Using load shelf/meat shelf to pack gear in?

[Boudreaux]

Do you any of you guys use a smaller bag 2000-3000 ci and use the shelf with a dry bag/game bag to pack in gear? Instead of using a larger pack and not using the load shelf?

Thanks,
Boswell

 

[Griz34]

That's what I do with a Kifaru mountain rambler.

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[Graves14]

Yea, I put all my food in a dry bag and then put that in the load shelf. Easy to pull it and get it into a tree when you make camp.

 

[oldgoat]

We tried it last year with my wife and her Apollo, didn't work all that well on her 22" frame, made the load stick out way to far to the rear, even putting heavier stuff on the shelf. But she's not a strong young man and it might work better for you. That's why I love my Nomad so much, throw the camp bag in for packing in then remove and I'm instantly daypack mode!

 

[5MilesBack]

Yes. I normally only do 2-3 day pack-ins at a time for hunting just to explore different areas or such. So I started using a Large dry bag to put all my camp stuff in, with my tent and quilt attached to the outside of my pack. So I just drop camp and my SG Approach is already in hunt mode.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Yep that's exactly what I do spike camp hunting. I try to put all gear (or worst case all heavy gear) into a large haul bag. At camp I drop that and grab out any hunting gear needed and my daypack is set for the next number of days of hunting and hauling. Last load I grab the haul bag along with anything else I need to carry out.

Bringing camp in/out is only a portion of my hunting with a spike camp scenario and I'd rather have my pack setup to accommodate my day to day activities/hunting well (pocket/strap layout and size) rather than a large pack cinched way down. Personal preference.

 

[Jimss]

My preference is to put meat/capes inside my backpack so it is more secure, tight, and load doesn't shift on steep/uneven terrain. As mentioned above, the farther the load is from your back the less stable and more torque it will put on your lower back and shoulders. Some backpacks (Stone Glacier as an example) allow you to place meat/capes between the bag and frame. It's obviously best to have the heaviest part of the load (meat) close to your back rather than placed outside of a loaded backpack on a shelf. I load my meat in garbage bags inside my pack so little blood gets on the pack/gear but obviously you don't want to leave meat inside plastic for any length of time. I sometimes use gamebags...especially once back to the truck.

I have Kifaru EMR2 as well as Timberline bags for my Kifaru frame that I often switch back and forth depending upon the situation. The EMR2 can handle an incredible amount of bulk and cinches down tight. In fact, I've lost count of how many capes (including lifesized) plus meat and camp I've packed out with it. I would much rather use an oversized bag similar to an EMR2 than a shelf for my style of hunting/packing.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

It's obviously best to have the heaviest part of the load (meat) close to your back rather than placed outside of a loaded backpack on a shelf.

I might just be speaking for myself but when I hear pack shelf on this forum I'm thinking a panel off the bottom rear of a bag putting the additional load between the bag and frame. You can do that will all the main brand frames folks tend to like on this forum (kifaru, mystery ranch, stone glacer, exo, kuiu, etc.) if the bag is setup to do so.

I my description above that is what I was talking about. Meat goes into game bags on the shelf between my pack and frame directly against my back.

 

[xziang]

That's what I do with a Kifaru mountain rambler.

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What 'dry' bag did you end up going with? I'm running the same set up this year and considering getting an O/R 35L compression bag to put between frame and the rambler bag.

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To O/P sorry for the quick hijack

 

[Griz34]

What 'dry' bag did you end up going with? I'm running the same set up this year and considering getting an O/R 35L compression bag to put between frame and the rambler bag.

Cabela's Online Store - Quality Hunting, Fishing, Camping and Outdoor Gear

To O/P sorry for the quick hijack

I use the O/R 55L. It's a little bigger than I need most of the time, but I'd rather have to big than to small. I think 35L would be to small for me.

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[ColoradoHunterHiker]

I've done that several times. I use a large/mega pullout from kifaru and put my food in there in between the frame/bag. Then when I get to camp, I hang that and that space is free for meat haulin'.

Good luck!

 

[Trial153]

Yup done it plenty of times. I then store my extra food in the bag and if i am in bear county I hang it ... buy the time the food is about gone i then use the shelf to take a load of meat out...

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