$300 for a pack?

[freediver111]

Buddy of mine messaged me asking about packs. He has $300 to spend. I'm not sure what to tell him honestly. I had badlands and horn hunters before getting a kifaru and I have a hard time recommending those after my upgrade.

He's tall and skinny and probably has no interest in packing huge weight, but would still like to carry 70 lbs relatively comfortably. I'm thinking a pack that can handle 3/4 day trips and pack meat in the bag or on a shelf. I told him to just pony up, but he wants to stick with $300 limit.

Suggestions?


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[bbrown]

I would steer him after something like this as long as he is similar in size:
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/roks...aru-bikini-frame-duplex-timberland-2-bag.html

Pretty damn good price for the frame, high camp bag and a couple pouches that would treat him very well for years. If the extra $75 is a deal breaker he could sell the pouches and probabyl end up less than $300.

 

[rileybassman]

Horn Hunter Full Curl New, or used Kifaru, Exo exc

 

[Rmauch20]

Depending on how tall and skinny you're talking about I'm currently using a Slumberjack bounty 2.0. It is my first pack so my overall experience is somewhat limited.i'm running about 50 pounds in it and hiking either on the treadmill or trails 3-4 days a week with no major complaints. If his waist is smaller than a 32 he would probably have to go to something else as I just about bottom out the waist belt.

 

[dotman]

The best used pack he can find.

 

[Kotaman]

I would steer him after something like this as long as he is similar in size:
http://www.rokslide.com/forums/roks...aru-bikini-frame-duplex-timberland-2-bag.html

Pretty damn good price for the frame, high camp bag and a couple pouches that would treat him very well for years. If the extra $75 is a deal breaker he could sell the pouches and probabyl end up less than $300.

THIS...IMO he can't do better for the $$$.

 

[hammer0419]

Tell him to save just a few more $$. Get a Seek outside Revolution frame and use a dry bag tlas your pack bag. He can add on later. 24,26,28 inch frame takes seconds to change. By far the most comfortable pack I have ever owned and the list is enormous!!

 

[boom]

there are a lot of hunters that get it done blissfully ignorant of the high end packs.
i was so happy with my BL2800 until i asked myself the question.."hmm..Rokslide? i wonder what this forum is all about?" i hauled more dead things with that 2800 than all my new packs combined.

you dont need to spend more than $300 on a pack..you can want to. my BHF..best hunt friend uses a no name bag, and hunts and kill circles around me. he could give an eff about the pack on my back.

 

[elkyinzer]

It's not like he has to triple his budget and get a pimped out brand new kifaru, but another $100 or so is going to get him a lot higher quality pack on the classifieds here, from what I follow anyway. $300 may work for a good frame if he's handy enough to figure out the bag part on the cheap.

 

[JWP58]

If he has access to govx.com, the Alps Outdoorz Extreme Commander (not the old school external frame commander) is pretty decent for the money. I snagged one for like 230 on sale on govx. Would I pay retail? No way, but so far with 50lbs its super comfy, and pretty modular.

 

[ElkNut1]

For 300.00 & New, nothing beats the Horn Hunter Curl, it's actually a very nice pack for the price & can easily pack 100# if need be! It's no Exo Pack but for the price it will be tough to beat!

ElkNut/Paul

 

[thinhorn_AK]

He could check out the DVOR website, they usually have tenzing packs for cheap. OR the Cabelas ALaskan Guide pack might work.

 

[dotman]

Kuiu has a 20-50% off sale July 20th - 24th, he probably will be able to get one of the packs in the outlet during the sale for around $300.

 

[fort fireman]

I have the 4500, which is the predecessor of this pack and like it very much. That being said I have zero hours in any of the very high end packs like Kifaru or Exo. I got the 4500 for right around 130 bucks because this one came out. If you can find the 4500 its a pretty good pack.

Amazon.com : Slumberjack Bounty 2.0 Kryptek Backpack, Camo : Sports & Outdoors

That being said one day I will probably get a good frame from one of the high end pack and just figure out how to attach the bag to the frame. I like the way the bag is laid out pretty well.

 

[Griz34]

Kuiu has a 20-50% off sale July 20th - 24th, he probably will be able to get one of the packs in the outlet during the sale for around $300.

This, if you are going new. The Kuiu packs are far better than the Horn Hunter.

Sent using my Galaxy s7 via the U.S. Postal Service

 

[rileybassman]

This, if you are going new. The Kuiu packs are far better than the Horn Hunter.

Sent using my Galaxy s7 via the U.S. Postal Service

Interesting - what makes you say that? I Admittedly I haven't used a kuiu pack, but have heard of several problems.

Haven't seen any threads on Horn Hunter's breaking/failing tho...

 

[Rossi]

There is a Revolution frame in the classifieds for $210 right now. That would be the best deal going, IMO. As Hammer noted, put a dry bag on there until you can get a different bag.

 

[Griz34]

Interesting - what makes you say that? I Admittedly I haven't used a kuiu pack, but have heard of several problems.

Haven't seen any threads on Horn Hunter's breaking/failing tho...

That's just how I see it after using both packs. A friend of mine has a Horn Hunter, and I thought the waist belt was horrible. The whole pack seemed cheap to me. I didn't carry heavy weight with it, it was about 30 pounds for part of a day. I've carried loads up to 90 pounds with my Kuiu pack and I thought it carried the load really well with no problems. From what I've seen, most of the frame breakage problems with the Kuiu's were the original design...I could be wrong but that's what I've seen.
I have a Kifaru tactical duplex frame and I feel like it's a step and a half above the Kuiu pack but I'll still use the Kuiu on my antelope and mule deer hunts this year, I just really like it's layout.

 

[rileybassman]

That's just how I see it after using both packs. A friend of mine has a Horn Hunter, and I thought the waist belt was horrible. The whole pack seemed cheap to me. I didn't carry heavy weight with it, it was about 30 pounds for part of a day. I've carried loads up to 90 pounds with my Kuiu pack and I thought it carried the load really well with no problems. From what I've seen, most of the frame breakage problems with the Kuiu's were the original design...I could be wrong but that's what I've seen.
I have a Kifaru tactical duplex frame and I feel like it's a step and a half above the Kuiu pack but I'll still use the Kuiu on my antelope and mule deer hunts this year, I just really like it's layout.

Ok cool thanks for the info! My dad has a horn hunter, and I was fairly impressed for the price... it is on the heavy side tho - and I could see the belt being big, but didn't seem too bad in practice.

 

[sodaksooner]

Non hunting pack, but my brother has an Osprey that he really likes. Was right around 300, and he has packed some weight in it.