Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Suggest 50-55L Pack

2-3night non-winter hikes, not necessarily hunting. Have been slumming an old ext frame kelty this past summer, it being a tad too small in volume and an ok if not good suspension (old). Live at foot of the mountains in MT and been breaking back into overnighting after a 20yr hiatus. No meandering level trails; 2000-3000ft elevation gain, goat paths, bushwacking, a little rock climbing, all-weather all totally normal here, and a lot i don’t know incl. good pack ideas for here. I want a load tight/close on my back, and back panel access zipper (sick of digging from above ruck-style), beside usual wants (ventilation, suspension, not a pig).

Buddy, a rock climber first, has the mystery ranch sphinx 60, so loaded his up last night and demo’d, and like ok but that is one soft, sweaty back panel imo, lumbar pad (really too) soft , and hiking here is work first, joy second (or, third) so, eh. Heavy, too. Like a cushy Cadillac with a broken AC. Not sold.

Other friends have the all so popular ospreys, one an aether 70, so i tried a aether 55 in the shop myself (weighted down), and like it but the shoulder straps feel too narrowly placed, and even thin, for me (wide neck, shoulders). Weight tight up against my back though, nice layout, i want to like it, but think will regret on long days. Would borrow my friend’s aether for a day to trial, but sad story short, not an option.

Tried a gregory baltoro 65 in store, a fantastic suspension, but weight always felt hanging waaaaay off my back first, and didn’t care for it’s layout and cheap feeling pack material, second. Grafting the gregory suspension quality on the mystery ranch or osprey pack would be a winner, though.

Have googled plenty. Any suggestions to seek out and try?

If you’re going to use it for hunting and packing heavy meat loads on top of regular back packing, I’d suggest going with a hunting pack. Backpacking bags are generally very comfortable but usually not rated for heavy loads unless you start getting into big expedition packs.

Being you’re from Montana, I’d suggest doing a quick trip to Stone glacier and have a look at their frames/bags in person.

Thanks. Yeah, have different packs for hunting. May bring and do a little .223 plinking some days, but otherwise, this is primarily a backcountry overnighting pack

For a non- hunting pack in the 50 liter range, take a peek at the Seek Outside Flight. It's a framed pack so will carry 20-40 lbs without much drama, but it's still pretty damn light. I've had mine for two years now and have racked up a lot of miles criss crossing across the Bob Marshall (and elsewhere). Shoulder pads and hip belt are very comfy and the pockets on the hip belt are perfect sized (not the tiny pockets you see on some packs or have to buy pockets for the belt).

My favorite hunting pack is a KUIU Ultra 5500. I have backpacked many miles using that pack. It weighs only 4.2 pounds and I have carried out many deer with a full pack. I emptied my pack then carried out an elk hind quarter. It has always performed flawlessly. I'm not sure they offer the Ultra line any longer. The KUIU Pro 5500 seems to be identical.

KUIU Pro 5500 Backpack

A full kit includes frame and suspension system.

KUIU frame pack system

+1 on SO packs.

This thread on Rokslide is worth your time to go through. While not entirely compressive, I feel that it is unbiased and real world. I think the actual review video is on page 22 or 23.

https://www.rokslide.com/forums/thr...ted-8-5-2020.172763/page-25#post-2234461

I'd recommend the Black Diamond Mission 55...3.88lb M/L

https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en_US/product/mission-55-pack/


Equivalent from Mountain Hardwear.

https://www.mountainhardwear.com/p/pct-55l-backpack-1938271.html?dwvar_1938271_color=352&pos=0


Go with under 5lb packs, when possible and opt for slightly more capacity.

I can't get my gear into a 50L. At 55L it'll go but the threads at the seams are tight enough to give me something above a middle C. Feel like a failure spring loaded and waiting to go. My sweet spot is 60-65L.

But since you asked .. what's your preference for frame? External, internal, or none? How much do you want the pack to weigh? Do you want something that rides high or something that rides low?

For fairly low profile, the 511 tactical Rush 72 is an interesting 55L option. Bit heavy but the organization is .. intriguing ... at least for me. I also like Kelty's Redwing 50. I wanted to pick up a Kelty Yukon 50 .. basically it's the kids external frame pack but with a slightly larger frame. I like external for lashing on fishing rods, foam pads, etc to the outside and my food 'n' clothes .. and maybe sleeping bag ... inside. I like pockets on my pack for organizing my shyte, not just a sack with shoulder straps that require me to dig around inside to locate whatever sack has the shyte in it.

60L packs ... I have a Granite Gear Nimbus Access Trace 60L. It's cool in that, like the Mystery Ranch packs, it opens not just across the top, but the back opens for top to bottom access to everything without having to disturb more than the thing you're trying to get to. Out of production but there are a few floating around.

Another pack in that range that I've used, and I really like, and it really isn't obvious, is Badlands Sacrifice LS. I get my full pile of junk that otherwise fills a 65 L pack into it even though it is rated a bit smaller. It rides low so it's pretty good for off-trail bushwhack type backpacking. I used one in 2012 - 2015 or 2016 when Kelty came out with the 65L version of the Coyote. That's become my all-things-backpacking pack but I still ponder return to the Sacrifice.

Have you taken a look at ULA, Ultralight Adventure Equipment, packs?

Went with the Aether 55 for now. It rides nice and tight up on my back. Nice dense padding. Shoulder straps still positioned kinda narrow, ok with some fiddling - just have to see how it goes. Don’t care for the strap layout or nearly 5lb weight but, so it goes. The build time on the seek outside flight is 12wks. Getting one on order, try it out come spring. Hell, getting cold here fast, may not even get out overnight before big game. Bear hunt next weekend already.

Ordered up for comparison the mountain hardware pct 55 mentioned above. Love the clean layout and modest weight, but the bottom dimensions are way tight given the frame curvature, too small for even just my sleeping bag alone much less anything else. Hip belt and shoulder straps kinda thin, might be ok but since can’t load it up as desired, eh, too bad. Sending back. Can’t have everything... least not yet.

Tom: 55L seems about right for me for 2-3 night. Have most all ultralight & compact gear, still including packable rain gear and tarp, and even a hammock plenty of room left for food and clothing. Come truly cold weather, though, going to need more volume for sure. Project for later.

thanks for the update! I think SO had a major piece of machinery go down (fixed now I believe) and thus their orders got way behind, worth the wait though imho