Hey all. I just got back from a trip to Colorado for elk. I had a great time with a few hunting buddies and will be back every couple years now. Hooked for life you could say. I had the chance to wring out some equipment. Learned a lot too. Primarilly I don't own a quality pack! Oh I have a couple,but I won't be using them again for mountain hunting. Eastern whitetails maybe. Elk and muledeer no way. Now,one of the things that really bugged me was a cold damp back from sweating under a day pack. My B-In-Law was using a Badlands Monster on this hunt and had nothing but good to say about it. It's priced right as well. But,I'm not real big on fanny type packs. I've been roaming the web the last couple days and see the Sitka Flash 20 is suspended off the back with mesh. I assume these are quality packs as the Sitka name implies. I carried the usual gear all week. GPS,compass,small first aid kit,dry socks,snacks,couple lights,warm jacket for standing, 2 bottles of water, para cord, and knives/saw. I don't like a pack stuffed tight,so would the Flash 20 be large enough? The Monster has merit. Just concerned about stuffing a warm fleece in it for layering. Room wise that is. I'm prepared to pay up to $250.00 for a quality life time pack. I really don't want anymore damp back. I'm not up for a huge pack,just a day size unit. Thanks a bunch.
Flash 20 or Monster?
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Sitka packs are nice, I have an ascent 14 that I use some. It keeps your back pretty dry with it's lumbar design. If I want more storage I go to my Eberlestock J34 that sits off my lower back pretty well. A guide I hunted with in Wyoming had the badlands monster and it seemed ok, he used the straps underneath the fanny pack to hold his spotting scope wrapped in an extra jacket.
I've never used the flash 20, but it looks to be a nice low profile design. If you want to be able to pack meat also, I'd sure look at the J34 eberlestock, I really like that pack.
I've never used the flash 20, but it looks to be a nice low profile design. If you want to be able to pack meat also, I'd sure look at the J34 eberlestock, I really like that pack.
Thanks for the input mcseal2. The J34 seems to be a very popular pack. A poster on another forum sugested the X2 Eberlestock. Sounds like the Eberlestock brand is well supprted. I would love to do a side by side comparison of the X2 and J34. Problem is there isn't anywhere near by to do that as far as I know.
HUAINAMACHERO
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- Joined
- Oct 16, 2008
- Messages
- 1,080
If you want a pack for lifetime, that is capable of doing it all, spend your money wisely.
Eberlestock Just One, Dragonfly. Awesome pack, very versatile, good for short hunts and also a great tool for several days backpack hunts. Very comfortable. I adore mine, it is an awesome piece of equipment.
Eberlestock Just One, Dragonfly. Awesome pack, very versatile, good for short hunts and also a great tool for several days backpack hunts. Very comfortable. I adore mine, it is an awesome piece of equipment.
The Dragonfly looks like a dandy pack. That's a bit out of budget though. I need to be thinking about a "good" binocular as well. I should be good to go for Mulies in the Blue Mesa Reservoir area in about 4 years. I was told to bring the best binos I can afford. I'm amazed how much you can get into top shelf binoculars! I'm going to need 4 years to rake up the money for them, lol. I guess if you want to play,you gotta pay.
alpinehunter
Well-Known Member
You're right about the optics, you will want the best higher end glass that you can afford. I notice the difference between medium priced optics and high end in the low light of evening and dusk. Ok sorry I kinda got of topic there.
As far as packs go I have a Badlands Day 2200 pack. Badlands packs are awesome and their customer service is just as amazing too. After this last season though I decided to look at some bigger packs for extended stays in the high country. The Dragonfly looks very appealing as well as the line of packs Timberhawk offers. The Timberhawk website is in a transition stage right now as it just changed owners August. So the redesigned packs will be out sometime in the spring according to Mike (previous owner). If you aren't in a hurry to buy a pack I would definitely look at their packs. They look like they are well engineered with the hunter in mind.
Casey
As far as packs go I have a Badlands Day 2200 pack. Badlands packs are awesome and their customer service is just as amazing too. After this last season though I decided to look at some bigger packs for extended stays in the high country. The Dragonfly looks very appealing as well as the line of packs Timberhawk offers. The Timberhawk website is in a transition stage right now as it just changed owners August. So the redesigned packs will be out sometime in the spring according to Mike (previous owner). If you aren't in a hurry to buy a pack I would definitely look at their packs. They look like they are well engineered with the hunter in mind.
Casey
S&S Archery has videos of the eberlestocks on their website that would probably show you what you want to see.
angus-5024
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- Jan 22, 2008
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I have a J107 Dragonfly (eberlestock). I wont get any other brand of pack again, except one. Badlands superday. My brother-in-law has one and I have never seen such a little pack do so much. We went on a high country mule deer hunt at 9,000 ft for three days; 8miles from the nearest goat trail of a road in the nastiest country you can find (and steepest). His pack held almost as much as my J107, mind you I did take a few of his items, but nontheless I was really impressed. I think that its within your budget.
My other pack Ill recommend is the Eberlestock gunsliger II. great, well thought out packs.
My other pack Ill recommend is the Eberlestock gunsliger II. great, well thought out packs.
I have 3 Nimrod packs. One I handed down to son after years of use, then I have a rifle and a bow set up in the pinnacle. They have pack frames, meat duffles,all kinds of acc. pouches. They make packs for fire fighters in courdua. Have a bow or rifle carry system, one of the first, well before Eberly
