Pack help - heavy ruck & whitetail

[Migrator]

Hey everyone - I’m in need of a pack recommendation. I’ve been rucking with a GR Rucker and 50-65lbs of plates. It’s great but starting to get to my shoulders on longer duration hikes - I often bring my young boys which makes for 30-45 minute miles. I typically do 12-15 miles a week with varying loads so I’m fine to spend some money. I believe in spending as much as necessary, but as little as possible and I’m having a hard time making sense of the options.

I’m looking for a pack that can comfortably handle 50-70lbs for rucking and double as a whitetail daypack - easy access to calls/water/gloves/binos and ability to pack heavy coat/bibs.

From the looks of it the kifaru stryker xl / ark combo fits the bill. But it’s crazy expensive. The exo k4 2200 seems close but wondering if it’d be too small for cold hunts.

I thought about just getting a belt for the Rucker but suspect a frame/lifters would be better for me since I carry 50+ mostly.

Welcome any and all recos.

 

[Seeknelk]

I use an older exo 5500 for EVERYTHING. Mostly day hunt for me but usually a backpack hunt or two each year. Turkey, bear,.whitetail, mule deer, wolf, coyote, half day hunts etc. It cover the cold season well when I'm bringing puffy pants and upsize the puffy coat along with 88 spotter, tripod, crampons, lunch, 3 liters of water etc up into steep, high mule deer hunts. And works just as well going glass for bear for a few hrs.
I also use it for training on the local hill. Usually use a 40# bag of salt. Don't stuff plates in bags anymore, they can wear holes etc. Ive hauled plenty of loads north of 100# without issue but it's getting worn after 10 years. I'll probably get a new k4. I hear good things.

 

[Article 4]

I have run many of the top brands. Recommend you go hands in a few if you can and ensure what you pick fits your body first, then worry about brand

I currently run Stone Glacier. fits me nearly perfectly

 

[Ridgerunner338]

I run a Kifaru Hellbender. Works very well for whitetails back east and everything I hunt in the west plus it's easy to use for pack training. Just strap weight in and go. I would recommend trying the packs on if you can. Sometimes your build won't work with a pack design. I know Mystery Ranch does not fit me worth a darn.

 

[mtnbound]

Hey everyone - I’m in need of a pack recommendation. I’ve been rucking with a GR Rucker and 50-65lbs of plates. It’s great but starting to get to my shoulders on longer duration hikes - I often bring my young boys which makes for 30-45 minute miles. I typically do 12-15 miles a week with varying loads so I’m fine to spend some money. I believe in spending as much as necessary, but as little as possible and I’m having a hard time making sense of the options.

I’m looking for a pack that can comfortably handle 50-70lbs for rucking and double as a whitetail daypack - easy access to calls/water/gloves/binos and ability to pack heavy coat/bibs.

From the looks of it the kifaru stryker xl / ark combo fits the bill. But it’s crazy expensive. The exo k4 2200 seems close but wondering if it’d be too small for cold hunts.

I thought about just getting a belt for the Rucker but suspect a frame/lifters would be better for me since I carry 50+ mostly.

Welcome any and all recos.

The EXO is great, I have both the 3600 and 2200 and either will do what you need and the meat shelf is an easy place to stash extra bulky gear if you go with the 2200. You can also add a lid to the 2200 and get more room. I would probably say to go with the 3600 for a better all around pack.


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[ResearchinStuff]

I use a stone glacier sky archer for those purposes, have also used a k4 7200 in that role. Any stone glacier or exo can do what you're talking about and do it well.

Having a real frame while whitetail hunting is also quite handy for extraction.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

Personally, I love Kifaru frames. But, have only cared for three of their bags I’ve owned. Mostly because the flippin’ things flop around unless you’ve got them stuffed.





I’ve had the Stryker, the hellbender, the Apollo, several 22 mags, the mountain warrior, the 44 mag, and three or four others. The only bags they’ve ever made I care for are the woodsman for day hunting and packing game out. And my DT2 and 3 for backpacking trips with the family.


Exo I have zero experience with.


Many eastern guys love the hellbender. It ain’t bad if you intend to carry stuff in the meat shelf packing in to hunt.

Personally, carrying gear in the meat shelf makes zero sense to me. I use my packs to haul gear and deer in one trip. I’m not interested in making multiple trips because I’m hauling gear in my heat shelf instead of meat.

 

[98XJRC]

I use an Exo K4 5k for both day, weekend trips, and rucking. Cinches down when I don’t need the space and also allows me to go for extended trips without an issue. I live and hunt primarily in Pa.

The K4 frame does everything I need it to and then some. I have no regrets

 

[Migrator]

Appreciate the perspectives here, thanks all. I think I'm just going to have to order a bunch of packs and see which one sticks. And hopefully get the returns in before the wife has a chance to see the credit card bill.

 

[corey.keen]

I run a Kifaru Hellbender. Works very well for whitetails back east and everything I hunt in the west plus it's easy to use for pack training. Just strap weight in and go. I would recommend trying the packs on if you can. Sometimes your build won't work with a pack design. I know Mystery Ranch does not fit me worth a darn.

Yep! The Hellbender has been a great workhorse for me rucking, carrying gear, and toting out whitetails. The fit was Thankfully I had an opportunity to try on a few sizes and the medium fit me like a glove.

 

[prm]

Pick up a used Stryker XL (or Hellbender) with a Duplex frame. Look on FB Kifaru Insiders. One there today for $425. At 50lbs there will still be zero to very little weight on your shoulders. It’s a great pack.

I had a Duplex and K4, and now an Ark. I would need to use them in a back to back comparison to discern any difference (I did that with Ark and K4). The Duplex is a proven frame.

 

[Crews]

You’re definitely on the right track with a full frame. I have the exact same uses as you. Originally started with a Stone Glacier Kiowa, internal frame large day pack with actual hip belt and load carrying capability. But comfort started falling off over 30lbs during rucks. I added a full Stone Glacier frame. I just use the frame and load shelf by itself for rucking and it’s way better. The Kiowa can be used by itself for EDC/travel/section hikes, or quickly adapted to use on the frame. Finally, I can plus up to serious volume with a lid and dry bag on the load shelf, Kiowa as large compression panel.

Stone Glacier works for me but I am talking more about the overall concept of modularity. Seek Outside, Kifaru, Exo… pick your poison.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Do you spike camp for Whitetails? If not why do you need a pack bigger than an Exo 2200 for cold hunts? I am down to using no pack at all for Whitetails. I just lash any extra clothes i might need stuffed inside a dry bag to my LWCG .5 and hike in whatever miles are necessary. Need to layer up pull whatever i need out and put it on. Shove it back in the dry bag for the walk back out.

But anyways, if you must haul a heavy pack out for whitetails put all the do dads, trinkets and the kitchen sink in the Exo bag then all your xtra cold weather clothes in between the bag and the frame in your meat shelf. I own an Exo and have used it in such a way if you need more than what that would hold and you’re just walking in and out same day you need to evaluate what you’re hauling out there.

But i’d have to imagine an Exo 2200 stuffed full and then utilizing the meat shelf would be WAY MORE than enough for a whitetail hunt if it’s just hike in and hike out.

 

[Szwampdonkey]

Personally, I love Kifaru frames. But, have only cared for three of their bags I’ve owned. Mostly because the flippin’ things flop around unless you’ve got them stuffed.





I’ve had the Stryker, the hellbender, the Apollo, several 22 mags, the mountain warrior, the 44 mag, and three or four others. The only bags they’ve ever made I care for are the woodsman for day hunting and packing game out. And my DT2 and 3 for backpacking trips with the family.


Exo I have zero experience with.


Many eastern guys love the hellbender. It ain’t bad if you intend to carry stuff in the meat shelf packing in to hunt.

Personally, carrying gear in the meat shelf makes zero sense to me. I use my packs to haul gear and deer in one trip. I’m not interested in making multiple trips because I’m hauling gear in my heat shelf instead of meat.

The average eastern whitetail hunter travels less than a mile. Leaving your frame pack in the truck if they even have one is quite common. The only gear you need for a whitetail hunt 1-3 miles from the truck is bow, stand, sticks, binos, and the clothes you got on. Maybe a warmer insulation layer lashed to the stand if it’s cold. It doesn’t make a lot of sense to just haul a frame pack around day after day after day in case you get a deer when you only have a short walk back to the truck to grab your frame back.

I hunted 63 days this year anywhere from 50 yards from my truck to 5 miles away. No way was i lugging my frame pack, kill kit, and game bags all over the place. My stand/sticks weigh just a hair over 10lbs and that’s all that was on my shoulders all season. Killed 4 deer, walked out, picked up my son, got something to eat, walked back out and recovered the deer. Only one required my frame pack and quartering to get them out due to remote and difficult to access location. Pretty typical of Eastern Whitetail.

 

[jstraf]

Exo k4 5500 for everything I do. I never feel like it’s too large. I don’t backpack in, always day hunting and I think the size is great.


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