Pocket setup for Cargo Panel

[trdhunter]

I know there is a thousand options for the cargo panel but im deciding which pockets to buy. Trying to decide between back pouch or large side pouch for spotter mainly. The back pouch says 1000 cubic inch but measurements are smaller than large side pouch which is 750. I currently have Razor 85mm spotter. I will be using bikini frame if it matters.

Also what is best way to run a bladder with cargo panel? thinking about gen 2 meat bag and be double duty or just use zip tie at top but bladder could flop around. Will use belt pockets I currently have for other storage.

Going to give Cargo Panel setup a try but might just fall back to BT2 setup for day hunts and short trips. Just hoping some of you guys running cargo panel can save me some time and money. Thanks

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I'd like to see some photos of these myself! I started out building a simple frieghter and am trying to make it versatile enough for a day pack too.

 

[bbrown]

I'm running the back pouch on the back with my spotter, tripod and z-lite sitting pad. Then between the panel and the frame I have 2 med pouches. I have the hanging water bladder pouch too but you could easily just hang your water bladder from the tabs on the top of the frame but I like to throw a few odd and ends in with the bladder. Originally I tried the back pouch between the frame and panel with the pockets on the outside but it was too much of a pain to access the spotter in a hurry so I switched.

Also I modded a couple G- hooks to attach the top of the panel directly to the 2 loops at the top of the frame and that really helps to tighten everything up in day hunt mode. will try to get some pictures up later if it helps. Would be sweet if Kifaru added a couple K clips here instead

 

[dotman]

I have the following on mine:

Outside of CP - large side pocket with a med belt pocket mounted below it. You'll have to lay stuff out first to figure mounting points.

Inside of CP - 1 large KU belt pocket and 2 med KU pockets. The large is connected at all 4 points the 2 med pockets are only connected at the top 2 points.

Off the frame is the Gen 2 hanging meat bag that has my bladder in it.

The large side pocket fits my puffy, rain jacket and pants and spotter. Med pocket below it holds my water filter and other daily use items. The large KU pocket is only used if I take my 15x56 binos. The other two have a survival kit and the a kill kit so not items used often. I can access the large KU as it is mounted at the top. The top pocket of the CP has camera/video extras, batteries and a spare headlamp.

Small pocket on the belt holds items constantly used. The gen 2 hanging meat bag is doing double duty holding the water bladder but it will also hold meat. I run the MSR drom 4L bag and can just tie it off or strap it down. My mid later just gets stuffed inside the CP or the large side pocket if I don't have my spotter. Tripod is just strapped in with the CP straps.

For longer trips or colder weather I'll run the MR daypack lid to hold extra clothes and if packing in for a long trip I have a camp bag or OR 55L dry bag for short packin trips I have an HPG C25M bag.

 

[trdhunter]

bbrown-Pics would be great. What size spotters are you running in your back pouch?

 

[bbrown]

I will get some for you after bit but I am running a Swaro STS-65 with a Suiri t1005 tripod and a vanguard ph-111v head. Combined with the thermarest foam pad it fills up the back pouch but you could easily strap the tripod on somewhere and make plenty of room.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Photos please!

 

[Ironman8]

So are you guys actually saving any weight by going this route over something like a DT1 or DT2? What kind of capacity do y'all figure you're getting with all the pockets tallied up?

And yes, pics would be nice. At this point I'm imagining the Beverly Hillbillies

 

[bbrown]

Sorry the kid decided to be a terrorist last night so I did not get around to taking those - I will try again tonight. I will still run the DT1 for pack in trips but the cargo panel will probably be what I run for day hunts and guiding but the main reason I picked up the cargo panel was for a moose hunt in Alaska in a couple years.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

A blacktail deer out west may yield 30lbs of deboned meat however a bear, elk or hog represent a significant load and a cargo panel seemed like the simplest and fastest solution.

 

[bbrown]

Sorry for the delay...
Here is the inside of the panel with (2) med belt pouches and the hanging water bladder bag.

Here is the outside with the kifaru back pouch that contains my Swaro 65mm spotter, Suiri T-1005 tripod with vanguard ph-111v head and thermarest Z-seat. Not much room to spare but I will eventually swap out the vanguard head with an Outdoorsmans and that should open up some space.

Here is the side profile - pretty narrow and compact.

I took a dremel to the middle bar on a couple G-hooks (not the wave version) and use them to attach the top of the cargo panel to the frame. This really helped to tighten up the panel in day hunt mode and when something needs to go for a ride these detach quickly and I can add the other straps that came with the panel and use them as needed.

 

[Manosteel]

What does at that weigh?

 

[bbrown]

Not sure but I can weigh it tonight. Without the frame and small belt pouches on the waist belt , I think around 2lbs 11oz according to the weights listed on the website but that includes all the extra straps and I dont pack them all. Again this set up will be used mostly for guiding and day hunts away from a base camp or the truck but if packing in the DT1 will probably be my choice.

My duplex is the oldest model (I think) so its a bit heavier although I will be swapping the stays tonight with some of the new arrow stays so I am curious to see how that works out. I also plan to add a couple 3 bar sliders to my longhunter lid (the same way Kifaru used to sell them) so I can run it attached to the common loops at teh top of each stay. Lots of projects

 

[trdhunter]

Thanks for the pics. That back pouch looks little bigger than I thought it would be. Excited to get mine and get experimenting.

 

[bbrown]

So running the CP and pockets I gave comes in at 2lbs 3oz with minimal straps or 2lbs 13oz with all the straps that came with it.

Now for the kicker - my old style duplex weighs 4lbs 5ozs with the original aluminum stays but swapping the carbon fiber arrow stays drops it down to 3lbs 6ozs. Not too shabby. Originally I was going to swap the factory 3/16x1" aluminum with 1/8x1" stays to save 5-6ozs but depending on how these do I will prolly stick with them.