Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Day pack for deer

How are you guys keeping your deboned meat and quarters from seeping blood through cloth meat bags all over your pack? I've been putting my meat bags into plastic trash bags, but then the meat can't cool down effectively.

I just wash the pack afterward.

I've been using simply a pack frame with meat lashed to the frame. I've had to wash my pants a couple of times. Most times, I shoot something, quarter it, hang in trees, retrieve a pack. By the time I get back it mostly drained and/or dry/frozen.

Cabela's Elite Scout?

Pictures are still lacking from the new site This is the new model that came out. The frame is very light compact and I would have bought it. Lite Frame Combo
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$299.00 each
Weight: 4.4 lb
Width: 15 in
Length: 7 in
Height: 19 in

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HYPERLITE FRAME PACK

At 2,600 cubic inches, the Hyperlite Frame Pack is the lightest, most comfortable daypack frame system made.
The perimeter Xenoy composite frame system, coupled with our fully adjustable suspension and harness system, make for a comfortable day afield, even with loads in excess of 60 pounds. The easy-to-adjust torso length suspension fits anyone from 5'- 5" to 6'–4" with waistline capabilities from 30" - 48".
Our unique suspension design creates more ventilation area on your back than any other pack on the market. The 15-ounce composite frame keeps weight to a minimum while providing the rigidity necessary for heavier loads.
Battle tested in Afghanistan by helicopter assault mountain troops; the Hyperlite has proven to be nearly indestructible.

The bag features 9 pockets including a hydration pouch, built-in bow and rifle carrier, and zippered waist pockets to keep all your small items handy for easy access.
The new Gatekeeper Latch System makes attaching gear to you pack quick, easy and secure. Our system is designed to carry any 2" belt capable holster for your GPS, knife, rangefinder or handgun.

• 4.4 lb total pack weight
• 2,600-cubic-inch pack system
• Lightweight 15-ounce perimeter Xenoy composite frame
• Built-in Handi-pak bag system
• 9 pockets for easy gear storage
• Unbreakable nylon buckles
• 18" zippered side pockets for larger gear
• Gatekeeper Latch System for easy access to holstered gear
• Easily-adjustable suspension system
• Fully adjustable wait belt from 30" – 48"
• Integrated rifle and bow carrier

Find Your Limits by adding the removable Pelican Pack to gain an additional 1400 cubic inches of storage for extra days of clothing, gear or food.

I called them last week. They said the pack was not suited for short torsos.

I talked to them yesterday. Deciding how many packs to have sent my way - have 3 at the moment......

I'll likely see what the ones enroute offer before I do round 2. I should write a review.

I'm built on the long torso, short legs, frame, 5'11" with a 30" inseam. I tried both the Elite Scout and pack that it replaced, the Elite, and felt that they were too short for my torso. That said, the people at Cabela's would know better than me.

L.L. Bean makes a short torso pack that might work for you, the Continental S, but I think that it is only about 1,200 cu. in. We have a couple of the larger Continental packs that we use for one or two day trips.

I've looked at the first 3 packs, all Badlands and haven't found "the pack" yet. I liked the Ultra day but is listed at 1800 cu in - not even close. Plus with the plastic stays holding it off your back it seems to push into the small of your back. I haven't ruled it out but could use a few extra cu in. I really liked the Stealth but hate the material. It's some type of nylon and is really loud when brushed up against brush. Too bad because it carries well, holds all my junk, and just feels good. Make that pack with a different material and it would sell 40 bazziliion units. I also tried the Stalker - it isn't a serious hunting pack unless you are looking for a really lightweight pack and your not going to carry much weight. The waste belt is kind of a belt but not really.

I ordered a Cabelas Elite Scout Saturday. They are on sale plus with my Cabelas points, it will be cheap.

Anyone ever try Horn Hunter packs? I'm looking at the G2/and Main Beam.

Would like to have a look at the Horn Hunter's.
Thanks.

To think out of the box a little Look at this http://www.wildernesspacks.com/inde...=103&name=chukar-vest&Itemid=220 I looked at an early version of this, Looks like they have figured it out now.

Not sure if it is still being made, but I like my Camelbak Trizip. It's a copy of a Mystery Ranch. I really wanted a Kifaru, but couldn't justify the expense for just a deer hunting day pack. I couldn't be happier. It carries very well. I am sure you could scrounge one up on the Internet somewhere.

Well, the nice thing about the Cabela's is that if you don't like it, they will take it back and cheerfully refund your money, few questions asked. Living within five mile of both a Cabela's and a Scheel's and within twenty miles of a BPS is a lot of temptation, but makes seeing/touching/trying many products that they sell easy and convenient.

I used to live just north of Pittsburgh. Back in the day, I had a Cabelas, Sportsman Warehouse, BPS, Gander Mtn all within an hour. I got spoiled........

I'm still chewing on packs. Here is what I have:

Badlands: Stealth, Stalker, Ultra Day, Super Day, Monster Fanny
Horn Hunter: Main Beam, G2
Cabelas: Elite Scout
Eberlestock: X2

I'm also receiving a Crooked Horn Master Guide II to look at from a 'Fire member.

I'll do a bit more poking, prodding, stuffing, trying them on and walking around a bit. Its been really informative to have all these packs sitting in one spot to play with. You definitely see what you like, don't like, fits, and doesn't fit. I mentioned I have a short torso, all of these packs are workable for guys like me. I'll do a write-up on what I find - its been fun! Although my wife may have commented several times at the boxes that have arrived. Wait till she sees the Cabelas statement.............

Here is part 1 of my pack review.

The ‘stuff’ inside each pack:


Note: I forgot to put my GPS in the stuff pic.

Broken down into various groups:

Food



You may wonder what the 2 sandwich bags with pillow cases are – faux sandwichs. I’ve been doing this for a week and didn’t think turkey and ham would hold up that long. You may also ponder that sandwiches aren’t that flat. In my packs they end up that way <G>

Navigation
Garmin Oregon 600t, Suunto MC 2G, Suunto MCA, Maps



Safety


Black Diamond Icon, Gerber leatherman, 25 ft cord, Gerber Gator, A lot in that little bag: 12 Bandaids, Chap stick, Extra boot lace, moleskin, 3 safety pins, Advil/Ibuprofen, Kotex pad, Immodium AD, Rolaids, Electrolyte tabs, Sunscreen, matches -water/wind proof, 2 Butane lighters, Firestarters, Survival blanket, Water purifier tablets, Whistle

Other
Game bags (pillow cases with cord in middle), camera, 10 shells



Misc
Toilet paper, Small New Testament, puffer bottle, extra batteries, 2 way radio, sunscreen, watch w/ compass, license. I'll likely drop the watch.



First about my dimensions. I’m 5 ft 8” tall and weigh 165 lbs in my skivvies. I have a 32-33 inch inseam and a 16” torso measured from C7 to Illac Crest. I have relatively long legs and short torso. My chest is 42” across nipples on skin, waist is 33.5”, hips 38”. I have an athletic build and a squatters butt from 20+ years of squats. I’m close to the ‘average guy’ – a little shorter but pretty close.

I’ll offer my comments on these packs and show a few pictures. I’m going to be brutally honest and quite frankly picking nits. All of the packs are very good, I’m looking for the perfect pack.

Here is what I’m looking for:
1. It has to fit and carry 10-15 lbs comfortably
2. It has to be quiet
3. It has to carry all my ‘necessary’ junk shown in the pictures
4. It has to be tough/durable. I’m a bit hard on things so a good warranty/service counts.
5. Waterproof is not a necessity but close to it.

Part 2 will be about the packs.

BTW: I'm curious what all of you carry in your day packs when you're doing alot of hiking, stalking, still hunting. Tree stand isn't quite as critical nor is hunting relatively close to the road. I carry alot less junk when I'm hunting less than a mile from the road. I don't carry all the survival stuff or game bags when I'm TS hunting either.

Part 2: First up the bigger packs.



From Right to Left:
Eberlestock X2, Badlands Super Day, Horn Hunter Main Beam (not the XL version), Horn Hunter G2, Cabelas Elite Scout

Eberlestock X2





I bought this pack last year. It fits well, carries well, holds all my junk, and is fairly quiet in the woods. I like the layout, design, pockets and fit/feel of the pack. The only thing I wish was different is I wish it sat a bit lower on my back. I run into 2 issues with a short torso – packs sitting too high, or not able to adjust down enough. If I could get a Badlands 2200 or 2800 to adjust to a 16” torso, I wouldn’t be doing this……… All in all a very good pack.

Badlands Super Day







I’ve owned this pack for 5-6-7 years or so. It has been a staple in my arsenal since I bought it. It is the most comfortable pack I own. I’ve worn this packs for a gazillion miles. I’ve never hauled any meat or heavy loads but it carries 10-15 lbs as well as any pack I’ve ever seen. My issues: IMHO it is too big for a day pack plus it doesn’t have enough pockets/compartments. I’ve discovered through this process that I like a lot of pockets/compartments. This is a very good pack and is a good all around pack if your not carrying meat or need a lot of pockets.

Horn Hunter Main Beam








This pack is not the XL version, it is the ‘regular’ version. I’ve heard of Horn Hunter packs before but never had one in my hand. This pack is pretty impressive. It is well thought out and is fairly technical from the standpoint of all the ‘things’ incorporated into the pack. It holds all my junk with a lot of room to spare, carries well and has a fairly low profile. It has an internal frame to help the pack hold its shape and support weight when packing meat out. It has a lot of pocket/compartments, some of which are a bit extraneous like the tiny ones on the waste belt. They’d be good for carrying 4-5 business cards should the need arise. Some of the cooler features about this pack – it has a hidden fl orange meat shelf tucked under the pack in an elastic pocket. I wondered what the 2 small buckles on the side of the pack were for and figured out the meat shelf has 4 buckles that snap into 4 matching buckles on the side of the pack. The meat shlf works in conjunction with the 2 ‘wings’ on the sides. You simply put whatever you want to carry on the meat shelf, snap 6 buckles in place, cinch it down, and head out. A really good idea. The pack also has a bunch of gear loops to lash things on. Its not listed as waterproof and I’ll follow up with them next week. If I was to change 2 things, I’d ditch the 2 side/belt pockets and make the shoulder straps a bit thinner – they are the thickest shoulder straps I’ve ever seen on a pack. Overall I really, really like this pack. It is also bow/gun compatible and has 2 buckles to strap down your weapon. This pack is listed as 2800 cu in and I doubt its much more than 2200 or so. I’m OK with that because I don’t carry a lot of extraneous junk and like a smaller pack. I have a Crooked Horn Master Guide coming and am looking forward to comparing the two.

Horn Hunter G2









This isn’t really a ‘bigger’ pack as its listed at 1800 cu in but feels more like 15-1600. Again it holds all my junk comfortably so no big deal. I really like this pack as well. It is well thought out, fits/carries well, is quiet, and sit low on my back. It to has a lot of pockets. This pack is exactly what I had in mind for a deer hunting day pack. The only thing I would change – I’d lose the side/belt pockets. I found that when I put my GPS or radio in them, they wore on my hips. I simply didn’t put anything big/bulky/hard in them and it worked great. This pack is also capable of carrying a rifle/bow. I’ve never tried that with any pack but will likely try it this year on those dark hikes in/out. Having both hands free would be a bonus.

Cabelas Elite Scout











I had high hopes for this pack. It didn’t disappoint. This pack holds all my junk, carries well, and probably made of the quietest material of all the packs. It doesn’t have as many pockets at the G2 but has a sufficient number. This pack also comes with a wire internal frame that helps the pack hold its shape as it is fairly supple. The frame also lifts the pack off your back so should provide some airflow around the pack. It came with a new fancy smancy water bladder that is supposedly not going to make the water taste like a fart after an all night drunk. I hate water bladders and usually immediately peel them out and throw them away. I may try this one. It seems fairly high tech. We’ll see. This pack comes with a goofy little belt pocket that likely could hold a couple shells or something similar. A good feature is that its removable. I’m betting a large sum it will disappear shortly. The other belt pocket is much more useful and will stay. Both are out of the way and aren’t designed into the belt so won’t press on your hips if something is in them. A small fl orange patch is found inside the biggest exterior compartment that folds over the pack providing some fl orange for safety. I’m new to that feature and don’t know what to think other than my packs always cover my fl orange on my back. I’ll likely give it a whirl. The only thing I’d change about this pack is the way the ‘lower unit’ snaps to the upper part of the pack. You basically have to unsnap the lower unit to access the upper zippered compartment. I’d arrange the snap or zipper so that unsnapping wouldn’t be necessary.

I'll do the rest next week. They will be the Badlands Stealth, Stalker, Ultra Day, Crooked Horn Master Guide.

If anybody want more pics, answer any questions, or anything else, let me know and I'll do my best to get the answers.

I've been using a Badlands Super pack for the last 4 seasons. Love it and I'm 5'8". No torso issues and it's incredibly comfortable around the waist.

Heck of a review on the packs Bill, thanks for the effort. Great post.