Pack for son...thoughts?
Elk
Taking my son to Colorado for his first elk hunt, my second. We will be spiking in a few miles for maybe 3-5 days. Going over pack options can be exhausting, I think I have read every thread on this site about packs in the last 8 years. He is 16, pretty sure done growing, but that wouldn't matter as he's already 6'4" so we are into the largest pack most make anyway. There seem to be 2 price points. $350-500 or so $800-? So the question I've been trying to answer. Do I go with the lower end knowing that if he gets into it we are probably replacing the pack in a few years? I'm not sure he'll ever be able to go consistently so I lean lower end. Then, if he does decide he's going on a regular basis I want him to not have to buy another pack. This option also might be better as it seems the top end hold value very well if we decide he's not going again and want to sell. Of course, I may not know that for 5-7 years either so it may lose value in that time.
Another consideration is modular, as who knows what he'll be doing in a few years. Would like to be able to cover all the bases if possible.
If it were you, what would you do?
You can get a great pack for 500 and it will last a lot more than a few years in my opinion. No need to spend 800+. I’ve narrowed mine down to EXO and Stone Glacier but I’m pretty much decided on the EXO. Made in USA and lifetime warranty (as is SG)
Check out the Alps Commander X pack. It's kind of a poor man's Exo pack, but still looks really nice. New this year, I've been looking hard at one for an upcoming elk hunt.
I’ve lost count how many different packs I’ve used over the years.
But I finally have one that fits my method/style of elk hunting and other outdoor adventures
It’s the Kuiu Icon Pro 1850.
Small / light enough to hardly notice it when hunting, big enough to carry a day + gear in it, can carry some meat in it and reasonably priced
Here it is loaded up with 4 quarters of a Neb Whitetail last December
Even 16 year old girls can pack elk out with the Kuiu 1850! :)
Seriously though the most important thing is getting a pack that fits his torso properly and that carries a load comfortably for him. It's hard to try out some of the choices based upon the fact they aren't carried by retailers. Stone Glacier, EXO, Mystery Ranch, Kifaru, all make great packs. I love my Kuiu but it fits me, it might not fit your son.
Yes, western PA is not the hub of the 'western pack' world! Icon Pro Exo MR Metcalf I think I am leaning one of these three right now.
I know what I’d do. If you look on Rokslide you can get used kuiu and mystery ranch like new at half price. Kifaru used is barely less than new and it resale’s quick. I bought Kifaru but if I were to do anything different I would have bought a used kuiu for 250-300$.
You are only going to find a few pack companies that can properly fit his torso. I don't know a lot about packs but I do know about being 6'4" and being 6'4" really limits you as to what is available. Kifaru offers 26" stays which is what I have and with 26" stays I still can't get a great angle on my load lifters like others.
I did just as Link mentioned.
Went on Rokslide and posted a WTB ad for a Kuiu Icon Pro 1850, suspension & bag. Non camo
I ended up buying the system from 2 different guys - total price $275
I also love my Kuiu setup and it isn't as expensive as the all out Kifaru type pack. I have the 1850 bag and the 5200 bag. Both get a lot of use on the same frame.
I have officially reached 'analysis paralysis'. :)
Tough when there aren't retail places around to try on.
http://wildernesspacks.com/index.php/products/product/35-outfitter-frame-combo This is the one I am picking up in a couple weeks. American made. Also helps they are only an hr from my house and great warranty
there are a bunch of new discontinued MR metcalf and pintlers in muticam floating around. most come in under 400. Thats a lot of pack with the guidelite frame for that money.
I have piles of backpacks that I have bought over the years. Have wasted a lot of money over the years on packs I really didn't like that well...
Finally bought the big Kuiu 7200 a few years back and love that pack!
I would definitely look at 2nd hand packs and find a top end pack that will fit your son's 6'4" frame. You can probably cut the price in half (or less) on a top-end pack that he will use for years - hunting or whatever else. If you get one of the top end packs and it is too short, contact the company to get a replacement frame section.
The other thing to consider is hitting second hand/Goodwill stores and looking for older frame packs. Lots of second hand stores here with cheap frame backpacks, too. You can get them dirt cheap and they work amazingly well for getting all gored and bloodied up.
If he has a flat back, you could probably get him a used Stone Glacier with Krux frame for pretty reasonable. The hunt will be much more enjoyable for him if he has a light, comfortable pack. If you go used, you'll have no trouble selling the pack for close to what you bought it for in the future, if you don't need it anymore.
I owned the early versions of the Icon 6500 and 3000, not bad, the frame was noisy. I think they fixed that. I moved to a Kifaru, great solid pack. The plan is for it to out last me, if I don't drop it off a mountain. All the packs mentioned, are good choices for your need.
Kuiu 3200 Icon Pro. Not to big and not to small.
If it were me I'd much rather buy an almost new Kifaru or Stone Glacier on Rokslide or other websites than a brand new lessor pack. I bought almost new Kifaru frame plus 2 bags for around 1/2 price off Rokslide and Craigslist a few years ago. The nice thing about Kifaru is once you have a frame you can change bags and also add accessories. If you plan on much elk hunting (and hauling) I would urge to buy a 5,500 cu in bag or bigger. You can always cinch bags tight to the frame but if you don't have a large enough bag you are screwed. I tend to haul a lot of oversized loads (camp, capes, meat, equipment, etc) so a large bag is essential for my style of hunting.
It is also nice having a frame that is capable of 100+lb loads. It will save trips plus be a lot easier on your shoulders, back, and body. Although there are a lot of good reviews above for kiui I would be cautious about them and possibly look at recent reviews. They may have made improvements with their new models but when I looked a few years back there were a lot of negative reviews....especially for hauling large, bulky loads. You definitely want a pack frame that is capable of handling packing meat if you intend on hauling out many elk! As mentioned above, load lifters and a comfortable belt are other key components in a meat/camp hauling pack. I would recommend the longer stays for better load lifting.
If you are super pinched for cash I would recommend an Arcteryx Bora 90. Before I bought Kifaru I used and abused my Arcteryx for around 20 years. The older models were made in Canada and super high quality. I bet you could likely find an almost new one for under $100. I hauled out lots of elk, moose, mtn goats, sheep, etc with my Bora 90 with lifesized capes and camp. There is a lot of volume in the Bora 90 bag and the frame is pretty darn comfortable. I actually liked the load lifters better than my Kifaru but the Kifaru belt is super comfortable. If you can find and almost new one it would be a steal for a really nice hauling pack. My son actually helped haul out his bighorn sheep this year with the Arcteryx (he's 6'3" and it worked great)!
Here's a couple links to Bora 95 reviews. http://www.trailspace.com/gear/arcteryx/bora-95/http://backpackingsamurai.com/arcteryx-bora-95-backpack-fitting-guide/
If you act quick there is one used once on Ebay for $330 or best offer. I've seen them for as little as $100! Brand new you can likely get one for less than $400. That's a great deal for a high volume, quality pack capable of 100ish loads! I still like my Kifaru though!
I like a good aluminum frame with a big folding shelf on the bottom. Big dry bag. 200-250$ max. A bunch of different uses.
KUIU 1850 is gonna be pretty small for overnighting. I would look at something a little bigger. Not saying you cant do it but thats tight.
Pony up and buy a good pack. if he doesn't get into it, sell it right after the hunt. You'll lose $100 or something I would guess.
If it was my Son & yes at one time it was, I'd get a Badlands 2200 & go from there! It will fit a tall person no problem. It's not an Exo Pack but it's only 200.00 or so used & not much more new! We've packed lots of gear with one & two dozen elk, it will do the job & you don't break the bank. If in years to come both of you come to the conclusion that elk hunting is in the cards every year then upgrade from there. That badlands pack is one tough cookie & will serve him well at this stage of the game!
ElkNut/Paul
His torso length is going to be the issue. Buy a pack that has enough height to accommodate his height.
I've used and abused a Badlands 2200 for years on dayhunts but there's no way I'd want to pack an elk with one. A boned out bull elk hind quarter won't fit inside the bag and I actually had mine rip from all the weight of dayhike stuff plus an elk hind quarter attached to the outside. My shoulder and back were just about gone at the end of one trip out! That would have been a simple pack trip with a back and frame designed for the weight/bulk. Most 2,000 to 4,000 cu in packs are pretty much designed for 50 lb loads top...say nothing for fitting bulky loads. I would recommend something with a bag that is at least 5,000 cu in unless you don't expect to pack out elk! The guys that use 2,000 to 4,000 cu in packs to haul out bulls must be manimals! There is an easier way!
Mystery ranch packs our on sale right now at camofire.com. The metcalf and the Marshall packs our good 5 to 7 day packs. Take a look at them. Good price
Probably not going to get a lot of agreement here, but I would go an entirely different direction from most of the posts. I'm 66 and have backpacked quite a bit over the years, sometimes as long as a full week/55 mile trips. Usually several trips per year. My packpack of choice is an old Kelty external frame, which can be found used on ebay for under $75. I actually have two, a smaller one that fits me the best, and a larger one that goes on the longer trips. If you have one trip in mind, and your son may or may not continue this type of hunting, paying over $75 seems a shame. For a single trip- you don't need anything fancy and pricey to comfortably pack in a few miles and, hopefully, pack out an animal. My Kelty's, along with a freighter that stays in the truck until needed, have packed out a lot of elk and deer, plus a goat and sheep , in addition to covering a lot of miles. Don't make this harder than it needs to be. Good luck with your hunt.
Vonfoust, I have tried a bunch of namebrand packs. Dont spend the dough on a MR, Kifaru, Kuiu, etc. Buy him a Sitka bivy 45 for under $300 on ebay. You wont have to buy all of the add-on pockets that cost a bunch more money. He will love the suspended back. He will love the waistbelt pockets. Most importantly he'll love the fit and comfort. He can pack easily out an elk quarter with it. For a daypack I use the Sitka flash 20. I dont understand all of these guys spending $400-800 dollars on a pack that doesnt have any pockets to start with. I think the manufacturers do this so they can charge the customer even more money and so that they can claim their pack is lighter weight than the competition. Either way, dont fall for it. Good luck
A couple more thoughts. The Sitka bivy 45 comes in a long torso model. They also come with the rain cover included.
BTW, I dont work for Sitka and I dont buy sitka clothes b/c I think it is way overpriced and overhyped. I dont feel this way about the packs though. They are top notch with great features that others dont have.
Bottom line you get what you pay for!!!!
I was going to mention what scoot did. The Bivy and most internal frame packs for that matter don’t have the load lifting ability to get weight off your shoulders. They are good to somewhere around 30 lbs then after that they kill your shoulders/ neck. When I bought my Kifaru I looked at kuiu, exo, mystery ranch, stone glacier. Any of those woulda worked 99% of the time. I like scoot had just got back from an elk hunt with a terrible back pack and told myself 700$ for the next 20 years is a bargain. It’s a good chunk of change but the way these style of packs are made you can switch out parts if something gets wore or uncomfortable. When you buy a 1000$ bow every few years a 700$ pack that will likely be your last one is worth it. If your a penny pincher that buys used bows then try a used kuiu, exo, MR.
Whatever pack you buy, buy it with the intent to be a long term purchase. If that’s a $300 pack then that is good. If it cost $600, that’s good too. If you used it only 20 days before you die, that equates to $30 a day. That’s cheap entertainment with comfort and dependability built in. If you use it 20 days a year for the next 30 Year’s, that’s a $1 a day. And well worth it.
I did what scoot and many others have. Problem was I had 4 different packs that totaled $1200 worth of investment.
I bought a Kifaru and sold all the others and paid for it. Best move I ever made. I packed a few animals last year for a combined 15-16 miles. I never had sore or stiff shoulders. Or a stiff neck. Only tight quads, gluts, and hip flexors. Best money I’ve ever spent on hunting gear. God Bless
"Vonfoust, I have tried a bunch of namebrand packs. Dont spend the dough on a MR, Kifaru, Kuiu, etc. Buy him a Sitka bivy 45 for under $300 on ebay. You wont have to buy all of the add-on pockets that cost a bunch more money. He will love the suspended back. He will love the waistbelt pockets. Most importantly he'll love the fit and comfort. He can pack easily out an elk quarter with it. For a daypack I use the Sitka flash 20. I dont understand all of these guys spending $400-800 dollars on a pack that doesnt have any pockets to start with. I think the manufacturers do this so they can charge the customer even more money and so that they can claim their pack is lighter weight than the competition. Either way, dont fall for it. Good luck"
No offense to this user, but he does NOT understand the differences in backpack companies if the above is a truthful post.
Sometimes penny pincher sometimes not:) For him I tend to not pinch hoping to get him a 20 year start on things. Got him a MR Metcalf that we are going to be adjusting tonight and hopefully this will cover just about all the bases for him for many years.
Thanks all. I may revisit if we decide over the next day or two that this won't work out.
