Looking for a new pack

[Eagle]

No pics of my setup, sorry about that, just never think to take pictures like I should. To describe it though, I pass the horizontal compression straps through the platform on the LW and cinch everything down tight. I'll be using a Kifaru 14'r for my hunts this year as I won't be required to pack meat very far (changed jobs and no vacation to hunt the midwest), but I could take some pictures of how it'll work on that bag for you as well if needed.

BOMB is an acronym for TAGs "Boned Out Meat Bags". I don't recall the number and size of the bags off the top of my head, but you only need a portion of the bags within that kit to hold a whitetail. The entire set is capable of holding a boned out elk, so more than enough for a deer and they are lightweight and washable/reusable.

 

[Gobbler]

Blinginpse, knowing how you hunt, and assuming money is no object, get yourself a used Kifaru 22" or 24" frame, either the newest version, the G2 duplex, or the bikini. You do not need a load shelf because every bag has 2 horizontal compression straps which can connect the bottom of the bag to the frame, and the gap you leave becomes your load shelf. There are video's of this on the website and on here.

Then get something to hold your meat like bomb bags, kifaru meat baggies, a dry bag, or the SG load cell dry bag. Or simply use contractor bags like most do. As a treestand hunter you don't need a big pack bag hanging from your tree, you just need space to carry one out. Just get the meat out of those bags and into a cooler as quick as possible.

Next pick a Kifaru pack to hold your day hunting gear, like a 22 mag, apollo, or a native (I use). Or go bigger if you need. 22 mag is awesome and the outer pockets are very useful. But that may even be bigger than you need. I usually hike in with all my layers in my pack. Then dress at the stand.

Last, sandwich it all together. Stand goes between the frame and pack bag, along with your meat bags (on the way out), then the cape with head/antlers riding up top. The numerous compression straps on the pack hold everything in tight. You can either run your sticks under those same compression straps or have them ride between your bag and stand or strap them to the outside.

There are numerous videos on how all this works. And if your pack was really only carrying meat and you don't have much else to carry, look at a cargo panel instead of a bag. Works the same way, and add a belt pouch or two for your small gear. good luck

 

[Blinginpse]

No pics of my setup, sorry about that, just never think to take pictures like I should. To describe it though, I pass the horizontal compression straps through the platform on the LW and cinch everything down tight. I'll be using a Kifaru 14'r for my hunts this year as I won't be required to pack meat very far (changed jobs and no vacation to hunt the midwest), but I could take some pictures of how it'll work on that bag for you as well if needed.

BOMB is an acronym for TAGs "Boned Out Meat Bags". I don't recall the number and size of the bags off the top of my head, but you only need a portion of the bags within that kit to hold a whitetail. The entire set is capable of holding a boned out elk, so more than enough for a deer and they are lightweight and washable/reusable.

Ok I'm seein what your saying there.

Something like this

 

[Blinginpse]

Blinginpse, knowing how you hunt, and assuming money is no object, get yourself a used Kifaru 22" or 24" frame, either the newest version, the G2 duplex, or the bikini. You do not need a load shelf because every bag has 2 horizontal compression straps which can connect the bottom of the bag to the frame, and the gap you leave becomes your load shelf. There are video's of this on the website and on here.

Then get something to hold your meat like bomb bags, kifaru meat baggies, a dry bag, or the SG load cell dry bag. Or simply use contractor bags like most do. As a treestand hunter you don't need a big pack bag hanging from your tree, you just need space to carry one out. Just get the meat out of those bags and into a cooler as quick as possible.

Next pick a Kifaru pack to hold your day hunting gear, like a 22 mag, apollo, or a native (I use). Or go bigger if you need. 22 mag is awesome and the outer pockets are very useful. But that may even be bigger than you need. I usually hike in with all my layers in my pack. Then dress at the stand.

Last, sandwich it all together. Stand goes between the frame and pack bag, along with your meat bags (on the way out), then the cape with head/antlers riding up top. The numerous compression straps on the pack hold everything in tight. You can either run your sticks under those same compression straps or have them ride between your bag and stand or strap them to the outside.

There are numerous videos on how all this works. And if your pack was really only carrying meat and you don't have much else to carry, look at a cargo panel instead of a bag. Works the same way, and add a belt pouch or two for your small gear. good luck

Another very very informative post. Thank you. I too pack all my gear in and just dress at the stand but my gear consists of an iwom or warmbag as I don't pack piles of cloths.

Here is an idea kind of what I'm looking at/want

 

[larryschwartz]

The pullouts just organize the gear. Fire kit, water kit, food, possibles pouch, etc

Not to minimize the pullouts, they are well designed and durable, but you might do just as well using gallon sized, zip lock freezer bags for organizing your small gear into kits. Use the freezer bags because they are more durable (thicker plastic) than the regular zip lock bags.

Larry

 

[Gobbler]

Another very very informative post. Thank you. I too pack all my gear in and just dress at the stand but my gear consists of an iwom or warmbag as I don't pack piles of cloths.

Here is an idea kind of what I'm looking at/want

Right so now take any other bag that does not have a meat shelf and imagine two compression straps there in place of the meat shelf in the pic. My point is you aren't limited to just the bags with built in shelves.

 

[Blinginpse]

I talked to kifaru today. What a super nice guy. Talked with him about differences in tactical and hunting frame then differences in the woodsman and the reckoning packs. The reckoning it's quit a bit larger for sure but I will say some of the strap features it offers I like more over the woodsman plus the zipper he was telling me about

 

[Jordan Budd]

I talked to kifaru today. What a super nice guy. Talked with him about differences in tactical and hunting frame then differences in the woodsman and the reckoning packs. The reckoning it's quit a bit larger for sure but I will say some of the strap features it offers I like more over the woodsman plus the zipper he was telling me about

I have a review of the reckoning on a sticky here in the backpack section. Just scroll to the top. Quite a few vids on YouTube as well.


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[Blinginpse]

I have a review of the reckoning on a sticky here in the backpack section. Just scroll to the top. Quite a few vids on YouTube as well.


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Just read it. Very good review! The 5000 main bag may be a little big but I like the double zipper and extra horizontal compression strap features of the reckoning pack over the woodsman.

I've just watched the exo 3500 pack review on the k2 frame. It looks like a very interesting pack to that would also suit my need likely pretty well but would likely go to 5000 just like stated in thread earlier can't make a pack have more room so better to have lil extra than not enough.

Kifaru said the pack and the frame would come in at about 6.5#. Which is pretty awesome I feel. Had him price me the pack the fram the grab it and the guide lid. Was a smudge more than I was expecting to spend. Also he said there is about a 3 week wait. So I may keep my eyes open here in the classifieds and hope to pick up some things light used. I do have cash in hand just the matter of finding the right pieces.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

What in the world are you packing in to hunt with, that you need a 5000+ CI pack for day hunting and hauling meat? Start deboning the meat and your current size pack should do great. You in no way need such a large pack. I carry deboned whitetails farther than most whitetail hunters, as i hunt in over a million acres of NF, and have gotten by with 3000 CI for a whole deboned deer and gear. For decades. Throw in a mat shelf option like I just bought with Kifaru, a 1750 CI Apollo pack with the meat shelf will be more than enough to carry a whole debond deer and gear.
There aren't many packs made that will carry a bone in whitetail and gear though. Start deboning the meat. God Bless

 

[Blinginpse]

What in the world are you packing in to hunt with, that you need a 5000+ CI pack for day hunting and hauling meat? Start deboning the meat and your current size pack should do great. You in no way need such a large pack. I carry deboned whitetails farther than most whitetail hunters, as i hunt in over a million acres of NF, and have gotten by with 3000 CI for a whole deboned deer and gear. For decades. Throw in a mat shelf option like I just bought with Kifaru, a 1750 CI Apollo pack with the meat shelf will be more than enough to carry a whole debond deer and gear.
There aren't many packs made that will carry a bone in whitetail and gear though. Start deboning the meat. God Bless

An iwom will fill up quite a bit in my badlands sacrifice in itself. Treesaddle does to. So I'm just going off of my experience of them. The main compartment of the badlands is not close to 3800". And while u are likely correct I don't need a pack that big. Guess I see it as person don't need chrome wheels over steel wheels on a vehicle or chrome door handles over regular door handles. Just a want and if I kill a elk in Canada in 2019 I'll need the extra room.

In the past I haven't deboned on account of purpose of just help keeping the meat clean and being more steady to pack. While
It does take up more room that's true. We half to keep proof of sex attached to rear quarter also so it's just been easier like that too.

Somebody send me these packs to look at if you think 5000 is overkill haha cause nobody here around home sales anything remotely even close to these brands we are talking about. So I'm going by what you gents are saying and trying to decipher what's best for me with what options I like on each pack. The exo and the kifaru are who I'm between though.

 

[austinphps]

If you're going to canada on an elk hunt in 2019 then save yourself the time and go withe the bigger pack from the get go.

I don't have experience with exo; but I will tell you that it was a close runner up - Kifaru won out because the store is close to where I live so I could actually go in and talk with the guys and try on the frames. Not to mention its badass reputation.

Will the apollo pack like WV work for whitetail hunting - im sure it will just fine. But if you aren't made out of money and you only have 1 choice - plan for the future a bit. Even if you use the reckoning to its full capacity once a year; i bet you won't be disappointed. And it really does compress for day mode well.

 

[Grambo]

You cant go wrong with Kifaru , Stone, Exo . I've been checking on boots also its a similar situation. All the top brand are great products and have their own best fit it just comes down to what you like best .I have both a Kifaru Mtn Warrior and a Exo 5500 K2 and they both work great.

 

[fngTony]

If you're going to canada on an elk hunt in 2019 then save yourself the time and go withe the bigger pack from the get go.

I don't have experience with exo; but I will tell you that it was a close runner up - Kifaru won out because the store is close to where I live so I could actually go in and talk with the guys and try on the frames. Not to mention its badass reputation.

Will the apollo pack like WV work for whitetail hunting - im sure it will just fine. But if you aren't made out of money and you only have 1 choice - plan for the future a bit. Even if you use the reckoning to its full capacity once a year; i bet you won't be disappointed. And it really does compress for day mode well.

I agree about the bigger pack. I live close to kifaru, rocky mountain specialty gear and 1shot gear. Tried alot of packs, ended up with a stone glacier, it was a tie with kifaru but 1shot gear had a setup in stock that I walked out with.

For the O.P after reading this whole thread I feel kifaru has endless options for your needs and you won't doubt their quality and reputation. Stone glacier is highly respected too just a younger brand that doesn't offer camo. While their bags are well thought out they are minimalist in design. Also the xcurve frame is curved. I've been playing around with mine and that curve doesn't seem ideal for large objects like you are needing to carry. It's ment for something that will conform like meat. The kifaru frame I tried (not sure what stays it had) matched my spine curvature but had a flatter area where you would strap stuff to it.

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[WV Mountaineer]

If he said somewhere this was a multiple use pack purchase, I didn't see that. Possibly because I didn't read the whole thread. I read what he said in his opening. He needed a pack for carrying out a whitetail and his gear. Being I've done that a time or twenty, I couldn't fathom the need for such a large pack. I'm sure not made of money and believe in getting the most for every dollar I spend too.


To the OP, I'd prefer to leave the bone in as well. It makes the meat so much more tender versus cutting it off the bone before rigamortis. But, it ain't feasible when you've got several miles to get it out. It accounts for too many trips when left bone in. I still don't see you getting your gear and deer on one trip in a huge pack unless you debone it. Good luck and God Bless

 

[austinphps]

I have been tooting the horn for Kifaru but this still might be available in the classifieds...the bag/frame anyway...looks like some pockets sold

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/rokslide-classifieds/71950-sg-sky-5900-xcurve-frame-avail-2200-a.html

 

[fngTony]

Yes, I bought the pockets but not the waist belt pockets

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[Blinginpse]

I have been tooting the horn for Kifaru but this still might be available in the classifieds...the bag/frame anyway...looks like some pockets sold

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/rokslide-classifieds/71950-sg-sky-5900-xcurve-frame-avail-2200-a.html

If I pay 650$ for a setup I'll pay 779 and get exactly what I want new lol

 

[Blinginpse]

Would that frame fit another kind of bag?

I've asked a price for what's left and pics too

 

[camping1601]

I've exactly done what your looking to do with both the EXO 5500 and a 26'' Kifaru with a Kuiu 6000 bag on it. I fit my Sitka Fanatic set, vest, harness, and all the other crap it takes to sit for the day and still put an entire bone in 3 1/2 yr old buck inside.
Put an even bigger buck in the Kuifaru 6000 last season minus one front quarter (thank you wife).
One thing I would suggest is a side zip of some sort because a top loader of these sizes can be a pita in a treestand. There kind of a bottomless pit.