Surveyors! What is your daypack?

[TrailDog]

Surveyors, foresters and other renegades...I know theres a lot of you out there! What are your daypacks? I'm tired of messing around with today's lightweight packs that don't hold up to the abuse of my day job.

I recently retired an old (90's) Osprey snowboarding pack that was legendary. Beefy cordura construction, big burly buckles, straps and zippers, this thing lasted 3 decades of forestry abuse year after year. Hauled fuel, chainsaws, shovels, elk quarters, sheds, you name it. Finally the straps litterally rotted off and I sent it in for replacement/repair.

The pack Osprey replaced it with, the Talon, sucks. The buckles are janky little ultralight buckles that don't like dust or snow, the fabric is thin and rips easily, everything about it screams "I won't make it".

Looking for some suggestions for burly day packs that can haul tools, paint, survey stakes, electronics, etc. I'm a forester and need to crawl around the mountains surveying boundaries and measuring trees. Something with nice big buckles and thick material, weight really isn't an issue here.

 

[nodakian]

MT PLS here. My first survey job was in high school in Plains, and I worked for the USFS through college, so I'm very familiar with the terrain and habitat you're working in.

I used to use my Kifaru duplex frame with various bags and attachments, both homemade and production, but I now use one of the Western Edge Gear packs I build. An external frame with breakaway setup is nice so I can slide a bag with lath, metal detector, rebar, hammer, and small shovel between the frame and bag and use the compression straps to hold the whole works together. Examples include all of Exo's packs, Kifaru's 22 Mag or Gnargali, MR Terraframe, etc.

Packs such as Kifaru's Stryker, Straightjacket, and Hellbender, or any of the purpose-built panel/shelves, probably would not work for me as they hold the load too high. However, if you aren't hauling 3-foot lath and a 3.5-foot metal detector, they might work for you. They would probably be great for hauling a chainsaw.

A water bottle pouch handles a paint can well. My kid helps me sometimes, and he uses a couple on his pack waist belt.

I ditched the old surveyor's vest in favor of a chest pack for phone, pens/pencils, stylus, marker, notebook, batteries, and compact pistol. Much more compact, less floppy/sloppy, and fits under a pack better. I made some special editions for the upcoming MT surveyor's conference, although any of the major makers have good stuff, too.

 

[TrailDog]

Wow, I got on your site and you make some great looking packs!

I couldnt agree more. After my first few months in a cruisers vest I decided to try out my bino harness and a daypack one day and never went back. Looking at upgrading to something larger for holding a tablet, reliscope and such, but can't stand having a big saggy vest full of crap.

What do you utilize for a chest pack?

 

[Clarktar]

I often wish I had gone the PLS route.

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[coloradoan]

I put everything in a vest and just suffer

 

[nodakian]

Wow, I got on your site and you make some great looking packs!

I couldnt agree more. After my first few months in a cruisers vest I decided to try out my bino harness and a daypack one day and never went back. Looking at upgrading to something larger for holding a tablet, reliscope and such, but can't stand having a big saggy vest full of crap.

What do you utilize for a chest pack?

Thanks. Our packs are sized mainly for kids and small adults. At 5'8" I'm about maxed out with a 22" frame, which is sufficient for 95% of what I do. For me it's high enough to get a little lift but short enough to avoid most overhanging veg.

I and a few surveyor friends use a chest pack I build, the same as in the picture (mine is foliage green rather than orange, though). The website has the kid-sized versions, but I also build one a little taller to accommodate a hard-side field book and with vertical pockets on the front for phone, marker, pencil, and stylus. At 8x7x2 it's smaller than the FHF/Marsupial/Hill People Gear/Kifaru chest rigs, but just right for the stuff I carry.

 

[nodakian]

I often wish I had gone the PLS route.

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Like most outdoor pursuits, it's fun when you're young, but it's for the young. Eventually the body parts wear out, and most guys end up needing something less strenuous to keep paying the bills. Luckily (sometimes I don't think so) I picked up survey-related drafting and project management, so most of my income is generated at a computer now. I miss getting outdoors as often as in the past, but not when it's cold or raining, and I have to pick and choose which jobs I do because of knee, back, and arm issues.

 

[bhylton]

I could never get away from a vest for having a clino, compass, reli, laser, pencils, Tatum and flagging ribbon handy. I've used a pack a time or 2 but don't like having to take everything off everyone a need something. My latest vest is a mesh cruiser from "Deakin" in Vancouver BC which I like alot. I Might have to give these chest packs a look though.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

I used to hunt with those old ospreys. Love those things. Everything now is pretty “technical” compared those old school packs that just worked and lasted decades. Also the prices of hunting packs will blow your mind.

 

[coloradoan]

At a previous office we purchased some expensive “extreme” cruiser vests that had great pockets and organization options but were uncomfortable for everyone- too small in the neck. I have heard mixed things about the cruiser vests with frames built in although I think it’s a great concept. I just can’t imagine there’s a ton of money in it for manufacturers.

Honestly I hate carrying much weight in a vest but nothing else has worked for me to have the things I need organized and accessible for forestry work.

 

[HoytHunter24]

Wow I am glad I came across this! I am an SIT about to take PLS test. Cool to see other surveyors here.
Can't add much, as I spend most of my time in the office nowadays.

If I were to be back in the field or hills I would definitely go the Kifaru pack route because of how many choices and custom you can make your setup. Would then get a different chest rig from Marsupial to hold field book, pens and such.

 

[LoggerDan]

Timber beast gear, out of Oregon maybe?

 

[littlerhorner]

I'm an LS in WY and MT. If I was going to be doing some remote work I would/have used my kifaru markhor, but I am pretty careful with things like frost pins and saws. Other than that I am a vest guy.

 

[gbflyer]

My son is a tech in WY studying for LSIT. They use a pickup truck and a side by side mostly I think haha. He’s young and strong, got the distance runner build.

 

[TrailDog]

Those Deakin vests out of BC look pretty nice.

There's just a poor part of me that can't fathom spending $400-$700 on a backpack and strapping paint cans and shovels to it. Looking around the internet this week I think I'm going to snag an old Lowe Alpine or Dana pack of eBay for $60 or so...we'll see how she goes!

 

[littlerhorner]

The Deakin vests are nice. Mine is 7 years old and still has a year or two before it gets retired.

 

[MHLS8611]

Wow I am glad I came across this! I am an SIT about to take PLS test. Cool to see other surveyors here.
Can't add much, as I spend most of my time in the office nowadays.

If I were to be back in the field or hills I would definitely go the Kifaru pack route because of how many choices and custom you can make your setup. Would then get a different chest rig from Marsupial to hold field book, pens and such.

CA PLS here wishing you good luck on your PLS test!

 

[Vaultman]

OR & WA PLS here wishing all luck on exams as well. I am an office junky now so my "backpack" doesn't require anything beyond a man purse.