Post by: jwfaber1 on July 30, 2018, 10:57:12 PM
Post by: banishd on July 31, 2018, 12:29:48 AM
Post by: Call em in on July 31, 2018, 01:18:10 AM
Post by: bracer40 on July 31, 2018, 07:29:06 AM
Post by: Holg3107 on July 31, 2018, 07:46:50 AM
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.
Post by: buglebrush on July 31, 2018, 07:55:02 AM
Post by: Jonathan_S on July 31, 2018, 07:58:58 AM
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.
Post by: Bucks2Ducks on July 31, 2018, 08:01:07 AM
Post by: Magnum_Willys on July 31, 2018, 09:26:56 AM
Post by: jwfaber1 on July 31, 2018, 09:58:20 AM
Post by: Jason on July 31, 2018, 11:59:11 AM
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.
Post by: cbond3318 on July 31, 2018, 01:19:26 PM
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. :chuckle: Great description!
Post by: Special T on July 31, 2018, 01:44:32 PM
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.
Post by: Shawn Ryan on July 31, 2018, 02:36:46 PM
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.
Post by: Special T on July 31, 2018, 03:25:13 PM
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. :twocents:
Post by: fillthefreezer on July 31, 2018, 04:17:27 PM
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.They don't. Merely a load stabilizer. Ask @ctwiggs 😉😂
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.
And it's 10#s empty
Post by: Fl0und3rz on July 31, 2018, 04:46:48 PM
Post by: yakimanoob on August 01, 2018, 10:47:45 AM
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.
Post by: yakimanoob on August 01, 2018, 10:52:17 AM
Just my :twocents:
Post by: ctwiggs1 on August 01, 2018, 11:07:33 AM
:IBCOOL: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.They don't. Merely a load stabilizer. Ask @ctwiggs 😉😂
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.
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
Post by: Fl0und3rz on August 01, 2018, 11:19:15 AM
http://backpackingsamurai.com/arcteryx-bora-95-backpack-fitting-guide/
Post by: Peewee on August 01, 2018, 11:20:39 AM
Post by: Special T on August 01, 2018, 11:22:35 AM
:IBCOOL: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.They don't. Merely a load stabilizer. Ask @ctwiggs 😉😂
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.
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.
Post by: Fl0und3rz on August 01, 2018, 11:30:06 AM
Rucks have come along way from the ALICE and MOLLE packs, although I cannot obviously speak for Ctwiggs1.
Post by: ctwiggs1 on August 01, 2018, 12:25:12 PM
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.
Post by: ctwiggs1 on August 01, 2018, 12:25:57 PM
Post by: Hunter mike on August 02, 2018, 10:15:10 AM
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.
Post by: Shawn Ryan on August 03, 2018, 09:26:07 AM
:chuckle:
They are very good for hauling heavy gear when strapped to a vehicle.
Post by: fillthefreezer on August 10, 2018, 02:04:55 PM
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"
Post by: WAElkhunter89 on August 10, 2018, 02:34:53 PM
Post by: Special T on August 10, 2018, 04:45:18 PM
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.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"
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
Post by: buglebrush on August 10, 2018, 10:46:00 PM
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.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"
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... :twocents:
Post by: Elkcollector82 on August 11, 2018, 06:51:44 AM
Post by: Magnum_Willys on August 11, 2018, 08:50:22 AM
Post by: Elkcollector82 on August 11, 2018, 09:08:06 AM
That pack won’t work as is - no way -- wrong logo on it. :tung:
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. :tup:
Post by: jwfaber1 on August 22, 2018, 11:22:49 AM
Now I just need some meat to put in it...
Post by: yakimanoob on August 22, 2018, 11:32:22 AM
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.:tup:
Now I just need some meat to put in it...
Good luck with the meat part! :)