New pack

[Mike7]

Looking back, now that I have a T2, I would have skipped all of my prior hunting/camo packs and my Dana Designs backpack (good pack but too short for people over 5'10 wanting to carry a heavy load) and would have just stuck with a Kelty or Osprey until I could afford a Kifaru. The Kelty's and Osprey it seems can be found for really good deals at times (used, last year's models, REI dent and ding sale, etc.). A Kifaru T2 or UL 5200 for instance at $550-$600 is $300 more at most than these other hunting/camo packs, which are packs that will very likely get replaced, while functional Kelty, etc packs can be obtained for less than $150. Golite even has some nice packs (less than $100 new) that compress to nothing and weigh nothing if you're mostly looking for daypack functionality. These could certaily carry out a 1/2 a deer I would think but are not designed for really heavy loads. My wife has a medium Golite pack and has carried 45 lbs anyway with good comfort.

 

[Ross]

I purchased the horn hunter full curl this spring for shed hunting on Tines Up. It is a very nice pack for the $$. It is comfortable, has plenty of pockets and well designed. That being said, I also purchased the new Kifrau T3 for hunting specific. The Kifaru pack is the most comfortable pack I have worn, is very functional and extremely well designed. If you can hold out, wait for a Kifaru and if not, the Horn Hunter would treat you well and save some coin.

 

[swat8888]

I've got a buddy whose used an osprey for several years, seems to work great for him even with 100lb plus loads.

 

[broncoformudv]

I've got a buddy whose used an osprey for several years, seems to work great for him even with 100lb plus loads.

Same here, my buddy swears by his and I have watched him haul out over a 100lbs in it and it carried it like a champ. Super light packs as well.

 

[Nick Muche]

I purchased the horn hunter full curl this spring for shed hunting on Tines Up. It is a very nice pack for the $$. It is comfortable, has plenty of pockets and well designed. That being said, I also purchased the new Kifrau T3 for hunting specific. The Kifaru pack is the most comfortable pack I have worn, is very functional and extremely well designed. If you can hold out, wait for a Kifaru and if not, the Horn Hunter would treat you well and save some coin.

How did the Horn Hunter work in terms of being able to attach shed's to it.. I am still looking for the perfect pack to shed hunt with. I have a T2, but would like something with plenty of places to attach sheds.

 

[ohhiitznik]

That T2 with lashing straps would work great for carrying sheds. My old full curl frame would've done well hauling sheds too. Neither has a real advantage. I would say save the cash and get the strap kit and use your T2

 

[hunting1]

The HH has a shelf and wings, so it is great for meat, sheds, etc. It is not a Kifaru, but it is a US made pack that is a good pack. I will keep mine even after I order the T2. I had a G2 Long Hunter/DT3 and I kept the HH if it matters, but packs are like boots or fit different people in different ways. I picked mine off of Fair Chase for $179.00.

 

[2ski]

Well, I guess it pays off to live in the town that they make Mystery Ranch in.....if I had a shorter frame. There's actually quite a few Dana Design/Mystery Ranch packs at the local sporting goods consignment store here in Bozeman, however, all but one were ski packs. There is a hunting pack for sale for $246. Unless the hunting pack is adjustable, its not quite long enough for me. Looks to be a precurser to the NICE frame? At least from watching the video online, looks like the NICE frame has one big frame sheet adjuster, but this pack I was looking at has one metal bar in the middle of the back. Barely used pack too. The only way you could tell it was used was some little fuzzy purple balls from a stocking cap or something inside one of the pockets, and the guy left a compass, lens pen, and his old elk tags/concervation license in one of the pockets too.

There were two Eberlestocks and an older Blacks creek that didn't look to have too much support for hauling. On the plus side, they had a fishing rod rack that holds 36 rods out in their box of free stuff that I nabbed. Not that I'll ever have 36 fishing rods, but I guess we have to have goals.

 

[hammer0419]

Absolutely nothing made today fits and carries like a Kifaru. NOTHING! Yes they are VERY expensive. But once you have one on your back, the price is forgotten. Most all these other brands I refer to as "ONE SIZE FITS SOME" packs. Unfortunately I am on the THICK side! Having a pack belt that does not even come close to wrapping around me correctly is useless. If you can get a comfortable pack in the $200 range buy it. However, I would never consider dropping upwardes of $400 on an off the shelf pack. Search forsale forums or save a bit longer and buy a Kifaru.

 

[sk1]

i also agree checking out the horn hunter full curl, I absolutely cannot say from experience of use...however I looked at getting one myself and it gives you lots of options, from a day pack to a 4-7 day trip depending whether you buy the full system or not....and if you only need a day pack, you can always buy the rest of the system later and use it for a few years while saving for a really nice pack. lots of options with the full curl

 

[dcestnik]

I have a horn hunter furl curl for sale if you're interested. Its a good pack but my kifaru dt3 and load panel keeps it at home.

 

[Aron Snyder]

In this photo I have a full body moose cape in my DT1. When we weighed my pack it was 173 pounds and I packed it for a mile and a half. It wasn't my moose, but when we loaded the cape in a couple other packs.....things started to break, so I ended up packing it out to the trail head.

This is the 7th pack out this season and most of these loads exceeded 100lbs and I used my DT1 for all of them. Other than the smell, it still looks like new