Kifaru Pack Woodsman vs Reckoning

[SwiftShot]

So here is the situation, guys. I have bow hunted PNW for decades and its always in and out. Where I mostly hunt it is an in-depth road system of logging roads with gates locked for bow season but its easy to get around in. There is no overnighting allowed so a smaller pack is recommended. Hell for years I went pack free and just would have hunting partners grab the packs out of the trucks on the way to me while I was breaking the animal up. So now that I am older I usually run a small day pack and move slower as well as smarter. So the Woodsman appeals to me there as it compressed down isn't bad on size at all. I would have a kill kit, lunch, and raingear in it so it would be overkill. Well, next year I will be hunting both Idaho and Wyoming for elk and mule deer. That hunt will be different as I will be doing up to 5 days out camping. So that is where I start looking at the Reckoning now. I will be packing a spotting scope, tripod, and that will be a rifle and with the food, I am starting to wonder about pack size.

Now a little about myself, years with infantry so as much as I want to go light, this thing is not a mortar plate so I have packed a full battle rattle many a mile, so weight is not my primary concern. I am wondering is the Woodsman too small for the other hunts and is the Reckoning to big for my PNW. Looking for thoughts, for the out of state hunts, I will be running a 15 to 20-degree bag, and either a Paratarp or Aegis for a shelter.

 

[Kulshan]

The 44 mag or Reckoning should both be good options. The collapse really small and should be big enough for your backpack hunts.

I personally would stay away from the woodsman, smaller and no side pockets (unless you buy them) for your spotter and tripod.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I have both the Woodsman and the Reckoning. If I were to have only one, and had plans of a five day trip or two, I would choose the Reckoning. I do like the Woodsman for day hunts because it is trimmer and I do not have to suck up as much material when I am not carrying much. However, as Kulshan pointed out, the Woodsman does not have the built in side pockets. This fall, with my Reckoning, I had my spotter and tripod in one side pocket and my water bladder in the other.

 

[rbljack]

I have a reckoning, the wife has the woodsman. As others indicated, the reckoning would be better for the longer trips. That said, it also can be cinched down to work as a daypack fairly well. Having the side pockets comes in handy. YOu can carry the spotter and tripod in there for the pack in. I had my spotter and tripod hooked up and strapped downt the center. when set up like that, the side pockets become the primary place i put raingear, extra layer, and puffy jackets. Keeps ya from having to access stuff out of the bag. Center zip is nice, but side pocket grab and go is even easier. HOpe that helps.

 

[fatlander]

How often is it raining in your corner of the PNW? If it’s a lot, you may want to look at the muskeg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[SwiftShot]

How often is it raining in your corner of the PNW? If it’s a lot, you may want to look at the muskeg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It rains a lot up here man. I had not thought about the Muskeg

 

[colersu22]

I have a woodsman but I would go with the reckoning if I was going to do it again for the fact that it packs just a small for day hunts, has the full zipper up into the snow collar and also has the side pockets. The side pockets is what I miss most on the woodsman since it it would be nice to throw trekking poles in one aide and the tripod in the other.

 

[fatlander]

It rains a lot up here man. I had not thought about the Muskeg

Just a thought. I’ve got a mountain warrior, but if I lived/hunted in a super wet environment, I’d probably have a muskeg.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[carnageasada]

If I go Kifaru, It's a tough choice between a Muskeg and Reckoning...

 

[Desk Jockey]

Yeah. So. I used to be a ground pounder myself and tend to pack a little too much for both day hunts and longer trips.

I had a woodsman and a reckoning. Both great packs but I couldn’t ever get my kifaru frame to feel as good as my MR frame so I went sawtooth and beartooth for the same role. I use the sawtooth (45) for a heavy day to 1-3 day trips. Beartooth gets used for heavy overnighters and longer trips.

So I think there is a good utility to a pack in the 40-50 liter range (with a meat shelf) and a pack in the 80-100 liter range. If I had to go with one pack for everything I would lean toward what I did the most. In your case it sounds like a day pack that can haul so I would go woodsman and use a camp bag on the meat shelf for longer trips.

 

[Catahoula]

I have the woodsman as well. I have been able to work out of this bag to 3 nights, nothing longer. As said, if plans were made to do longer hunt excursions I’d be looking into purchasing a larger bag.

 

[well_known_rokslider]

I used the woodsman for day hunts this year and loved it. Perfectly sized. I'm looking to trim down a bit and add pockets for my overnight trips in the future.

 

[trophyhill]

A bigger pack that streamlines to hunt mode and cinches down tight is what I would look for. When packing into the Backcountry, I don't want limitations. I've done 10 days at a time with a 7000 ci pack and it cinches down to nothing.