I am looking for recommendation for a day pack that can also bring out a quartered whitetail.

I do a bit of hunting in the Adirondacks, maybe 2-3 miles from the road, Typically I am going to carry the pack, nearly empty 10 days for every time it carries meat, so my criteria are

1) big enough to carry a quartered whitetail

2) As light and compactable as practical, Without going overboard I would would sacrifice some comfort with a load, to have a small, quite compact pack on my pack the other 98% of the time.

I would like either a woodsy color or camo.


Right now I have a badlands 2800, and it works fine but weighs a ton empty and is pretty bulky empty. A badlands Sacrifice seems a candidate.

Suggestions?

I have a Badlands Sacrifice. It's a good 1-2 night backpacking pack for rough terrain. I probably wouldn't select it as a meat hauler. I've got an older 2200 that works great for day pack / meat hauler duties. I haul meat on the outside of the pack using the meat shelf and straps rather than inside. The Sacrifice has no provision for that. Personal opinion only, but to me, the Sacrifice is too big for use as a day pack yet not set up for hauling meat.

One other thing ... the Sacrifice uses a different material to keep the weight down. IMHO it's a little too noisy for a day pack for an active hunter. It might be ok for just going to a stand. I still-hunt ... not ideal for that, IMHO.

Tom

Paradox with the 4800?

I agree with tom

The smaller kifaru express and spike camp with the "grab it" would serve you perfectly. It's also so we'll made you cannot damage or pop a seam or zipper from trying to go beyond its capacity.

Base models are about 2300, with additional pockets it's plenty big enough. I strongly prefer to carry meat in a sack on the outside. I've made a mess of some nice packs with blood in my past carrying meat inside.

Exactly why I sold mine...I did not like the "bat wing" design.

I used a Super Day pack this year, and you could get a East Coast whitetail out with it, if you had to. I'd also look at these: Eberlestock X1A1 (called the X1 for short). Most of their smaller packs are good dual purpose day packs, and SHTF load-hauler (you shot a deer down in where???), and have the same life-time repair policy.

Bison Gear makes some nice packs with expandable meat bags. Popular with archery hunters, but I have used mine for rifle hunting. I have had complete boned out whitetails in this pack, near max load, but very doable.

I'd say Eberlestock X2 for a low cost option, used ones pop up for $125 now and then. It's good point is you can strap meat securely on the outside. With a bigger budget I'd be looking hard at a K Spike Camp, pretty light and a 50lb capacity.

I'm happy with my X2 but would jump on a Spike Camp if a used came up just to try it.

This is a new company for me.
http://www.tenzingoutdoors.com/tz_2220.php

I've got a Tenzig 6000, it's a decent pack, but not what I'd reach for. For reference, I put 50-100 miles under this pack during the summer and early Fall in prep for a hunting trip out West.

Load was 40-50 pounds and flat land with short steep hills at intervals. IF the pack is not loaded to 1/2 capacity, it is tough to stabilize the load and secure it from shifting laterally across your back. The straps are narrow, but padded well, and the waist belt is decent. The straps won't stay adjusted without tape, the bungee keepers won't stop the loosening of the belt.

I could not seem to get the lumbar support set where I liked it, I swapped between the XL and taller bars on the suspension rack several times. The pack wall material is very thin, haven't ripped or worn it, but I haven't field used it either.

Pluses - the thinner materail cuts the weight done pretty well. The designs remind me a lot of the Black's Creek line of packs from several years ago.

My walk-away impression of the Tenzig line is a decent light duty pack that will survive an occasional heavy/severe use cycle, but would not be a year-after-year pack for multiple seasons.

Solid option, IME. Compacts very well, but has tons of hauling capability in reserve.

The MR Bighorn is what I use for a day or 2-3 day pack currently. I've been very happy with it and would recommend it to anyone looking for a bombproof day pack. It is not as versatile of platform as the Paradox Packs though...

Stone Glacier Solo, and MR Metcalf for what you are wanting, but those are top end and not necessarily budget friendly.If I were to use the Metcalf for a daypack I would even remove the top lid to cut down on some of the weight.

Whole mule deer bone in, inside the Metcalf. I don't have any of the SG.

The only reason I am not saying Kifaru or Paradox is because they are a little bigger than what I would use for strictly a day pack. I haven't used the Paradox 4800, so I shouldn't say that it would or wouldn't work, but Ed T would be able to answer that pretty well. The frames of both of them are certainly capable of hauling the heavy loads very comfortably. The 6300, and Highcamp 4800(kifaru) compress down very well, so it is possible to use them as daypacks if you want to go that route.

I tend to stear clear of Badlands after the bags failed on me.

Eberlestock X-1 as suggested above is a possibility. I have packed out a butchered whitetail in one though it was stuffed full. It was an average size doe. A big buck or doe may make you take two trips unless you can lash a meat bag to the outside.
This is about the minimum size I'd consider if I had to get the whole deer out in one trip.

Another low cost option I'm experimenting with is the LL Bean Hunters carry all pack. It is very lightweight, can carry your day essentials strapped down in a drybag, and then open and compress a full load of meat bags. Seems to be reasonably well made and the price is right.
http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/64392?feat=hunting packs-SR0&page=hunter-s-carryall-pack&attrValue_0=Olive&productId=1077114

Scott, the 4800 is quite a bit smaller than the 6300 we sent you. Add a side zip option to a 4800 and it is very daypack friendly, but retains all the big load capability.




My Dad one lunged this buck, and he ran to the worst possible place.....cliffed out above, river below, masses of treetops and briars to left and right. The devil climbed through downed treetops to get where he was going. I was short of time and packing him was the easiest solution, so I took him out whole. 156 lb load uphill - not far thankfully. The Paradox did fine, belt didn't slip, but 156 is HEAVY. The suck factor on that weight is high.

Rock Chucker I would find It pretty interesting to see you try that with and iowa whitetail good pic

Matt, thanks, but no thanks. That was all I wanted.

Ive got an Eberlestock X2 in dry earth color that I would be willing to let go if your interested. Shoot me a pm if you are.

1st Generation Kifaru Longhunter has packed out a bunch of bucks in my area. I wouldn't want anything less.

I wondered if you were going to post that picture Nathan. It is more than capable of carrying a whole deer.

WHEN i own a Paradox, it will be the 4800 side zip. I will have the full day pack, it grew on me quite a bit while i had it.

I am a huge believer that the mystery ranch crew cab is the best all around pack out there for pack in hunts to single day hunts. It folds completely flat on your back for a day pack and once games down it can expand and support amazing loads. I've had the pack for years and wouldn't trade it for anything. Its carried out almost a dozen mule deer, half dozen elk and endless goats. I've had several friends come to WY and hunt with me and after seeing what the pack can do, they ordered there own. My main hunting partner had a badlands sacrifice and its a nice pack, but its just not build for the heavy loads for long distance, you can look at the waist belt and see that before you even load it. He sold it on ebay and ordered a crewcab right after our first hunt together. My other buddy had a "just one" and we both thought it was a great pack, but it lacks padding in the shoulder and waist belt and the belt starts to sag once loaded down when your going up and down hills. Just my observation, not trying to start a argument. I think any pack can have a 80-120lb load put in it. The real test is going up and down mountains and climbing over dead fall and not having the load sag or shift. Some people feel that the pack is a little heavy empty, but I look at a 7-9lb pack a normal and expected weight to be able cinch down and hold a 100lb load tight. again, just my opinion after trying multiple packs over the years. I literally couldn't change a single thing about the crew cab to make it a better pack and to top it off, the guys/gals at Mystery Ranch have the greatest customer service ever.

2013 WY Mule deer. Deboned, full head, 1 trip out.




2013 CO mule deer. quartered and packed out in 1 trip:



2013 WY wifes mule deer. deboned and and full head, 2 rifles. 1 trip out:




2013 WY goat. gutted and carried out whole, 1 trip:

Great pictures. Thanks for sharing. Couldn't ever get shoulder lift with the NICE frame, all the weight on my shoulders. Great packs, bomb-proof, not going to break. But not good for me. Had a Longbow and sold it.

Hill People Gear Ute with one of their three compression panels.

Great informatiom. Packpack hunting is becoming one of my favorite topics here on the fire.

Mitch, no debate, your resolution of experience in the real world is perfect!

Great endorsement for anyone needing a pack for the same conditions!

I have a Mother expandable pack. Its big for every day use but when you need it, the extra space is there. Very happy with it.

Kifaru has the Nomad for 2014. Compresses flat, batwing design with sleeves, and a frame that provides lift.

Had not heard of that one. Looked it up. I'd wondered if K-land would continue to ignore Hill People Gear's well thought out pack/compression panel system and the Nomad obviously says not. The HPG drybag/pack compression panel is elegant, the Nomad is a Rube Goldberg contraption. When I first saw it, I said to myself, "At least it doesn't have a damn sleeping bag zipper for those noon naps", but they even thought of that too. In a roll-top DRYBAG no less. Who the hell puts a zipper in a drybag? That's like putting screen doors on a submarine.

" The HPG drybag/pack compression panel is elegant...."

Some guys like fat chicks too.

That's an oddly tough comment! Can't wrap my head around why anyone would post such a rude and disrespectful reply?

That's just plain bizarre!

TAK,

How does that HPG work for you hauling out meat loads thus far? Or the Ute? How do those systems compare the other packs you used to haul out meat with? Just wondering if you are suggesting stuff based on looking at websites or actually having used it.

I've used some HPG gear in the past to haul out meat, but just wondering what you though after obviously using both the Ute and the drybag/compression by the fact you are suggesting it.

Personally I think the Nomad looks more akin to Badlands and Mystery Ranch Longbow ideas than ideas taken from HPG.

noknees,

I will say for hauling the 2800 handles weight actually better than the badlands sacrifice having actually owned and used both. My preference for a day pack between the two easily goes to the 2800 with a view more exterior pocket options for accessing different items faster while day hunting.

If you aren't looking to spend a pile of money and really if you are mainly just day hunting 2-3 miles from the road I really don't see a need to spend $500+ on a super hauler to pack a deer out once or twice a year. You might look into the Osprey Aether 70. Plenty of space to haul out a deer and your daypack gear and will do so more comfortably than really most "hunting" packs in that price and weight class. Comes in a green color which may or may not work for you. Also the REI Flash 62 is a good option as well.

Both the Osprey Aether and REI flash 62 have served me well on day hunts as well as carrying out an animal each with those.

Depending on how much you are looking to spend really can option some other options such as paradox/Kifaru which frames are super comfy and light considering their light weight. I'd also look at stone glacier when it comes to lightweight haulers as well. But all of these are going to set ya back better than $400.

Good luck to you out there.

Is there anything available that will do that without having to put the meat inside the bag?

Paradox, Kifaru, and Stone Glacier, and Mystery Ranch all provide a way to carry the meat inbetween the packbag and the frame(which IMO the only smart way to carry the meat outside of putting in a pack bag as putting on the outside of your further away from the frame will be a cantilever situation from hell. ;)I'm personally not a fan of that option and prefer just one big bag to put my gear and meat in. Just use a sil nylon dry bag to put your meat in on the hike out and you are good to go and your pack and gear will stay clean.

Thanks alaska. Sorry for not being more clear. I realize those do, as does my Longbow, but I am wondering if there is anything sub $400 that allows it. I, too, don't really "need" a super hauler for my hunting but have gone that way to satiate my aversion to putting meat inside the bag. Using a Longbow for day hunting is admittedly overkill and I'm looking for other options so any recommendations that facilitate carrying meat outside the bag are appreciated.

Ohok sorry bout that.

The only one that isn't a $400+ that I know of that kinda might do what you are looking for is the horn hunter Curl Combo...comes with the Horn Hunter frame and their day pack.

$244 for that setup and likely less if you shop around:

http://www.kingscamo.com/Curl-Combo-Pack_p_287.html

Believe it or not that frame, my buddy has one as he was on a budget and really can't justify spendy $500+ on a backpack, is actually pretty darn comfy with some weight in it which surprised me, I'd say more comfy than the Badlands 2800s and 2200s I've used.

Watch from the 8:00 mark on to see the meat bag next to the frame for an idea of using a day pack with their meat sack setup.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyqXrEol6Ks

Thank you. I will check that out this evening.

You can go Paradox and a dry bag and it's a sub $400 setup.

The Eberlestock X2 is one of the better built of the true day pack-sized packs set-up for hauling stuff, of the various packs I have played with, but I think hauling 4 whitetail quarters at once would be pretty tough with it and you need something bigger. I think a Crewcab would be better for hauling 4 quarters. However, for various reasons I like the X2 better than the Kifaru system. The X2 might work with one bag of the entire deer boned out, but I think that would stretch it also, for it's size. You do need the extension straps for the X2 if you try that, plus the 2 other larger horizontal buckles to create extension straps for the horizontal compression straps as well, which they don't offer (or didn't 2 yrs ago). IThey just sell extension straps for the vertical straps. I called them and made a special purchase on the buckles for the horizontal straps. If they made a new X2, slightly larger, (a "X3"?) that would be interesting...

How much weight have any of you used with the Grab it.

I packed a number of bags of meat with this, some exceeded 50 lbs. I was always concerned that the buckles would be the weak link and pull lose of break. They never have for me.

I'm not sure this is the practical way to go for loads over 75 pounds, but curious. It's pretty comfortable and an easy pack out with 50ish pounds of meat, plus the weight of the gear you had with you. I do think that is my functional limit with this using an Express G2. I think thats enough capacity for a boned deer, although I have made two trips for almost everything I've packed out the last few years.

Steep horrible habitat justifies two 50 lb trips for me at this point in my life rather then trying to make it in one trip. Injury is just to spooky when alone.

Not sure on the grab it, but I know the Paradox compression setup has done over 100 lbs a lot of times. As high as 150 + with just the compression and fabric load shelf.

My Typical arrangement is to use White Denim Meat bags. They are thick and durable. About 2' square and 10" wide. These have a draw string top closure. I usually lay out the sections of meat I am Packing out on the hide. I have had two bear hind quarters in one sack, but a bigger bear of 400lbs will only be one hind from the joint to the "hock" or the joint above the wrist per sack.

Letting them air dry for a little bit helps a lot with fluids soaking through in the sacks. I also have a section of foam sleeping pad I use to sit on with wet or snowy ground. I put this between the pack bag, and the meat bag. My Grab it gets a little bloody, but I can pop that in the wash with the meat bags and it's usually okay. This keeps my Express and the spike camp pretty clean.

I have also found that carrying a few long compression straps Which snap into place where my Long pockets connect can really strap in the load solid. This is a minimalist view, to be sure. Hunting day trips most of the time, and not needing to carry out a whole animal this has worked very good. I have come to prefer the Express 1000d over the Spike camp lighter fabric.

When I was guiding in Alaska I had to pack out whole bear hides, usually with the skull and paws still in the skin. It's surprising how much a wet bear hide will weigh. And how small it can be rolled up. My very first spike camp could hold a typical bear hide with the head sticking out the top.

That pack smelled like old salmon and bears over time. It was nasty! Bears have a unique smell, that old spike camp had a lot of Bear DNA embedded into every bit of it's fabric. This is one of the reasons I am so deliberate about packing out game and parts of game in these denim bags externally now.

Good point Kevin...same with Stone Glacier and their load shelf as well as Kifaru frame and their grab it.

However IMO none of those options would be that great for a dayhunt option as pockets are extremely limited in all 3 of those setups as they all would just have one big dry bag to work out of unless you started adding waistbelt pockets and what not of course is more $$$.

Luke beat me to it, but would also like to hear more about your packing experience with HPG packs.

Cue the crikets.

TAK's hard-on for Kifaru is exceeded only by his hard-on for Kimber......

This is closer to what I am looking for.

I agree that the 2800 seems to carry weight plenty well.

I was also wandering about one of the granite gear packs (maybe the blaze AC 60). I can deal with meat inside the pack and a little discomfort from an over loaded pack for an hour walk out seems a good trade for a very light and compact able pack.

I have a granite gear vapor trail that I carried on a number of longer hikes (Muir, Long trail and AT) through hikes. Its close to what I would want but I wonder if it would hold up to the brush. I would use the vapor trail, but its close to spent.

I typically carry my essentials in a little zippered pouch and my spare clothes in a stuff sack,as I tend to move between packs and hunting styles frequently and it makes it easy to move things around. So I rather like a simple pack with few or no pockets to confuse things.

The 2800 carried weight well for me, until about halfway through a 2 mile pack out of a spike elk. The bat wings started to rip where they meet the main compartment and I had to paracord the stupid thing to make it work.

Sent it in for repairs, I was hoping they would replace it. The sewed it back up, and I promptly tore the material packing another elk. I gave the pack away because I didn't want to deal with the hassle again.

I had a Vapor Trail that literally disintegrated with only a few hundred miles use. The packbag fell apart. Silnylon isn't pack material, IMO. The way Kifaru does it (or used to) with two layers might work, but not one.

Its always about male loins with you, ain't it? Kifaru makes what is probably, IMO anyway, the best int/ext frame/waistbelt ever devised. Patrick Smith is, as Elbow over at K-site stated, the "T.A. Edison" of packs. I don't care for the pack BAGS he makes, as he likes zippers and I don't.

Right now I own five Kifaru packs, never had a single problem with any of them, and if I did, I'm sure it would get fixed, no questions asked, just like Lanche's KU 5200 did when he tightened a ratchet strap down directly on top of a silnylon KU5200 on a 4-wheeler infill and wore a hole in it, duhhhhh?

Personally I can't say the same for Kimber. They [bleep] me without a kiss.

I just got my Ute. I've had all the HPG goodies on a G1 Longhunter, the Prarie Belt, the HPG shoulder harness, compression kit and panel (the Tara Pocket) for about a year. That is what I use for my PT rucksack walks. I've not carried over 80# with it because I don't plan to carry more than that, though you know as well as I the Longhunter is man enough if you are. No, I've not had an animal in either one yet, as their is this phenomenon called work that I'm afflicted by, as I now have two daughters in college. You can un-cue the crickets now azzhole.

Actually I never strapped that pack down with a ratchet strap ever. The holes came about from setting it down on the shale loaded with part of a caribou while taking a break.

Patrick attributed it to us putting them in the back of our Polaris 6x6 which we do at times to begin our hikes further back. If you've seen a Polaris 6x6 with a rack on the back you'd see strapping it back there is not required.

I stand corrected. Kifaru did fix it though, didn't they?

Yep...shipping it down there is always $45 each way. Price you pay for living in America's largest playground
But they certainly fixed it and will continue to as long as my wife keeps using them and putting small holes in them. But she likes it and going from an MR 6500 the year after she broke her leg on a goat hunt kept an extra 7-8 pounds off her back right there..

I'll be keeping an eye out for the new options too, including the new size Talons (I'm assuming larger than currently available).

Knees- Ive carried 2 small boned out ADK whitetails in a Kifaru Lateseason before. G1 no less....the G2s have a tick longer stays. I'm not a fan of hunting around here with anything taller than that. My fav. is my G1 Siwash...about perfect for dayhunting back in with the capability to carry some weight on the way out.

I shoulda bought one of the the KU 3700's when they were around. They were likely the perfect pack for hunting around here....oh well...that ship has sailed.

I'd bet I could get along real well with the LS and some KU pods though...

I do not agree, and I own a KU3700. I almost sold it but the thing is so comfortable I decided to keep it for a hiking pack. It has 24in stays. A G2 Late-Season has 24in stays. An HPG Ute has 24in stays. There is a reason they all arrived at that number, it is the shortest stay that actually provides some shoulder lift. Obviously I favor the Ute since I bought one.

Late Season would be my vote!

TAK,

The Camp Bag is not a "dry bag". If it was a dry bag, we would have called it "The Kifaru Dry Bag". It was designed from the requests of our customers, as it gives them the ability to access their kit no matter what amount they have in the bag.

It would not have made a lot of sense to offer another dry bag, as you can find those pretty easy on the market today.

I'm not sure what you've seen of the Nomad, but it's a pack with wings (pretty simple), but we made it so you can attach multiple options depending on your mission/hunt. The base of the design is about as simple as you can get.

Have a great 2014!

you sure are nice/diplomatic reaper, I would have told him to kiss my nomads.

Reaper LOVES his TAK! Don't you Aron!

Wings, zippers, and buckles are complicated? That's kind if funny...

The Nomad looks sweet. I have a Timberline 2 on the way.

Tanner

I'm liking the Nomad. Looks like a good setup.