If you were just starting out what pack would you buy?

[steelheadmike]

Keep an eye out for a used K2 or K3 Exo. There have been some really good deals around lately.

 

[3325]

Some sort of pack frame. Something I could put different types of duffle bags or stuff sacks on.

Eberlestock makes one that looks nice.

 

[thrower88]

Big fan of my mystery ranch pintler with daypack lid

 

[GhostBass25]

Thanks for all the input.


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[westsloper]

If I was just starting out I would get a Kelty Cache Hauler when Sportsman's has it on sale for about $100. Hunt with it for a season or two while you figure out what you exactly you would want in a pack. "Buy once cry once" is good enough advice, but a decent simple pack frame would work well and would be good to have as a backup later on.

 

[Choupique]

I'm still rocking my molle rucksack. It isn't ideal, but I'm 4 or 5 years into mine and haven't had to have a nice hunting pack yet. I'm starting to want one and knowing what I like/don't like about the ruck will help me make a smart buy.

Get a bargain used hunting pack till you figure out what you like. Good hunting frame packs are EXPENSIVE

 

[lostnwilderness]

Don't sweat it too much - as you gain more experience your views and taste wll change. Thats ok, the used market is strong! Kifaru, Kuiu, and Stone Glacier packs are easily my top three recomendations. You mileage may adn will vary. Buy something quality, use it and adapt/sell/upgrade as you gain days in the field.

Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, add. what is uniquely your own. ' -Bruce Lee

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

This may have been asked 100000 times but I’m also trying to upgrade my account and in need of the information. If you could buy one pack to last you the future 3-5 years or more and do it all from stalking to tree stands or multi day trips, I guess a do it all bag. What would it be?

First question would be what is your budget. Then I would want you to prioritize your expected use and find something that will work for all but what would work best for your first and 2nd priority and understand the other uses won't be as comfortable.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

MR Metcalf, add a Mule bag if you want compact.

I would take the Terraframe packs over the Metcalf and did with the Terraframe 50. It’s a bigger Pintler. They offer a 65 and an 80 liter version too that look like the Marshall or the Glacier packs. They use the same frame and have better organization at a fraction of the price.

 

[Felton]

This is the mystery ranch terraframe 65. I picked it up in sale for ~$250. It has the same frame as all the other MR hunting packs. It just doesn’t come in camo.

I absolutely love the compartments and configuration of this pack. It has two zippered lung pockets on the outside and then a U shaped zipper around the lung pockets to get into the main compartment. It allows easy access to your whole pack without going through the top. It also comes with a lid not shown here.

There’s enough straps on this pack I cinched everything down flat and used it for day hunts for archery elk. I put snacks in the lung pockets, kill kit and emergency kit in the lid and a light jacket in the main compartment.

I carried 100lbs close to a mile, side hilling with my elk. It was a struggle and not really comfortable but it got the job done. It handle this elk hind quarter pretty easily and was comfortable.

 

[tychristi75]

I run a Kuiu 3600 for day hunts and 3-5 day pack trips. It collapses down great for day hunts but will expand for multiple days.

 

[ManBun]

My dad start taking me with him elk hunting when I was around 8-9 years old back in the mid 80’s in hells canyon. He was young and didn’t have a lot of money in those days so he didn’t have any packframes or backpacks. He carried just a knife and his gun, and a bone saw that was folded inside a fanny pack with no water and food. We would hunt all day, dark to dark like that until he was successful shooting his elk (a lot of times on the last couple days of the season). He would then break the animal down into quarters and we would head back to camp (however many miles we were in there as it seemed it took forever getting out). The next morning we would hike back in with a knife and rope that was used for pulling crab pots (he commercial fished in the summer) with a buddy from camp, and they would tie the quarters to their back with the rope and pack it out. My first pack out was the head tied to my back with rope only. When we got back to camp your shoulders and under your armpits would be bruised if not bloody from the rope cutting into your skin. And during those trips again we would take no food or water, and pack out all day.
Moral of the story, any of the backpacks that have been stated will work great. Best size backpack for all around use I found is between 4-5000 cubic inch with a load shelf. That size they collapse down small enough for day hunts but expand for overnight hunts also. Try different brands on, and which ever one fits best, you like the bag, and within your budget, give it a go! Don’t over think it, because all of them are a hell of a lot better than carrying no food and water and packing out quarters with only rope tied to your back!

 

[Hunter4019]

SG vote here I run the col 4800 but YOU need to decide which model works for what you wanna do

 

[DeuceIsWild]

I recently purchased the K4 frame and was debating between the 2200 and the 3600 and was about to pull the trigger on the 3600 for the versatility of allowing for some 2-3 night trips as well as a very functional day pack. Ultimately I decided to buy the 2200 AND the 5000. That said if I was going to buy just 1 it would be been the 3600.

 

[grizz19]

Vote for stone glacier xcurve frame. I run the 3600 and absolutely love it. For a do it all pack I’d go 4800-6400 ci and that should get your through almost anything.

 

[Rokwiia]

This may have been asked 100000 times but I’m also trying to upgrade my account and in need of the information. If you could buy one pack to last you the future 3-5 years or more and do it all from stalking to tree stands or multi day trips, I guess a do it all bag. What would it be?

I'd get a backpack from Seek Outside in the either the Revolution format (hunting pack) or Integrated format (backpacking pack). The 6,300 rolls down into nothing so you can use it as a day pack as well. Very little weight penalty (4oz?) if you gete the 6,300 vs 4,800.

 

[DWinVA]

If their frame fits you…..a Kifaru Stryker XL. It’s great for Whitetail, stands, sticks & packing out the kill. I haven’t been back out west since I got mine but I’m sure it will work great for that as well.

God Bless.

 

[Eastonsgrandpa]

My first pack was from Badlands. Thought it was great. Until me and a buddy had two elk down within twenty yards of each other. Eight hours of cutting and packing later, and I found out how wrong I was.

The next week I ordered my first real pack. An EXO K2. Since then I’ve tried several but always end up back with EXO. I now have a couple K4 packs and they just keep getting better.

I would therefore recommend you go quality now if you have the option. That experience with a subpar pack left me a hunchback for a week after. I’ll never do that again.

 

[GhostBass25]

My first pack was from Badlands. Thought it was great. Until me and a buddy had two elk down within twenty yards of each other. Eight hours of cutting and packing later, and I found out how wrong I was.

The next week I ordered my first real pack. An EXO K2. Since then I’ve tried several but always end up back with EXO. I now have a couple K4 packs and they just keep getting better.

I would therefore recommend you go quality now if you have the option. That experience with a subpar pack left me a hunchback for a week after. I’ll never do that again.

Hahah I can’t imagine how that truly felt. I start to lean this way til see price tags. Even used that’s big $. Probably will take a lesson like you learned to get me to bite the bullet on one


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[Eastonsgrandpa]

Hahah I can’t imagine how that truly felt. I start to lean this way til see price tags. Even used that’s big $. Probably will take a lesson like you learned to get me to bite the bullet on one


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It’s a tough lesson. Probably would have been ok if it had been one elk. But two guys and two elk in one day about took me out. And we truly weren’t a terribly long way in.