Wilderness Pack Question??

[MtnMuley]

Janssens has had the Hard Core Hunt pack out for several years.  Good day pack, but nowdays, there are much better. 

[windygorge]

Cameron Haynes is also sponsered by each and everything is uses or wears.. :-)

But.. in the spirit of being fair to all interested in the best hunting pack around, I just came across this site.. click on the video of the "Hard Core Hunt Pack" and watch!

http://www.adventureoutfittersinc.com/

I don't know what I would have done if I already had not bought my Mystery Ranch.

nice!!

[MDGrand]

Janssens has had the Hard Core Hunt pack out for several years.  Good day pack, but nowdays, there are much better. 

Really? It seemed to have everything.. Ability to grab rifle and bow quickly, frame meat packing ability.. I guess the only thing I didn't see is multi day storage ability. What's the knock on them?

[SkookumHntr]

Im thinking about the Nimrod wilderness pack! Looks like a good set up, then when you get up there, take the big bag off and you got your huntin pack! Looks like the best pack 4 me!

[windygorge]

a frame is a must.  i truly believe that.  a pack against your back is not good, especially when your hauling heavy loads a long way.   frames keep them off your back.  the meat will be tied up on the "outside" of your pack so it can breath.  a shelf to help support the weight on the frame would be even better.  it boggles my mind to see people not getting a modern day external frame backpack.  it really does.  if there is anyone who is reading and can add to what i am saying please do.  if you are posting to counter what i am saying, then you need to have experience hauling meat and heavy loads with an external before you do.  as for internal framed packs, if you want to just be "hiking" through the woods and have something to carry your stuff, then get one.  i know you can put a quarter inside some of them, but why.  the mission is to get the animal your hunting out of the woods without loss of meat, not to be bop in the woods with the latest and greatest because it looks cool.  ....thats all i gotta say about that 

[3dvapor]

I used a badlands sacrifice last year on a nevada wilderrness hunt.  It weighs just over 3 pounds I was set up to go several days trying to keep it right around 40 pounds.  Anything more than 50 pounds would have been brutal with that pack, it was an internal frame but I knew that when I bought it great pack for what it is.  If moneys no object I would probably go with the new kuiu carbon fibre external very light, or mystery ranch crew cab, followed by the kifaru, then eberlestock

[halflife65]

Halflife..

Your pictures also convinced me.

I got the multi cam too.. I couldnt do the optifade (my sponser would not like me too much if I did)

More than happy to have the multicam. It goes with with Realtree which is what I mostly wear.

I am thinking of ordering the load cells too.. which ones did you order? The site recommends 1 large and 2 small.. is that what you did?

My nice frame came in Coyote. That is fine to me, no difference, they are straps.

Hey, MDGrand, I was just re-reading through and just noticed your question to me - I think I missed it unless I just don't remember answering (that's possible.)

Yeah, I got the large and two smalls along with the daypack lid.  I can actually get everything in the large and the daypack lid for a few days.  In really cold weather or when I'm going longer and require more food I might need the others.

In fact, last weekend I got everything into the pack plus the daypack lid thing without using any load cells.  Hunting stuff like game bags, extra knife (bear hunting so I have an extra knife that I normally wouldn't carry in case I get to skin one), emergency stuff and rain coat,  and I managed to trade the rain coat out and had enough room to stick a Sitka 90% in there when it started raining hard, in one of the side pockets.  Jetboil, tarp, stakes and ground cloth in the other side pocket.  The main compartment I used for my sleeping bag (just stuffed it straight in there) and got extra socks, stocking hat and gloves in with it, front zipper pocket had a headlamp, map, compass and a couple of other things, top lid had food and an extra container of water.  I didn't fold out the side pockets, so just stuck my sleeping pad in there and folded the whole thing up into a nice compact package.  GPS was on the belt.  In this case, I didn't bother with a spotting scope - if I did I'd probably need to break down and use the load cell.  But my Swaros are good enough for this hunt.

Then my truck broke down on the way to the hunt, spent all night getting towed, acquiring an alternator at 5am (managed to scrounge one up - the tow truck driver (a cool guy, by the way) had one off of a wrecked pickup that fit; how lucky is that?), fixing the truck, replacing the battery (the tow truck driver had a new one of those, too), screwing around - got there about 1 or 2 in the afternoon with no sleep the night before.  Still was going to go then got hit with torrential rain storms and lightening was crackling all around me.  Walked back to the truck and just slept in it.  In fact, I was so tired and it was raining so hard out that I didn't even bother trying to cook dinner.  I just brushed my teeth and went to sleep.  Got up in the morning, hiked out to where I wanted to be in the morning and...pea soup fog and more heavy rain.  I did get a good afternoon hunt in before I drove home, though.  The only bear I spotted was outside the unit. Oh well, I learned the area a bit but it was just kind of one of those hunts where things just went wrong.  Could've been worse...

Going back to try again this weekend, though...If I have success spiking out I'll let you know how everything worked.

[MDGrand]

Thanks for the info Halflife..

Sounds like you had quite a trip. I have been in those situations.. sucks. Keeps you going back for more though.

So far I got the two small load cells one 1 large. The large fits my tent and sleeping back. The other two small ones are almost full with pack pillow, sleeping pad, camp stove and mess kit, freeze dried meals, utensils, etc. Therefore, I don't have too much room for clothes. Thinking of ordering the daypack lid. How do you like yours? Could it fit a few days worth of clothes?

[halflife65]

Depends on what you take.  I take extra socks, long johns, stocking hat and gloves - that's about it.  Oh, packable raingear.  I think it could fit all that pretty easily.  But if you like to take a lot of clothes it could be a problem.

Maybe dump the pillow - seems like you should be able to get food/mess kit/stove into one unless you have a lot of food.  That should leave your last one open for clothes and or other miscellaneous items.  I also didn't mention that I have a MSR water bladder in it.  I also have a collapsible water bottle to take that I can fill up assuming there is water where I'm going.  This last time, I had room and my pack was relatively light, so I was planning on taking an extra bottle of water and didn't mess with the filter or anything.

You also still have the main pocket on the pack plus the two side pockets.  You might have your spotting scope and tripod in the side pockets along with game bags, knives and whatever other hunting specific stuff you take, plus emergency stuff (first aid kit, fire starting stuff, etc.) but there is a lot of room in that main pocket.  Maybe your clothes can go in there.  My front zip pocket had a map, headlamp, 5 extra bullets, chapstick, compass, hand sanitizer and that's about it.  Some more room in there for small stuff if you needed it.

If you want to be able to leave your food/extra clothes just bring a very lightweight silnylon bag and stuff everything in it when you get to wherever you're leaving your camp.  If it's food you could hang it in a tree if you thought it was necessary.

[MDGrand]

Sounds like you have the pocketed belt. Wish I would have done that now.

I pretty much carry the exact same things including clothes.. The Pillow is an REI backpack pillow.. its very compactible. I still have a bit more room in one small load cell..

Think I will probably get the day pack lid though.. just to be sure.

[MtnMuley]

Janssens has had the Hard Core Hunt pack out for several years.  Good day pack, but nowdays, there are much better. 

Really? It seemed to have everything.. Ability to grab rifle and bow quickly, frame meat packing ability.. I guess the only thing I didn't see is multi day storage ability. What's the knock on them?

As I mentioned it is a good pack.  No serious knocks from me, but I feel there are numerous packs out there over the last several years, that are designed better to me.  You own one.

[halflife65]

Sounds like you have the pocketed belt. Wish I would have done that now.

I pretty much carry the exact same things including clothes.. The Pillow is an REI backpack pillow.. its very compactible. I still have a bit more room in one small load cell..

Think I will probably get the day pack lid though.. just to be sure.

No pockets on the belt but I got a couple of things that would attach to the webbing.  I have a pouch for my GPS that will attach and Nimrod makes a range finder holder that will attach.  If I can remember, I'll take a picture of my setup.

[MDGrand]

awesome..

I just orderd the day pack lid.. I am all set for this one. It would be cool to see if there are quick release straps that can be added to this pack so you can can grab your rifle or bow..

[MDGrand]

Sounds like you have the pocketed belt. Wish I would have done that now.

I pretty much carry the exact same things including clothes.. The Pillow is an REI backpack pillow.. its very compactible. I still have a bit more room in one small load cell..

Think I will probably get the day pack lid though.. just to be sure.

No pockets on the belt but I got a couple of things that would attach to the webbing.  I have a pouch for my GPS that will attach and Nimrod makes a range finder holder that will attach.  If I can remember, I'll take a picture of my setup.

Halflife.. got my daypack lid yesterday.. its a sweet set up. VERY happy with this pack, expect to kick some ass with it this year. Thanks for the info and recommendations!

[shanevg]

a frame is a must.  i truly believe that.  a pack against your back is not good, especially when your hauling heavy loads a long way.   frames keep them off your back.  the meat will be tied up on the "outside" of your pack so it can breath.  a shelf to help support the weight on the frame would be even better.  it boggles my mind to see people not getting a modern day external frame backpack.  it really does.  if there is anyone who is reading and can add to what i am saying please do.  if you are posting to counter what i am saying, then you need to have experience hauling meat and heavy loads with an external before you do.  as for internal framed packs, if you want to just be "hiking" through the woods and have something to carry your stuff, then get one.  i know you can put a quarter inside some of them, but why.  the mission is to get the animal your hunting out of the woods without loss of meat, not to be bop in the woods with the latest and greatest because it looks cool.  ....thats all i gotta say about that

I have to say I strongly disagree with this. Imhave packed out a bear small bear with an external frame pack and multiple large bears with my internal frame pack and I will never go back to external frame.

The comfort of an internal frame compared to any external frame I have ever used is incomparable. Additionally an external frame ways far more than an internal frame pack and is just so much bulkier when hiking through the woods. Having the heavy load close to your back makes you much more mobile and comfortable with a heavy load. I have ever had any problems with meat being ruined due to being too hot and imhave packed out a bear on a 90 degree day.

I have never seen any reason to have an uncomfortable and heavy external frame pack over an internal frame.

By the way. A good deal for a light pack is the GoLite Pinnacle. 4400 cubic inches, 1lb 15oz. I got it on clearance for $70.