Kifaru DT frame and cargo panel/pockets for day hunting

[SDHNTR]

Am considering rigging my DT frame for day hunting. I need the ability to haul meat out. I most often hunt an incredibly steep CA ranch. This place is as steep as anywhere on the planet. I often have to drop into a canyon and need the ability to haul quarters or boned meat back out. For this purpose, my Mystery Ranch Crew Cab has served me well for years, but now that I have a DT frame, I wouldn't mind shedding some weight and putting it to work too.

The DT3 bag is more than I need. Sure, I could make it work but the capacity is overkill. I only need to carry some water and minimal gear. What I was thinking is building a setup with the Cargo Panel for meat hauling, and maybe a back pouch and/or other pockets to carry gear. Am I on the right track? How go you best attach the back pouch? Onto the Cargo Panel all cinched up? Or to the frame, in between it and the Panel?

Anyone have any pics of a similar setup in action. Aron, we should have discussed this yesterday, but it slipped my mind.

 

[dotman]

Maybe think about an E&E to carry your gear and hydration blazer and a hanging meat bag.

 

[SDHNTR]

Maybe think about an E&E to carry your gear and hydration blazer and a hanging meat bag.

OK, but could you please repeat that in English. I'll have to figure out what all that is and how it works.

 

[wapitibob]

I talked to aron about it last year. That was the direction I was headed but bought the whole Highcamp setup. For my short hunts I strapped on an old day pack but the cargo panel/pockets would work as well or better.

Link to Mels picture thread of your idea:

http://www.kifaruforums.net/showthread.php?18012-G2-Duplex-Frame-Pics

 

[SDHNTR]

Maybe think about an E&E to carry your gear and hydration blazer and a hanging meat bag.

And why go with the E&E bag when the Back Pouch is the same size and much lighter?

 

[dotman]

The E&E is a 1000ci pack in the tactical section, it has pals webbing for attaching pockets etc to the outside and common loops on the inside to add pockets as well for orgaization. It also has a pocket on the back of it that a 2L hydration bladder fits into.

The E&E can be attached to the DT frame using the dock&lock connectors. So thus will give you an organized area for day hunt gear and a pocket/sleeve for your hydration bladder.

The hanging meat bag can be stuffed inside the E&E or compressed underneath it while hunting but you can the fill it with a quarter or boned out meat and still attach the E&E to the frame in a manner that almost compresses the mearbag to the frame. I would also add a lash strap kit and grabit.

The E&E and Gen 2 meat bag will run you together I think around $135 so a little more then the cargo panel but it will give you the storage, hydration and meat hauling your looking for.

Plus you can add addition items directly to the E&E if needed to add more space.

 

[dotman]

And why go with the E&E bag when the Back Pouch is the same size and much lighter?

Because the E&E can be used as a pack on it's own and has a sleeve for a bladder but yup the Back Pouch would be another option.

 

[cmeier117]

Something like this could work, and you may be able to get away with a back pouch, grab it and lash kit to save weight. But by the time you get done dinking around you could just buy a bag and be lighter and cheaper. I have toyed with this idea and keep going back to a bag. But if you want to go this route the cargo panel with some sort of back pouch or two long pockets would work. I guess if it is for day hunts weight is a non issue really, but that grabit could hold a quarter and then get a lash kit and you should be all set up.

 

[SDHNTR]

thanks. Got a Grab It. Yeah, good for a quarter, but sometimes I am hauling out all 4 quarters, + straps and loins. Hence the need for the Cargo Panel.

Can you/should you mount the back pouch/E&E on the outside of the Cargo Panel, or on the frame itself, and then cinch the panel up over it?

 

[cmeier117]

thanks. Got a Grab It. Yeah, good for a quarter, but sometimes I am hauling out all 4 quarters, + straps and loins. Hence the need for the Cargo Panel.

Can you/should you mount the back pouch/E&E on the outside of the Cargo Panel, or on the frame itself, and then cinch the panel up over it?

I would mount on frame while hunting and then after you get something on ground I would put on outside of panel when hauling meat.

 

[dotman]

Yeah I would keep the panel rolled up while hunting. What hydration bladder are you using, you could lash a MSR drom to the frame and then wouldn't need a sleeve or run the back pouch on top of it (keep the bladder between the frame and pouch).

 

[SDHNTR]

Thanks for the tips guys.

I can't remember which Camelback bladder model I have(the one that is supposedly more durable), but it's not an MSR Dromedary. Honestly, though, I rarely use a bladder when day hunting. To me, more trouble than it's worth. Bottles suit me fine.

Also, cmeier, you make a valid point, and if Kifaru would make sub 2500 ci pack with meat hauling capability, I'd be all over it. I just don't need all that the DT3 bag is. They should incorporate a small bag or pocket or two into the cargo panel and make it one unit. The modularity of Kifaru stuff is awesome, but also confusing to the uninitiated. An all in one package would be simple and bad ass!

 

[dotman]

I told Aron they need to make a Highcamp that is around 2000ci, that would be perfect.

If you haven't looked Hill People Gear make a 2500ci plain bag that is very well built item for $45, weighs 1lb and was designed to fit the duplex frame.

 

[SDHNTR]

Interesting, I will have to check it out. How does it attach to the frame?

 

[dotman]

The pics explain how it attaches better then I can, they use g-hooks though, the pic is of their bag on a duplex frame. http://www.hillpeoplegear.com/Produ...uctDetails/mid/1916/ProductID/58/Default.aspx

 

[DWarcher]

The HPG Highlander would be another great option for you as well. This thread does a great job of explaning the functionality:
http://www.hillpeoplegear.com/Forum...id/1371/scope/posts/threadpage/1/Default.aspx

 

[ams]

I second the HPG bag and Highlander. I've used them on a duplex frame along with HPG's compression kit and liked it a lot. I haven't tried it out with my new bikini frame but there seems to be all the right attachment points. So with the highcamp bag I feel pretty much ready for any kind of hunt. The Highlander has a sleeve between the back padding and the bag that fits standard size 3L bladders and the two internal daisy chains really are nice with some cord to tie stuff down.

 

[204guy]

I would 3rd the HPG Highlander, with compression kit.
This is half a cow elk. Sloppy but it was a short trip.




I had a cargo panel and much prefer this set-up. I really like that you can use it as a compression panel and you still have the 3 horizontal straps to holds antlers, clothes, whatever and it's not crushed under the whole panel. Unfortunately I don't think HPG is selling their compression kit anymore. You could use the Kifaru meat shelf kit, with some of their horizontal lash straps to get something pretty close though.

It's hard to tell in the picture, but 2 of the horizontal straps are holding the rack and the 3rd is holding a spotter and tripod that are stuck in the wand pockets. Oh and the panel is holding a 100 plus pounds of meat and cape.

 

[flyinsquirel]

Hats off to you if you actually made it to your feet unassisted with that load. Too much for me.

 

[DWarcher]

Unfortunately I don't think HPG is selling their compression kit anymore.

Due to a renewed demand, it's actually supposed to be available again sometime next month.