Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting KUIU - Icon 1850 or Stone Glacier Solo or ?????

Okay fellas', I've been looking all over for a Day Pack with the idea of hunting light and coming out heavy. I like this idea of having meat bag in between the pack bag and frame. Should make hauling out heavy much easier than on the out side of the bag. I don't want to carry meat in the bag for obvious reasons of being very messy on everything else already in the bag. I use heavy cotton game bags so the meat can breath. I hunt with bow and rifle so keeping the meat cool during early elk season is important. I won't be carrying in any other gear than what is needed to hunt. Water, calories, knives, rope, survival gear, tripod, spotting scope, etc. will be items I'll need to hunt.
I want the quietest material possible & the toughest. If I'm gonna drop $400+ on something it better last the rest of my hunting days. I'd prefer a lesser expense but I'm just not finding anything out there that I feel would do what I want. Right now the KUIU Icon 1850 is at the top of the list for size & price tag. If Jason comes out with a 1600 bag I'd probably go that way, but I think this is going to be the smallest bag size offered. I looked all over Kifaru and did not find anything in the line that is designed similar to these two. But I'm pretty slow at times and if they have an offering I'd like to hear about it.

I'd like to hear input from guys that have used these packs or a similar design in the style that I will be using the pack. Any recommendations if my thinking is complete upside down is welcome also.

Thanks for your help!

I've got the Solo and it's the best pack I've used so far (I've used MR Crew Cab, 6500, and wore a Kifaru Timberline G2 for a short trip). The Kifaru isn't set up like this, but it was my next favorite.

Something to keep in mind is that I'm 6'7" and pretty skinny, so packs fit me different than most people

Yeah, I'm more like Hutch; 6' 190#'s! And getting old!
How was the noise factor and articulation, Starsky, with your Solo?

I've got no complaints on the noise factor. Pretty quiet pack, overall. The thing I like most about it, is the range of body types it can fit. i.e. how much the shoulder straps adjust, length wise.

Any more questions, just lemme know. I know a few other members on here have it, as well.

I had to look close at the first paragraph of the op. I thought I could have written this!

I use a kifaru express with the grab it shelf option. Same reasons you state with the mess hauling meat in a bag.

Since I'm primarily archery hunting the express and spike camp are very good because of the narrow top and wide bottom. Drawing a bow or moving your shoulders to hold a rifle is no problem.

With two side pockets for tripod and scope it's really sweet. Multiple options for inside pockets let you keep smaller items organised.

I'm sure there are plenty of others designed as good, but few are made as well. I'm not a brand specific guy, I just know that this good stuff. Good luck with the choices. Several mentioned are great options.

Day packs for me are in the 2000ci range I want my warm clothes food and gear inside where they can't get wet. That's just me.

I have used both KUIU 1850 with the carbon frame and a SG with its unique carbon frame. All I have now is the SG. Sold of the KUIU recently. The KUIU is wonderfully thought out but it was a minimalist design that I was after. SG has less pockets and lighter in weight. The belt and shoulder padding is thinner and softer than the KUIU. I couldn't get myself to get use to KUIU's belt. I don't like the open frame and the one hole on each frame stay to loop the belt through. I notices the belts have fray after a couple of use because of the pressure/stress looping through but it is just MHO. I like the cloth and the way they designed expandable loading features. I have hauled out meat with both. I used a 35L sea to summit ultra thin bag to put the meat in. They both were comfortable but the shoulder straps on the SG just secure and felt better for me. If I wasn't such a off the road hunter who hikes 5+ miles each way than I can live with the KUIU but the reason I paid 5 bills was to get the lightest pack possible.

There may be a new SG series of packs coming. Contact Kurt by email.

Sincerely,
Thomas

kaboku,
What a tease! Speak up man if you know something!



yurotrash,
Could you talk more about the unique carbon frame...what makes it unique? Also could you share with me your thoughts on which one was the quietest? I to hike 5+ miles off road into no vehicle areas and start hunting there. For me the less than a pound difference between the two doesn't matter. But the larger bag (3300cui) on the SG just means I would pack more and then that would matter. I just don't want a bunch of grab or zip lock bags adding useless weight either.



JJHACK,
As you know I am a tradition bow hunter here in Washington but hunt both archery and rifle season in Montana. Putting heavy cotton meat bags into a bag that doesn't breath real well, I also fear, spoilage during the warmer September bow seasons. Trying to strap meat bags to the outside of a regular pack is always a pain and meant dropped game bags usually. Actually had my wife sew up something similar to the grab-it and that worked okay but still had challenges. Besides having the meat weight to my back during long hauls out should be a lot more comfortable and less stress to my back.

As my skills have increased or maybe as I have become more patient with age. I have learned to whittle down the meat I'm going to eat before I just whole sale strap on quarters.

I just kept staring at the Bowls and often pails of scrap I was packing out when I was home butchering the meat. There are cuts and pieces worth packing and pieces that are not. I'm done carrying out the stuff I don't want.

Think about live weight, then dressed weight, then quartered weight. Final butchered weight what are these numbers for the species you hunt?

Do the bulk of the work right where the game lays. Pack what you eat. It will surprise you to see how much can be reduced. Folks are cutting corners and shaving ounces. Cut the meat up and pack out what you eat. That's pounds and pounds of weight!

I agree, so long as it matches what your state requires you to pack out. Sometimes you have to suck it up and just pack some things out that you know you won't use.

True enough. I hunt remote areas, hence the pack in. I don't see people or travel paved public roads much.

I'm glad you pointed this out publicly. That's a situation I have no consideration of in my world.

sreekers, Points out something we have to deal with, identifiable piece of sex left on one of the quarters. I personally bone out all of my quarters (cools the meat faster) and leave proof of sex on one of the boned quarters. It actually upsets me to leave a hunk of hair and penis attached to my eatable meat. But its the law and I do it for proof of sex. Never seen a game warden or check station in Washington or Montana but if I do I don't want any hassles with the law.

Trust me I don't carry anything out that I would not use or eat or need. I hunt solo or with my wife and she doesn't carry anything except for her weapon. Matter of discussion wife & I hunted pretty deep for her on one trip. On the way back out, empty, she made a comment as to, "You might have to carry me out the rest of the way." I snickered and said, "Honey, you know I don't carry bone." Funny she was able to walk the rest of the way out after that.