80 in it for any length of time. Personally 80-90 pounds I think is not what it was really designed for. Can it? yes. Do you want to? NO. Just my two cents. Great daypack/3 day pack, kind of like the Kifaru Late Season. Oh ya, the belt is nice. I kept that and run it on an Umlindi sometimes.

didn't realize how old this thread is. haha.

 

[Eye]

Well this probably wont help OP but might help someone else.

I had a Qui Ya for a couple months and a few trips. It is an excellent pack, I really have zero complaints or issues with it. The shoulder harness is second to none in my opinion as far as comfort, and once you dial in the stays and lifters it is extrememly comfortable with heavy loads. You could definitely strap a lot of gear to the outside of the bag and haul meat inside the bag. Extremely high quality gear. Highly recommended that you give one a shot if you are interested in them. I would not have sold mine but I needed cash and it was the newest piece of gear I had that I was the least attached to.

 

[bpotter]

Have a umlindi and with prairie belt . About as good a small pack as there is.

Have a qui ya since August. Well built. Still trying to get stays dialed in. Good enough pack but without additional panel packs not high volume. I have a 21+ torso and definitely not excessive lift. Have only run about 50 lbs in it tough terrain. Comfy, but I am pretty sure I could get it to barrel if not packed careful. I would say good for all around use. Might not be best pick for heavy loads.

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[bpctcb]

I just returned from a 1+ week elk hunt with my best friend who runs a Qui-ya and we got to pack meat this trip. He loaded up the Qui-ya with a boned out rear quarter & backstrap from a very large cow elk. The Qui-ya worked perfectly for him as a meat hauler & daypack. If I was looking for a lighter and less expensive pack than my Kifaru Hunter then the Qui-ya would get the nod.

BP