Why Load Shelf?

[hadda]

Ive been out of the pack shopping game for a bit. I currently have an emr2 on a gen 2 tactical frame. Ive always been wary of a load shelf as it seems like although it puts the weight of the meat in the proper place close to your back, the gear in the pack is then further from your back. Now Im looking at getting a new pack (my kifaru never quite felt like it fit me, but thats another story) and Ive noticed that load shelves have exploded in popularity and are now a feature in alot of the packs Im looking at. I know at the time Aron Snyder/Kifaru seemed to have a similar philosophy to me (meat in pack), but that seems to have changed. Can someone explain to.me what changed? What are the pros of the load shelf that outweigh (pun intended) the con of putting the weight of camp gear further off your back? I do have a background in guiding and was a pack nerd back in the day, so Im not a complete noob, just potentially out of touch with new developments. Advice appreciated. Thanks

 

[rickjames80]

I use a MR Pintler that has a shelf, but my last pack out I just tossed the meat into the bag. I didn't have much in my pack at the time and didn't want to take the time setting it up.
I guess the benefit of the shelf is the flexibility to carry more stuff. They call it a "meat shelf", but I see it as just an additional place to pack stuff. Whatever is heavier (meat/gear/food/water) can go closer to you. The benefit is not getting the inside of your pack all full of blood for possibly easier cleaning or preventing your food/clothes touching the meat.

 

[3Esski]

I prefer a pack that has the ability to add an independent load shelf/hauling harness. I agree with you pushing all my gear out further to have meat against my back isn't something I like. I like the load shelf for putting my camp with food etc in, I use a separate bag for all those items, that I can drop and just have my hunting pack ready to go. It is nice for a first trip out to get a dedicated hauling frame, or detatch the hunting bag and put on the harness for hauling out the rest.

 

[5MilesBack]

Even without a load shelf, I've always carried the meat or quarters between the pack bag and frame. I've also always carried a dry bag between the frame and pack bag just packing in. Drop the dry bag, setup camp, and my pack is already set for hunting.

 

[Harvey_NW]

In the majority of situations I'm not man enough to pack out half an animal and camp at the same time, lol. I like how well the shelf holds and how tight the panel straps meat to the frame, and that nothing inside the bag gets bloody. The one time I was with a group and had a quarter and camp on my back the quarter tapers heavy side down so there was plenty of bag space to keep it high and tight when packed. If I'm day hunting and not far from the truck I'll throw quarters in a dry bag in the main bag though.

 

[WYCFM1]

I used to be lazy and throw meat in the bag…..then I got tired of spraying out the inside of my bag at the carwash….much cleaner to use the load shelf….pack smells much better after each pack out


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[mtnbound]

Ive been out of the pack shopping game for a bit. I currently have an emr2 on a gen 2 tactical frame. Ive always been wary of a load shelf as it seems like although it puts the weight of the meat in the proper place close to your back, the gear in the pack is then further from your back. Now Im looking at getting a new pack (my kifaru never quite felt like it fit me, but thats another story) and Ive noticed that load shelves have exploded in popularity and are now a feature in alot of the packs Im looking at. I know at the time Aron Snyder/Kifaru seemed to have a similar philosophy to me (meat in pack), but that seems to have changed. Can someone explain to.me what changed? What are the pros of the load shelf that outweigh (pun intended) the con of putting the weight of camp gear further off your back? I do have a background in guiding and was a pack nerd back in the day, so Im not a complete noob, just potentially out of touch with new developments. Advice appreciated. Thanks

You're always going to get some blood on your pack, but I got tired of having the inside of my pack covered in blood. Eventually, other gear and clothing inside would get covered in blood as well, which was just more to wash and dry before I went back out. The load shelf secures odd-shaped loads better, IMO. Yes, it can make your pack ride a little further out, but it's not enough to notice. Typically, I will drop some of my non-essentials at the kill site or my camp and pick them up on the final trip.

 

[Koda_]

Can someone explain to.me what changed? What are the pros of the load shelf that outweigh (pun intended) the con of putting the weight of camp gear further off your back?

I always assumed the idea when it came time to haul meat was to empty the pack bag out of major gear. I just cant imagine packing a full backpack plus meat hauling. Its one or the other for me.

 

[hadda]

I always assumed the idea when it came time to haul meat was to empty the pack bag out of major gear. I just cant imagine packing a full backpack plus meat hauling. Its one or the other for me.

Nah. Depending on the circumstances that really wouldnt be efficient and Im always in a hurry to get meat to the cooler. Without a load shelf Ive packed my own gear and a clients gear or my gear and meat. Thats why the basic gear has to be as light as I can get it.

 

[Koda_]

Nah. Depending on the circumstances that really wouldnt be efficient and Im always in a hurry to get meat to the cooler. Without a load shelf Ive packed my own gear and a clients gear or my gear and meat. Thats why the basic gear has to be as light as I can get it.

Im referring to using a pack with an integrated meat shelf. If you can haul a full pack with camp plus and elk quarter your stronger than me but yeah thats gonna put the bag weight way out there.

 

[justinspicher]

I generally use my shelf to carry my glassing pad. I cut a full size pad in half so I needed more room. For hauling out meat, I’ve always thrown it in the pack. I wash my pack after the season anyway so whether it’s bloody or not doesn’t matter to me.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Having packed meat out both ways, I much prefer putting the meat in the pack vs a meat shelf.
I put my meat in trash bags, so I don’t get my pack bloody either way.

I empty my pack of everything but first aid and snacks and water after my first load to the truck.

 

[Seak_angler]

Mainly just saves space inside your pack & it keeps your gear from getting all bloody inside the pack.

 

[bmart2622]

I dont like using huge bags, a meat shelf gives you the capacity to haul meat and still use a modest sized bag. Plus it keeps stuff in the main bag clean

 

[WCB]

Load shelf for me and I have done it both ways....For deer I take them out in one trip and sometimes with camp also. So I don't have to drop gear or make multiple trips.

 

[Ozzy841]

I've tried the meat shelf and personally hate it. Most allow the meat to sag too much in my opinion and blood still gets on the pack if you don't bag it, though it is all on the outside this way. I prefer to keep the meat a little higher and for me its easier to secure it inside the bag with all of my day gear or camp gear in the bottom to elevate the meat. I always line my pack with a contractor trash bag and have never had an issue with leakage. I always carry a largish pack bag even on day hunts. The extra 1/2 pound of material is negligible for me as it allows me one do all bag. That is just my experience, though obviously some people love them because they are pretty popular.

 

[Tradchef]

I'm a meat in the bag fan. That being said I do like the pannier style or Crib haulers that attach to the frame. It allows me since I hunt solo to pack as much out in one load as possible or cut an elk into two loads instead of 3 or 3 loads instead of 4. Having both options is pretty nice. EXO and Initial Ascent have that on lockdown and the SG frame has a decent shelf as well Is just when the quarters are super big it can get a little funky but it works well having bone in meat on the shelf and boneless in the pack bag.

 

[Geewhiz]

Why not a load shelf?

I understand putting something between your bag and frame will move the weight in your bag further from your torso, but if you plan to bring meat and your bag contents in the same load you definitely want the more dense cargo (meat) closer to your back.

I always have things in my bag that I don't want to get blood all over, so logically, my things stay in the bag, and the meat goes on the shelf. Makes the most sense. Plus, often times there wouldn't be enough room inside of the bag anyway. I suppose if you are only taking a 50 lb load then there would be room, but half the weight means twice the trips so I'm taking as much weight as I can handle. To each their own.

 

[199p]

Keep in mind just because it has one doesn't mean you have to use it

 

[Poser]

I always assumed the idea when it came time to haul meat was to empty the pack bag out of major gear. I just cant imagine packing a full backpack plus meat hauling. Its one or the other for me.

I have done both a few times. This season, I packed out all of my day gear (about 40 lbs) in a SG 2500 bag plus 4 bone in bear quarters, backstraps, neck meats and fat trimmings in the load shelf. It was stupid heavy, but I had a trail the whole way out so I went for it.

On another occasion, we hung up elk meat and packed down our full camp & gear + a very moderate amount of meat, say 25 lbs, on our first trip and then did subsequent trip for the rest of the meat.

Its not my preferred method, but it makes sense on certain occasions.