badlands vs eberlestock
Equipment
Witch is better? I am planning a 3 or 4 day backpack hunt in Colorado.
I have a Badlands 2200 and just bought an Eberlestock Just 1. The 2200 was just too small for a 2-3 day bivy for me. I had it stuffed full to bursting and would have had no room for any meat. The Just 1 gives me more versatility. I put a Super Spike Duffel full of my camping stuff inside on the way in and all my hunting stuff in the pockets of the Just 1. For hunting during the day, I'll take out the duffle and tighten it down. If I get meat, I can zip the duffel on the outside and have the whole inside section for meat. I'm sure I can pack way more than I can carry that way.
The BL 2200 was OK, but just too small for more than a day or two. If you want to go for several days, talk with someone who has used something larger than the 2200. Personally, I would prefer to have more room and cinch it down rather that have it bursting at the seams.
Of the two I would prefer Badlands, but either has to fit you correctly.
For 3-4 days you could go with a 2200, 2800, a 4500, or even a Sacrifice as long as you keep the weight down.
after trying several BL packs vs the Eberlestock I ended up getting the Blue Widow. I have a longer torso and the adjust ability of the Blue Widow was nice. Also, at the time there was a lot of negative experience with the badlands breaking. The warranty does not help you on the mountain. I do like how the BW handles weight and it should be great for the kind of hunt you want to do.
Just for the record Badlands and Eberlestock have the same warranty. The best pack for you is going to be the one that fits best period.
If you are looking for info on either line checkout our website and our pack review videos on the gear test section of our website.
If you have any specific questions on a pack feel free to send me a message.
Having owned multiple packs from both companies I would agree that the warranty is essentially the same, but, construction is NOT. Eberle packs are built significantly stouter, in any size class. But Gannett was correct, you have to choose the pack that fits you the best and forget what the name on the tag says. I made the move from Badlands and others to Eberlestock a few years ago and can tell you with certainty I would not go back...
Solitude
Horn Hunter, Eberlestock, and then Badlands in my opinion. Check out the Full Curl.
Besides fit (which is most important) you also have to consider how you will use it and how you like to pack things. Personally, I don't like a lot of pockets (the stuff I have never fits in them well) - others love more pockets. Are you going to carry out meat in addition to what you came in with? How does the stuff you plan on using fit (are tent poles too long to fit inside the pack for instance)?
For instance, I currently have a water bladder. I thought it would fit in a specific place on the Just One. However, when I got the pack, I realized that what I thought was one pocket was actually two and my bladder wouldn't fit. It easily fit another place so that was no big deal. However, if it wouldn't have fitted easily elsewhere, I would have been out of luck.
That is one reason I liked the Eberlestock - I could buy the Super Spike Duffel for a *lot* less money, see how everything fit and then, if OK, go buy the pack (I had already made sure it fit me). I also liked the adjustability that is built in to the Eberlestock.
I really like my Eberlestock Just1 (j34). Have used it to pack out 2 cow elk and a deer in the past 2 years. For me it just fits nice. In those situations I was using it as a daypack configuration. I have also used it backpacking with the family in the summer.
If it gets dirty or bloody, just take it to the car wash and hose it down real good let it dry and your set. Dont be afraid of the Rifle scabard if you bowhunt only. Holds Arrows, Bugle tube, fishing poles, etc.
