ladies/small body backpacks

[fillthefreezer]

ive been trying to find a pack that will be comfortable for my wife, a scabbard, camo fabric and at leaqst 3000 cubes would be ideal, shes about 5'8. anyone cllose to that size have a pack that fits this bill?

[colockumelk]

Do you want external or internal? What's the price range?  Why do you want at least 3,000. Are you planning on hauling meat. What is tje ratio of day hunts compared to overnigjt trips. If overnigjt how many mights.

[fillthefreezer]

Do you want external or internal? What's the price range?  Why do you want at least 3,000. Are you planning on hauling meat. What is tje ratio of day hunts compared to overnigjt trips. If overnigjt how many mights.

internal or external is a possibility. would like to stay under $300, $400 at the max. will be looking to do like 3 nights with option to add meat to that gear.

[colockumelk]

I have hauled meat with both an internal and external frame pack.  And I will say if you are going to haul meat than an external is where it is at. 

I will say this I think for your wife the best option would be the Eberlestock X2.  Although 3 days of gear might be tough.  I think that it could be done though if it was for an early season hunt.  And the X2 is designed to be small and compact enough to be a day pack but big enough so that you can stuff enough stuff in it for a multi day trip.  3 days would be the max though for this pack.  And it is designed so that even with your pack stuffed full of stuff you can stilll haul meat.  It is the pack I am getting my wife.  The pack has 1,800 cubic inches of space to put gear.  Which is a perfect size.  It is small enough to be a day pack but it is large enough that you could store enough gear if you wanted to spike in somewhere for 2 days.  Your can carry all of your gear and still pack out as much meat as your body can handle.  It is an external frame pack that is put inside the pack so it is as comfortable as an internal frame pack but offers the stability and structure of an external frame pack.  It also has two aluminum stays with mesh padding around it that create an airpocket between your back and the actual pack so that your back can breathe and wont get super sweaty hauling a load or when you are just hiking with your gear.  You can carry your gear and then if you get an elk down you wont have to go pack to the truck without taking meat.  You can take a load out with you. Also the meat shelf on this pack can be folded forward and doubles as a seat. Well in any case here is the website for where they sell it so you can take a look at it and read about it for your self. I recommend an external hybrid such as this.  Because packing out meat with my internal frame was somewhat miserable.  I am still looking at which pack to get for myself.  I am looking heavily on this one.  But there is another new pack out from Eberlestock that I am also looking at.  It's called the warhammer.  Its the same concept except its a bit bigger.  The nice thing about Eberlestock is all the attachments and accessories you can put on these packs.  You can get a day lid  which turns into a fanny pack, they have rifle scabbards and a bow scabbard that attaches to the pack so when you are hiking in you have hands free to use hiking sticks.  I learned this year that in the back country hiking sticks are a necessity. 

I would buy it from here since you get a free accessory with a purchase.  This pack goes for $189.

http://www.santanaoutdoors.com/servlet/the-547/Eberlestock-X2-Back-Pack/Detail
 
Here is a couple videos on how the pack works and a review on it.
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bk_OSG9VTb0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87EWdY0ZXVA

Here are some reviews about this pack
 
http://teamkendrickoutdoors.blogspot.com/2011/03/eberlestock-x2-pack-review.html

[fillthefreezer]

ive been looking at the x2 but i havent been able to find much real world reviews or anything where someone has put a real load on it. i was looking into it for a daypack but im not sure if the design is ideal to plan to carry bivy gear and meat.
i love my external frame pack, very comfortable with around 60lbs on it and tolerable with more but its just too big for her torso. it seems most of the packs she tries on the waist belt just rides to low

[colockumelk]

Here is a picture of a guy with a bunch of gear and an elk quarter and head on this pack.  His name is MAVsled.  He is a member on here.  Maybe send him a PM and ask him how he felt about it. 

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,66252.15.html

For now here is a couple of pictures you can look at that shows it can haul a bunch of gear and meat at the same time.  I will also attach a link for the pack that I am most likely going to buy.  Its called the Warhammer.  Its the same concept as the X2 except it uses the ALICE frame as the frame.  It also has 2500 Cubic Inches of room for the pack.  And has the ability to put the spike or super spike duffel giving you 4,500 to 5,000 cubic inches of room and STILL pack meat.  It only cost $289 but it weighs 8.5lbs

Here is the review
http://ultralighthunter.net/tag/eberlestock-warhammer-j51-backpack

Here is the description
http://eberlestock.com/J51H%20Warhammer.htm

[colockumelk]

Oh BTW those pictures are of the X2.

[fillthefreezer]

im diggin that warhammer on everything except the 8.2lbs
i just need to find a local shop thats stocks it so i can have her try it on for the torso fit...

[colockumelk]

I really like the warhammer. I like how I can haul all of my gear for a wilderness hunt in the spike duffel attached to it. Then get to camp and drop the duffel off and the warhammer turns into a day pack. Then when I kill something I can take my whole camp and 1/4 of an elk with me. Get back to the truck. Drop off the camp and the first quarter and keep hauling loads of meat off the mountain with it.

Yeah 8.5lbs is a little much weight for a day pack but if it fits good I don't think you would notice tje extra weight.

[colockumelk]

Fillthefreezer I know this is a little bit old but better late than never right   Have you thought about the Compact Frame Combo by Wilderness Pack Specialties. You have the Big Horn I think. Heard great things about the compact combo its only 2600 ci but if you add the Pelican pack to it it'll add another 1400 ci to the pack. Plus since you have the Big Horn you know all about how the Handi-pack system works. It also has room for a 3 L water bladder.

Compact combo
 http://www.wildernesspacks.com/compact-frame-combo

Pelican Pack
 http://www.wildernesspacks.com/pelican-pack

[D-Rock425]

You might try checking out some packs by Nimrod.

[fillthefreezer]

You might try checking out some packs by Nimrod.

seems most of there stuff is of the daypack variety although good quality i don't think there current offering will meet what I'm looking for. i checked out the display at sport mans show and i have their scabbard.
thinking i might get her a kelty or a used dana designs of ebay

[colockumelk]

You didn't like the  WPS compact frame combo for the wife? Just curious do you happen to know how much one costs.

[BLUEBULLS]

I'm still looking for a pack for my wife. We've tried many and just can't seem to find any narrow enough up top.

Let us know when you find a good one. I had to add a BL 4500 to my arsenal so I can carry both of our gear.

It seems like more and more companies are starting to make gear designed for women so keep checking all of the top mfgs for new gear.

[Antlershed]

Check out the sitka bivy 45. I just picked one up in the "Regular" torso size. I am 5'6" and 145-150lbs, so I struggle to find a pack that fits right, but the bivy 45 is very comfy.