I am in need of a new pack to start backcountry hunting. Starting with bow in colorado for elk. I plan to stay anywhere from 3-6 days. I have been researching packs and they all seem nice to me. I want a quality pack that will last. I have been looking at MR, kiufu, eberlestock and badlands. Is 4500 cui around a good size for this length of trip or should I be looking larger (6000 or so)? I know all the brands are good but is anyone better for packing out meat than the other? MR has the NICE frame which makes sense to me but is it better than using the others to pack out meat?
buying new pack
- Thread starter dado5
- Start date
HighDesertSage
Well-known member
I am going to pick up the Eberle stock just one pack. I really like the features it has.
Beartooth83
Member
MR NICE frame w/load lifters and Metcalf pack. Get the daypack lid and a couple extra accessory straps and you'd be set up.
I purchased an Eberlestock for backpack hunting and really liked it until it ripped. I had a terrible time with their warranty repair and ended up having to pay $125 to get the pack fixed. They told me they were not at fault for the pack ripping due to carrying out an elk quarter. They also said that if they find any damage to the packs that they do not cover it if they determine it to not be of their fault. So it doesn't really matter what happens in the field, if they think it isn't their fault they wont repair under warranty. Also i took me 6 months to get my pack back. I would definitely go another direction my next pack will very likely be one of the new MR or a Kifaru in a year or two. In regards to good things for the Eberlestock, I have the Blue Widow and it holds a lot of stuff. Great for a day pack and for going in the back country as I did in Idaho last year for 7 days. Only problem I had was hauling out the elk and the warranty service.
My hunting partner and I bought Stone Glacier Solo packs for our first 7 day elk hunt in CO, and really liked them. They are super lightweight and save you a few pounds before you even start filling them up. We don't have a lot of experience but found that with 50-53# in each one they were quite comfortable. They were full and we put our food in bags on the load shelf and hoped to use the load shelf to haul meat out instead of food at the end of the trip. That part didn't happen yet. But, I think if I would have gotten the 5000-6000 size bags I would have just brought more unnecessary gear along which would have weighed more. Granted we were able to save some space by one guy hauling the tent and the other guy hauling the jetboil cooking type stuff. I think my second choice would have been the Metcalf since it has load lifters, but the total weight of each complete pack swayed me to the SG.
npaden
Well-known member
Kuiu has their last years model packs on sale right now. I keep wanting to buy one to try it, but just can't justify it since I'm so happy with my Stone Glacier pack right now. The only negative thing that I can think of is that it doesn't come in a camo pattern. I really like the Kuiu Vias pattern and would really like a pack in that pattern but I like everything else about the SG.
I hauled a pack that was weighed back at camp right at 100lbs last year and it was an effort but nothing remotely close to times that I tried to haul similar loads with my eblerlestock J34. The J34 was a good pack, just not in the same class as the Stone Glacier.
Mandatory picture of me packing out my elk from last year.
Weighing the pack back at camp.
Another note is that the fabric on the Stone Glacier is very durable. I climbed through a barbed wire fence with it on last year and got hung up and just knew I had put a big rip in the pack. Upon inspection I could see where it had scratched it, but it didn't rip it. I barely snagged my eberlestock on some brush once and put a big rip in it.
My 2 cents. Nathan
I hauled a pack that was weighed back at camp right at 100lbs last year and it was an effort but nothing remotely close to times that I tried to haul similar loads with my eblerlestock J34. The J34 was a good pack, just not in the same class as the Stone Glacier.
Mandatory picture of me packing out my elk from last year.
Weighing the pack back at camp.
Another note is that the fabric on the Stone Glacier is very durable. I climbed through a barbed wire fence with it on last year and got hung up and just knew I had put a big rip in the pack. Upon inspection I could see where it had scratched it, but it didn't rip it. I barely snagged my eberlestock on some brush once and put a big rip in it.
My 2 cents. Nathan
sagebrush
Active member
Kifaru Nomad 2400 to 7000 cubic inches. You can use it as a day pack or a week long back pack hunt. Will carry as much weight as you can handle. I have a little Spike Camp that I have been using for 14 years and its still going strong. I have packed out mule deer , elk and caribou with it.
Kifaru packs aren't cheap but worth the money IMO. A Nomad will run you $755 with all the right stuff. Nomad bag, Bikini frame, Grab It, Gun Bearer and Top Lid. You can see it all, how it all works and how they are made here:
http://store.kifaru.net/nomad-2400ci39liters-7000ci114liters-p145.aspx
Kifaru packs aren't cheap but worth the money IMO. A Nomad will run you $755 with all the right stuff. Nomad bag, Bikini frame, Grab It, Gun Bearer and Top Lid. You can see it all, how it all works and how they are made here:
http://store.kifaru.net/nomad-2400ci39liters-7000ci114liters-p145.aspx
Kaitum
Well-known member
I've hauled four caribou in my Eberlestock Just One pack. I hated every minute of it. The primary problem was the pack did not fit my torso properly, it was too long. So when heavily loaded the weight would sag down in the bag and hit my ass with every step I took. It doesn't take long before that gets old real fast. Even without the sagging load, I just could never get a pack full of meat cinched down tightly enough to make it feel stable. When walking across uneven tussocky tundra the pack would sway back and forth creating balance issues. I could fit about 3/4 of a quartered bull caribou in the pack so they can fit a lot of weight. But to me they just weren't comfortable with that much weight. It was ok for use as a big day pack but I think there are better options for hauling meat.
I've since switched to a MR Crew Cab and hauled out the front quarters of my moose with it last year. The front quarter of that moose weighed about as much as 3/4 of a caribou. Night and day difference on pack performance between the MR CC and Eberlestock. In reality, when you start pushing triple digits in pack weight, it all sucks. Having the right pack with the proper fit just makes it suck less. I'm running a MR 6500 on my Dall's sheep hunt this year.
I've since switched to a MR Crew Cab and hauled out the front quarters of my moose with it last year. The front quarter of that moose weighed about as much as 3/4 of a caribou. Night and day difference on pack performance between the MR CC and Eberlestock. In reality, when you start pushing triple digits in pack weight, it all sucks. Having the right pack with the proper fit just makes it suck less. I'm running a MR 6500 on my Dall's sheep hunt this year.
Bambistew
Well-known member
You can pick up a MR pack for cheap on the used market... Whole lota pack for the price. The load lifters are an issue on some of the smaller MR packs IMO... the 6500, or 5000 would be a tough package to top for the price you can get them for now. The load lifter extension thing looks interesting, and would likely make some of the smaller bags a bit more comfortable with a heavy load.
I've been pretty impressed with the Kifaru Bikini and Highcamp bag. Its not as durable as the MR but to save weight you have to give up on something. I've put a bunch of miles on both the Kifaru and MR, with considerable weight. For hauling heavy loads... I think its a toss up. MR has nicer shoulder straps, the Kifaru has a nicer belt.
Have never used an Eber, only fondled them in the store. They seem heavy for what they are, and cheaply made.
I gave away a Badlands pack I had. Wasn't impressed with anything about it.
I've been pretty impressed with the Kifaru Bikini and Highcamp bag. Its not as durable as the MR but to save weight you have to give up on something. I've put a bunch of miles on both the Kifaru and MR, with considerable weight. For hauling heavy loads... I think its a toss up. MR has nicer shoulder straps, the Kifaru has a nicer belt.
Have never used an Eber, only fondled them in the store. They seem heavy for what they are, and cheaply made.
I gave away a Badlands pack I had. Wasn't impressed with anything about it.
alwayshunting
Active member
I have been trying to decide on a pack for close to a year now and finally decided to go with Stone Glacier Sky 5100 last week. Look forward to using it this year. There are a lot of good choices out there to choose from. My decision came down to Kifaru, Kuiu, and Stone Glacier.
Do yourself a favor and spend the money and get a good pack. You wont have any regrets. Check out Exo-mountain gear. They are new but have gotten stellar reviews. Mine should be here any day, just have to wait a month or so for my broken ankle to heal up so I can use it.
D
Deleted member 16014
Guest
That is very unfortunate but kind of hilarious. I don't know what they thought you would put in it.
Give me Stone Glacier, but MR and Kifaru are great as well. Good service is part of the product, and those three generally have it in spades.
Stone glacier is a sweet pack. I am getting the exo mountain bag this week too and cant wait to try that out this summer scouting. Had a MR longbow and it worked really well too. Was just a bit heavy and did not have the capacity of the stone glacier or now the exo mountain.
