Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Breakdown frame for meat?

Has anyone come across a collapsing pack frame besides the one from rockymountainpacks.com? I'm looking for something I could put in a big fanny pack and then put together when I had to carry meat and antlers out from way up. Alternatively, any thoughts on the Rocky Mtn. Rhino?

I've never heard of such a thing. I'd just use my Badlands 2200 with it's load sling/meat carrier deeely-bob.

Mark

This is a first carry kind of deal. Hunting early elk around here I've really come to like a large fanny pack in place of a daypack or internal framed pack; it's just better in the heat and for slipping through brush.

If you go to rockymountainpacks.com, you can watch a video of a guy on a caribou hunt putting that frame together. I know that people have modified these frames with better hipbelts and shoulder straps. The whole deal is about 2.5 lbs--not inconsequential, but better to me than lugging a sack of bloody meat against my back in hot weather.

I use a MR Nice/crewcab combo when out for awhile, but if not moving every night prefer to hunt with a big fanny pack. On day hunts I leave an older Kelty frame in the truck.

I've owned and packed with (2) break down frames. The one by Cross Creek and the Rocky Mtn Rhino. In theory, the take down frame concept sounds good but there are some major compromises.

The first compromise is packing the takedown frame (in it's stuff bag) into your daypack or fanny pack. They are not that small and do take up most of the room in a fanny pack or a substantial amount in a daypack. And I've owned about 6-7 fanny packs including the double decker types. You are left with little room for other gear (spotter, jacket, etc).

The second compromise is how these takedown frames handle heavy loads. Yes, they do handle heavy loads but they come with a price, namely comfort. You may be using the take down frame for only the first meat trip out but if it's a long and heavy one you will be cussing all the way, if you make it without injury.

So then one decides to hunt with the frame assembled with your fanny or daypack strapped on. Later it's decided these frames are not as comfortable or as quiet as a regular frame so you switch to the ext. frame. But most ext frames weight at least 4.5lbs before the fanny/daypack are strapped on.

Why not just hunt with a specialized pack like the 4lb Badlands 2200 (2310ci) that can handle a moderate load for the first pack out and then return with a heavy duty ext frame like the Barney's, BullPac or GG Stratus Flatbed?

Btw, I sold both of my take-down frames long ago, ran a BullPac setup for about 7yrs and now I'm going to give the Badlands 2200 a try for my day or weekend hunts. Seems like the Badlands 2200 has went thru some refinements and there are many satisfied owners out there.

As for hot weather hunting, in MT?

MtnHtr

Mtn Hunter--
That's what I was afraid of. Thanks for the descriptions.

As for hot weather in Montana---Well, I guess it's all relative. September elk rut seems pretty hot to me most years. And, more than anything else, I like little weight and low profile on my shoulders, particularly shooting a longbow. I live in the western part of the state, and, though the fires are working on it, the brush can be thick.

Anyhow, good luck.

jockc I get where you are coming from.

I live a degree or so north of you and some of those Sept afternoons chousing moose seem hot to me as well.

I've never used a collapsible frame, so I'm of no use to you there.

but I often throw a fanny pack inside my Barney's so if I have to do some crawling through some dry brush or a fast stalk I can make sure I have the essentials on me.

Have used that system for years, finally retired my old fanny pack and got a Crooked Horn fanny/daypack, the daypack folds down over the fanny pack part and you can squeeze a jacket in there.

it weighs a little bit more than my old fanny pack, but holds more as well.

a siwash or two convinced me the extra weight and thus extra carrying capacity were a worthwhile tradeoff.

if I'm hunting in fair proximity to camp, my boat or a 4 wheeler or such, I just use the fanny pack.

but when it's time to haul weight, I'll go get the barney's

jockc,
I have the quick packer from cross creek trading. Check them out at there website. If your interested in it I have one I'd sell for $75 tyd. I've put it together a couple times but never used it. It's solid and would carry all the weight you want. You can email me dcliefyahoo.com