Wilderness Pack Specialties

[fillthefreezer]

http://www.thebackpackhunter.com/products/Wilderness-Bighorn-Frame-Packs.html

Came across this - seems like a pretty reasonable price.  Do you use the stock suspension components?  I've seen online that several people have switched it all out.  Really then all you're getting from WPS is the Handi-pak since the frame is MOLLE.  I wonder if you can get that separate?

Sorry to keep bugging you Kentrek, but could you give an outline of what kind of gear you're using to use a 35L bag?  I can barely get my sleeping bag in one it's so bulky!  About 65L is my minimum for about 3 nights and that's with my tent on the outside.  I also use a CCF pad for sleeping, so that's always problematic to pack.  Depending on the bag, it gets lashed to the outside or rolled around the inside of the bag with all of my gear in the middle.  I'd really like to reduce my bulk even more so than my weight.

might be best to rework your gear list, how many backcountry trips have you done?

[Hunter mike]

My gear is usually somewhat compartmentalized.  Actually, Kentrek saying his sleeping bag and mat are outside of the main dry bag helps out - I think that is doable for me.  I was thinking you had everything in there!  I"ve cut out pretty much everything I don't need.  I'm only a wimp when it comes to having some spare batteries (one set for GPS and one for flashlight) and too much fuel because I want to make a Via whenever I damn well want  I'm using an ultralight alcohol stove, so not much extra weight there.

Most of my bulk is my sleeping bag (coleman 0* emmons long) and tent (kelty grand mesa 2).  I'm hoping to get a lighter weight bag and bivy or minimalist shelter for the warmer seasons.  I just needed stuff that works in cold weather and didn't have the $$ to buy twice. 

[kentrek]

finally found a pic of a loaded pack for a couple days....summer/high altitude conditions

you shouldn't need "extra" batteries at all...if there getting low just replace em before ya head out

[JLS]

http://www.thebackpackhunter.com/products/Wilderness-Bighorn-Frame-Packs.html

Came across this - seems like a pretty reasonable price.  Do you use the stock suspension components?  I've seen online that several people have switched it all out.  Really then all you're getting from WPS is the Handi-pak since the frame is MOLLE.  I wonder if you can get that separate?

Sorry to keep bugging you Kentrek, but could you give an outline of what kind of gear you're using to use a 35L bag?  I can barely get my sleeping bag in one it's so bulky!  About 65L is my minimum for about 3 nights and that's with my tent on the outside.  I also use a CCF pad for sleeping, so that's always problematic to pack.  Depending on the bag, it gets lashed to the outside or rolled around the inside of the bag with all of my gear in the middle.  I'd really like to reduce my bulk even more so than my weight.

Upgrade your sleeping bag.  If you hunt early season, a fifteen degree bag is PLENTY warm enough.  Enough so that it should be fine into October and early November.  I've used mine in December during the late archery hunts.  Get a good down or a good synthetic bag.  Get a compression sack for it.  This will save you a lot of room right off the top.

I can get all of my gear for a Sept/Oct hunt into my Longbow (2300 cubes) with my tent on the outside.

[kentrek]

also id really advise puting all (this means everything) your gear on geargrams..it will really help you see whats going on in your pack

http://www.geargrams.com/

x2 on upgrading your tent an bag..lots of weight to be saved there,but might as well get your moneys worth out of the stuff ya have already

[JLS]

A sleeping pad like a Therma rest Neoair or a Big Agnes Insulated Air Core are a nice upgrade, and pack up much smaller than what you're using.  However, there is nothing wrong with strapping your pad and tent on the outside. 

[Hunter mike]

Yeah, I'm upgrading piece by piece.  I'd eventually like to have a tipi type shelter (seems like most are lighter than my tent anyways) and a bivy or ultralight 1-man tent for early season. 

My stuff gets me by and without it I would have stayed at home last season, so I can't complain.  Fully loaded for 4-days I was at 45lbs including rifle.  I ran into guys who were packing in way heavier, but I could fairly easily cut 5-10 lbs from my load with some gear upgrades. 

Early season bag is probably top of my list - a lot less bulk I've noticed.  If the forecast is as good as last year's, I'll probably just use a tarp for shelter.  It froze hard on my scouting trip, so I left my hammock and tarp at home and brought a tent for the actual hunt....

The more I think about the WPS pack frame, the more I like the concept. 

[TriggerHappy]

I've never thought about dropping the pack off the frame and packing in with a dry bag. I am new to the packing in thing and the most i have done is 6 or 7 miles (on logging roads) and only stayed 2 or 3 nights at a time. I was thinking about picking up the Pelican Pack which adds 1600 CU.IN to my pack. But now I'm curious to the amount of weight difference there is between the pack and the dry bag 

[kentrek]

I've never thought about dropping the pack off the frame and packing in with a dry bag. I am new to the packing in thing and the most i have done is 6 or 7 miles (on logging roads) and only stayed 2 or 3 nights at a time. I was thinking about picking up the Pelican Pack which adds 1600 CU.IN to my pack. But now I'm curious to the amount of weight difference there is between the pack and the dry bag 

pending on the size and thickness there about a pound..

[Hunter mike]

Any idea what brand that black dry bag is?  I've got a few different kinds I'm messing around with.  My favorite was a Columbia that had a kind of nylon texture to it (not shiny and plastic-y feeling like most).  It felt sturdy and tough - ended up sending it back because I thought it was too small, but would have been perfect for this pack. 

I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on the WPS pack.  The frame seems pretty short compared to what I have been using, but it would sure be nice for day hiking away from camp and knowing you could pack something out.  I always ditch my pack in the bushes somewhere nearby the general area I'm hunting if further than a mile or so from camp. 

Dumb question maybe, but would it hurt my boned out meat to be compressed (somewhat heavily) between the frame and my drybag using the compression panel?  I hope to find a setup/gear that I can make one trip out with a reasonable sized deer and my camp. 

[JLS]

Dumb question maybe, but would it hurt my boned out meat to be compressed (somewhat heavily) between the frame and my drybag using the compression panel? 

It won't hurt it one bit.

[kentrek]

the black bag is a "lewis and clark"..idk how sold i am on it tho cuz the buckle seems kinda week havnt had any real problems with it tho..just a suspicion it will break in the future


as far as the meat q the only thing i would worry bout is how much the meat could breath in its cooling off period,i wouldnt smother it in a dry sack when its still steeming on a hot day with a good pack out..pretty easy to tie off or run the bag on top of your meat tho..

[Hunter mike]

If anyone's interested, it sounds like WPS is at the sportsman's show.  My buddy bought one there on Friday.  I wish I could make it down there to try one on!

[Hunter mike]

Spent some time online messing around today (I really need to get out) and came up with this as a possibility:

http://www.kifaru.net/cargopanel.html (scroll down to where it shows the MOLLE frame)

I really like the idea of the MOLLE webbing for a couple of pockets for my accessories I carry all the time (knives, game bags, etc) whether I'm day hunting or backpacking.  Also a good spot for some snacks and maybe water bottle carrier.  This seems like it would be the best possible combo for day hunting, backpacking from a camp, or bivy hunting (sleep where you stop hunting for the day).

My dilema now is whether to get the WPS pack or just buy a surplus MOLLE frame and straps set (about $50 or so on ebay).  Cheaper to buy the surplus, but I wonder if the MOLLE straps are as comfortable as the WPS suspension or vice versa...

[kentrek]

just for triggerhappy