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What can you guys/gals tell me about them?

Fit? Function? Strap padding? Comfort?

FWIW I'm 6'1" ish, 194lbs last night, 34" waist. Good shape, no extra padding.

Is there anywhere I could try one on for size? Or are they available only from the mfg?

Thanks

Already thinking about another trip, aren'tcha?

Thinking while it's fresh in my mind, things tend to slip faster than they used to.

You guys looking for just a pure meat hauler or do you want to use it for back packing in your gear too?

The day we shot those two, I was carrying a lightweight packframe from Cabela's with my fanny pack strapped to it. A bit tight on room and the cloth meat shelf ripped loose under a heavy load. I'm thinking about getting a nice (lightweight as reasonably possible) packframe and something similar to a Badlands Sacrifice pack to either carry attached or solo.

Any words of wisdom are appreciated.

I've fiddle farted too much with packs myself and am tired of buying packs that don't work. If your looking for a packframe that you can attach a day pack to I would look at the Mystery Ranch and Barneys packs.

You could get a Barney's frame then buy a day pack to attach to it or Mystery Ranch can make you one with a frame and small pack. That is probably the route that I am going to take but A friend of mine has a MR 6500 that I am going to look at and see if it has what I need. Sorry but I have no experience with the Bullpac frames.

http://www.barneyssports.com/

http://www.mysteryranch.com/s.nl/sc.12/.f

I ran a regular size frame Bull Pac for awhile. I have the same measurements as you except I'm 5'9. The BullPac fit me well, most of the weight rode on my hips and the hip belt was comfy. The shoulder straps were very uncomfortable (too thick) so I trimmed the foam inside each strap and had a local guy re-sew the lower seams. From what I read Bull Pac later improved the shoulder straps on the later models so that issue should be resolved.

I removed the lashing tabs and padded the frame on mine as pictured so as not to scratch my rifle. Packed mostly deer and bear with the Bull Pac, sometimes strapped on daypacks and duffel bags as a backpack. This was a pard wearing the Bull Pac with a small load, he is a bit slimmer than me:


Its not a bad pack frame, a bit old school though a Dana would be far more comfy. But the Bull Pac was far more comfy than my old CT Freighter or Coleman packframes. A big plus was it was very quiet, I killed a few bucks while wearing it.

You might take a look at LL Bean's Carry All, MR's NICE frame, or an older Dana external. Nowadays I hunt with an internal and have a LL Bean Carry All pack frame for a meat hauler.

MtnHtr

Thanks to the both of you.

I've got a Badlands 4500 now and it's too big for some things and too small for others. Just trying to find a frame and pack that will suit me for everything. Don't much care for buying and selling stuff, would like to get it done and over with as soon as possible.

Thanks again.

Though it's probably bigger than your Badlands, I use a Kifaru Longhunter Guide for everything. I even lived out of it for 2wks in Italy while on vacation with my wife. I find that its not all that bad when packed down for day hunts and at 7200ci it'll hold all I care to ever carry in one trip. Maybe it's because I'm a bit lazy or out of shape, but I like to hunt in the pack that I plan on packing with. That keeps me from having to make a trip out and back for the pack to just start packing.

Here's a pic of it with just the stuff for a day hunt. It's not all that obtrusive. I'm the fat one closest to the camera.


Here's a pic with 1/2 of a boned out deer shot later that morning. Not too long after this I had another 1/2 of a boned deer in it. I have been able to fit a bone in rear 1/4 of a raghorn elk and a front shoulder in to get it out in one trip by two guys.


Though I am happy with my Kifaru others offer similar packs that do the same thing. IME, which isn't all that wide, I prefer the fit of internal packs over externals both for hunting in and load hauling.

pointer - Thanks for the opinion. I've thought about keeping the 4500 and using it like you do your Kifaru, but it seems a bit cumbersome when carried light for a day pack. I used the fanny pack deal by itself and attached to a light pack frame once, it was a bit tight but sufficed. Thinking there's a happy medium somewhere in there.

Without being too specific, would you mind if I ask the general region of the last picture? That's some gorgeous country.

I think I might have finally come to terms with something this morning and this thread seems like a decent place to mention it.

A pack that works well at 60+ (+++) pounds just isn't quite as nice to carry with loads that weigh less than 50. It's not a size thing, it's a suspension thing. For 60+ pound loads, nothing I've tried even comes close to the no longer made Dana external. The Kifaru EMR starts falling on it's face in comparison at around 65 lbs. It's tolerable, but nothing like the Dana.

On the flip side, the Dana frame with a lightweight load like 30lbs feels like driving around in a work truck with heavy suspension without a load in back. It's not uncomfortable, but it's not nearly as comfortable as something "sprung" lighter -- like a well set up internal (which, in my opinion, requires little to no "secret sauce" at this point in the game).

I'm going to spend some time thinking about a system that will allow one to adjust the "spring rate", but it could well be an unavoidable fact that you have to decide which "spring rate" you're going to go with and deal with the pluses and minuses of that choice. Do you go with a lighter spring rate for more comfort throughout your trip and then experience some suck factor if and when you put 100lbs in it, or do you go with a heavier spring rate that isn't so fun with daypack sized loads but know that you're good to go with a real load on it? Personal choice.

A MR with a 6500 bag would be my top choice. I've yet to need more room for any trip, including many 7-10 day backpack hunts. Its smashes down to about nothing for a day pack which won't hang in the brush and alders, and opens up big enough to fit a boned hind moose quarter. I much perfer it to the Crew Cab when packing lots of weight over long distances. The CC works in a pinch and for short hops, but not my favorite for multiple/extened meat hauls, and its not big enough for extended backpack hunts.

I never hunt with a pack that I can't haul out a heavy load on the way back to camp. A trip saved when you're "fresh" and usually at the top of the hill, is worth the extra effort of packing a few extra pounds around all day. I've looked at a couple bullpacs... wasn't all that impressed, I'm sure they work fine, but doubt they'd carry very well day after day.

That was my first successful muley hunt in south central Idaho.

Thanks, gorgeous territory. That's what I was picturing before we went to CO, much different than where we hunted. I'd love to hunt some open rolling land like that sometime.

I have both the Dana longbed and Kifaru Guide. I have put hundreds of miles with 77 lbs. on both packs. I not only backpack with them, but use them as part of my workouts. I give the edge in comfort to the Kifaru. I can also hunt with the Kifaru, where as the Dana I can't. My ultralight favorite right now is the ku 3700 with med. pod. Phil

I live in the mountains - where nearly everything needs to be packed out at least a short distance.

I'm also a big Bull-Pac Proponent.

The website pics are pretty crappy so here's a few I took:







They sell a bag with it, but I've never bothered. I just lash on whatever size pack I need (with deer and antelope I can take everything out in one trip. with elk and moose, the rifle & secondary pack come out with one load):







12 years, 23 antelope, 10 deer, 12 elk, 3 moose, and a bear and it's still trooping right along.

[img]http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x134/utahlefty/Hunting/DSC03602.jpg[/img]


can't go wrong for the money!

Hmmm.......

I've got the Bullpac and its bomb proof. Cabelas had one of their pack frame bags on sale a few years back, it fits perfectly on the frame and with a florescent cover. I've carried boned elk and deer and many hogs without any issues, can't beat it.

I personally know the guys who developed the Bullpac and have used one on and off for many years. The BP is built hell-for-stout and the frame is virtually indestructable and will hold up to more weight than you can carry. All that said, I don't find the BP particularly comfortable with elk type loads on it (I'm 6'2" 195) and only use mine for packing meat. I find my altered Dwight Schuh Peak 1 frame more comfortable.

The aluminum frame and nylon covered belt and straps are noisy as hell in the woods and I gave up after a few trips trying to use it as a full service pack.

I know quite a few people who use the BP and if your previous experience is with a light duty $50 frame you will probably love the BP. For me, the straps put more weight on my shoulders than I like and the pack is too short for my torso. I have several buddies who say the same for them. And then there are those who also love'em.

If I was outfitting a trail crew to pack gear and clear trail, the BP might well be my first choice. For a hunting/pack frame not so much.

It is very neat country! The haze you see was caused by a couple/three prescribed fires in progress by USFS. If I could ever tag a bull elk, they are my unicorn, I'd be very happy to spend the time/money to go back there for another mule deer hunt.