Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting which backpack

I recently donated my old pack to a young and upcoming hunter. It was one of the old Bianchi hunting backpack, I don't think they make them anymore. It served me faithfully for several years. While it service was acceptable, I saw were it could be better.
So I am in the market for a new pack.
1. I use a hydration pack so pockets for water bottles are useless.
2. I do not hunt for more then a day at a time.
3. With 2. in mind, I live in E.Ky. and usually hunt the ridge tops, I am over 50, but in pretty good shape, so to hunt those ridge tops I have got to climb. I would like a pack that would handle strapping my Columbia Gallatin Range bibs and coat,so I do not sweat to death by the time I get to the top of the ridge.
so I think a huge main compartment would be useless, kinda like not big enough for a hunting outfit and to big for a couple of sandwiches and a apple.
This is what I usually pack into the woods give or take.

I live in a rural area and very rarely get to a large city that carries a bass pro or cabelas. So I will probably be ordering on line and will probably be depending heavily on your suggestions to order. Thanks my brothers, and Merry Christmas.

Budget?

Forgot to mention. It has to be quiet!!
Budget:
I want to get as much bang for the buck as possible. Probably between $100-$200.
Would not be opposed to spending more if it was exactly what I wanted.

You might check out the Eberlestock X2 daypack. I have been using one for 2 falls and like it. It is very quiet, has plenty of pockets (I hate the multitude of climber style packs with very few or no accessory pockets) and has a small, aluminum internal frame and set up so the side pockets swing to the side and you can strap on a bag of meat, maybe an elk quarter in a real pinch (but I haven't tried that yet) - so it is easy to strap on other stuff. They sell extension staps for straping on something big. It did have a squeak problem with the bag straps rubbing against the frame, which I fixed by spraying the frame with stoveblack and wrapping with athletic tape. The pack is very well-made. The waist belt pockets a little too small for small binos, etc.

I have another daypack that is quiet, has lots of pockets, has a flap for straping on jackets, other stuff and maybe a bag of meat is the Camelbak Commander in their version of fleece. However, it does not have a internal frame, if that matters to you. I use this pack year around for hiking, mostly for the off-seasons. Also well made - if it had an internal frame, I would use it for hunting.

if you need quiet, stay away from the packs with fleece 'quiet' panels, if you hunt in brushy country. Thick brush will slide around you and along the pack, finding the nylon portions...I tried that with a Kifaru spike camp and prematurely spooked elk close by several times. it's mostly jungle where I hunt...

Thanks CabinetMtnsGoat.
Went to youtube and watched a video on the Eberlestock X2 daypack.
They are really sweet, way overbuilt compared to my last one, probably more then I need, but it would be nice to have the options. I will be looking at this one pretty hard. How would you rate it on noise, and could it be made quieter by running it through a few washes?
Thanks again for the advice.

You're welcome. Yep,the X2 is built very well. The fabric is quiet, but not as quiet as soft fleece. Not sure if washing would change it - you could sew up a soft fleece bag cover to go over it, I suppose. Also, it does have some cordura accessary straps on the sides which would make noise if brush rubbed on them, but I haven't noticed that yet. They could be cut off. Good luck!

Are you looking for clean, no-rust Toyota 4WD for about $2500 as well? Double the upper end of your budget and you might find something decent.

You might pick up a used G1 Kifaru Longhunter frame for less than $200, order a Hill People Gear Tara Pocket and their compresion straps, and order a Big River dry bag for the main pack. You MIGHT get all of that for $300, if you watch for a deal on the frame.

Another possible option to make a pack quieter:

Take a fleece long sleeve shirt or zip front jacket (a wool or acrylic shirt would also do, maybe even flannel would do in Kentucky, though I shudder to admit that ).

Whatever pack you choose, wrap the fleece jacket around the body of the pack with sleeves hanging down over the pack straps. Undo the pack straps, slide them through the jacket sleeves and reattach them. Zip or button the jacket, or it may work as well left open. The zipper will be against your spine. Put the pack on with straps and pack covered by soft quiet fleece. When you want to stop, you have a jacket to put on that did not take up interior space in the pack.

I have not handled this one, however I have the previous bigger version and the material is quiet.

This is 1600 ci and has external strapping similar to mine. I use it for my wool coat and sitting mat.

Good thing about bean is you don't pay for shipping on this, and there return policy is great.

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/6927...-s-tracker-pack&attrValue_0=Break-Up Infinity&productId=1161480

Thanks for all the helpful input. I am really liking the
Eberlestock X2 daypack.

An oh, make sure that toyo is under 30,000 miles. lol

I really liked the design of the X2 pack and it would fit your price point. My only knock on it is that it didn't quite fit my torso. It was hard to access the waste pockets while on my back. Still worth the look though.

I have the badlands Ultra Day pack and really like it. I like the pocket configurations, as well as the straps on the front and bottom which allow me to cinch down a jacket and fleece, just as the OP wants to do. What I like most is the internal frame and the webbing on the back of the pack that provides a space between my back and the pack itself, preventing me from getting all sweaty. Check it out...

http://www.fishwest.net/flyfishing/product/BL80ULTR.html?ad-id=shopzilla#.UrcCPbCA34g

Are you a long or short torso, and how did it not fit?
Thanks

Checked it out on utube pretty sweet too.

I had not considered that, thank you.

I guess I would say long since it seemed small to me. I'm 6'1" 200 Ibs. if that helps.

Out of your initial price range at $299, but I recently saw an Eberlestock M5, or team elk, while at the store. To me it seemed like a new and improved X2 that would probably fit me better. Certainly want to try it someday.

Do you have any interest in an Eberlestock J-107 Dragonfly? It's way more room than you say you want but it will compress down into flat, compact, daypack mode, yet expand large enough to haul camp or meat if ever needed.

I have one slightly used that is heading for the auction block, and just may fit your budget. PM me if you have an interest.

Your comment about the waist pocket hard to access - is my experience also - when the waistbelt is cinched up tight, the pockets are 'stretched' too much to put small binocs, camera etc into, without unbuckling the waist belt - this is a design flaw that Eberlestock should fix...

I'm an Eberlestock fan and really like the versatility of the J34. It functions as a large day pack or a multi-day pack (using a spike camp duffle) when you need it. It handles up to 60 lbs fairly comfortably.

Check out this impartial review of backpacks.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Backpacks-Backpacking-Reviews?n=0&sort_field=score#compare

KC