New to the forum - trying to decide on a pack

Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
35
Hello everyone,

New to the forum. I want to get into western hunting in the next few years and figured I'd start with a pack. Until then, I'd like to go hiking and camping with the pack and begin training under load. Eventually I'd like to do some multi-day hunts out west. My buddy who's gone on a few hunts already said they try to go for 7-10 days at a time.

My original idea was to get the Outdoorsman's Atlas trainer which would give me the frame and trainer. The more I dug into it, the more I found that there are better options available with better features and comfort. My buddy has a Kuiu Icon 1850 and a Kifaru Fulcrum. I'm in Oklahoma so that's probably going to be the extent of what I can try on. I like the price point of the Outdoorsman's and Kuiu's icon gear, but Kifaru, SG, and Exo are the best.

Any advice on what brand to go with and what size pack would be good for a beginner? Or maybe another perspective altogether? Thanks in advance.

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1shotgear

WKR
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Jun 8, 2015
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1,256
Location
Denver, CO
Hello everyone,

New to the forum. I want to get into western hunting in the next few years and figured I'd start with a pack. Until then, I'd like to go hiking and camping with the pack and begin training under load. Eventually I'd like to do some multi-day hunts out west. My buddy who's gone on a few hunts already said they try to go for 7-10 days at a time.

My original idea was to get the Outdoorsman's Atlas trainer which would give me the frame and trainer. The more I dug into it, the more I found that there are better options available with better features and comfort. My buddy has a Kuiu Icon 1850 and a Kifaru Fulcrum. I'm in Oklahoma so that's probably going to be the extent of what I can try on. I like the price point of the Outdoorsman's and Kuiu's icon gear, but Kifaru, SG, and Exo are the best.

Any advice on what brand to go with and what size pack would be good for a beginner? Or maybe another perspective altogether? Thanks in advance.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk


For a pack go with either the Stone Glacier 5900 or the 6200. They both have the Xcurve frame, it's meant to form to the back so it fits better than a straight frame. The load shelf to built to the frame and is rated for 150lbs. On the 5900 it will have a center zip and on the 6200 it will have a side zip. I personally run the 6200 as a day pack and as a 7 day back country hunt. I really do like the feel and fit to the pack. The frame alone weighs 3.1lbs so it is super light. They also have the Evo Krux fame and that weighs 2.4lbs, but that is a straight frame. All the bag are interchangeable with one another. I would really look into Stone Glacier and what they have to offer. There is a lot of options that they have for their packs.
 

CTobias

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
180
Location
Alaska
I have the Stone Glacier 7900, and it is AMAZING! It's a lot of pack, and then some. I can easily fit 15-20 days worth of food and all the gear plus the kitchen sink in there. The Stone Glacier rides super nice and is the most comfortable pack I have ever worn. I haven't had it maxed out weight wise, and have only had it in the mountains on training hikes with 65lbs in the pack. My longest hike with it was 12 miles with over 6000' of elevation gain. It's well worth the money.
 
OP
P
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
35
For a pack go with either the Stone Glacier 5900 or the 6200. They both have the Xcurve frame, it's meant to form to the back so it fits better than a straight frame. The load shelf to built to the frame and is rated for 150lbs. On the 5900 it will have a center zip and on the 6200 it will have a side zip. I personally run the 6200 as a day pack and as a 7 day back country hunt. I really do like the feel and fit to the pack. The frame alone weighs 3.1lbs so it is super light. They also have the Evo Krux fame and that weighs 2.4lbs, but that is a straight frame. All the bag are interchangeable with one another. I would really look into Stone Glacier and what they have to offer. There is a lot of options that they have for their packs.

Have you had any experience with the pack weighed down? I haven't read too much into the forums about their packs but I did read that Kifarus were still really comfortable and stable under load.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
OP
P
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
35
I have the Stone Glacier 7900, and it is AMAZING! It's a lot of pack, and then some. I can easily fit 15-20 days worth of food and all the gear plus the kitchen sink in there. The Stone Glacier rides super nice and is the most comfortable pack I have ever worn. I haven't had it maxed out weight wise, and have only had it in the mountains on training hikes with 65lbs in the pack. My longest hike with it was 12 miles with over 6000' of elevation gain. It's well worth the money.

That sounds amazing! What other packs have you tried in the past?

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buckwalleye

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 12, 2018
Messages
246
I'm new to packs as well. I researched them all. I live in the northeast so trying on isn't an option. I just got the mystery ranch metcalf. I've done a few training hikes with it and I love it. There was a 20% off promo floating around in one of these threads. To my door for $420. Can't beat it IMO
 

Stud Duck

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 30, 2017
Messages
223
Location
WV
I'm new to this as well, but my research has told me that if I were you, I'd read the first two posts carefully. I'm putting my money into a Stone Glacier pack & frame.
 
OP
P
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
35
I'm new to packs as well. I researched them all. I live in the northeast so trying on isn't an option. I just got the mystery ranch metcalf. I've done a few training hikes with it and I love it. There was a 20% off promo floating around in one of these threads. To my door for $420. Can't beat it IMO
I just found out stone glacier offers a pretty nice military discount so I might be going that route. The overall weight and capacity seem to be more in line with what I'm looking for.

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bsnedeker

WKR
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May 17, 2018
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3,020
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MT
I'll go ahead and add my 2 cents for what's it's worth! I'm new to the forum as well and I'm in a similar situation to you, but I'm a few years further down the road and have already made the mistake you are trying to avoid: buying the wrong pack. I started out with a Eberlestock Skycrane II pack system which weighs about 12 pounds all by itself and has pretty below-average load-hauling capabilities with virtually no load-lifting capacity whatsoever as the frame sits even with the top of my shoulders.

After a TON of research I just pulled the trigger on a new Kifaru Crater pack with the Hunter frame system, but I looked hard at SG and EXO as well as KUIU and MR and here is what I figured out: All of these packs are great and you won't be disappointed by any of them (except perhaps KUIU, some people seem to have had really bad experiences with their Ultralight stuff not holding up under heavy loads). At the end of the day I went with Kifaru for the primary reason that I find Aron Snyder incredibly entertaining and I appreciate the amount of work he and the Kifaru team put into educating people like myself and I want to support them with my dollars, but I truly believe that had I pulled the trigger on the SG SkyArcher (which was my second choice) that I would have been extremely happy with that pack system as well.

Hope that helps, and good luck to you!
 

HeadnWest

WKR
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
533
Location
Wisconsin
For what I wanted in a pack the EXO made sense to me and was a little less expensive than a Kifaru, and in my eyes a simpler design that suited my needs. I am happy with the purchase, that being said, I have never owned a Kifaru or SG. So I can't speak on how they compare. I don't think you can go wrong with a Stone Glacier, Kifaru or Exo pack.
* I would steer you away from a KUIU, I have owned an Icon Pro and it is no where near the pack an Exo is. That's my opinion from my experiences with both packs.
 

1shotgear

WKR
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Jun 8, 2015
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Have you had any experience with the pack weighed down? I haven't read too much into the forums about their packs but I did read that Kifarus were still really comfortable and stable under load.

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The packs are meant to sit a little high when there isn't much weight. Once you get some weight in the pack it sits perfectly on the hip line. I usually have about 60-70 pounds in my pack on a 7 day back country hunt, and it feels like 40lbs. You can adjust the foam in the belt for better fit. Having the right belt size is key when running a stone glacier or any pack in that matter. Also on the Stone Glaciers you can adjust where you want the weight to sit by the straps on the pack.
 
OP
P
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
35
I'll go ahead and add my 2 cents for what's it's worth! I'm new to the forum as well and I'm in a similar situation to you, but I'm a few years further down the road and have already made the mistake you are trying to avoid: buying the wrong pack. I started out with a Eberlestock Skycrane II pack system which weighs about 12 pounds all by itself and has pretty below-average load-hauling capabilities with virtually no load-lifting capacity whatsoever as the frame sits even with the top of my shoulders.

After a TON of research I just pulled the trigger on a new Kifaru Crater pack with the Hunter frame system, but I looked hard at SG and EXO as well as KUIU and MR and here is what I figured out: All of these packs are great and you won't be disappointed by any of them (except perhaps KUIU, some people seem to have had really bad experiences with their Ultralight stuff not holding up under heavy loads). At the end of the day I went with Kifaru for the primary reason that I find Aron Snyder incredibly entertaining and I appreciate the amount of work he and the Kifaru team put into educating people like myself and I want to support them with my dollars, but I truly believe that had I pulled the trigger on the SG SkyArcher (which was my second choice) that I would have been extremely happy with that pack system as well.

Hope that helps, and good luck to you!

The lack of load lifters is what discouraged me from the Outdoorsmans pack. The idea of the Atlas Trainer seems really cool, but if I'm already spending $300, I'd rather spend it on something that will have some future use.

Thanks for the input on the packs though. At some point I'll just be going in circles with different opinions so it's good to know they're all on a similar playing field.
 
OP
P
Joined
May 15, 2018
Messages
35
For what I wanted in a pack the EXO made sense to me and was a little less expensive than a Kifaru, and in my eyes a simpler design that suited my needs. I am happy with the purchase, that being said, I have never owned a Kifaru or SG. So I can't speak on how they compare. I don't think you can go wrong with a Stone Glacier, Kifaru or Exo pack.
* I would steer you away from a KUIU, I have owned an Icon Pro and it is no where near the pack an Exo is. That's my opinion from my experiences with both packs.

Now that I've watched some videos about the Exo I'm a little torn about SG. This really is the very beginning of this endeavor for me so I'm trying to anticipate how I'll be packing without knowing what I'll have. That said, it seems like the Exo might have a little more versatility for some items you might want to quickly grab from the outside of the pack. For example, the Exo's deep pockets on the outside for a spotting scope or tripod. On the SG, those items seem like they would be more difficult to access by comparison. But I honestly have no idea lol. What were your main considerations when buying the pack?
 

CTobias

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 19, 2018
Messages
180
Location
Alaska
That sounds amazing! What other packs have you tried in the past?

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The kuiu ultra 6000, a kelty cache hauler, and the old military ALICE packs. I looked at all of the big name brands and read a lot of reviews before I pulled the trigger on my Stone Glacier. It's tough to go off people's word, but after having talked with a couple full time hunting guides here in Alaska, I was sold on the Stone Glacier. Plus, the pack is made in America and super light for its capabilities. I'm sold on it, and will pick up some different size bags to fit my hunts and adventures. The swing out pockets and versatility of the frame and bags is a great feature. The crew at Stone Glacier is top notch as well. They were quick to answer questions and were super helpful.

I've set it up my pack, during training hikes, with all my food on the load shelf and the main pack on top of that. You can't even tell the main pack is separated from the frame the way the load rides.

I might even use the excuse of the wife needing a new pack to buy another complete x curve setup.
 

Mark at EXO

WKR
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Joined
Feb 26, 2012
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529
Now that I've watched some videos about the Exo I'm a little torn about SG. This really is the very beginning of this endeavor for me so I'm trying to anticipate how I'll be packing without knowing what I'll have. That said, it seems like the Exo might have a little more versatility for some items you might want to quickly grab from the outside of the pack. For example, the Exo's deep pockets on the outside for a spotting scope or tripod. On the SG, those items seem like they would be more difficult to access by comparison. But I honestly have no idea lol. What were your main considerations when buying the pack?

Thanks for your interest! Since you mentioned it earlier, I wanted to make sure you do know that we offer a MIL discount. If you have any specific questions, I'd be happy to help. You can PM me, or even better, email me directly to "mark" at exomountaingear.com
 

frankrb3

WKR
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
529
Location
SW Montana
I have a Stone Glacier Xcurve + 5900 bag, Kifaru 22” duplex + 22 mag bag and a mystery ranch nice frame + crew cab bag. I think the stone glacier xcurve + 5900 bag (or larger) is the best setup that does everything from day hunting up to overnight trips. Also, the 20% discount you get as a veteran is significant and allows you to have extra money for a few necessary accessories. I’d get their load cell and rifle sling for starters.
 
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