What pack are you using?

I carry a meat hauler with game bags, water and food for a day. Strap in the spotting scope and and tripod. Really light. The rest I wear on person with the hopes the pack gets filled at the end of the day. Wear a fanny pack or nut ruck with the shooting essentials so I can ditch the ruck if I need too. I do have a separate ruck for all the other goodies depending if I am going in deep etc...
 
I should add, if you pack out an animal, go with water bottles and not a bladder system. I love a bladder system for hiking and day to day hunting. I was able to ditch extra weight last fall and go in with full water bladder and light gear to recover an animal.

We got to the critter. Once I strapped things up I realized my back was wet. It popped the bladder. I stopped it down tight and didn't consider popping the bladder when I synched it down. Luckily my hunting partner had nalgenes and we had water for the long hike out.

If someone has advice on this, please share.
 
I am currently running a MR Metcalf for 3+ day hunts and a sawtooth for 3 and under. It doesn't have a scabbard but the new gun sling makes up for it. I really like both back. The way the sawtooth sets up is really nice with access to everything.
 
I had a Kifaru and sold it. Nothing wrong with it, extremely well made, just couldn't get the fit dialed in. I have a Stone Glacier that I've hunted with and an Exo on loan to try out. The SG is very comfortable and was extremely easy to adjust. I've heard that Exo is even better so I'm going to compare.
 
I just got a kuiu 7200 LT. Haven't had a chance to use it much, but it seems super comfortable, and light weight. I like that I can cinch it down for day hunts, or expand it way out for longer multi day trips. I haven't done much backpack hunting but have backpacked a bit in the past. Again, I don't have a lot of time under this pack yet but initial impressions are really very good. The hip belt fits me really well- something I struggled with on my last pack. Seems well thought out.
 
I use the eberlestock gunslinger II


Its heavy at like 6lbs, but its tough, strong, protects your rifle, and has enough space and ability for molle attachments that can comfortably supply you for up to 4 days.
 
There are lots of good youtube videos of guides doing their pack dumps and you can garner lots of info from that. Pack contents depend on the trip, the length of the trip, and the game. I use an EXO pack after trying a cabela's frame pack, a Barney's frame pack, the a Dana internal frame pack then a KUIU ico pro. The Exo is by far the best for me, but everyone's body is different. You need to spend some time trying them on if you can.
I have run the kuiu icon pro for years. Great pack. I have loaded a whole boned out bear before and lots of elk quarters. The only thing I didn't like about the pack is the squeak. Was in the middle of a herd elk last year and every time I moved the pack squeaked and the elk would start looking around. I have traded it in for a new kifaru. The pack is equivalent sized to my kuiu 1850 but the way kifaru makes the pack blended with meat shelf I can use a large dry sack to pack in for a week. Get to camp and dump the dry sack and I have my pack already to go for day trips
 
My go-to frame/bag is Kifaru duplex with EMR2 bag. It's nice having a super comfortable frame plus 7,000+_ cu in bag (with lid) for hauling 100+ lb bulky loads. I use the same pack/bag for scouting. I hardly notice 25ish lb loads are on my back! The padded belt, back, and straps of Kifaru are tough to beat! A daypack with the same 25 lb load I would have sore neck and shoulders by the end of the first day.

You can customize your Kifaru bag with a large assortment of accessories. I really like the guide lid for quick and easy access to raingear, shells, gps, etc. I strap my rifle between the side bag so the scope is protected. My preference is a large volume bag. It's great having room for oversized loads and when not full cinch down tight for stalking. The new, light materials used by Kifaru are super tough and light weight. Carrying a full sized frame/bag has saved me gobs of extra trips and miles. Well worth it to me!
 
My go-to frame/bag is Kifaru duplex with EMR2 bag. It's nice having a super comfortable frame plus 7,000+_ cu in bag (with lid) for hauling 100+ lb bulky loads. I use the same pack/bag for scouting. I hardly notice 25ish lb loads are on my back! The padded belt, back, and straps of Kifaru are tough to beat! A daypack with the same 25 lb load I would have sore neck and shoulders by the end of the first day.

You can customize your Kifaru bag with a large assortment of accessories. I really like the guide lid for quick and easy access to raingear, shells, gps, etc. I strap my rifle between the side bag so the scope is protected. My preference is a large volume bag. It's great having room for oversized loads and when not full cinch down tight for stalking. The new, light materials used by Kifaru are super tough and light weight. Carrying a full sized frame/bag has saved me gobs of extra trips and miles. Well worth it to me!
jimss, Do you have the duplex tactical or duplex light frame.

Thanks
Dave
 
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I have a duplex light frame. My only complaint is that the load lifters could be higher. Having high load lifters is super nice when hauling super heavy loads.
 
We "Pack in" a couple of Miles, set up, a 3-4 day "Spike Camp", then put Jacket, Rain gear, lite Sleeping Pad for Naps midday, Snack Food, Water, Knife, Game Bags, etc then, go Hunt ! We shoot off our Packs, Prone ( NO Bi-pods ) IF shot is past, 400 Yards. Packs go on, our Leg / Chest area, under, the Rifles "Toe" for a Rock solid, sitting position shot ( we use this Method the most, for up to 375 yd shots and, it's, Deadly ! ).
EXO 4800 cu in Pack ( holds Elk Quarters, NICELY ) , Kifaru "gun Bearer" for carrying Rifle, Hunters Specialties Wood "Sticks" for Sitting shots, The TOUGH American made, EXO is, our favorite Pack and for, the style of Hunting that, we do, in the Back Country they,.. "work" BEST !
We use, 7.5 Pound, Tikka's and the New Savage 110 Carbon barrel, Lite. Family Calibers,.. 7mm-08, .270 WSM, and 6.5 PRC.
 
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