Apollo For a Day Pack?

Joined
Jul 23, 2013
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Anyone running an Apollo for a day pack? I just ordered one. I figure i can throw a guide lid on it for overnight trips and no lid for day hunting. What is everyones thoughts??
 

oldgoat

WKR
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Mar 5, 2015
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Arvada, CO
That would work, my wife just leaves the Guide Lid on all the time as it's easier to get into and uses the pack for stuff like kill kit and clothes layers. You will be hard pressed to get much in it for overnight without using the meat shelf and Jed Clampetting stuff to the outside. We ended up ordering her a Woodsman for the coming season, just couldn't get enough stuff in it without using the meat shelf and that moved the weight too far out from her back, so I just carried extra stuff that we couldn't make work comfortably on her pack. That was for an extended stay not overnight though.
 
OP
Jtelarkin08
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Jul 23, 2013
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That would work, my wife just leaves the Guide Lid on all the time as it's easier to get into and uses the pack for stuff like kill kit and clothes layers. You will be hard pressed to get much in it for overnight without using the meat shelf and Jed Clampetting stuff to the outside. We ended up ordering her a Woodsman for the coming season, just couldn't get enough stuff in it without using the meat shelf and that moved the weight too far out from her back, so I just carried extra stuff that we couldn't make work comfortably on her pack. That was for an extended stay not overnight though.

I am most likely going to be truck camping and hunting in the unit that I drew in New Mexico mostly due to the fact that there is no water. I may end up snagging another bag to have just in case. Or take my highcamp I have.
 

oldgoat

WKR
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I am most likely going to be truck camping and hunting in the unit that I drew in New Mexico mostly due to the fact that there is no water. I may end up snagging another bag to have just in case. Or take my highcamp I have.

It's a very small pack and if my memory serves me it tapers from top to bottom, you can see the Guide Lid pretty much covers it up, it will go taller though than what you see because of the snow collar, I wouldn't want to pack out anything bigger than a deer with it though and unless your really arrange it well.
 
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
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Washington
It will work great as a day pack and it has the meat shelf for a quarter. Great setup. If you could add pockets to lower section it would be even better but then you have a woodsman.


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Joined
Feb 29, 2012
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The nomad is a great day pack too and also hauls a quarter well. I run mine without a guide lid and have too much room. Advantages of nomad over Apollo are the long slot pockets on both sides for spotter and tripod. Disadvantages is no center zip and instead two main wings. Pack right and it is not an issue.


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Halleywood

Lil-Rokslider
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Dec 26, 2012
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North Dakota
I used the Apollo last year and it wasn't big enough for my liking. I had the guide lid on it as well and just didn't care for it. I would suggest the Woodsman with a large pocket attached up top for quick access items.
 

ED43

FNG
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Nov 1, 2016
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New Jersey
I don't usually chime in much around here, but this is something I've been wondering about lately... Every time I see a post about a day pack, I feel like almost every pack gets a mention EXCEPT for the 14'r. What's up with that?!

I actually have one on order at the moment, but just wondering why it doesn't get the mentions it deserves. Even this thread was started to discuss the Apollo, but the 14'r is 10 liters bigger. Does it not get the mentions because it's not an external frame pack?

Sorry to veer of course a little. Just been trying to figure out why it's not mentioned more often when these kind of threads pop up.
 
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Hard to pack meat comfortably with the 14r so it doesn't get my attention. The Apollo and woodsman both attach to hunting frame thus you are more comfortable for the real work. If you never have to haul meat then the 14r would be great.


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Joined
Sep 18, 2012
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Southern Utah
I tried this exact set up your suggesting. The pack is very small but is big enough for me for day hunting. Even though I wanted to be able to get basic light overnight gear in it I just couldn't make it work just how I wanted, but it is possible with the guide lid. I found the roll top to be annoying on such a small bag, I found myself wishing it just had like a built in lid top since its a day pack only basically, but if you want to try overnight you will need the space. The guide lid on the other hand is huge. It basically swallows the whole pack and I would end up using it more than the Apollo bag and it would make for sort of an awkward load. I planned to use a load cell for camp and such but I didn't love it for that either, its like an after thought in the design to me, ya it has the shelf built in but the top compression with the roll top doesn't work well.
 
OP
Jtelarkin08
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Jul 23, 2013
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Thanks guys. I am gonna go ahead and give this a go. If anything I can use the apollo for deer hunting which I do more than anything. If it isn't big enough for elk I can throw my highcamp back on the frame


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Joined
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Spent some time scouting this past weekend with my Apollo and Guide lid. It is the perfect size for day hunting.

It was a good Kifaru sort of a weekend.

4d959d127f21cb10ef5e0926b9e3ca5e.jpg
60fe75ce96f7568be7be0ec3c3fdfc7d.jpg
047fa5b32d0186122102cd200fb0a2c0.jpg



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OP
Jtelarkin08
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Jul 23, 2013
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Ya I have been tinkering with mine. I really like it. I think it will be perfect for a. Day pack. I might could even get one night out of it


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Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Messages
702
Location
Hawaii
My wife and I were both running an Apollo on a 22" hunting frame as a day pack. At times I would run the guide lid for extra storage and quick access and my wife would use the grab it to attach her compound.

Without lid.

vCPb03T.jpg


97KWGgm.jpg


With lid

5SxMdUi.jpg


mLpb00a.jpg


Staci with the grab it.

tlMBHn6.jpg


Staci at full draw.

Iaoj9kl.jpg
 
Last edited:
Joined
Apr 24, 2013
Messages
702
Location
Hawaii
That being said, this year I'm running a 22 Mag and my wife is using an Antero. She wanted to hunt with her recurve this year, so we knew she wouldn't be hauling out as much meat as usual. ;)
 
OP
Jtelarkin08
Joined
Jul 23, 2013
Messages
1,257
My wife and I were both running an Apollo on a 22" hunting frame as a day pack. At times I would run the guide lid for extra storage and quick access and my wife would use the grab it to attach her compound.

Without lid.

vCPb03T.jpg


97KWGgm.jpg


With lid

5SxMdUi.jpg


mLpb00a.jpg


My wife at full draw.

Iaoj9kl.jpg

Awesome Pics man. Such a cool place for you to live and hunt!! Def a bucket list trip for me!!!
 
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