What's your favorite pack/s and what are its purpose/es

Kleos

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 28, 2021
I am curious what everyone's favorite pack or packs are and what are there purposes. I have different packs for different activites.

Hunting pack - Hands down Exo K3.
Backpacking - Depending on the season either Exo K3 or Osprey
EDC Pack - Still on the look out.
 
Even though I've got a Kifaru Reckoning now I'm still a huge fan of my Exo K2 5500. I think the Kifaru is more versatile and suits me better but I've got many runs on the board with the Exo so I have a soft spot for it. I've evolved as a hunter over the last few years which is why I've gone to the Kifaru as the centre zip is something I'm stoked on.

I also have a Kifaru Door Gunner as a small scouting/daypack or EDC pack and it's fantastic.
 
Hunting pack: I'm looking to buy the Stone glacier sky 5900 because it's rated to 150lbs and has a good meat shelf design.

EDC: I have an old camelback which carries a suppressed 45 for dispatching deer that I encounter while choring.
 
Exo K3 4800 is my favorite pack, but I can’t get the K3 frame to fit my body. I switched to a Kifaru Hoodlum and love it. I bought my packs for hunting, but I use them for hiking, camping, shed hunting, and rucking.
 
I have an MR CrewCab that has been modified. I took the wings off of it. They drove me nuts. It is on a guide lite frame with the older fastex buckles. I use this pack for 99% of my outings. For EDC I have a Patagonia Atom 8L pack.
 
I have tons of packs as well, each has a purpose:

- Just sold a complete Eberlestock "Just One" pack + duffel + accessories system, it was great but my hunting style has changed so I wasn't using it much anymore
- Mystery Ranch Beartooth 45 will be my new primary "spike out + day hunt + hauler" pack for 2023
- Badlands Superday for day hunts and especially archery season. It's my quietest and most comfortable pack when I'm going light
- MountainSmith Tour Lumbar Pack for half- to full-day scouting trips and hikes
- Egogo fanny pack, I keep this tiny gem stuffed under a seat in my truck with a sealed bottle of water, knife, med kit, and a few other basic items as a grab-and-go if I want to hop out and glass a ridge I'm driving by or some other unexpected fast thing
- Alps Pathfinder Lumbar Pack - Strictly for "hot days" this thing can be a nice alternative to the others. It's a 13L lumbar pack with a fold-out 31L top pack section. You don't turn into a sweaty mess when you're traveling light but there's plenty of room for a boned out quarter or some small game (or even just some extra clothing) when you need it.
 
I have two EDC packs that I love and use depending on the circumstances...
Duluth Trading Company Fire Hose Bulldozer
Kirfaru Urban Ruck 2.0

I use the Urban Ruck every day at work as a home inspector and take the Duluth everywhere else.

For the hunting side it is a Kifaru UL but I'm looking at the new EXO K4. I saw it at the Sheep Show and was impressed.
 
Kifaru Woodsman with a guide lid for day pack as well as in my stand. I strap an old kelty kids carrier to the kifaru frame for off-season exercise with my kids as extra weight. That Kifaru frame is like an extra spine for my fukt up back. Grateful to be able to carry my kids/quarters for miles.
 
Love my Exo K2 3500 for hunting, hauling meat, and training, getting close to 10 years with that pack by now!

In terms of EDC, Osprey has made my favorite daypacks in a few different sizes, I like 'em a little taller and skinny so Osprey fits the bill for day hike adventures.
 
Hiking/backpacking
Camelbak HAWG model when they moved to 500D cordura. Best set up of pockets I think. I've had a lot of them
Eberlestock Bandit - this is a really cool offering from them. Sized for an emergency overnight in warm weather or ultralight set up. Great for a long day out in the woods.
Mountain Smith Day and Tour Lumbar packs. What can I say? You need a Lumbar and don't want to spend a bunch of money? Right here it is. Add a set of "Strapettes" and you have sort of a Kifaru Scout set up.
Various Opsrey and Gregory offerings over the years. Both brands are great
Old Kelty 4600 for backpacking, still works.
Cross Fire - Australian outfit that builds military style rucks. Still very suitable for hiking, backpacking, even if a little heavy. I have a DG3
Becker patrol pack - Ethan Becker of Becker knives designed this thing years ago and it is still a favorite of military, hikers, bushcrafters, preppers, etc. Well, it has been redesigned by an outfit from Florida called Bong Gear. A Bongo is some kind of cool looking African Antelope. Just picked one up.

EDC
I could go on for hours here!
Greenroom 136 - Malaysian company that has off the shelf and custom built packs and bags. You WILL NOT find better people or a better built bag for the price anywhere. Pat, the owner is as top shelf as they come, answers questions super quick, can make you anything if he has the parts in stock and is just a cool dude. We chat a few times a year whether I'm buying or not. Just a great guy! If he has the material and parts in stock, its nothing to get a custom made bag sewn and shipped to the U.S in 3-4 weeks. If its on the shelf, I've had things on a week!
Alpha One Niner- another great outift, heavy duty EDC type bags. Helm the owner is great as well. Quick to answer questions.
Short of the crazy priced gucci shit, I've owned most every brand EDC type bag, these are the 2 I come back to.
 
Exo K3 4800 is my favorite pack, but I can’t get the K3 frame to fit my body. I switched to a Kifaru Hoodlum and love it.
The Exo 4800 should fit the Kifaru frame with a few simple modifications.

For myself, I have a
  • Kifaru Duplex with a modified Highcamp 7000 bag​
  • Stone Glacier Xcurve with a Sky Talus 6900​
  • Exo K2 with 5500 bag​
I have used all of these for hunting and backpacking, but of the 3, I primarily used the Kifaru Highcamp for about 7 years, until I purchased my Stone Glacier last year. Since then, I've been using the SG. No dedicated EDC bag for me.

I am considering selling two of these to apply the funds towards the purchase of the Exo K4, everything that I've read and seen is making me really want that pack.
 
Hunting pack - Exo K3 6400
Backpacking - Exo K3 4800 or 6400
EDC Pack - Exo K3 4800
 
Main hunting pack is a Stone Glacier EVO 40/56, X Curve Frame with Straight Stays

Backpacking I use the same SG. I'm kicking around replacing it with the COL 4800, but IDK if I wanna give up the space I get with the 40/56 expanded. Just with it had one small outside zipper pocket.

Random scouting and quick things, I use a Killik K2300 from Sportsman's Warehouse. It was cheap and it's not really nice, but I got a screaming deal on it while I worked there. It's great for scouting, as a range bag, or other random outdoor activities.

Don't use an EDC bag.
 
After first crappy ALPS pack (that was a knock off of a Tenzig design. just with the velcro adjustment strap inverted) that rubbed the center of by back raw. A used Badlands 2200. The pack-belt kept slipping when packing out meat from all the sweat and I kept having to yank down on it and caused me a hellacious areas of blistering on my belly from that buckle and needing to constantly pull it back tight over and over on the hikeout.

So then spent some serious coin and got a Kifaru EMI II. Big enough to carry EVERYTHING and the Kitchen Sink! I really liked the bag and especially the pouches hanging off the packbelt. But it's design and profuse lumbar pad ended up pushing too much upon my area of injury.

So in seeking out another option, I've come to rest at the Outdoorsman's Palisade 90 pack. So far so good. Not as convenient being unable to sport aftermarket pouches on it's packbelt. But growing to like it's frame and it's far better at not exacerbating my lumber injuries.. Especially like the frame ends by the shoulders. Ya end up slinging your rifle strap over THAT thing, rather than your shoulder, and Quake-Claw sling coupled with those frame nubs hold my rifle up there VERY well, compared to just over shoulder alone.

Figure I'll hold only the EMR II for when my son grows into it.

EDC/Gym bags in a big ol' honkin' Jansport I've had for a loooong time. Heck, I think that things been thru 3 marriages! HA!
 
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EDC/Travel: GR1 26L. I’d love to eventually get a gr2 in wolf grey but what I have does the trick

Day hunts/lightweight overnights: kuiu venture 2300

Backpacking: I experiment a lot here, ula, gregory, osprey, granite gear

Also have an EXO k2 and a duplex light for meat/heavy overnighters. I want to get a seek as well.
 
I use a lot of different packs but these are my favorites if I had to choose today.

EDC: Kifaru Antero
I work in an office and carry it everyday loaded with personal items and my lunch. I also use it for flying and other similar uses.

Shooting Matches: Kifaru 357 Mag
I used the Kifaru Shapecharge before and liked it but needed something bigger and the 357 Mag is perfect for my needs.

Backpacking/Scouting: Exo K4 7000 (would likely go with the 5500 size if I had it)
It's a very comfortable pack with room to spare and it's still light enough that I don't mind it for backpacking.

Day Hunting: Kifaru Mountain Rambler
I use all the packs above as well as a few others for day hunting but the Mountain Rambler is my favorite if I had to choose only one.

Backpack Hunting: Kifaru Duplex Timberline 1 w/hunter frame
That bag is one I'll likely never get rid of. It works very well for everything from day hunting to extended trips. And the pocket/attachment layout is my all-time favorite.
 
EDC: whew, that’s hard, my wife thinks I’m a pack collector. I would have to say say that for true EDC (work) the Alpha One Niner Whitley. I did get a SG Avail 2200 which I might prefer for travel. Edit, I had an Antero for a couple years, and while I liked it, I didn’t think it was a good value for what it was.

Hunting: My favorite so far has been a Kifaru Stryker XL. I had the Hunting Duplex frame. With no backcountry hunts for two years, I sold it last summer. I have a Kuiu pro 3200 for now. Looking to replace the Kifaru and eyeing Exo K4, SG R3 (3300 or 5900), or maybe just go back to Kifaru.
 
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Hunting/day pack: Kifaru Stryker XL, with an assortment of pockets and accessories depending on specific needs. Went through a lot of packs before settling on this one, it does almost everything and I love it.

Backpacking with 2 young kids: Kifaru Fulcrum, stuffed to the gills with snacks, more snacks, 3 sets of clothing for each, and some snacks. Makes a passable day pack too once you set up camp and puke out all the stuff. Originally bought it for this flexibility, but I found it better to have a day pack that can expand rather than a monster peck that shrinks down ok. I kept it once I realized how much crap I needed to carry to keep the kids happy in the mountains, and the duplex frame is just so comfy.
 
I use the kifaru 22 mag for almost everything. It organizes very well with all the pockets but keeps the streamlined design.
For backpacking 1-3 nights I switch the the woodsman with guide lid.
 
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