Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Thinking about a new backpack

Are you making more modifications than adding better stays to the Epic? Consider me jaded, but I'm having a very difficult time believing an Epic is going to withstand longterm use, or multi-season/multi-year durability, under heavy hauling conditions. The ULA site says "Rec'd Max Load: 40 lbs or less". The Kifaru site says loads of 70+ for the 3700 and 100+ for the 5200. There's more to the difference of these packs than just the stays. There are significant fundamental differences in philosophies and constructional integrities.

I've personally handled and thoroughly examined a couple ULA pack models, while also reading countless testimonials. ULA is a no-bullshit company. They come clean and are accurate with their recommended limitations. You'll find tens and tens, if not hundreds, of testimonials attesting to the accuracy of their numbers. I trust that you can get them to carry 80LBs, and to maybe even carry 80LBs well with proper modifications, but how many times is an Epic going to perform at that level before one of its original components fails or in need of constant attention with seam repairs or ripping? How long will the pack last when put under that kind of abuse (abuse it was never intended to withstand)? Are you going to get one long hunt out of it? One season? One year? Two years? Too much money and too many chancy variables to make this experiment worth it for the average user.

Brad,

I've had 90 lbs in my Epic with the composite stays. I don't think there is any way the Epic would carry the 137 lbs we had in the KU 5200 at the Camp, but for more "normal" loads of 100 lbs or less it makes a decent alternative.

Nor would I choose an Epic or probably even a KU if I were packing as many animals in a season as Aron. I'd probably be looking much harder at the Timberline or a McHale.

I recently bought a KU 3700 and I'm most impressed. I hike the southern Appalachians and hunt deer. I figured it would be all the pack I need. My old hiking pack is a ULA Catalyst, great pack but the suspension starts to fold at 45#, still carries okay but not like the KU. No way you can load a deer in it, IMO. It has several hundred miles of use and zero loose stitches anywhere, it replaced a Granite Gear that literally fell apart.

For hunting out west I considered the KU 5200 but had high hopes when the Timberline rumor mill started. The the 5000ci pack came out with that idiotic sleeping bag zipper and those useless little pockets on the back. A McHale looks to be the only game in town to me for that class of pack, if you want something a little stouter than the KU 5200.

[/quote] I've personally handled and thoroughly examined a couple ULA pack models, while also reading countless testimonials. ULA is a no-bullshit company. They come clean and are accurate with their recommended limitations. You'll find tens and tens, if not hundreds, of testimonials attesting to the accuracy of their numbers. I trust that you can get them to carry 80LBs, and to maybe even carry 80LBs well with proper modifications, but how many times is an Epic going to perform at that level before one of its original components fails or in need of constant attention with seam repairs or ripping? How long will the pack last when put under that kind of abuse (abuse it was never intended to withstand)? Are you going to get one long hunt out of it? One season? One year? Two years? Too much money and too many chancy variables to make this experiment worth it for the average user.[/quote]

Using light or ultralight gear carries with it the risk of lessened longivity. This is personal choice and some will stick with 11 lb packs that will last past armagedon, others like myself are more than happy to get less longevity to save a lot of weight.

Some ultralight gear like the gear sold under the BPL label carried no warantee, because it was "ultralight gear"

Others, such as the Kifaru UL's have a somewhat more limited warantee than the "bomber line," and yet have been extensively tested and have shown to have very good durability and still there are pages here on the message boards of guys not wanting to trust a pack that light.

The Epic filled a nich for me as a light hauler that is very comfortable and has all the features exactly as I want them. If the Kifaru UL had a true hauler option (not just the use of a cargo chair) that would have been my 1st choice. For extended trips, I'd probably use one of the KU's, but for shorter trips and day hunts, the Epic has a purpose, especially when it only takes a couple minutes to swap out the stays from my KU 3700.

I haven't handled a ULA pack or read their website. But I would trust Ed's opinion as one who's actually used the packs in the field over someone who has only read about them and "handled" them.

Ok, I was also concerned when I've seen several times that the ULA Epic max is 40-45lbs. Thats a reccomendation from the manufacture.. With Arrons report and Manufacture's rating, I'm out(Shark Tank) .

ELK REAPER,

Curious as to exzactly what "seemed" to hold up better means??

I've heard reports of material and stiching durability.. And unless you get one on sale than $299 can buy alot of good(great) Used packs.

I had several hunters buy the xt and some of them got lemons. So if you buy one and test it's out ahead of time, you'll be good to go. Since rei has such a good warranty, you can shuffle through them if you do get a lemon and it won't cost you anything.

I agree with you 100% about getting a great used pack for under $300, but the warranty from rei equals things out a bit.

I am pickiing up a ULA catalyst today, so I'll do some full on torcher to the pack and see what happens.

Without the composite stays, I'm suprised the Epic didn't collapse with 80+ lbs.

I have used an Epic for over a year and had not durability issues.

I do know that many Granite Gear Flatbed's have had to have stitiching repairs done after several seasons of hard hunting use and I think most people would rate the Flatbed as a pretty burley pack.

One thing to note, I think ULA will do some customization, so it wouldn't surprise me if you could have one inch compression straps and webbing put in it easily. I would think if there was a problem with heavy weight it would be sewing on the smaller compression straps. Just my 02.

I agree with Kevin on the compression straps being the possible weak link. The addition of one more strap would help as well.

I also would say that if I did have stitching rip out by carrying more than twice the recomended weight, I wouldn't consider that a failure of design or construction and certainly wouldn't expect it to be repaired under warantee coverage.

I have one I'll sell or trade if it'll fit you. GREAT hiking pack but it ain't no meat hauler. It is the best designed pack to live out of I've ever used.

I quess I'm just obsessed with tough as hell reliable gear.. Neither the ULA or the XT sound like a pack that a guy could count on.. I've experienced pack failure before.. My sources and time are limited. Gear failure I will not tolerate. I realize sometimes "GF" happens no matter what. But to knowingly head out with "so-so" gear, well then your asking for trouble and get what you deserve.

Agreed on test runs.. Can't even tell ya how much stuff I've tried that dosen't even make it outa the backyard before It had issues or it was obvious it was gear that wasn't gonna work for me..

Why don't we all contact ULA, have them design us the perfect hunting pack...

Better yet Ed could work with them to build the perfect pack and add it to the EdT lineup...hint...hint.

Haha, yep one that will pack out boned meat and gear and can handle a guy falling on his azz with it loaded and one that can withstand being puncture by tree branches etc. Straps and buckles that can handle serious pull pressure. etc.etc.etc.

That sounds like a fine idea, Ed needs a pack to complete his line up of awesome gear.

I'm working on the helium filled pack with optional wings, so you can either float off the mountain or fly depending on how agressive you are

No wings on mine please, Wilderness designation where we hunt here doesn't allow hangliders...always made me laugh when I read the signs. I mean was it that big of a problem???

How about the safety parachute in case you float too high?

That's one thing they didn't put on the sign...that must be ok.

I am all about saving weight, but often on my hunts I am 20+ miles in one way from the truck or on a fly out. A pound or two in the weight seems silly in such instances when you have to pack your camp and an animal out. You can shave weight many places I have found for backpack hunting even in packs. Switched recently from a 10 pound MR NICE 6500 for a Barney's at 7.75 pounds and now am using a TImberline 7200 cu in at 5.5 pounds. But if my pack isn't up to carrying triple digits several times throughout the year (helped haul 17 animals off the mountains this year) then I really can't consider it a hunting pack.

Pack and boots are the one place I really don't like to cut corners on if needed. The epic might be great for my summer packrafting/hiking endeavors when my pack weight is 50+ pounds starting out with 10+ days of food on board, but for strictly hunting, I think I'll stick with a proven design for now. 20+ miles back with camp and a sheep on board is a bad time to start worrying about the pack's stitching.