Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Need a new lumbar pack....

I kinda looked past the HPG....umlindi was too big...more of a daypack with a waist belt, called a lumbar pack, and their butt pack is too small. Wilderness’s day pack is more of a huge lumbar pack. So far, the Muley seems to pack up and organize well. I don’t think the straps will show any lack of padding unless well overloaded and wearing nothing but a Tshirt. Ive got some slip on pads from an HSG carrier I could throw on, if it was an issue. Side pockets are too small for larger/fatter bottles, but hold skinnies fine. More pockets in it than expected, and well thought out. Construction seems very solid, but it’s not as ‘refined’ as some of the trendy brands.....hand sewn vs mass produced, maybe? All same nylon fabric, no stretchy panels, no mesh aside from lumbar pads, nothing really to tear up. Easy to attach pouches on belt. Appears to be easily custom modded, if wanted. Has frame attachment straps, if needed. If you’re over 6’4”, I might ask for longer suspension straps.....pretty much it for now.

Have you considered the Alps Outdoorz Little Bear, Big Bear, Big Bear X or the Covert?

Not since two of them fell apart on me

Oh. wow! Never mind. Good to know. I have no personal experience, but knew they were out there and offered them as an option. Thanks for the insight.

LOL....yeah, and I’m not hard at all on my hunting packs.....even before I broke my back and had plates, I rarely, truly ‘packed’ much while hunting. Majority was just whitetail day hunts. I truly ‘packed’ much more on uncle Sam’s dime...MR, and various other big packs.....but my hunting packs are really babied....especially now that I’ve got weight limits. LOL

Resurrecting this to plug the wilderness muley for being well made, AND to own up that I’ve figured out I DO need more room AND a regular daypack with some expansion will probably be more versatile for me, in the long run. I may keep the muley for a fall bow or run and gun pack, but I’m carrying more bulky, odd-shaped crap than I was, and a full pack is gonna ride better on my back with all that, than lashing it to a lumbar. Sooo....waffling between a just one/j34, x1a3, or maybe the bigger pop up.

Leaning just one, for expansion/accessories, and crossing it over for Turkey and duck chairs/dekes, night hogging tripod, etc. compressed, it seems as small as the other.

Maybe I’ll listen better this time....LOL

In fairness, there’s been a learning curve for figuring out what works best with my new lower back, and packs.

I have been fooling a lot with packs recently...

Definitely depends, to me, on whether or not I am hauling meat. I hunt several places where I always am, and another place where I walk miles while hunting but haul everything out by returning with a 4 wheeler or tractor... I am messing with a pop up 18, after selling my pinter, also now have a MR sawtooth plus a mule extra bag and a stone glacier r3 3300- gonna keep 1 of the 2 setups and sell the other after I decide. Thinking a stone glacier avail would be nice...

I also have an x1a2 and have had an x2 and used a just 1...i actually do like the bacscabbards for climbing in and out of steep areas hands-free (also use a kifaru gunbearer)

The outdoorsman's/wilderness Day pack, a bit bigger than the muley, looks interesting. Company says it carries like a lumbar. I would like to try an umlindi.

I am testing my pop up and the ither packs on a trail out back with some waist high deadfall that has come down in a few places. It really does make a difference climbing through that stuff vs the packs with the high load lifters...but clearly isn't as robust. OTH, if not meat hauling, the pop up feature ain't needed...

Choices choices

Mountainsmith? I have 2, a small one that I've had for at least 25 years and a large one.

I have some Kelty and Bean day/3-day, etc packs, if I’m going granola-style. I tend to prefer more hunting/tactical oriented layouts and such. If I’m backpacking and hiking these days, it’s for a purpose other than just the backpacking or hiking, and usually involves carrying stuff no regular backpacker or hiker would, normally.

Hill people Gear Umlindi.
Add belt, pouches and stuff sack as needed.