Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting MR Crew Cab or ILBE Marine Pack??

When, all of the various options, opinions, comments and requirements of choosing this or any item of gear are carefully considered,the most important one is still obvious. That is, DO YOU feel good and like a given pack when wearing it under the average load YOU will pack with it?

One of the most apparent problems with discussions of this nature, is that everyone is physically, emotionally and financially different AND uses the gear they buy in different environments. This, often seems to lead to attitude held by some that THEIR opinions/suggestions are THE ANSWER and NO other options can possibly be valid.....fortunately, there actually is less of this here than on some sites I have participated in and withdrawn from as such bullsh*t bores me.

So, given the cost of these Arcteryx military packs, as I understand it, US military surplus, this seems a damned good pack for you to obtain, test and work the hell out of....then, IF, you are not satisfied, go from there.

I will say, again, what I have posted here several times; you DO NOT NEED to buy thousands of $$$$$ worth of very costly, specialized gear to backpack hunt safely, enjoyably and successfully. I have done this for almost a half century, used a LOT of gear, but, quite a lot of it is older, worn but still functional stuff I bought from 1964-1978 and I have NO intention of buying more stuff unless I honestly NEED it.....which, when it comes to the latest, "in" camo. stretchy, waterproof "Kewl" clothing, for example, I bloody well DO NOT!

Let us know if this pack works for you and, btw, EdT, among the very few actual "experts" here, IMHO, told me of a Grantite Gear pack that looks very useful to me and he might post on it, as another alternative at a price most can live with.

Thanks for saying about the FILBE pack didn't know anything about them till Wild Bill said that is what he is possibly looking at it. I like that Mystery Ranch helped design it and that the NICE frame can be used. After seeing that it if I can find one for a decent price I may get that instead of the Crew Cab.

Yeah and the important thing for me it is adjustable for torso length. Plus it does seem a little shorter than the ILBE and they say it will carry more weight!

Sell that to someone that actually believes it

Back to packs... some things are subjective based on a person's torso and hips, some things are non-negotiable/non-subjective. Load lifters that work are a non-negotiable with anything over a daypack type weight. Stays that can be bent to the wearer's back are non-negotiable, unless you're one of the 40-or-so-% that fall in line with the manufacturers pre-bent, non-removeable stays.

Kifaru is doing it mostly right. McHale is too. Arcteryx is barely holding on. Deuter isn't too bad if a one-size pack works for you. Ditto Lowe. Apart from those (and likely a couple others) the pack market is dismal.

For what its worth I've been looking at a lot of packs through the net the past few days and playing with mine. I understand the load lifter concept better now if not completely. With my ILBE I can get the lifters to neutral or just barely beyond, but that's it. I certainly can't get them to 45 degrees which is what REI and Bacpacker recommend. I can get the weight on the small of my back though but really tighten the belt, for reference again I am 6'3".

My wife is a broad shouldered German and stands at 5'9". I put the pack on her, followed the fitting instructions from REI and the damn thing looks perfect. The load lifters are at a 45 deg angle or so and she stated the pack felt like it was part of her.

Now, in looking at several websites of the latest and greatest packs I noticed in the studio photos the load lifters are usually well deployed so to speak at a fairly sharp upward angle. From what I saw and understood of the field photos there are a lot of guys using these packs with the load lifters looking little different from the ones on my ILBE, way below 45 deg.

So...are they that much better?

Just my thoughts and observations since this thread got me thinking.

HD

Load lifters really don't need to be at a 45* angle... in fact, though 30* is often cited as the shallowest angle that is ideal, I've found that even 20* works and is certainly better than nothing.

Load Lifters are designed for just that... pulling the load toward your center of gravity (where it carries most comfortably) while at the same time "lifting-up" the shoulder straps from the top of your shoulders so that your back and shoulders are not doing the work, but your hips and legs are...

My wife is a Nazi about load lifters and yanks them as tight as anyone I've ever seen... far more than me. This picture should give an idea. And BTW, she's 52 years old and can hike!

Brad,

Seriously, your wife is 52?

Single sisters? I think you owe me for letting you have the 308 back....

I used my $35 ILBE again this week to haul 6-8 lots of firewood out of the neighbors woods. Impressed more with it every time I use it. Again, not as nice as the Kifaru, but I abuse the heck out of it and it comes back asking for more.

Now I'm confused. I thought this was incorrect. In fact, I've given up a couple of packs thinking they were too large for my torso length because the straps elevated off my shoulders when the lifters were cinched down. And I've shortened an Eberlestock so the straps gently rested across my shoulders rather than being lifted off. I realize proper adjustment should take the pressure off the shoulders but the straps should actually be OFF the shoulders? Newbie question here, maybe I'm doing it wrong.

Snubbie, my wife takes it to an extreme, but YES, load lifters should lift the shoulder straps up and off the top of your shoulders (that's why the angle is important... below 30* the lifters aren't lifting the shoulder straps UP, but rather backwards, or in some cases downwards, like the pack in the pictures I pointed out).

When load lifters are being used correctly, essentially what the shoulder straps are doing is keeping the pack against your back and at your center of gravity, NOT carrying any weight.

That's why they're called load LIFTERS, and again, that's why the "angle of attack" is important.

Ha... yes, she's 52. Complete gym rat. More importantly a delightful person. Our 28th anniversary is this August... I can honestly say she's the kindest person I've ever known.

I'm totally impressed with a man who, after 28 years, refers to his wife as a "delightful person."

That's pretty cool to me.

DW

Thanks, I need to load my packs and stand in front of a mirror.

David, you're very kind to say so... and the best part is it's true. I truly lover her more now than when we first married... not the norm I know, and I don't take that for granted.

Snubbie, you're welcome.

My goal has always been to be a help here. I quit carrying external frames in 1978 when I got my first internal and have used literally multiple dozens since then over 1000's of miles.

So if I seem a bit opinionated, those opinions weren't just formed in a year or two, or even a decade or two.

I understand not all bodies are the same, but there are basics that don't change, body to body.

Got it! That takes the FILBE out now I can focus on the ILBE! Thanks Brad! That's the kind of info I was looking for!!!

Cheers,
Wild Bill

Here's a video I put together on stay bending, pack fitting, and lifter use. Yes, it is specific to one of our packs, but I had it in mind that it might help folks with other packs as well:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93IDVv1NI_k

Thanks, Evan! That helps me with the fit!

Cheers,
Wild Bill