The REI 85 XT is a very good pack for the price. I have not had a chance to use mine yet for hunting- since I bought mine, also with a 20% off REI sale, last fall after the early season. At the time I had decided I was going to move away from my MR Nice frame system after 4 years of use- it was just not as comfortable as I would have liked.
I have no doubt that the 85 XT would haul heavy loads for hunting and be quite comfortable. I have used mine for winter camping this year and it worked great.
Since I bought the 85 XT- later in the fall I bought a Kifaru MMR duplex frame hauler.
And here is a cool thing about the 85XT that I posted on another forum concerning the Kifaru Frame and using different bags to mount on it and discussion of the REI 85 XT:
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"and possibly the craziest use of all for mounting a different makers bag on the duplex frame.~ The REI 85 XT
"After I got the MMR- I was (and somewhat still am) on the fence about whether I was going to keep this pack. But-- for a recreation pack- I really like it and it fits me well and carries a heavy load well.
Well... one day I thought- I wonder what that REI XT pack weighs when you take off the shoulder harness, hip belt, and all the stays? It weighs 5 lbs with all set up as I got it- and is a true weight on my scale. Well, it weighs about 3.5 lbs empty with out the stay system and the harness/ hipbelt. I thought- man- that is less than a MMR pack bag.
So the next thing I thought- was this- even though this pack was not meant to be hung from a frame, I wonder if it too would work on the MMR frame. And you know what- I got it to work pretty darn good- with just a little bit of hardware and a couple of crossing web pieces. Granted it is about 7.5 lbs all set up- but that is still less than a MMR frame and MMR bag combo.
And after I tried that out- Here is another cool reverse modification with the Kifaru duplex frame: I was corresponding with another fella about something else, and the subject of the REI 85 XT got brought up. Well, he told me that his brother had one of the 85 XT packs and really liked it so far; and then he went to say that he thought that the best thing going about the Kifaru duplex frame was the hipbelt, and... his brother was running the Kifaru duplex hipbelt on the REI 85 XT! And he said it is easy to do. Well I tried for my self- and it is a cinch. So I thought then- for sure I am keeping this REI pack.
So I can use a 85 XT on the duplex frame, and... I can use the duplex belt on the 85 XT instead of the stock one if I want. This fella also said he runs the Kifaru Duplex hipbelt on his old Dana Design external frame and it works fantastic.
Goes to show- all it take is a little thought and ingenuity. Maybe not for everyone- but I like it when things have multiple uses."
Shown with the REI 85 XT bag only (no harness; hip belt, or stay system) shown only beside the frame- not mounted on it in these pics.