Why my pack sucks: Kifaru, Stone Glacier, Exo, Seek, Mystery Ranch, Kuiu, etc.

[Lilhowie83]

Med belt, the shoulder harness is 18-21". I'm at about a 34-36" waist 21" torso.

That torso is a little long for me and my boy. Or I would probably take it off your hands. We need more like the 15"-17" torso.

 

[Dukester]

Used an old gregory baltaro, very uncomfortable on the shoulder straps when loaded up heavy +60, (more than it was intended to carry imp sure) don't think i had the right size either. It was light though and held up well.

Then got a MR Metcalf, the original on NICE frame. Liked it but as others have mentioned lots of straps, and even though MR fitted it to me it always seemed like the hip belt slid down with a load. With a small belt pouch, two of their water bottle pockets and the lid it weighed 8.5 pounds which didn't bother me but it was heavy for its size and I was not a fan of the side zip, although it's definitely better than straight top loading. Not sure if the updated their water bottle pockets but they sat towards the back of the belt and you could get the bottle out but I could never get one back in with out taking the pack off. Built like a tank though and comfortable until about 80lbs and couldn't get the hip belt to stay up.

Ordered a Kifaru Stryker but now want to try an SG and the Kifaru is 12 weeks out so who knows

 

[Scott85]

Bump

 

[smokey24_24]

Wow there is a TON of info in this thread. Has anyone tried the KUIU Pro LT system? I read all 14 pages and didn't see that setup

 

[ammo]

Husband and I have packs coming out of our ears for other things (alpine climbing, backcountry skiing, backpacking). Didn't even know specialty backpacks for hunting were a thing until a few years ago. We both just use really comfy backpacking packs for the hike in/spike camp and pack out, day packs for hunting. Our packs (mine is a nice osprey, his is a lowe alpine from like '91) get disgustingly bloody but we throw em in the washer. Well I do, he might hose his off. NGL the amount of fussing over these pack systems cracks me up a bit. Seems a little extra nawatimean? Find something comfortable, skip the bells and whistles

 

[bigbuck247]

Mystery Ranch Pop Up 38
Bought to try to accomplish having a day pack and a backcountry/multiday pack in one pack. It is capable of both but it kinda big for a day pack and almost two small to use as a multiple day pack. Everything else about it is great. I bought a sitka apex pack yesterday that I will use for my day pack mostly and if I knew I would have ended up with 2 packs in the first place I would have bought the apex and then a Metcalf or similar mystery ranch for my multiple day backpacking pack.

 

[bigbuck247]

MR Beartooth - a couple of months - haven’t really used it yet other than getting it sized up. So no real negatives from use yet.

I know you need straps for compression etc. but man this thing has a lot. Seems a bit overkill. I’ll know in a couple of months.

The pack alone is a bit heavy, but I couldn’t justify spending a couple hundred more dollars to shave a pound and change - especially considering I’m not going to use it a ton.

Camo would have been nice too . . .

They have it in Subalpine normally

 

[manitou1]

I wish this thread existed a couple thousand dollars ago.

Kuiu Pro from 2014 with multiple bag sizes (1850, 3200, 5200). (I've mostly retired this pack).
Used for 4 seasons Alaska, Colorado Elk, California backpack pigs & deer, chukar hunting, plus training with my son on my back.
Cons:
- Does not handle weight well, at all. modestly uncomfortable starting at 50lbs. Once I get a load of meat in it, my lower back and hips really start to feel it. Also used it to strap an old child carrier to, but
- (in retrospect, didn't notice it until I bought my Kifaru) Limited storage flexibility on the hip belt. My kifaru I can easily rig up for several completely different scenarios - from Archery elk in griz country (glock, archery release pocket, Knife, rangefinder, general storage, etc.) to chukar hunting (full box of shells, Garmin Alpha & Pro 550+, Nalgene, knife, plus glove pocket). Kuiu is pretty limited in flexibility and capacity in comparison.

Kifaru (current primary pack) - Hunting Frame, Composite Stays. 22mag and Fulcrum. Also use the frame, fulcrum, with an old child carrier strapped to it (main bag flattened, wings wrapping the child carrier).
3 seasons - Wyoming and Colorado Elk (2 solo pack outs). Nevada, Washington, Oregon Chukar hunting (about 25 days/year). Plus lot of training with my son on my back.
Cons:
- Weight. Holy smokes it just seems unnecessarily heavy. I feel like a professional designer could remove half the weight from the pack without affecting durability or performance. Also, the downside of having the system built around adding pockets to customize is that it ends up being heavier than if they were built in.
- The Clampetts effect. These bags are the opposite of streamlined. You end up with sh*t hanging off all over the place.
- The whole setup has a certain DIY feel. The Kuiu feels very professionally designed. The Kifaru seems like what I'd end up with if you cut me loose with unlimited material and a sewing machine. This adds some weight and it also makes some things really clunky (like adjusting the shoulder padding).
- Lazy design. The Kuiu bags are really well laid out. You can tell someone put a ton of thought into specifically how people will use the bag and organization. The Kifaru is more like 'lets just throw some PALS webbing on it and call it good'. It means its more easy to customize to your liking. But I think it would be better if it was just well thought out to begin with.
- (not a con) Some people complain about the price on the Kifaru... once you get the full setup with pockets and whatnot its easy to be well over a grand. *But* it is made in the USA for top quality USA-origin materials. There's a price to pay for that. I won't complain about the price.

Didn't the Kuiu Pro just come out in '20-'21?

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Husband and I have packs coming out of our ears for other things (alpine climbing, backcountry skiing, backpacking). Didn't even know specialty backpacks for hunting were a thing until a few years ago. We both just use really comfy backpacking packs for the hike in/spike camp and pack out, day packs for hunting. Our packs (mine is a nice osprey, his is a lowe alpine from like '91) get disgustingly bloody but we throw em in the washer. Well I do, he might hose his off. NGL the amount of fussing over these pack systems cracks me up a bit. Seems a little extra nawatimean? Find something comfortable, skip the bells and whistles

Point of the thread is more "the down sides of various equipment"

That said I do kinda agree with you, but with the caveats of durability/strength/meat shelf.

The problem is some backpacking packs are designed for mild trail camping, as such they don't use very durable fabric and aren't really built for loads beyond 30lbs. Osprey, lowa, dana, mountain smith... etc etc all do just fine.

Meatshelf... IMHO, it's really a necessity, for 1 it forces you to pack the meat correctly, right next to your back... which you can do in a backpacking pack. Second it's extra space, a lot of camping gear is light but volume intense, so often I will have a 29lb pack that is nearly full. It's nice to be able to carry, 75lbs of meat + camp out in a trip.

My buddy has a hyperlite pack... it works, but on every pack we have done I end up with all of his stuff in my SG. Because with 80 -100 lb of meat in his pack he doesn't have much space left.

 

[ammo]

Point of the thread is more "the down sides of various equipment"

That said I do kinda agree with you, but with the caveats of durability/strength/meat shelf.

The problem is some backpacking packs are designed for mild trail camping, as such they don't use very durable fabric and aren't really built for loads beyond 30lbs. Osprey, lowa, dana, mountain smith... etc etc all do just fine.

Meatshelf... IMHO, it's really a necessity, for 1 it forces you to pack the meat correctly, right next to your back... which you can do in a backpacking pack. Second it's extra space, a lot of camping gear is light but volume intense, so often I will have a 29lb pack that is nearly full. It's nice to be able to carry, 75lbs of meat + camp out in a trip.

My buddy has a hyperlite pack... it works, but on every pack we have done I end up with all of his stuff in my SG. Because with 80 -100 lb of meat in his pack he doesn't have much space left.

Interesting - are you doing less loads (eg hauling out in one-two big pushes?). I weigh 115 so a 100lb pack might break me in half. We opt for more mileage, less weight!

 

[jpcoll01]

MR Metcalf 4300 - 1 season - Could not get used to the organization and felt I was constantly searching forever to find gear.

+1 - terrible trying to find anything. Even with everything in bags on the inside of the pack. Opening side zipper does help some with this.

 

[BrentD]

Husband and I have packs coming out of our ears for other things (alpine climbing, backcountry skiing, backpacking). Didn't even know specialty backpacks for hunting were a thing until a few years ago. We both just use really comfy backpacking packs for the hike in/spike camp and pack out, day packs for hunting. Our packs (mine is a nice osprey, his is a lowe alpine from like '91) get disgustingly bloody but we throw em in the washer. Well I do, he might hose his off. NGL the amount of fussing over these pack systems cracks me up a bit. Seems a little extra nawatimean? Find something comfortable, skip the bells and whistles

I like some bells and whistles. I've packed a tripod and scope many times in a Gregory back but never pulled them out to use. Too much hassle. I bought a Seek Outside Pregrine which solves that issue in spades and I'm much happier and far more likely to use my spotter and do a much better job of glassing as result. In short, it works for me.

What wllm said about the meat shelf. It ain't about the bloodiness, it's about making heavy load that is well balanced.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Interesting - are you doing less loads (eg hauling out in one-two big pushes?). I weigh 115 so a 100lb pack might break me in half. We opt for more mileage, less weight!

Very fair point, it depends. Usually more medium loads, but a couple of times the suck factor for 2 loads was high enough we opted for one.

I'm ~145lbs... I did half a bull + rife/day pack 1.5miles down hill a couple years ago... definitely more than my body weight, but typically I like to keep it in the 75lb or lower range. Esp if there is an uphill section.

So to your point doing that it is kinda moot.

 

[ammo]

This thread now has me oogling the Stone Glacier stuff. Damn you hunttalk!

 

[BackofBeyond]

I can't believe, being the pack snob that I am, haven't chimed in on this yet.

I've got a Kifaru frame with Reckoning and Striker XL bags + accessories. Love the frame, love the bags, love the fact it's all 100% American made - down to the thread.

But... it's expensive as hell, and everything is 500d so frame + Reckoning + pouches and lid = 8+ pds.

 

[Irrelevant]

My MR metcalf still feels like having a piece of plwood strapped to my back. I can't wait to wear this SOB out (4 years in and it's finally showing some wear) and get a Stone Glacier or a llama... or a donkey, then I could do burro races.

 

[JimQ]

I have the Alps Commander frame and pack for hauling out the meat but have yet to find a running pack that I am comfortable with on price and that actually works for me. I'm starting to think its crazy for leaving the Alps in the truck and having to hump out with a leg to get it and not just use it for the hunt itself.

 

[Alpine01]

I can't believe, being the pack snob that I am, haven't chimed in on this yet.

I've got a Kifaru frame with Reckoning and Striker XL bags + accessories. Love the frame, love the bags, love the fact it's all 100% American made - down to the thread.

But... it's expensive as hell, and everything is 500d so frame + Reckoning + pouches and lid = 8+ pds.

+1 on the empty weight for a Kifaru. That said, I am now entering my 6th season with this bag, two-three 7-day solo hunts each season with at least one major packout every year, and except for one small hole, it shows no signs of wear and tear. It is absolutely solid.

 

[Alpine01]

My MR metcalf still feels like having a piece of plwood strapped to my back. I can't wait to wear this SOB out (4 years in and it's finally showing some wear) and get a Stone Glacier or a llama... or a donkey, then I could do burro races.

Go a Llama. Or a couple of goats, I hear they are pretty good as well.

 

[TheTone]

My MR metcalf still feels like having a piece of plwood strapped to my back. I can't wait to wear this SOB out (4 years in and it's finally showing some wear) and get a Stone Glacier or a llama... or a donkey, then I could do burro races.

I think my MR is 14 years old at this point. A little dirty, maybe a couple pulled threads but long long ways from worn out. Good luck!