Mountaineering Packs for Hunting

[jwfaber1]

I have a friend with a very lightly used Osprey Aether 70, and I'm thinking I may buy it from him instead of something like an Exo, KUIU, or Kifaru. I can get the Osprey from him at about a quarter the cost of one of the high end hunting packs out there. Though I've been looking at an Exo 3500 for a while, it's hard to pass up a very solid pack for significantly less money. Mountaineering packs are designed to haul weight comfortably, but I wanted to know what you all think about using a mountaineering pack without an external frame for packing an elk out of the backcountry. Thoughts?

[banishd]

I have had that same pack, as well as a kuiu ultra 6000 and a few others. Both were ok for 40lb packs, but add much onto that and they start to really suck. I bought a kifaru pack a few years ago and it was a giant improvement. Would have saved a lot of money if I bought the kifaru first.

[Call em in]

I've packed a lot of game out with a mountaineering style back pack.  I've never used an Osprey but I hear they are good.  It sounds like you can get it for a good deal.  If the pack fits you properly I would suggest purchasing it and using it for a season or two.  If you find it lacking then you can spend the money on a high end hunting pack.   

[bracer40]

If you can load it with 80#s to test its fit and feel before purchasing, you’ll have a better idea of its value in the short term. After that, it’s a matter of how it holds up through real life use. Osprey makes some excellent gear. Just because it’s not camo or designed by hunters doesn’t mean it won’t serve your purposes.

[Holg3107]

I have been using my Gregory for the past 5 years for backpack hunting. Its great with gear up to 65lbs. The problems Ive had have been once an animal is down. Boned out meat sinks to the bottom and gets very awkward. Ive helped with some rigging straps. to assist with meat sinking to the bottom but it isn't great. My first pack out was a learning experience to say the least and my lower back was in a bad place at the end of a 7 mile pack out. For meat hauling I really don't think you can go wrong with a good external frame with a meat shelf that is designed to pack meat. I can tell you that I will be investing in a new pack very soon.

Love my pack for the pack in, the pack out... not so much... If the deal is good I would still say buy it. If it fits well you have a great backpacking and scouting pack.

[buglebrush]

You'll regret it once you get an animal down.  Mountaineering packs seldom see more than 60#'s and they're designed with that in mind.  I used one for years, and there's no comparison to my Exo.

[Jonathan_S]

I've used a small pile of budget packs that worked great 80-90% of the time.  That other 10-20% was brutal let me tell you.  I finally got tired of feeling like I was being eaten by my pack when I was carrying a game animal.

If you anticipate loads of up to 75# and only occasionally, I suppose you could get by with just about anything.  If you plan on all day trips with weight or those which are heavier than 100# then I'd strongly recommend something equal to the task.

I'm not the guy who's been everywhere and done everything by any means.  I'm just the cheap b@st@rd who tried everything he could before admitting that a good pack matters.

[Bucks2Ducks]

As has kinda been said, the osprey will probably be great for 90% of the time your hunting, until you have an animal down. I could care less if something is camo, but hiking packs are not designed to throw a 100lbs in. You can buy the osprey now, and then end up buying a hunting pack in couple years, or just buy once and cry once and get it now . You can find used Exo's for a pretty good price, if the cost of new is a deterrent.

[Magnum_Willys]

Minimum Requirements: Beefiest waist belt you can find plus ability to load meat sack between bag and frame and lightest overall weight while still durable. 

   

[jwfaber1]

Thanks everyone! I don't care about camo either, and it sounds like I'd be perfectly happy with the Osprey until i get an animal down...that alone is making me lean toward splurging for an Exo or something similar. Do they ever have sales? I know KUIU does every once in a while, but I've never seen anything from Exo

[Jason]

I have never seen an EXO Pack sale before. EXO use to have a scratch and dent section (blems) where you could get get pack for a couple hundred off. But EXO hasn't had that since the Land of the Free started.

I too was the guy who had a hand full of mid range packs. They all had their own pros and cons. But I have yet to find a con about my EXO 5500.

[cbond3318]

I've used a small pile of budget packs that worked great 80-90% of the time.  That other 10-20% was brutal let me tell you.  I finally got tired of feeling like I was being eaten by my pack when I was carrying a game animal.

If you anticipate loads of up to 75# and only occasionally, I suppose you could get by with just about anything.  If you plan on all day trips with weight or those which are heavier than 100# then I'd strongly recommend something equal to the task.

I'm not the guy who's been everywhere and done everything by any means.  I'm just the cheap b@st@rd who tried everything he could before admitting that a good pack matters.

Im almost over the "cheap b@st@rd who tried everything he could before admitting that a good pack matters." hump.  Great description!

[Special T]

I use my Mountainsmith for hunting, now that i no longer do any real mountaineering. It looked like they are $300ish new from REI so you gonna pay less than $150? The only other large volume pack like that 4k Cubic Inch for near that price would be a MARPAT USMC surplus pack and you would likely pay $150 for a used one of those... but they are cammo. Buy or make a earth toned rain proof pack cover and your set. my brother has a USMC surplus one and he loves it. Additionally there are lots of Mole Loops so if you needed to attach a bow scabbard or rifle scabbard you should be in good shape.

What kind of hunting? Archery or Rifle?  To me it looks like the Osprey would work well for packing a rifle by using one of the pockets normally assigned a waterbottle. Attaching a bow may be more troublesome because there doesnt appear to have a bunch of attachment loops on the back. What color is it?  Osprey Aether AG 70 Pack ? https://www.rei.com/product/111284/osprey-aether-ag-70-pack

If it were me i would pack my hunting gear in it, adjust the straps and give it a walk around. surely your buddy will let you borrow it for a couple days to see if it handles the weight the way you like.   If it fits the way you like, and its less than $100 i dont see how you can go wrong.

[Shawn Ryan]

Special T:  how well do the load lifters work on that pack? I've always wondered. Arcyteryx makes good packs; just wondering what a "lowest-bid" military contract does to their high-quality product.

JWFaber: I'm in the Jonathan S camp, if you can buy the top end, do it once. Get over the hump. But I remember well all the years when dropping $7-800 on a Kifaru pack just wasn't going to go over well at home.

[Special T]

Special T:  how well do the load lifters work on that pack? I've always wondered. Arcyteryx makes good packs; just wondering what a "lowest-bid" military contract does to their high-quality product.

JWFaber: I'm in the Jonathan S camp, if you can buy the top end, do it once. Get over the hump. But I remember well all the years when dropping $7-800 on a Kifaru pack just wasn't going to go over well at home.

the load lifter adjustment is a function of what kind of hinink you are doing. Ideally all the weight is supposed to go on your hips via the belt. that is why you see most external frame packs used for trail hiking. in the past  on the trail hike i would loosten the load lifters and let the weight ride more on my hips. when going cross country scrambles or actually doing glacier travel i would snug them down. doing so provides a greater level of control and does so by making the pack hug your back. there is a learning curve if you are going from an external to an internal, but that is why shorter lighter shake down hikes are important until you get to know your pack and adjust it. Internal frames are infinatly more adjustable.

IMO the best trick for hauling meat is aquiring one of those thick airline luggage bags to put the meat in to haul off the mountain. After you have cooled it ofcourse. this is also one of the reasons why i say a used back pack that fits is a great deal because dried blood is hard to get off. if you get a USMC pack that is lightly used like my brother has you will have decades of abuse for hunting season in it.

one other point not often discussed. I own a north face jacket. it was really expensive many years ago. North Face at the time didnt even manufacture thier own jackets. They are the gold standard in Climbing apparel, or at least they were... the design they use is awesome but you can find great gear for much less.