New Pack ?

[timmy_ar]

Wondering what you guys would suggest for a pack. We are planning a base camp with hike in daily unless need be over night stay. Wanting something big enough to carry normal gear with extra meal and over night sleep neccessaties. Also wanting to be able to attach bow for hiking. Not planning on breaking the bank either. We were looking at Alpz Pursuit, but wanted to see what else we may be overlooking. Thanks

Tim

 

[COlineman78]

The answer to this question is usually Tenzing or Badlands. They are generally considered the best under $200. That being said, Alps makes some great products for the money and I think they are often overlooked. I have one of their tents and they might not be the lightest or strongest, but they're good enough and I'll take the 80% solution if it saves me that much money as long as the sacrifices are made in the right places (in the case of the tent it was weight). Now, the only thing I would say is that you won't be able to haul any meat with that pack, but what we do when day hunting is bring some old external frame backpacking packs to camp and use them if we have to cause you usually aren't that far in.

 

[timmy_ar]

Awesome thanks. I may just try to get a pack frame from ebay or craigslist just for the meat purpose.

 

[aion2come]

Shoot me a PM. I have a badlands 2800 I don't need anymore and would sell. Great comfortable pack. Has functional load lifters. With the batwings, can haul out elk quarters. Nice pack. Would throw in a water bladder too.

I'd shy away from ALPS. Had a friend use one last year and hated it because it had no load lifters.

 

[mrbillbrown]

For the price point a Horn Hunter Full Curl System would take care of you for a very long time.

 

[Cory Arola]

I have a Gregory Baltoro I am trying to sell.

 

[couesbitten]

I second what mrbillbrown said, Horn Hunter Full Curl is a real good pack, functional load lifters, made in USA, and can be purchased in a few configurations.

 

[WRM]

If your going to look on Ebay, add a Dana Design (now Mystery Ranch) in the loadmaster series (T1 or shortbed being your best bets). You can remove the bag if you like and use a small dry bag cinched to frame as a day pack, but it gives you the option of a serious load hauler if you need it. I added an Alaska Range freighter bag to mine to hold light stuff on the pack in and then use as my day pack once camp set up.

If you are lucky you can catch a pack on Ebay for around $100. Usually it will be a shortbed. These bags are often overlooked in the rush to "new stuff", but they remain one of the best load hauler designs ever made due to the wands. Let me know if you are interested and I can PM you more info.

Just realized you were talking about the Pursuit, not the Commander. The Dana probably is overkill for what you are looking for.

 

[swdale]

Hi. If you are still looking, I have a Badlands 2200, basically new. shoot me a pm if you are interested. best of luck

 

[Bubblehide]

I strongly suggest that you save up for one of the high end hunting packs (Stone Glacier, Kifaru, Exo...). If you need something now, I suggest you try to get away with whatever is cheapest, that will work. If your set on buying something you think will work, try used here, there are lots of pack that come up, including one I have here: http://www.rokslide.com/forums/show...-V69-Destroyer-hunting-pack-in-military-green
It's not a high end pack, as I recommend, but ti will get the job done, and it is new.

 

[Matt W.]

You can buy the Stone Glacier Krux frame with a 3 piece belt for $335. Gets ya into a solid pack system. You can then use dry bags and compression sacks, and utilize the load shelf to get ya through a season or two. Then buy a bag as funds allow or you find a deal. You can do the same thing with Exo, but you gotta call to get the price for the frame by itself. Then use their $50 Load Panel Beaver Tail and you have the same sort of deal. I've seen guys do this with Kifaru packs, even Barney Frame packs. Its a cheaper way to get a solid foundation you can build from and not lose money on. Buying a cheap pack is money away, you rarely get your $$ back on that.... Just a thought and the way I have helped a few guys get set up who didn't want to drop $500+ to start out..... If you call any of these companies they can walk you through it.

I wasted some money finding the right pack and wouldn't wish that on anyone....

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Check out my post #5. http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?40548-Guide-lid-Grab-it-II-without-pack

 

[bhylton]

another option would be looking at some used "backpacking" packs like osprey, gregory, old dana designs, arcterix ect. buddy of mine has used an old dana designs for 15 years. not new and fancy by todays standards but its packed at least a dozen elk

 

[bcimport]

Buy a good used high end pack.

 

[husky390]

Buy a good used high end pack.

I wish I had done this or saved up for a high end pack. It would've save me time and money. OP, I'd keep an eye on the classifieds for a used Kifaru or Stone Glacier pack or even just the frame as another suggested. I'd also recommend the Hill People Gear Ute. Those can be had for $300 used and is a solid, comfortable pack.

 

[timmy_ar]

Thanks for all the info guys. I just bought a Tenzing TZ3000 over the weekend.