Hunting packs for women

[averdugo21]

I don't know if any of you can help me out but I'm looking for a pack that will somewhat fit me right. I'm 5'5 & 110lbs. I've always used eberlestock but I wanted opinions on other packs. I've heard great things about kifaru & mystery ranch I just don't know how they will fit. I also need something big enough if I get drawn for certain hunts where I'll pack in a couple days. I'll take any advice i can get.Thanks in advance!

 

[AZ Vince]

You might look at the Kuiu Pro or Pro Icon.
I'm 5 '06", driver's license says, 5'07" but that's with boots on. I am a little heavier though.
I have no issue with the pack and you might want to give them a call. Where are you located? Maybe one of our members is in the same area and has a pack you can try that might work. I suggest you tell what state you're in if you're in the United States. If not, what country.
Good luck!

 

[Ray]

If you look further down the forum you will see that there is a woman's forum and there are a few pack threads in there that cover some of the basics of fitting packs to women for both hunting and backpacking.
Also go into the backpack forum and review the pack reviews.

Things to consider is your torso length to determine how to set up the stays or shoulder strap system distance above the waist belt.

The lighter the pack and the higher the quality the more comfort and capacity you will be able to deal with. Also look at the Paradox pack system as well as Exo Mountian and Stone Glacier. They are all light packs and can carry your body weight with ease. They have good adjustablity.

 

[luke moffat]

My wife has been using a Kifaru pack of some nature since 2010 and has helped haul a couple dozen animals with one since then.

She is 5'3 and I also let my dad use one of my Kifaru packs as well and it is 5' even (yes 60" tall). If a Kifaru can adjust down to fit them I think you will have no trouble and REALLY like it compared to the eberlestock you have been using.

Here is my wife and dad with their Kifaru pack on packing out part of camp and part of a couple mountain goats last fall, both of them were using frames with 26" stays.



Hope that helps. My wife posts on here and can likely go into better detail on why she likes kifarus over the mystery ranch and Arcteryx she has used to hunt with in the past.

 

[averdugo21]

I'm in Arizona so we hunt a lot of desert that's really the only reason why I would use eberlestock.

 

[realunlucky]

I'm in Arizona so we hunt a lot of desert that's really the only reason why I would use eberlestock.

I guess I don't understand its advantage in the desert?
Most offer bags from similar materials

 

[averdugo21]

I will have to look on the women's forum thank you! I'm new to using forums so I don't really know what I'm doing! Thank you Ray & Luke for your input, a lot of good info that I will definitely look into.

 

[Stid2677]

My wife is 5'2 110 lbs and she uses a Kifaru pack,, call them up I'm sure they can get you into a great pack.

 

[averdugo21]

I guess I don't understand its advantage in the desert?
Most offer bags from similar materials

I didn't know a lot of other packs have similar material. Theirs lots of annoying cactus & stickers where we hunt that you cant get out of your clothes unless its carhart. I just didn't know other packs had similar material simple as that. I'm only 22 & Eberlestock is the only pack I've really been around & could really afford that's why I wanted some input on other options.

 

[2ski]

How much can you afford to spend on a pack? That's a big question too. If you can afford to spend $600 or more, the suggestions of Kifaru, Mystery Ranch, and Stone Glacier are great ones. Give your price range and people can use that as a starting point.

 

[Becca]

As my husband (Luke) said above, I have been using several different Kifaru packs for about the last 5 years. As a woman, my biggest priorities in a pack are that it is lightweight to start with (because my max capacity is going to be less than a mans due to my smaller stature) and that it adjusts to fit my body so that I can get some of the weight off of my shoulders and onto my hips. Pack fit is tremendously personal, but I have found that Kifaru packs do this the very best for me. I have never found anything about pack fit that is gender specific, so I don't see the need for something "women's specific". At least for Kifaru the small waist belt adjusts small enough for me at 5'3 and about 130lbs, and I know it could go even smaller than what I need it to.

Packing out a Dall Sheep cape, horns and some of the meat in my Kifaru KU5200


Using a Kifaru Bikini Frame with Highcamp bag on a summer pack rafting trip (I am on the left)



Packing a load of caribou and misc gear, Bikini frame again but this time with the Rondevous bag






I used an Arcteryx Bora for several seasons, but it never fit me well enough to get the weight transferred to my waist, which made it uncomfortable at heavier loads. They are quality packs, and usually pretty reasonably priced. Just didn't fit me well, especially at weights above 40lbs.




I used a Mystery Ranch NICE frame with 6500 bag and really liked how it fit and carried weight, but it was like 10lbs empty. Since my max load is around 80lbs, and I prefer to carry more like 50-60lbs if it's for any longer distance, having the weight of the pack be 10lbs empty reduced the amount of weight I could put in it.

Packing a packraft and misc gear in my Mystery Ranch



I used a Kuiu Ultra 6000 for some summer backpacking trips, and felt it was a pretty decent pack. It carried loads up to around 60lbs well, and was lightweight to start with. Ultimately it was just a bit less comfortable for me than my Kifaru packs, but I still think it might be worth looking into.

Hauling a packraft and my half of our gear in the Kuiu Ultra for a weeklong summer trip


Lots of pack options available, and don't feel like you need to limit yourself to a women's specific pack. Kifaru has been what works the very best for my body size and type, as well as the weight I need to pack.

 

[MissHighcountry_Hellrazor]

How much did you have to spend for your kifaru pack ?

 

[luke moffat]

How much did you have to spend for your kifaru pack ?

Aron Snyder would know better how much the old KU 5200s were sold at but I believe they were north of $500.

The a bikini frame with a highcamp bag should be around $500-$550 depending on lid/pack/color and other pockets as well and come in at roughly 4-4.5 pounds.

 

[RCA Dog]

My wife tried on my Stone Glacier a few weeks ago. I am now saving for another one. She is 5' even, and 110 lbs (i'm guessing, she won't tell) The frame is so adjustable, shoulder width, torso length, shoulder angle, it is quite incredible. For contrast, I am 6' and 165.