Caribou Gear

Pack Organization

Ledanek

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Joined
Aug 8, 2017
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111
New to Hunting packs

Looking for some education

Do you pack with load cell bags or dry bags?
What size load cells/ dry bags do you use?
What brand do you recommend and what sizes for what purpose
How do you separate each area of the pack?
How do you organize each area? Heavy to Light load
Does the purpose of load affect how you store, i.e. hunting vs camping?
thanks
 
The first day I pack it very carefully. The second day I just cram it in there. Seriously, though, I think the most important thing is to get heavy, dense things low and centered in the pack, close to your spine. Keep stuff you need quickly like raingear, water and snacks on top. I do have mesh bags (no particular brand) that I use to organize odds and ends. Cloth mesh with a drawstring. They are very light and you can see what is inside. I have one for my utensils/plate, one for my meat kit, one for my first aid/survival kit, one for my stove and fuel. I just ordered a cloth bag from Seek Outside that I am going to experiment with this year for clothing that won't fit in my pack. I tend to strap it on top, but it gets snowy and wet. Maybe this bag will fit that need. Also got one of their hip belt pouches for calls, ammo, etc.. If I'm packing a tent or sleeping bag I just use the stuff sack it came with. Hope this helps.
 
it's a start.:cool:
I'm reading bagpacking forums also.
I guess I neglected a sleeping bag.

I read a lot of Outdoor Research or Sea to Summit Dry bag suggestion.
 
In mid-August my wife and I completed a seven day backpack hike through the Bob Marshall Wilderness, after exploring the same questions as you. The mesh bags for organizing are a good option, plus they keep things dryer. Keep the heavier items in the center and snugly against your back. I have had a problem in the past with hip belt pouches or bear spray on the hip belt, as it makes it more difficult to draw the hip belt snug each time you put on the pack. I found that continually adjusting the hip belt snug kept the pack more balanced and comfortable ... with weight on hips not shoulders. I wear a fanny pack reversed with the pouch in front and the belt above the backpack belt. In and on the reversed fanny pack I carry water bottle, bear spray, knife, tissue, camera, protein bar, and whatever I want for quick easy access. That's what worked for me, but I encourage you to try ideas and use what seems comfortable and practical for you.

I configure my MR Metcalf hunting pack differently, as I typically go out for just one day hunting not overnight backpacking.
 
After a lot of trial and error, it turns out about like BenLong says :hump:
 
I have a Sea to Summit 20 L dry sack that allows me to pack 10 days of food. for years I used the largest one (yellow) of the set of three you can buy at Wal-Mart. My sleeping bag and tent go into compression sacks, and my tarp, air mattress, and rain gear each go into little stuff sacks. If I'm carrying an underquilt and hammock, they also go in their own bags. Otherwise, my clothes are just tucked into the crevices where they will fit, making sure stuff like rain gear is accessible easily. But like Ben says, it can get to be kind of haphazard. I do find that after a few days though that I know where to find everything.
 
I got a bunch of the Kifaru ultralight pullouts this year to try and so far I like them. They are shown in the video posted above. One problem is they are all the same color and you can't really see through them so I will probably label them some how.
 
The only big item that I will put into a stuff sack is my sleeping bag. I use a waterproof one just to make sure my bag doesn't get wet. I'll use little ditty sacks for small gear and to keep food organized, but other than that my clothes, tent, cookware get thrown in the bag where they'll fit. I try to keep the heavier stuff higher and closer to my back, but after a day or two that isn't always the case. The problem with putting everything in a stuff sack is that it is like putting bowling balls in your bag. There can be a lot of air space between those stuff sacks that is just wasted space. I would't worry too much about extreme organization - you'll figure out where everything is pretty quickly. The best thing to do is the night before or the morning of, figure out what you think you'll need more often and keep that stuff on top. All that's been said is good stuff indeed.
 
I was going to suggest that video, linked above. That's me. Let me know if you have any other questions or need anything else!

Good Luck
 
Anyone have tips on how to pack a MR CrewCab for a 3-4 day hunt while packing in to camp 4-5 miles from the truck? I dont see how I am going to get it all in/on the pack. I am starting to think I need a Metcalf for this type of endeavor......:/
 
I was going to suggest that video, linked above. That's me. Let me know if you have any other questions or need anything else!

Good Luck

it was suggest from another follower of yours actually :eek:
since I'm new to this, it didn't make sense to buy a bunch of new stuff. I end up buying from a guy who had 4-6 stuff sacks and dry bags he no longer need...just save $30 if bough separate. I figure test those out first and go from there if I still need those you've shown in your video. Thanks for making and sharing your video
 
That's the beauty of backpack hunting, you're system can alway be dialed in a little more. That's where sites like this come in handy. It's a great place to see what others are doing and then you can go give that a try...

Like I said, let me know if you have any questions!

Good Luck!
 
Anyone have tips on how to pack a MR CrewCab for a 3-4 day hunt while packing in to camp 4-5 miles from the truck? I dont see how I am going to get it all in/on the pack. I am starting to think I need a Metcalf for this type of endeavor......:/

Get a large dry bag, stuff everything in it, and place it the center of the bag. I've done a number of hunts of that length, and longer with just the crew cab, not ideal for long trips with lots of moves, but works well for short trips. If I can cram 130lbs of moose meat in there, you can get you camp in there. ;)

I have 2 "feed bags" one with bulky meals and the other with snacks.
1 small pull-out type with small items, like headlamp, batteries, head net, meds, bug wipes, etc (place for easy access)
one medium dry bag with my coat/hat/gloves (stays in pack)
one medium dry bag with socks/shirt/unders
Usually use a ziploc for game bags, knife/steal, rope, etc
One small bag that contains stove/pot/cut/fuel/spoon/lighters
Then of course, sleeping bag and pad bags, and tent.

The rest just gets stuffed where ever it fits, bulky stuff in the bottom and top, heavy in the middle. Some days I hunt with camp, others are from a base camp just all depends. Really no right or wrong until you get to heavy weights. At least for me. Once I get over about 50lbs I make sure stuff is balanced, and in the "right" spot, otherwise it doesn't really make much difference. Good luck, backpack hunting is fun.
 
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Get a large dry bag, stuff everything in it, and place it the center of the bag. I've done a number of hunts of that length, and longer with just the crew cab, not ideal for long trips with lots of moves, but works well for short trips. If I can cram 130lbs of moose meat in there, you can get you camp in there. ;)

I have 2 "feed bags" one with bulky meals and the other with snacks.
1 small pull-out type with small items, like headlamp, batteries, head net, meds, bug wipes, etc (place for easy access)
one medium dry bag with my coat/hat/gloves (stays in pack)
one medium dry bag with socks/shirt/unders
Usually use a ziploc for game bags, knife/steal, rope, etc
One small bag that contains stove/pot/cut/fuel/spoon/lighters
Then of course, sleeping bag and pad bags, and tent.

The rest just gets stuffed where ever it fits, bulky stuff in the bottom and top, heavy in the middle. Some days I hunt with camp, others are from a base camp just all depends. Really no right or wrong until you get to heavy weights. At least for me. Once I get over about 50lbs I make sure stuff is balanced, and in the "right" spot, otherwise it doesn't really make much difference. Good luck, backpack hunting is fun.

Thanks for the response! This helps me tremendously as I was thinking no way in hell it would work until I read this!
 
Ollin Magnetic Digiscoping Systems

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