Originally Posted by Take_a_knee
People who live out of packs, for weeks, no, for months at a time, swear by ULA packs. Their packs have a roll top, no lid, and a mesh back panel, much like the HPG setup. The guy who designed it lived out of the packs he designed for weeks/months every year, and after he sold his company, probably still does. I've been using and carrying packs for 35yrs now, and the ULA setup, livability wise, is the best I've found.

I agree the HPG Tara could be made from a lighter material, and they have considered that. I've considered making something similar myself out of 4oz dyneema.

I don't own a Highlander. I will never carry enough of my kit outside of a Hefty compactor liner to need that volume. If you need 7200ci, and aren't carrying a satcom radio/antennae or a 20lb. London Bridge med pack, you really should learn to lighten up.


TAK,

There is a BIG difference from the guys that live out of their packs doing something like the PCT or AT that go 5-7 days between towns and stocking up on food and the most they have to carry is maybe 40 pounds at a time vs. someone going on a 10 day backcountry hunt completely unsupported, going in 10+ miles one way and then coming out with camp and meat and cape in a single load.

These two different types of backpacking require to very different types of backpacks IMO. I'm afraid you are confusing the two. I know I would NOT pack want to 100 pounds in a ULA epic frame for any distance. The one I used was good with 50 pounds in it but up at 80 pounds it was NOT nearly as comfy as over hunting packs I've used.

I've used the highlander and its a cool little pack but when you load up meat inbetween it and a frame the usable space inside the highlander becomes compromised even with day hunt stuff if you really wanna strap things down tight.

I guess I just don't like strapping everything to the outside of my pack more than I have to. How exactly do you carry your meat, cape, horns, and camp out of the backcountry? Do have a pic of you doing so, I'm always looking to improve things and seeing a pic of how you pull it off would be great.

Almost any of us could fit all our gear in 4000 cu in pack for week long endeavors, but I don't buy a pack based on my going in weight and space, rather based on what my pack will weigh and space/volume coming out after a successful hunt with meat, cape, and camp all in the same load.

Here is a 7200 cu in pack coming out with half a sheep my buddy shot over 15 miles from the road. Going in for the week I started with just under 40 pounds....as you can see I still was able to use up a lot of the cubic inches even though the pack was hardly full going in.
[Linked Image]

Also how can the ULA setup be the best you've found and you've never even used it?? You don't even know if the frame will be comfy for your body type? Or have you borrowed and used one and carried an animal out with it??

The ULA epic is a cool pack for sure, but hardly a long distance unsupported backpack hunting pack for consistently hauling heavy loads out of the backcountry over and over.