New Sitka pack

[2ski]

Saw at the bha event in bozeman Friday there is a new Sitka pack out that's made to take on some weight. Some interesting features. Haven't paid much attention. Maybe I missed something that's been discussed already. Anyone have any experiences. I want to say the retail he quoted me was around 600.

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[Pronghunter]

IMO.....another useless Sitka pack. Frame doesn’t separate from pack. Why in the world would someone stuff meat inside their bag and have to find another way to carry all their gear?? Just don’t understand their thinking on this.

 

[PNWTO]

IMO.....another useless Sitka pack. Frame doesn’t separate from pack. Why in the world would someone stuff meat inside their bag and have to find another way to carry all their gear?? Just don’t understand their thinking on this.

There are a good deal of end-users who don't use meat shelves or similiar features, including a lot of people on this site.

Trip #1 Stuff meat and camp into bag and suffer it all out.

Trip #2+ Bring essentials only and pack meat for a little less suffering.

Not criticizing your opinion but Sitka not offering a dedicated shelf option probably won't be seen as a negative by many. One has to remember that most hunters in reality will use their hot shit 3K-5K+ bag as a day pack and get the meat out with their wheelbarrow.

 

[Pronghunter]

There are a good deal of end-users who don't use meat shelves or similiar features, including a lot of people on this site.

Trip #1 Stuff meat and camp into bag and suffer it all out.

Trip #2+ Bring essentials only and pack meat for a little less suffering.

Not criticizing your opinion but Sitka not offering a dedicated shelf option probably won't be seen as a negative by many. One has to remember that most hunters in reality will use their hot shit 3K-5K+ bag as a day pack and get the meat out with their wheelbarrow.

I totally understand what you’re saying. It just seems for that price range, why would a guy not buy a pack that is even lighter weight and can be used as a day pack, 10 day trip pack, and carry meat out all at the same time? Then you didn’t spend anymore money, you’re not suffering with your first pack out and it can do anything and everything in one pack for the same price and or lighter weight? That’s all I was saying.

 

[RustyHazen]

A pack with the meat and gear inside the bag will carry infinitely more comfortably than meat on a load shelf and then all of your gear hanging 3 feet behind you. I Think Aron Snyder would agree with this, and he's probably packed out more critters than just about anyone on here. Some people just prefer simplicity in their packs, not a lot of transformer re-configuring. I still run the the original Kifaru Timberline 1, which is all one piece. Also, a one piece bag will always be lighter than the same design of bag/frame combo. I'm just saying that if you talk to enough guys about packs, you'll be surprised at what some guys prefer, and some consider "useless."

 

[Kevin_t]

I've packed more critters with a integrated bag than on a load shelf .. just happens to be what I took with me. I don't too hung up either way

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I don’t get hung up either because most of the time it doesn’t matter - I’ve done it both ways, and depending on your load, etc both ways can make sense. Shelfs are a preference rather than a requirement.

I will say people act like a meat shelf pack ends up WAY behind you - in reality gear typically fits around the thin dry bag of meat, assuming you manage how you compress it - if your bag is TOTALLY stuffed with gear than you’re cantilevering yourself out. It could happen, but that depends on your bag and stuff.




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[bmart2622]

I prefer a load shelf for capacity purposes more than anything. I hate a huge pack compressed down and a load shelf allows me to run a smaller overall CI pack than I would need if I had to have abag big enough for gear and meat

 

[Pronghunter]

A pack with the meat and gear inside the bag will carry infinitely more comfortably than meat on a load shelf and then all of your gear hanging 3 feet behind you. I Think Aron Snyder would agree with this, and he's probably packed out more critters than just about anyone on here."

I would have to disagree on the first and second half of this statement. But that’s why they make different style packs. There’s definitely different styles of hunters

 

[Pronghunter]

Some people just prefer simplicity in their packs, not a lot of transformer re-configuring.

That is the whole idea behind packs such as that SG and EXO. Their simplicity and very little reconfiguring. You don’t have to move all your gear around and or remove it and then find a way to pack it back in when the bag is full of meat. Takes about 4 min to load your pack.

 

[Pronghunter]

if your bag is TOTALLY stuffed with gear than you’re cantilevering yourself out. It could happen, but that depends on your bag and stuff.

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The way that we hunt on our 10 to 12 day back country hunts (elk moose sheep or goats) our 5500 or 7500 in.³ packs are always stuffed to the max so carrying meat out on the load shelf is the only way to do it. Would be impossible to stuff meat inside your bag. You would be holding clothing along with the rest of your gear in your hands walking out.

 

[sneaky]

IMO.....another useless Sitka pack. Frame doesn’t separate from pack. Why in the world would someone stuff meat inside their bag and have to find another way to carry all their gear?? Just don’t understand their thinking on this.

Most Kifaru bags don't have meat shelves....

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[wind gypsy]

I don't follow the logic that a meat shelf puts your load out further than stuffing meat in the bag. The meat, your gear, and your bag fit between the frame and compression straps regardless. It's not like one way makes your gear require more or less space.

 

[Jardo]

I don't follow the logic that a meat shelf puts your load out further than stuffing meat in the bag. The meat, your gear, and your bag fit between the frame and compression straps regardless. It's not like one way makes your gear require more or less space.

True dat bro! Lol. Funny how we can't ever get away from basic physics.


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[mt100gr.]

Agree with the last two posts. Putting meat on the shelf doesn't move your load more than a few inches back. No different really than cramming it all in the bag. If you have fairly light gear in there and pack it intelligently with the lightest stuff against the rear-most panel and the heavy stuff up and close to your shoulders, the balance difference is negligible in my experience. Keep your weapon close to frame...bows are trickier here, yes.

I have done it both ways. Last year, on a second load with it snowing sideways, the load shelf worked out pretty nicely. Show up, pull the bag away from the frame drop in the meat snug it down and go!! No need to OCD unpack-repack in the blizzard.

 

[RustyHazen]

So if your bag is actually flush against your frame, it isn't closer to you than if there is a full bag of meat in between, and then a full bag of gear behind it? That's impossible. Look at the pictures on the pack makers own sites. Everyone has a pic of a full meat shelf with a full bag behind it. WAY behind it. There's no denying that produces a wider profile than just a full bag flush against the frame. That's all I'm saying. Of course the meat shelf works, and I realize it's definitely the popular trend now. But you can't say that every other bag (most Kifaru's) and way of packing are useless.
For a solo guy, your talking several trips out with an elk anyway. A little gear at a time doesn't make more work. If your in deep, it's probably not going to all happen on the same day, anyway. Half the time, I leave my camp there anyway, because I know I'll be spending the night back there to finish the job in the morning with trips 3 and 4, or whatever. With deer, I can fit all my gear, food, clothing, rifle etc. and a whole boned-out muley in my Timberline 1. One brutal trip, no meat shelf.
I'm not trying to be argumentative, just saying countless thousands of animals have been packed out just fine without a meat shelf.

Lastly, Aron Snyder has mentioned on several occasions that he is not a fan of the meat shelf. That's why the majority of bags they design don't have them. Some do. Something for everyone, I guess.

 

[wind gypsy]

So if your bag is actually flush against your frame, it isn't closer to you than if there is a full bag of meat in between, and then a full bag of gear behind it? That's impossible. Look at the pictures on the pack makers own sites. Everyone has a pic of a full meat shelf with a full bag behind it. WAY behind it. There's no denying that produces a wider profile than just a full bag flush against the frame. That's all I'm saying. Of course the meat shelf works, and I realize it's definitely the popular trend now. But you can't say that every other bag (most Kifaru's) and way of packing are useless.
For a solo guy, your talking several trips out with an elk anyway. A little gear at a time doesn't make more work. If your in deep, it's probably not going to all happen on the same day, anyway. Half the time, I leave my camp there anyway, because I know I'll be spending the night back there to finish the job in the morning with trips 3 and 4, or whatever. With deer, I can fit all my gear, food, clothing, rifle etc. and a whole boned-out muley in my Timberline 1. One brutal trip, no meat shelf.
I'm not trying to be argumentative, just saying countless thousands of animals have been packed out just fine without a meat shelf.

Lastly, Aron Snyder has mentioned on several occasions that he is not a fan of the meat shelf. That's why the majority of bags they design don't have them. Some do. Something for everyone, I guess.

Impossible? So given that your meat and gear is all compressed with the same amount of pressure from compression straps pulling towards the frame, you are saying that the pack bag, meat, or your gear somehow becomes thicker when using a load shelf than it would have been if it was all inside the bag?

Yes, the fabric of your bag will start farther from the frame when using a load sling, but there is no reason the outside of the bag should be significantly further from the frame in either configuration. Obviously both methods work and it's personal preference.

 

[RustyHazen]

Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6200

I hope this link will work..

No, I'm saying (as in the picture showing the loaded meat shelf), If you have sixty pounds of meat in a load shelf, backed up by a 40 pound pack full of gear, you have 100 pounds. Right? That will be more awkward than and "feel" heavier than 100 pounds of meat and gear in a bag together right against your back. It IS thicker. Look at the picture. It's like picking up a 45 pound bar at the gym in the middle or by one end. They're both 45 pounds, but one feels infinitely heavier, doesn't it? I'm not saying it's a monster difference, but I don't understand continuing to say that they're exactly the same. The further the weight is from you, the heavier it "feels."

 

[MT_Wyatt]

So if your bag is actually flush against your frame, it isn't closer to you than if there is a full bag of meat in between, and then a full bag of gear behind it? That's impossible. Look at the pictures on the pack makers own sites. Everyone has a pic of a full meat shelf with a full bag behind it. WAY behind it. There's no denying that produces a wider profile than just a full bag flush against the frame. That's all I'm saying. Of course the meat shelf works, and I realize it's definitely the popular trend now. But you can't say that every other bag (most Kifaru's) and way of packing are useless.

Yes it can be done with ways, totally agree and can appreciate what you are saying. But it’s sure as hell not physically impossible.

Meat+gear = a certain volume. Only thing changing between the scenarios is where the volume and weight is packed. Like I said earlier, whether the dry bag goes in the pack or on the shelf, if you aren’t totally maxed on gear in the bag, you can distribute them to negate the cantilever effect if you know what you’re doing.

When you look at pictures you aren’t looking at what happens real life in the field, at least for me. But pics like mystery ranch shows for the overload shelf match exactly what you are saying - if you have a totally full pack bag, then you’re really getting that weight back away from yourself when carrying a bone-in quarter, for example.

Pack manufacturers stuff those bags to look totally full and clean, dry bag included, which looks ridiculous. What really happens depends on how you pack the meat in the dry bag - I like the shelves on the larger packs because my overall packed volume doesn’t change, meat in or out of the bag. But I never max out my backpack with gear. So my overall pack looks just like if I had used the full volume of the bag itself.

I would summarize like this - if you’re using the shelf on a 6000ish pack with a totally full pack bag, it’s gonna get away from your back, more so with daypack size bags. But if you’re able to distribute the meat and your gear to maximize its projected area/coverage on the frame, then the depth of that shape is minimized, with the densest loaf against your back.

Like you said - good we have options, and they have to work for your style.


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[wind gypsy]

Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6200

I hope this link will work..

No, I'm saying (as in the picture showing the loaded meat shelf), If you have sixty pounds of meat in a load shelf, backed up by a 40 pound pack full of gear, you have 100 pounds. Right? That will be more awkward than and "feel" heavier than 100 pounds of meat and gear in a bag together right against your back. It IS thicker. Look at the picture. It's like picking up a 45 pound bar at the gym in the middle or by one end. They're both 45 pounds, but one feels infinitely heavier, doesn't it? I'm not saying it's a monster difference, but I don't understand continuing to say that they're exactly the same. The further the weight is from you, the heavier it "feels."

Like MT_Wyatt covered, you can't compare a full bag to a full bag + item on shelf. If your bag is full you aren't putting meat in it. If anything strapping meat to a shelf ensures the center of gravity stays closer to you.