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. 

[fillthefreezer]

 

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.

They don't. Merely a load stabilizer. Ask @ctwiggs 😉😂
And it's 10#s empty

[Fl0und3rz]

I have an Arc'teryx Bora 80, and an Arc'teryx designed, mil supplier made ILBE pack.  The heavy duty construction is comparable, although you could bet the quality control is probably not the same, on average. 

[yakimanoob]

@jwfaber1 I think you're getting the general consensus: Osprey packs are wonderful except when you've got tons of meat in the back. 

I will only add two things, but I think they're vitally important to the choice:

- It's not always the best plan to buy an item designed for the most extreme possible use (i.e., packing an animal out of the mountains).  If that's your goal, then the EXO might be a better choice. But if you're ok with a pack that will serve you comfortably 95% of the time and leave you uncomfortable 5% of the time, you can save a lot of cash with the Aether.  FWIW, this is where I am right now; I use the Aether 60 since I do a lot of backpacking in addition to hunting, so for me it's more like 98% comfy vs 2% uncomfy. 

- There is almost zero risk in buying the Osprey.  With their warranty, the packs hold their value very well and you can always sell it down the road if you decide you'd rather have a real load hauler. 

[yakimanoob]

Oh, I almost forgot: I would be leery of the "AG" or anti-gravity version of the Aether.  I had an AG Atmos pack that creaked and squeaked like you wouldn't believe -- it's a known problem and Osprey replaced the pack no questions asked - but I sold the new-with-tags replacement Atmos AG in favor of the non-AG Aether 60.   

Just my 

[ctwiggs1]

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.

They don't. Merely a load stabilizer. Ask @ctwiggs 😉😂
And it's 10#s empty

The military ruck sack is a perfect option for someone doing day trips for grouse and rabbit.  Beyond that I would struggle to accept it anymore.

I used my ruck sack that I had since I was in the Army for several years.  Good 'nuff for the Army, good 'nuff for me.  I was used to rucking 100lbs and I could hack big game, despite what the nay sayers would tell me. 

I don't remember what initially drove me to buy a new pack.  I'm definitely not in the same shape I was when I was in the military, but I recall also trying to cut weight.  My pack was like 12lbs with nothing in it, and all the nicer packs were about half that.  I think really that was the biggest appeal.

Long story short, when I put my Exo on for the first time and got the straps adjusted, I couldn't believe how well the pack sat on my hips.  Furthermore, I couldn't believe how sore I wasn't after carrying 40-60lbs all day on scouting trips (I would intentionally add weight out of morbid curiosity).  Lastly, those little straps on the that you pull down on the shoulder straps apparently are called "load lifters", and they are supposed to actually do something productive.  If you're using the military packs, you really won't notice.  If you're using a top tier pack, you really will.

I've got many years, and many many many miles under my belt with a military ruck sack.  I could pack that thing for a deployment in my sleep.  That being said, if I was still in the Army... I'd leave it at home and take my Exo without a doubt. 

Curtis

[Fl0und3rz]

I ran across this when looking to make a sale on my Arcteryx Bora 80.  It has a pretty good section on hip belt and shoulder strap adjustment, applicable to most high-end internal frame packs that have a quality hip belt and thoughtful design.  Pretty much the only thing missing is ensuring the pack is sized to fit your torso and related measurement.

http://backpackingsamurai.com/arcteryx-bora-95-backpack-fitting-guide/

[Peewee]

Get exo 5500, more room when needed n compresses the same when not needed, it's a no-brainer

[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.

They don't. Merely a load stabilizer. Ask @ctwiggs 😉😂
And it's 10#s empty

The military ruck sack is a perfect option for someone doing day trips for grouse and rabbit.  Beyond that I would struggle to accept it anymore.

I used my ruck sack that I had since I was in the Army for several years.  Good 'nuff for the Army, good 'nuff for me.  I was used to rucking 100lbs and I could hack big game, despite what the nay sayers would tell me. 

I don't remember what initially drove me to buy a new pack.  I'm definitely not in the same shape I was when I was in the military, but I recall also trying to cut weight.  My pack was like 12lbs with nothing in it, and all the nicer packs were about half that.  I think really that was the biggest appeal.

Long story short, when I put my Exo on for the first time and got the straps adjusted, I couldn't believe how well the pack sat on my hips.  Furthermore, I couldn't believe how sore I wasn't after carrying 40-60lbs all day on scouting trips (I would intentionally add weight out of morbid curiosity).  Lastly, those little straps on the that you pull down on the shoulder straps apparently are called "load lifters", and they are supposed to actually do something productive.  If you're using the military packs, you really won't notice.  If you're using a top tier pack, you really will.

I've got many years, and many many many miles under my belt with a military ruck sack.  I could pack that thing for a deployment in my sleep.  That being said, if I was still in the Army... I'd leave it at home and take my Exo without a doubt. 

Curtis

I curious what specific pack you were using, because Ive used my brothers USMC pack and it fit and worked well. The Army "Ruck sacks" ive encountered wernt built like most internal frame packs. that is why im interested in your statement.

[Fl0und3rz]

I believe that the USMC pack is likely the ILBE pack that I was describing above as the ArcTeryx designed, military contractor produced, unless he has one of the newer versions.  It is equivalent to the ArcTeryx Bora 80 pack I was describing, construction and materials wise.

Rucks have come along way from the ALICE and MOLLE packs, although I cannot obviously speak for Ctwiggs1.

[ctwiggs1]

I’ve used the USMC pack described above, the MOLLE, and the ALICE.

The ALICE were actually my favorite because they were the lightest.

None of them are very good hunting packs.

They are very good for hauling heavy gear when strapped to a vehicle.

[ctwiggs1]

Also, if you review my old posts at some point I used to defend these packs quite earnestly 

[Hunter mike]

I really wanted the ILBE to work but it's basically a torture device.  Not enough load lift for a 6'1 guy and the belt sucks.  Also no load lift on the MOLLE frames...

The REI XT85 (no longer made) is the best backpacking style pack I've used for hunting and still use it.  I'm going to upgrade soon, but there's really no issues with the REI pack.  I've had it to about 75 lbs without issue and I don't do much more than that anyways.  It was a bargain and works awesome if you could find one.  The first gen was a nice olive green color - I have the second gen in charcoal grey and heard the first gen had some seam issues.  My 2g has been rock solid.

[Shawn Ryan]

They are very good for hauling heavy gear when strapped to a vehicle.

   

[fillthefreezer]

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.

I'm not saying I disagree, but I am curious what "mountaineering" pack you, " ran for years"

[WAElkhunter89]

Anyone used a Mystery Ranch pack? Been watching a lot of Randy Newberg YouTube videos lately and he talks very highly of the Mystery Ranch Metcalf. Was thinking about picking one up for the upcoming elk season.

[Special T]

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.

I'm not saying I disagree, but I am curious what "mountaineering" pack you, " ran for years"

I ran a lot more than 60lbs in my mountaineering pack on many occasions. I think 90-100lbs on several occasions was about the weight. Nothing is comfortable about huge amounts of weight no matter the pack. I can think of a bunch of occasions where packing in 80lbs of gear to base camp before being able to attack the mountain with a more manageable load. I've owned a few different packs, and tried a bunch of other folks packs over time.  A huge amount of finding the right pack is learning how to adjust a internal frame pack and just trying it out.

Does everyone agree on the feel of a glock, 1911, sig, etc in thier hand? Of course not. Packs really arnt that different.

The one exception is packs that are specifically  built to haul a load and a ride or bow. But if you have hauled enough gear  you can usually find a way to accomplish what you need.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[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.

I'm not saying I disagree, but I am curious what "mountaineering" pack you, " ran for years"

I ran a lot more than 60lbs in my mountaineering pack on many occasions. I think 90-100lbs on several occasions was about the weight. Nothing is comfortable about huge amounts of weight no matter the pack. I can think of a bunch of occasions where packing in 80lbs of gear to base camp before being able to attack the mountain with a more manageable load. I've owned a few different packs, and tried a bunch of other folks packs over time.  A huge amount of finding the right pack is learning how to adjust a internal frame pack and just trying it out.

Does everyone agree on the feel of a glock, 1911, sig, etc in thier hand? Of course not. Packs really arnt that different.

The one exception is packs that are specifically  built to haul a load and a ride or bow. But if you have hauled enough gear  you can usually find a way to accomplish what you need.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

I ran a Kelty and Osprey.  If you all want to believe your internal frame mountaineering packs compare to an EXO or Kifaru, be my guest.  Find me someone who's put serious miles with meat on both that actually believes that...   

[Elkcollector82]

I run an alpsoutdoor commander x  pack. Cost $350’ish at bobs sporting goods. It ain’t no high end kifaru or exo. But it comes with everything they have. The padding is great, load lifters work. Comes with rain fly and bow/rifle holder. I’ve had 40# up to 140# plus. That’s 4 trophy rocks, 4 5.5lb bags of vapple, 4 trail cams, water and food. Walked 4 miles into wilderness before setting first cam. Felt great and wasn’t sore or hurting afterwards. Don’t need to spend a bunch of money on a high end pack. Find one that work and spend money on other gear. Been running strong for a few years now. Zippers are tough and so is the material. No hot spots or unwanted rubbing. Pack zips off and meat shelf works wonders. Comes with extra straps to reattach the pack. When meat shelf is in use. You get a lot of bang for your buck with that pack. I know some people will say kifaru or exo only way to go. But I’ll hike with any amount of weight just as far or farther with my alps pack. All why saving hundreds of dollars.

[Magnum_Willys]

That pack won’t work as is - no way -- wrong logo on it.   

[Elkcollector82]

That pack won’t work as is - no way -- wrong logo on it.   

I took a black sharpie and drew a rhino on it. Lost 3lbs of weight and gained 2,200 cubic inches of space. Just by doing that. So impressed I drew an NF on my scope and started shooting 1/4” groups  at 1,800 yards. 

[jwfaber1]

Thanks to everyone for the advice! I actually just got an Exo 3500 as an early birthday gift from my wife and parents and I'm stoked! I probably wouldn't have splurged for an Exo myself, so to get one as a gift, I was pretty excited. Tried it out on Sunday with about 35-40 lbs and was super impressed. I know I won't be disappointed.
Now I just need some meat to put in it...

[yakimanoob]

Thanks to everyone for the advice! I actually just got an Exo 3500 as an early birthday gift from my wife and parents and I'm stoked! I probably wouldn't have splurged for an Exo myself, so to get one as a gift, I was pretty excited. Tried it out on Sunday with about 35-40 lbs and was super impressed. I know I won't be disappointed.
Now I just need some meat to put in it...

Good luck with the meat part!