Need a new day pack meat hauler

[TheBaileyForest]

Hey all long time lurker first time caller.

I’ve hauled many elk out in a mil surplus pack the last one made me realize my 53 year old back deserves better.

I’ve been looking for a used kuiu pro 3600 but what else would you all recommend I look at?

I’d like something I can use for a day pack but still plenty capable to haul quarters.


Thanks

 

[TheBaileyForest]

 

[Tahr]

IA with lid and meat paneer.

 

[bergie]

Exo with the smallest bag. Stand up company and the pack is fantastic under load

 

[Firehawk]

Exo K4 with the 2200 bag. Perfect for all day hunts and a real frame to come out heavy. Even an older K3 with the 2000 bag would be great. Used mine for years. Just gave it to my Son in Law for his birthday.

You can thank me later.

 

[dgfavor]

Mod frame or Mainframe with a lid and single large batwing has been $$ for me.

 

[87TT]

EXO (K2, K3 or K4) with a midsize bag. they cinch down small for day use and if you want to spike out you're set.

 

[Blacktip]

Just ordered the Kuiu Pro Divide 4500,
On sale, for a sizeable discount

 

[Deadspace]

Exo k4 2200 is pretty solid. The frame handled my moose quarters last year pretty well. The new kifaru 22 mag looks pretty good too but I haven’t personally used the new arc frame.

 

[Wilderlife]

I've hiked out countless heavy loads with the Exo K2 5500, and the Kifaru Duplex Lite frame (wither either the Reckoning or Stryker XL). If you're just after a day pack that can haul big loads, it's hard to go past the Stryker XL to be honest.

 

[TheBaileyForest]

Thanks all for the replies there is just too many options and living in nowhere Iowa not like I can try a bunch on to see what I really like

 

[isleofGough]

Exo is certainly the most popular these days. If you want a more rigid frame, look at IA or Kifaru. Elk are heavy. I would decide which of the three frames you like best and consider the future of the companies.

 

[wowzers]

I use a Hellbender for what you’re describing. My only issue is that the 25” frame isn’t optimal for a taller people like me. I really wish that had made the new frame taller.

 

[Rigby 416]

I use an Eberlestock Team Elk pack and have been very happy with it. Very versatile and comfortable.

 

[rumblefunk]

Mystery Ranch Popup 38 works pretty good for me. It can fit a hind quarter or dry bag in its storage area. It’s limited to a relatively low payload of like 80lbs but that’s fine for me. My knees don’t want to carry more than that anyway. It’s nice how it crunches down really slim when you’re not hauling too.

 

[shax2lex]

If you want wanted a really lite hauler and day hunt, get an EXO K4 with the crib panel, put some molle bags on the webbing, and use a lid. Or just use the panel and lid.

 

[MTBlazer89]

Kifaru Styker XL or the Exo K4 with the 2200-3400 bag. Both are amazing packs and compress down fairly compact. The Stryker is also super simple expandable meat shelf system

 

[Old3Toe]

So many good choices and suggestions. I tasted the Kifaru kool-aide and found much satisfaction with the Hellbender too. I'd kept an old external frame on life support for waaaaaaay to long and packed out many a heavy load, and suffered accordingly. Now my ARK frame Hellbender combo is a full light year ahead of where I was. It's really a meat hauler with a day pack attached. Not vis-versa. Strappy yes, floppy no. Capable? Absolutely!

 

[mtwarden]

For the lightest setup, yet plenty capable of hauling 100-ish lb loads, I'd look at the Seek Outside Revolution frame w/ one of their day packs (20 or 38 liters)—dependant on how much capacity you need for your day hunts.

You can also keep frame extenders in the bag until needed, this gives you a slightly shorter pack until you need to lengthen it for heavy loads.

 

[wapitibob]

I had to build my own. The SG load shelf is the best I've seen so I added a custom day bag made by member Pods8 to their frame.