Last year had to pack out an elk with a day pack without a dedicated meat hauling system. Used paracord to tie to the pack. Not ideal to say the least. Looking for a day pack, preferably less than 2000 ci with meat hauling capacity. What’s on you short list? So far I’ve looked at….

MR pop up 28 or 30
EXO K3 1800

Others?

Exo has a 2200 coming out in June for the new K4. The additional 400 comes from a large top pocket so the foot print isn’t much bigger.

Have packed a few animals with the K3 1800 and it was pretty comfortable. Have been doing some hikes with the K4 and am liking it.

Have also used the Stone Glacier with the newer version and older version of the Approach quit a bit and really like it.

My kid tried the MR Pop up 28 and neither of us were to impressed, but others seem to like it.

I replace my Badlands 2200 with a MR Pintler last year which I used to carry out an antelope. I was impressed with it and recommend it but you just missed the 25% off sale at blackovis.com.

I liked the idea of the MR Pop-up and brought one home. Loaded some weight in it and tried it around the house. It seemed ok at 35 lbs but didn't like it at 50 lbs so exchanged it for a Pintler. I've been using the Pintler the last 2 seasons but don't care for the hip belt and am going back to my SO Paradox.

I tried a Stone Glacier in the store with 40 lbs and it felt great - better than the Pintler and comparable to the SO. If starting over, that's probably what I'd go with. Hard to justify now already having the SO which handles 70-80 lbs easily (as much as I've had in it).

My use is as a day pack with meat hauling capability as described in the OP. I bought the SO frame only and use it with the compression panel and different size dry bags depending on how much gear I'm carrying. I later bought a SO bag and lid, but prefer the dry bags.

Appreciate the opinions thus far. Should’ve mentioned if I can carry this bag on board an airplane that would be a huge plus. I will be flying for this trip (and others). Would prefer to not check in multiple bags. I don’t carry too much stuff on days hunts. An extra layer, rain gear, water, snacks, knife, flashlight, toilet paper, etc. So, I can usually fit my stuff in something more like 1200-1500 cubic inches.

Thanks for the ideas so far. The Evo has caught my eye but not sure what else I may be missing.

Nimrod has some nice systems.

Does the stone glacier have a compression panel on the front of the pack for meat hauling or can you put meat between the pack and frame?

I’ll check out the nimrod

If I'm hunting deer or antelope, I find the Pop Up 28 to be the ideal day pack. It's slim profile slips through dark timber or NE thick hardwoods without getting hung up. At 66 y/o, I prefer not to haul more than a 60# load, give or take, though the pack can easily handle up to 100#. It's a little tank.

For elk hunting I prefer to move up to a Guide Light MT frame with a Sawtooth 45 bag. I still prefer to limit my loads to 60#, even if it means an extra trip, or even two. The haul outs are typically much longer, and the Guide Light MT frame is much more comfortable under a heavy load. Even though it's about 1,000 ci. larger, it still makes for a nice day pack.

I've carried both of these bags home in the airline overheads, filled with boned out frozen meat without any problems.

I would add that there are lots of good quality pack options out there. Also, because of different body shapes, it's best to try as many different brands as possible (with weight) to see what gives the most comfort.

It has a load shelf on the frame. It is the best load shelf IMO and it’s super easy to use.

Yes, Stone Glaciers load shelf is very well done.

And a Stone glacier frame with a small bag, or even a large bag compressed down makes a good daypack. It's a small, light, footprint, with large capabilities.

I'm sure Exo packs are similar, I just haven't used them very much. These style of packs are excellent.

I had a MR Popup. Pretty nicely engineered pack, I'd say with 60 lbs you'd be fine, but my experience tells me that's pretty close to the limit.

I also found 28 liters to be too small for later season (more clothing to carry), the 38 would have been better.

My preference is to use a dedicated hauling frame (Stone Glacier, Kifaru, Seek Outside) with a smaller bag for day hunting (swap bags for a multi-day trip). They simply carry better with weight.

The Popup does have the edge when not carry meat (which in reality is the vast majority of time) in that you can compress the frame down allowing you to hunt thicker timber easier.

The Eberlestock F1 can be used with all kinds of packs, day packs or smaller included. The F1 is very comfortable and can haul heavy loads. Offers lots of modularity which is great.

I have stone glacier but I prefer my exo pack over the 2 my exo fits me better and seams to carry and little better

Nimrod makes a pretty durable pack, but a mature bull elk head ,cape and horns is not very comfortable to pack very far, I’ve switched to Kifaru pack with a cargo panel with a few pouches for hauling loads out , way more comfortable than a Nimrod!

I have been using for many years and very much like an Eberlestock X2 day pack. It is built solid, I carry a full size spotter and tripod in the long side pockets, and it has nice capability to carry a full size elk quarter out.

It is a bit heavier than other day packs, but it fits so well and snug to my back that I don’t notice it.

https://eberlestock.com/collections/hunting-packs/products/x2-pack

Kifaru Stryker, either the original or XL versions seems ideal for what the OP wants. It is very much like the Mystery Ranch Mule and while my Stone Glacier experience is next to nil, using the 'meat shelf' with the Stryker seems about as easy as it does with the Stone Glacier system.

MR popup is hard to beat if you want a daypack. At that price point you could pick up something using the guide lite or NICE frame and your load carriage capabilities would increase IMO. Unless it was a Mule or Crew Cab, it would be bigger than what you want.

Price is always secondary to comfort when dealing with heavy loads!

Functionally I believe I'm at where you are. You day hunt, carry minimal gear and need a pack that compresses down enough to fit in an airline overhead.

My solution for the last 10 or so years has been the Seek Outside Evolution. It is lightweight, compresses down to nothing, but hauls heavy loads comfortably like a mofo. Between my son needing packs as he's grown and my desire to find the better mousetrap, I've had detours with the MR Pintler, MR Popup, Kifaru Stryker on a Bikini Frame and a few others. And each time I come back to the Evolution. It just rides better, compresses down smaller and carries a heavy load better than anything else I've tried.

My Evolution has fit nicely in an overhead, but since I fly single engines most a lot now, it most oten rides on my lap. After chasing cheaper options for my son, he's now ended up with a Revolution of his own purchased used but like new right here on the fire.

EXO K4 2200 & done

MR guidelight frame with mule bag

The old med. ALICE pack system, with the cargo shelf and an extra set of straps, works pretty well.

Use the frame/shelf for hauling, and make a chest rig out of the bag with the extra straps.



Makes for a good counter-balance as well.




GR

For a pack that will carry weight for long backpacking trips and or meat hauling, going to spend a little more.

I have been happy with my EXO. Have couple different bags (1800,3200,4600) that I can flip for longer trips. The 3200 collapses and compresses well of only using one bag.

Bags that are a little fuller (1800) sometimes make a better rifle rest.

Lots of good brands. Good luck

I use a MR Pop Up 28 - have hauled 3 elk and several deer with it. Have not found anything better......yet.

MR Cabinet or Mule will do the trick.

MR Popup would work great. Honestly most of the top of the line hunting packs compress really well and work as day packs. HPG packs have a sweet compression setup, and I think the Ute is a great daypack for hunting.

Check out seek outside packs. They look a little goofy at first but the set up is perfect for a glass heavy hunter. I use the peregrine and have packed a lot of meat and camps with it. It's perfect for day hunting and can do a 3 day with aplomb. The frame and rigging is some of the comfiest I have ever used. I would also look hard at kifaru hellbender if you wan to only be able to do a daypack/meat carrying option. My buddy just got one and their meat tray system is unbelievably simple and easy. If they weren't so expensive I would buy one for sure.

If you’ll never need a pack for multiple days, I think the MR Pop Up is the closest thing to a true daypack.

Otherwise I think a better option is something that is a dedicated hauler frame/bag. Almost all offer smaller bags and almost all do a good job of cinching down when not utilizing all the volume of the bag.

I’m currently also using a Seek Outside Peregrine for day hunts and trips up to 5 days. Really long trips I use one of their larger bags.

I’ve used Stone Glacier and Kifaru packs as well and would easily recommend either. I’ve gone to the Seek as it’s the lightest option (but with very heavy loads comes in behind both SG and Kifaru)

I'm still looking for ideal.

Mostly I use a MR Pop Up 28. It's a little small for just easily tossing take-off clothing into but I have used the expansion area between bag and frame to stuff a jacket or vest and that works ok. It doesn't have quite as much organization as I'd like, another zip pocket or two would help a lot. I find it uncomfortable by the end of the day if I'm walking a lot of hours. The very thick padding on the hip belt which is nice under heavier loads puts pressure on my hips "funny" when loaded lightly leaving me kinda sore for the drive home.

My other pack is an Eberlestock F1 mainframe. I haven't found the ideal bag combination for that frame. The batwings are nice in some way but since they are two, one left, one right, it is difficult to balance weight and bulk side to side, plus I haven't found a good way to carry a water bladder centered so it isn't throwing me off balance .. I can balance left to right but then if I drink some of the water, it's off balance again. I have the 2500 .. it's ok ish but needs more organization. I've got the waterproof rolltop bag.

Once it gets too cold to be shedding layers as the day progresses .. and is not raining .. I use the F1 frame and attach a HPG Tarahumara bag-only to the Eberlestock frame with grimlok fasteners. This is pretty darn good, carries meat bags, "processing" tools, etc with just enough space left for a small water bladder and enough snack to get me back to the truck without wanting to mug the nearest hunter for his lunch.

To me a perfect pack .. Eberlestock would bring back the M1 carrier frame (or offer an F1 variant with a foldable bottom shelf), we'd get a bag with all of the organization features of the 5.11 Rush 24 minus shoulder harness, and we'd have extensions like the MR Pop-Up frame for corralling quarters by the bone.

IMHO of course.

In the mean time, there's no perfect, all options are compromise which includes some aspects that piss me off by the end of the day.

no!

I hated that pack when I served in the military. I've put in 100's of miles in this pos pack


Its a pos even for a 20 year old

EXO

Kuiu Pro series. I have one and it’s so comfy I forget it’s on my back. Can also interchange different size packs on the same frame for day pack vs trips. Wait for the sales to come around, should be able to get 20-30 percent off.

Kifaru stupidly discontinued the Marauder.

If you could find one that would be great. ~2,000 cubic inch panel loader. Here's mine with a chainsaw and a Duplex belt. 18" stays...

[img]http://https://photos.app.goo.gl/M4A6Fr5UXFTQvuZK9[/img]

I'd add MR Pop-ups to the list, I had an 18. It was about the size as my Kifaru Scout, and could flip stays up, but wasn't as robust as a pack frame, so a bit gimmicky, no experience with the bigger pop-ups with more robust overload.

My Crewcab is probably my favorite "Daypack" designed to haul bigger, especially since putting it on a 1st gen Guidelight frame...