Cargo Panel thoughts

[VAHunter01]

Been pondering tripping my Mountain Rambler and just picking up a Cargo Panel and a few pockets.

Seems the gear I carry gets less and less each year.

My current load looks like:
Kifaru Lost Park Parka
HPG Mountain Serape
Kill Kit (Kifaru Medium Pullout)
Vortex 8x42
2 Nalgene Bottles/couple snacks
Seat/Pad

And that's about it, of course a headlamp, few plastic bags, TP and extra ammo, but that's mostly in my belt pouch.

+Boned out Whitetail and Head/Cape on the way out, if it all goes to plan.

I really like the Rambler, but I think the panel + 2 large pockets and my guide lid would be the best, most compact way for me to roll.

Anyone care to weigh in?

Thanks!

 

[full choke]

I am a cargo panel convert. I love the thing.
I have a panel on a 24" hunting frame. I also have two large side pockets, a couple of medium belt pockets, and a guide lid. It is so interchangeable, and so completely effective that I cannot see using anything else for day type hunting. I am sure I could throw a large sack in there and turn it into a multi night system, but I have a reckoning if I want to do that.
I use one large side pocket on the frame (rain gear, knife, first aid stuff, spotter), and have one attached to the front of the panel (basically for whatever I am rotating through as far as extra gloves, snacks, etc). I have a couple of med belt pouches on the back (inside) of the panel (one is kill kit, the other has spare light and misc). I mostly do not keep the guide lid attached but have it on hand if I feel I will need it for the day. I actually use it as a bladder holder mostly. I pack my tripod around, my trekking poles, maybe a rolled up puffy, etc wrapped into the panel. Works great. And I can add or drop any of the stuff daily as required. I am actually going to try and see how many weird/awkward loads I can get rigged up in the panel this winter. Should be fun...

 

[VAHunter01]

Thanks for the reply.

Might put in a an order if they have a Black Friday sale for a panel and see how it works out.

Might go totally opposite and buy a Mtn Warrior if they have them on sale again too.

I go back and forth a lot on these things...

 

[mrbillbrown]

Ive bought and sold a half dozen cargo panels now. Always great in theory for training or light quick trips but I️ always end up wanting some kind of bag on my frame to just dump stuff. Just seems easier, and less messy to me, to run my AMR for everything. YMMV

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I run a rambler, apollo, and a cargo panel. For what you are describing, I am working on the "cargo panel" with some pockets. Here is my opinion.




I bought a Jimmy Tarps cargo panel and, recently bought an ILBE Beaver tail. I really like the beaver tail running a pod below it and two medium belt pockets through the pals on it. I carry what I need in the belt pockets on the beaver tail, and the small belt pocket on my belt. I use the pod for base layers, gloves, head gear, and rain gear. I carry outer layer in the beaver tail in separate waterproof stuff sacks. I pack these in as it is a long hot walk. Once I get to where I'm hunting, I put my layers on. I carry water on the belt. I like this better than the cargo panel because the beaver tail is much shorter. As far as I can tell for my use, I see no need for the excess length of the Kifaru or Jimmy tarps Cargo panel. A whole deboned WV mountain whitetail only yields 40 lbs of meat or so. So, having the shorter option is much better for me. Even for elk, hooking the beaver tail up on the bottom hook up of the frame, allows just enough slack where you could load a full game bag deboned for a huge weight load with it, and be able to keep the meat spread out the height of the frame, versus ball up down low . I just see zero need for the longer cargo panel. However, In order for the beaver tail to work, I did have to sew two straps with the oval triglides on it.




I just started fooling with the beaver tail system about three weeks ago and have only packed one deer in it. But, I really like how it worked. I really do not like the flop and slack of the Kifaru and Jimmy Tarps panels. With the beaver tail, on the way out heavy, I put my outer layers in their stuff sacks and just put them in the beaver tail with the meat. It carries it easily with the weight up high like that too. The only thing I do not like about it is not having a place for my trekking poles. 3 acl surgeries, bone on bone in both knees for over 20 years, makes me really like my trekking poles when carrying weighted loads through the mountains.



So, don't forget about the ILBE beaver tail if you are going to give this type setup a try. iI see zero reasons where either alternative would do a better job for hunting.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Put a couple large pouches on my CP on a UL Hunter frame and a Guide lid. Small pouches on the belt. Works great and the pack is a freighter/day pack in one. Lean and mean.

 

[E in CO]

I've been running a CP for a few years and it's a great option for long days and also overnighters with a dry bag or duffel bag. Earlier this year I couldn't get the Markhor in the Rhino Den out of my mind. Had to have it for some reason. Even made a post on here to get opinions from others. Good comments received and they basically said, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Well, I picked up the Markhor anyway. Really do like it but as others commented it doesn't do anything the CP won't do. You may be in a similar situation with your Mtn Rambler and you did say that you really like your current set up.

 

[Read1t48]

There's a thread somewhere on here that shows great pics of cargo panel options with various side pockets. That's what I did and I think it's perfect.
I run the meat bag and cargo panel on the frame. Meat bag holds my kill kit and a few other items I want easy access to. Large side pocket runs vertical on the outside of the panel for my day stuff -- food, emergency stuff, etc.
I load all my camp gear in a dry bag. Dry bag gets dropped at camp and my pack is ready for day mode. Very light. Meat goes in meat bag and meat overflow can get strapped in cargo panel next to dry bag.
Hard to beat a truly waterproof dry bag for gear. Use pullout for organization in the dry bag and you're good to go.

 

[VAHunter01]

Good idea and information here.

Thanks all for the replies.

 

[jmez]

Could also consider the cargo net and a small roll top dry bag. Buddy of mine has been using this set up this year and loves it. He's getting rid of all of his bags and using this exclusively for all packing. Put the small loose stuff in the dry bag and everything else under the net. Works from a day pack to fully loaded for a 10 day spike camp trip.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

There's a thread somewhere on here that shows great pics of cargo panel options with various side pockets. That's what I did and I think it's perfect.
I run the meat bag and cargo panel on the frame. Meat bag holds my kill kit and a few other items I want easy access to. Large side pocket runs vertical on the outside of the panel for my day stuff -- food, emergency stuff, etc.
I load all my camp gear in a dry bag. Dry bag gets dropped at camp and my pack is ready for day mode. Very light. Meat goes in meat bag and meat overflow can get strapped in cargo panel next to dry bag.
Hard to beat a truly waterproof dry bag for gear. Use pullout for organization in the dry bag and you're good to go.

I had images posted showing the 55L dry bag/CP rig but when Photoshop got anal all those ole pics got pooched.