The sides of the bag include PALS webbing for miscellaneous attachments. There is also a third compression strap on the bag itself that runs parallel to the two compression straps that attach to the frame.
The inside of the bag sports a loop for hanging a hydration bladder and a
Port for running a hose.
The exterior of the bag has two vertical side pockets that run under the compression straps and can fit a stool or tripod.
Accessories
The water bottle holder has PALS attachments that can be used on the belt. It is a simple design with a drawstring closure. It works fine for a water bottle or other items.
The accessory pouch has a zippered closure and also mounts to PALS or the waist belt.
The load panel is reversible with blaze orange on one side. The panel doubles as a pouch.
It is designed to operate as a compression panel on the outside of the bag. I also tinkered around and used the bottom cinch straps to attach the load panel directly to the frame, if you desire to use the frame as a load hauler without the bag.
Of note, in this configuration, there is only one horizontal strap holding the load secure, not including the top straps that attach the load panel. I think this is sufficient for the designed loads which are smaller and lighter than what adults might carry in a similar manner on a full size pack. It might be nice to have an extra set of attachment points on the frame for more straps, if desired.
Also included was a gun bearer. The gun bearer from Western Edge is designed to attach to the bottom of the pack with the rifle vertically situated under the horizontal compression straps.
You can also run the rifle between the bag and frame, assuming you run the bag in the “load panel” configuration with the top of the bag disconnected from the frame. I tried this and wasn’t a fan. The bag is less stable and the rifle and scope get mashed into the hard frame panel.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t prefer these type of gun bearers - I use the type that attach to the side of the pack or ones that hang forward from the waist belt and shoulder straps. I’ll also freely admit that I have no intention of trying this on a hunt. I carry the rifle on the kids hunts until it is time to shoot, as there is too much that can go wrong with kids and a scoped rifle attached to them.
I have a few reasons that I avoid these types of gun bearers. The foremost reason is that the weight is significantly aft of the frame, which tends to pull the user backwards, causing an exaggerated forward lean to compensate for the aft shift in the pack’s center of gravity. I found this to be untenable when I tried this on son. With a loaded pack, he had to practically lean at a 45 degree angle to compensate for the weight of the rifle pulling him back. The problem was mitigated a bit by running the rifle between the back and frame, but that puts a lot of stress on the scope and doesn’t allow for easy access to the rifle. Perhaps this isn’t an issue with skinny kids who aren’t built like a beanpole, but for my kids this option is a no-go. After testing out various methods with my kids, who tend to be tall and skinny, I don’t think there is any place to put the rifle on the pack or person that won’t significantly affect their balance and comfort. For reference, a 10 pound rifle equates to 15% of body weight for my largest kid. That’s the equivalent of a 30 pound rifle being carried by a 210 pound adult. I don’t know how I could comfortably carry a 30 pound rifle in the woods!
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