Pack help!

[Vtsheddog]

Ok guys, bear with me here.... I am a moose hunting guide, moose shed hunting fanatic and a member of the VT army guard mountain unit. Looking for a pack to suit as many of my needs as possible. Right now I use an old blacks creek 2000ci pack for day hunting and I have a cabelas Alaskan outfitter for packing meat and shed hunting. I've been using the issued army ruck sack and an eberlestock x2 for military duties. I've been looking at a barneys freighter which would take care of my moose hunting and shed hunting needs but wouldn't help as a military use pack. The other pack I've been looking at is a kifaru hunting frame and a bag to be named later (hopefully by some experienced individuals on here can help). What do I really want? Aaaannnnndddd go!


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[Blackcow]

Kifaru tactical frame with EMR2.

 

[7mag.]

Kifaru tactical frame with EMR2.

That's what I was going to say. Not much the EMR2 can't do.

 

[crmiller84]

Or AMR. Both awesome packs.

 

[Justin Crossley]

For what you're describing, I think I would go with the EMR II or the DT1.

 

[luke moffat]

If you are looking at hauling moose quarters on the bone at all I would really only focus on the Kifaru EMR 2 or maybe the AMR if wanting to go with a pack from Kifaru. The DT1 IMO isn't that shed hunting friendly as compared to the EMR 2 or the Nomad (which I dislike as a pack but thats another thread), or the AMR, or even the Kifaru duplex frame with the cargo panel would work for both hauling quarters and shed hunting.

The AMR is large enough to fit moose quarters on the bone in and out without too much trouble. The DT1 has a smaller opening into the packbag and it can be done.....but it can also be kind of a pain.

The EMR 2 is far and away my favorite pack from the Kifaru line up. Sure its slightly less than 1.25 pounds heavier than Kifaru's lightest packbag for the Duplex frame (Markhor) but it gives you A LOT more options in my opinion from hauling anything and everything you'd want to strap in/on to a pack.

You can strap a couple bulky things like moose antlers or in this case packrafts to the outside and then put your "geer" haha inside the main bag like I did in this video:
https://vimeo.com/94075665

Pic here:


A few weeks ago for exactly I hauled a bulky 9'+ brown bear hide out with mine:



Or big able to make gear hauls with duffle bags and such with out having to unload them and such if transporting a bunch of gear by foot:


Or a full goat hide strapped to the outside with day hunt gear inside. Strapping and unstrapping to the outside is much faster and cleaner than sliding heavy meat bags or awkward animals hides in and out of the main bags of other style packs:


Or enough for your gear for a multiday hunt on the inside..and a goat hide on the outside (partner had most the most)


Or most of a bone in caribou:

Lots more animals have gotten backpack rides in this pack as well as other Kifaru packs that I have used, but you get the idea....I really like this pack. When big awkward loads are on the venue, and moose meat and antlers are generally just big and awkward so the EMR 2 is where I would go.

 

[Ryan Avery]

Quit showing off Luke


Seriously, the EMR 2 is the shit!

 

[Vtsheddog]

Wow thanks for the info guys, I was honestly not sure on a barneys or a kifaru but on the latter I was thinking an AMR or a timberline 2 as our moose hunting is day trips in the northeast US. Thus I wouldn't really have any gear in the event we are packing one out. I would basically have a few survival things and maybe food and then a hunk of moose, military Rick is about 5000ci with side pouches so timberline 2 is right there, would a moose quarter for inside that bag? Or could you strap to the outside?


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[luke moffat]

Can lead a horse to water......

 

[Vtsheddog]

Haha yup, wish I could get my hands on them, would make it a quick decision I'm sure


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[luke moffat]

I addressed your questions you just asked in my last post about the larger DT1 not being a great option for shed hunting due to not a great way to secure moose quarters and also how the opening in the DY1 made I kinda a pain for putting large moose quarter inside. Sometimes I wonder why I type

 

[Vtsheddog]

That's a good point, so I need an AMR or EMR 2


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[Vtsheddog]

Still wouldn't mind other opinions


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[Ryan Avery]

Here's another opinion

EMR 2

Best pack they make for shitty loads or long trips

Once you have that zipper, all top loaders will suck.

 

[Vtsheddog]

Ok gotcha, that front zipper is intriguing, thanks guys


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[Blackcow]

If all your doing is muling meat, i suppose a cargo panel, a id and some pockets would work, but not so much for the military stuff.

 

[fatrascal]

I don't know what military stuff entails but personally I feel the Nomad is the best all around versatile pack. If you find 4 or 5 Moose sheds then you can strap them in the middle of the long side pockets. You could use grab it or cargo panel for meat or antlers, you could add a camp bag, or dry bag, or meat bag. Just so many options. If I had a huge load, and if I did not like the idea of a Nomad then I would choose the EMR 2 as my second choice.
Luke definitely hauls more stuff than I do so I would love to hear his negatives on the nomad. Fatrascal

 

[fatrascal]

Luke, in your pictures it looks like the bag/pack is compressed and the meat is packed and strapped over and on the outside of the bag. Is this correct? Fatrascal.

 

[MIKEYB]

VTsheddog,

Easy way to get your hands on them, do what most of the other gear junkies do. . . order what you are considering, frame and a couple of bags. Use, review and select what works best for you. then sell what doesn't on the rokslide forum. Or buy your frame from kifaru and i'm sure you will not have a shortage of bags floating around slightly used in the classfieds. Problem solved.

Then when the next guy comes along asking about which bag or pack you can offer your experience. Its the circle of backpack hunting life.

I would take Luke's advice as that dude and his wife use the crap out of their gear.

 

[Vtsheddog]

For sure I'm taking it all in consideration, unfortunately I don't have the kind of money to be buying and trying them all


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