Best USA made pack for elk hunting??

My son has talked me into elk hunting this year and I need a pack. My son's pack has so many little pockets and places to hide shit that I'd go nuts trying to find anything. I prefer military packs for other uses because of the wear/tough factor, and also the made in USA thingy. Looks like ebay has used/issued ones in the $175-250 range, which seems like a good deal.

Will a ruck sack with frame work for packing out meat? Not sure how far we may have to pack quarters out, but my understanding is not more than 1000 yards until we will be able to access them with the Rangers.


Any of you guys use mil surplus backpacks and feel like it was brilliant or stupid?

Forgot to mention that I'm a small guy at 6'4" and 235, and I'm old too. So if you got any favorite packs for tall guys that would help also.

It seems that most packs I put on are made for hobits...

As a hobbit, I would love to be pointed towards these packs, as most packs I find have the kidney pad slapping my ass like I'm in the Navy and adjustable enough to slap the top of the crack rather than my hobbit butt cheeks' low draw.

Mystery Ranch or Eberlestock might be your best bet. Otherwise, a military pack will work.

I misspelled hobit to make sure I didn't insult any real hobbits. I like hobbits, nice warm snack that you don't have to pack. My(I am told) son is a hobbit, hairy feet and all.

The waist belt on the ones I have poked an arm through lets my belly hang out under them like an upside down bra. I guess that spreads out the weight,, on top of my belly cleavage.

I will see if some of my giant buddies have an Eber or Mystery for me to try on. Do you find that they are better than a Filbe, and why???

I’ve done a bit of back country camping and have used various military surplus packs over the years and they all sucked for any extended use. Way too heavy and the shape of the bag makes it hard to pack them correctly.

1000yds to pack out? You really don’t need much of a pack at all then, mostly just a frame. I would look at the Mystery Ranch Pop Up or the Mule. I just bought a Mystery Ranch Pintler for 2-3 day hunts and am loving it so far.

Rocky Mtn Specialty Gear in Wheat Ridge has a good selection of Mystery Ranch packs in stock at the moment. They have the pop up and mule. The packs come in different sizes to match your build, if you go to their website they have a sizing chart. Once you get the pack that fits your size range they then have a system built in to them to adjust the strap heights to match the top edge of your shoulder blade, they have videos online to show you how to do this. At 6’4 you probably need an XL.

They're probably on par. Mystery Ranch is probably better than Eberlestock all in.

Anything standard issue military is likely to be more in the one-size-fits-all category, whereas at least Mystery Ranch has some features you might appreciate more.

You might be interested in their pop up 28: https://www.mysteryranch.com/pop-up-28-pack

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Originally Posted by def90

I’ve done a bit of back country camping and have used various military surplus packs over the years and they all sucked for any extended use. Way too heavy and the shape of the bag makes it hard to pack them correctly.

1000yds to pack out? You really don’t need much of a pack at all then, mostly just a frame. I would look at the Mystery Ranch Pop Up or the Mule. I just bought a Mystery Ranch Pintler for 2-3 day hunts and am loving it so far.

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Good point about bag shape. .Mil tends to widen rather than go higher.

We are hotel camping it so it will mainly be used for rain/snow gear and getting meat out. Probably just use a small pack until something is shot and then get big pack out of Ranger. Reality is the pack will never have anything in it because there really isn't any elk left up there. All fake news I think.

I will go check out the store and try on the MR's. Thanks guys, I realize a pack is usually one size fits none, but your info is really helpful, I wasn't even aware that packs came in different body sizes.

Being able to take a dip in the pool of knowledge is awesome. Thanks [Beer]

Kifaru makes very nice stuff and is a Colorado company. Not cheap though...

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Originally Posted by ssgenuine

We are hotel camping it so it will mainly be used for rain/snow gear and getting meat out. [Beer]

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Pop Up 18 would be best.. Small pack for just carrying the items you might need for a day hike and then the frame is able to extend upwards for carrying larger loads. The nice thing about the Mystery Ranch packs/system is that you can buy the Pop Up and then down the road when you want a bigger pack just buy something like the Pintler or the Metcalf sold as the bag only and use the frame that you already have for the Pop Up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkZPzOGb0zM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA-ZSshsPPI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF4g2jVWNN8

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Originally Posted by Delfuego

Kifaru makes very nice stuff and is a Colorado company. Not cheap though...

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Best pack I’ve owned. The 26” frame should fit the taller 6’+ guys fine.

I’m a gear snob and used to work in the outdoor products industry. Buy once, cry once.

http://www.rmsgear.com has a great in stock selection to try on in their store.


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When I first started elk hunting I used an Alice pack and did for quite a few years. I saw now problems and had zero complaints about it but wanted something slightly smaller for an easier day pack to carry around the mountains. We packed our elk out on horses so I didn't need a big pack to carry quarters.

Now I'm using the Badlands Superday Pack to carry food, water, knives, etc and REALLY like it. Extremely comfortable and the locations of pockets works perfect for calls, GPS, flagging tape, etc.
http://www.badlandspacks.com/gear/pa...nting-backpack

I also have the Badlands 2200 hunting pack for packing out meat. While the pack is slightly bigger, the frame carries weight good and there's a fold up meat shelf for packing out quarters.
http://www.badlandspacks.com/gear/pa...0-hunting-pack

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Originally Posted by ssgenuine

I misspelled hobit to make sure I didn't insult any real hobbits. I like hobbits, nice warm snack that you don't have to pack. My(I am told) son is a hobbit, hairy feet and all.

The waist belt on the ones I have poked an arm through lets my belly hang out under them like an upside down bra. I guess that spreads out the weight,, on top of my belly cleavage.

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Hahahaha!!!!! [ROFL1]

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Originally Posted by Delfuego

Kifaru makes very nice stuff and is a Colorado company. Not cheap though...

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Amen to that..I have two Kifaru packs with lots of extras. Nice and pricey though

Goruck. I have a GR2 for travel and love it. This is all I use now for travel. They have different sizes.


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Wonder how well this thing would hold up. Man that's neat. I want to try one.

https://imgur.com/gallery/Z7UChD4

Hmmm, probably the same mechanisms they have for steady cams.. a lot of counter weights and springs. I'm guessing it's fairly heavy.

But would the stabilization mean more weight = less perceived weight and thus less fatigue? Similar to how a well balanced (heavier) rifle would be easier to employ in unsupported positions than a lighter but less balanced rifle?

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Originally Posted by Firehaus

Best pack I?€™ve owned. The 26?€? frame should fit the taller 6?€™+ guys fine.

I?€™m a gear snob and used to work in the outdoor products industry. Buy once, cry once.

http://www.rmsgear.com has a great in stock selection to try on in their store.


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I was browsing this thread this morning and went and paid these guys a visit this afternoon. Thanks for the lead.

FWIW

Kifaru = Patrick Smith, the founder of MountainSmith packs based in Golden but he sold it long ago
Mystery Ranch = Dana Gleason, the founder of Dana Designs, a great pack company before he sold it

Between them, that's about a century of building high-end packs here in the US. Both started in the backpacking world then followed the money to military and hunting markets.

Kifaru and mystery ranch are two of the best.. i own neither YET because i dont have the money...i have kids.. i use an old military pack and it does just fine..but if you have money or at least want to check out Kifaru they are in wheatridge i belive or fairly close. I went with my body when he ordered one and they have weight to put in them as well. You can find used ones on line.

The RMS place linked above, in Wheat Ridge, has some used packs, most of the used ones were Kifaru.

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Originally Posted by Irving

The RMS place linked above, in Wheat Ridge, has some used packs, most of the used ones were Kifaru.

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People must be upgrading to the lighter frame kifaru?s. Im tempted, but 1 lb lighter vs new frame cost is where I?m stuck.

The guys at RMS are great.


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Yeah, I've been looking for a "real" hunting pack and asked a guy to walk me around the MysteryRanch Pop-up 28. I had him fit it to me just before I bought it.

The set up i have was just posted in the trading post! Worth it.

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Originally Posted by Irving

Yeah, I've been looking for a "real" hunting pack and asked a guy to walk me around the MysteryRanch Pop-up 28. I had him fit it to me just before I bought it.

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Nice! I just did some scouting today with my Pintler, you'll love the Pop Up.

This was at 10,500 feet, nice and green on the mountain this year.

https://scontent.fapa1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...be&oe=5D9FCA2F

Good work. If I can find time, I'd like to load up the pack like I was hiking in to camp, with tent, bag, and pad in the meat carrier area and try out actually carrying a load.

I've been hunting for at least five years out of my $30 LAPoliceGear 3-day bag. It's held up relatively well, but it isn't exactly comfortable and I've never had to actually put any meat inside of it.

I started light today seeing that it was the first long hike I've done in a while. Just loaded up with water, a trail cam and the general safety survival stuff I carry. Will probably start hiking Sanitas in town here on a weekly basis adding a bit more weight each time.

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Originally Posted by def90

Nice! I just did some scouting today with my Pintler, you'll love the Pop Up.

This was at 10,500 feet, nice and green on the mountain this year.

https://scontent.fapa1-2.fna.fbcdn.n...be&oe=5D9FCA2F

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Nice pic! It has been really green in the mountains this year..didn't find any snow like that.