Pack board question?

[throttlejocky20]

I use to take the bag off my hiking pack and use the frame for a pack board. Last year it broke when packing my elk out.It was a heavy load but if I can carry it the pack should to  .I had a 1 hind quarter, 1 front quarter, and a bag of misc meat (short pack to the truck). I was thinking about the badlands ox. Any suggestions would be helpfull.

[fair-chase]

I have also looked into the badlands ox. While I think it is a great pack, it just doesn't have the room for extended stay trips at 4400ci. If they came out with a 6500ci ox I would be on board. Right now I am leaning towards a Mystery Ranch configuration on their NICE frame system. It's about 3x the $ as the badlands but is much more versatile and can handle a larger load.

[poohdog]

We use Bull Packs and love them.

[dromero]

Mystery Ranch, Bullpacs, and Wilderness Packs, all very tough, and MADE IN USA.

[throttlejocky20]

Thanx ill check them out

[Tim]

Take a look at Kifaru Longhunters or thier new ultra-lites,5200 cu.inchs less than 3lbs.

[Schwag173]

For packing-out elk quarters; nothing holds a candle to the old Army-surplus laminated wood & canvas packboards.  I've inherited two that have more than 40 years history of hauling out Idaho elk and they're still going strong.  I plan on passing them on to my boys someday.  I haven't needed to look but I hear they're hard to find anymore.  If you can find them, buy them. 

[JPhelps]

Nothing is a strong word.
I would be willing to bet my Dana Designs Terraplane will haul a heavy load much more comfortably than an army surplus pack.

I would also look into Mystery Ranch and Kifaru packs.  They are expensive new but you can sometimes find a used pack for a reasonable price.

[halflife65]

For packing-out elk quarters; nothing holds a candle to the old Army-surplus laminated wood & canvas packboards.  I've inherited two that have more than 40 years history of hauling out Idaho elk and they're still going strong.  I plan on passing them on to my boys someday.  I haven't needed to look but I hear they're hard to find anymore.  If you can find them, buy them.  

What?  Maybe "nothing" means something different to you.  I've used those things before on elk quarters as well as to pack supplies into places - like big bags of fertilizer and 50 pound boxes of nails and there are a lot of things that are better as far as comfort, stability, etc.  They've come along way with design in the last 40 years.  I will give you the fact that they are extremely tough and hard to destroy - maybe nothing can hold up like they can (and they are probably also the coolest looking packs).  When I was feeling like the canvas straps were cutting off my arms at the shoulders I was wishing the damn thing would break so I didn't have to carry it anymore.  

Recently, I bought a Mystery Ranch and stuck a whole deer in it minus head, cape and backstraps (coues - not much body size, but still...).  No problem - carried it off in comfort (pack was comfortable on my back even if I wasn't entirely comfortable walking around with the weight.)  

If money isn't the primary object, I would seriously consider the Mystery Ranch or Kifaru or maybe see what turns up for the new Kiuau (spelling?) packs.  

[MtnMuley]

I'd put my Kifaru to the test anyday over an old army surplus pack.  I used to pack jerry cans loaded with slash fuel in those old army packs in the Forest Service days.  They were everything but comfortable.

[Schwag173]

Suit yourself, everyone has their opinion.  If your packframe survives packing more than one elk, maybe you found a good frame.  (My stepfather says he's witnessed different frames coming apart on the third quarter.)  I've personally packed five elk (two across a river) with these Army packboards and they are no worse for the wear.  But don't mind me, I was just trying to help save you some money.

[huntinfool86]

i use the trapper dan pack boards

[hoyt2002]

get a horse!! all kidding aside I got a badlands packboard last year it worked good confortable.

[400out]

get a horse!! all kidding aside I got a badlands packboard last year it worked good confortable.

they are well built but built for a skinney guy   Good idea with the horse 

[hoyt2002]

nice 400. next time call a skinny guy then lol  My pack fit just fine after it was on.

[Alan K]

My BullPac has worked great for me! 

[throttlejocky20]

Thanx for all the good tips after looking at all your suggestions I think im going with mystery ranch.

[TheHunt]

My Bullpac has worked great.  Very comfortable pack with a lot of weight

[p-ohana]

I have a nimrod and I love it. A few years ago carried half a boned out elk 2 miles, and it was an easier packout than I bought it would be, but it still sucked.

[GoldTip]

Back when I was a kid I used those army packboards to pack elk. They are certainly indestructible, of that I have no doubt.  They are also a long way from being comfortable or any word you can find in a thesaurus that would in any way relate to the word comfortable.  If money were no object I would look very hard at the Mystery ranch packs.  That being said, I used my Cabelas Alaskan external frame pack  to pack quite a few elk, and a couple Moose as well with no problems and for the money, they are a good and pretty comfortable pack.

[throttlejocky20]

We have 3 army packs and I will say they are strong and well built. I would like to get something more comfortible.

[huntingfool7]

Mystery Ranch looks like a great frame.  I have a bullpac and hybrid that I put together.  Quality, well fitting belt and shoulder straps are where its at.

[halflife65]

Maybe not the most interesting pictures, but a couple of a Mystery Ranch at work.  You'll love it - I love mine.  I ended up with the NICE frame and Crew Cab but will supplement with a Longbow for times when I'm not hunting or don't think that I'll need to pack much.  Even with the Longbow you can get the extension straps and pack a bunch, though.

Packs down small enough to crawl through the brush, shoot your bow (I shot the deer when I was wearing the pack) and expands big enough to fit an entire deer, minus head and cape.  I'm actually positive I could've put those in there, too, but had a buddy with me that took the head, cape, backstraps for me and I carried the rest.  I have waterbottles sticking up in the back because I popped my Platypus bag and it was leaking all over the place - but the pack does take one (and I usually use one).

[CementFinisher]

has anyone here used the badlands ox?

[7mag.]

I have a nimrod and I love it. A few years ago carried half a boned out elk 2 miles, and it was an easier packout than I bought it would be, but it still sucked.

+1 on the Nimrod. I've tried several pack frames, and my Nimrod is by far the best I've used.

[Jamieb]

I like my J-107 as a backpack but use one of the old arm wood pack boards for meat. I don't want to put meat inside a pack, besides getting blood in the pack, it seems the pack would hinder air movement and cooling of the meat.

[couesbitten]

Kelty Cache Hauler or Freighter frame, will comfortably pack more than you can carry.  Love mine, wouldn't trade it for anything, except maybe a Mystery Ranch.

[colockumelk]

I have a nimrod and I love it. A few years ago carried half a boned out elk 2 miles, and it was an easier packout than I bought it would be, but it still sucked.

+1 on the Nimrod. I've tried several pack frames, and my Nimrod is by far the best I've used.

I've heard some good stuff on the nimrods.  Which pack do you use with your Nimrod?  Do any of you do any wilderness 4 day trips with them?

[Coastal_native]

For packing-out elk quarters; nothing holds a candle to the old Army-surplus laminated wood & canvas packboards.  I've inherited two that have more than 40 years history of hauling out Idaho elk and they're still going strong.  I plan on passing them on to my boys someday.  I haven't needed to look but I hear they're hard to find anymore.  If you can find them, buy them. 

I agree...those old packboards are more durable and can secure most objects (especially head & antlers w/capes) better than a lot of the newer packs out there...but they are definitely lacking in comfort when packing out long distances.  I typically use a combination of both, but I tend to baby my newer pack frame because it seems a little fragile with a 100+ lb bone-in hind quarter on it.  You gotta respect old school ruggedness and durability...but you also have to be willing to accept the comfort of state of the art technology.