DT3 vs Nomad

What are the weight specs of these two bags? I dont see the DT3 on the Kifaru site anymore, did it get discontinued? Any functional difference between the two and their meat hauling capabilities?

There's a big difference. I had a dt3. I really liked it but once an animal was down it was a little small. The layout is really nice though. The nomad folds out and can hold anything you throw at it. The pockets are longer and skinnier than the dt3. Sorry I do not have weights for you.

They have the DT3's listed in The Rhino Den , maybe they are being discontinued ?

http://store.kifaru.net/duplex-timberline-3-4000cibag-only-p11.aspx

Got it. The Nomad is a little lighter. I didn't think to look in the Rhino Den. I understand how each works, but with the ability to sanwich meat with the DT 3, capacity isn't such an issue.

Had both. Would take the DT3. Use a grab-it and you can haul your camp and more meat than you can carry.

Ryan Avery said:

Had both. Would take the DT3. Use a grab-it and you can haul your camp and more meat than you can carry.

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Please elaborate. Why do you prefer the DT3? I'm not interested in hauling camp. I just want a day pack with the ability to haul out meat.

I will preface this by saying I have always been a guy who hated putting meat in my bag which is what drew me to the nomad. Smashing meat between the frame and pack seems like a great idea on paper and I've done it for along time and it sucks I like that the nomad wraps around and really feels like using a pack frame without havin that feeling when your bag is pushed away from the frame by meat. For a day pack or a possible weekend trip it's great. Putting stuff in a dry sack( ie camp, or camp plus meat) also is somewhat of a pain. It tends to get a bit wide as well if your not careful. For longer trips I would go with a different pack. I'm planning on either getting a DT or a Highcamp and either ditching the nomad or making a EMR like pack. Not sure which.

I've owned both. I bought the DT3 bag and used it for a season. Then I bought the Nomad and the camp bag. I really wanted to like the Nomad and the camp bag combo. My idea was to use the Nomad/camp bag combo for an extended hunt system and drop the camp bag and use the Nomad for a day pack.

I took the Nomad on an eight day spring turkey hunt and used it as a hauler for my Double Bull blinds. With the grab it and the wing design it was a functional hauler and an okay day pack. Just okay, not perfect for what I wanted. I didn't see myself getting it to work for me for extended back country use. No matter how I packed the camp bag I just couldn't make it work the way I wanted it to.

And on the turkey hunt I realized that as a standalone day pack the Nomad had its shortcomings. I also realized that I personally don't like winged packs. I had a large and a medium pocket on the Nomad but they were both enclosed under the wings making them difficult to quickly access. The long pockets (the wings) were roomy, but I found myself digging for things and pulling stuff out more than I wanted to in order to find what I needed. Again, I just couldn't make it work the way I wanted a pack to work. For some it may be perfect, but I had this nagging doubt and decided to sell it.

I bought a DT1 and I'm extremely happy with that bag. I packed 10 days worth of gear and food in the DT1 and it wasn't difficult to do that. I have additional external pockets on it so organization and access are perfect for my needs. I also used it on a day hunt for antelope. I had everything I needed for the day hunt and when I shot my antelope I was able to load all four quarters in the bag and lash the cape to the outside. For me, it's the perfect bag. It compresses down for day pack use and when you need the space you have it.

Back to the DT3; I still own that bag. It's perfect for day use as well. I hauled out all of the boned out meat from a good sized mule deer last year. But for anything beyond 5 days it would be a stretch to carry my camp and gear. If you never plan to do anything more than day hunts, the DT3 would be fine. It's a nice bag.

If I had to choose between the two bags you originally mentioned, I would choose the DT3 over the Nomad. However, if I knew then what I know now, I would buy the DT1 knowing that it would do everything I wanted it to do in every scenario. I really like this bag. I stuffed over 100 lbs of elk meat in it on a back country hunt and 4 weeks later was using it as a day pack and hauled out an entire antelope with room to spare. I don't think I could carry that much elk meat in a DT3, at least not inside the bag.

That's just my humble opinion.

Ok good analysis. I already have a DT1 for the multiday stuff. Ive tried, and its too much for my needs when day hunting. I am only interested in a day pack with meat haul out capability. Nothing more. So given those thoughts, DT 3 or Nomad?

Functionally, the Crew Cab was the best pack I ever owned for this purpose. But its lack of lift and excessive weight made me sell it. Still looking for the perfect replacement.

Fwiw, I have a Stone Glacier Approach for this purpose and I love the functionality and light weight of it, I'm just having fit issues. The large belt wont get tight enough and the medium just kills the points of my hips because the pads end a touch short for me. Kurt has been awesome and sent me all the belts to try on his dime, but I think im at the end of the line.

The search continues...

SDHNTR said:

I am only interested in a day pack with meat haul out capability. Nothing more. So given those thoughts, DT 3 or Nomad?

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DT3 would be my choice...

I have both and prefer the DT3 for a day pack.

The DT3 is simply a perfect bag for day hunts. It's streamlined with just the right amount of pockets and it can haul heavy loads if needed. The nomad is a solid pack but it takes time to get in and out of it and it seems like I always messing with the straps.

If you liked the Crew cab why not look at the Exo?

Ryan Avery said:

The DT3 is simply a perfect bag for day hunts. It's streamlined with just the right amount of pockets and it can haul heavy loads if needed. The nomad is a solid pack but it takes time to get in and out of it and it seems like I always messing with the straps.

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And with lightweight gear, I can fairly easily go a week or longer with my BT3... Haven't hauled any meat with it yet though, sadly.

Know nothing about Exo Josh. They make something similar? Do tell...

_Nick_ said:

And with lightweight gear, I can fairly easily go a week or longer with my BT3... Haven't hauled any meat with it yet though, sadly.

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Again, not interested in multiday stuff with this pack, just daypack. And the 4000 ci of the DT3 just seems like overkill. Don't need anywhere near that much room. I don't like to put meat in the bag, prefer to sandwich. Something in the 2000-2500ci range is more than enough, which is part of what had me thinking Nomad. And I like the batwing action, remember, I liked the functionality of the Crew Cab. Kinda bummed to hear some of these Nomad reports as I was obviously leaning that direction. Even more undecided now. Gee, thanks guys!

http://www.rokslide.com/forums/showthread.php?17063-exo-mountain-pack

Your needs may not be like my needs, but this is what I have seen. Really needing a lightweight daypack that rides on my back 80% of a full day AND can haul heavy loads is something the market just doesn't have. They have big packs that can be used as a daypack when collapsed (Kifaru, SG, Kuiu) but nothing that is an actual daypack type frame style (MR, J34, sacrifice). Yes, I know the three daypack examples are horrible, but they are the only packs I have seen that fit to your body like a daypack or for lack of better term school backpack. For me, something about the smaller frame, tight fit to my back, a frame that doesn't go over my head and that can haul out my blacktail 5 miles to my jeep or my pig a mile is what I was looking for. The J34 is lighter then the MR, but the haul out is not as comfortable. The sacrifice is the lightest, but after a mile with weight in the pack it sucks. I don't have an Exo, but from the pictures I have seen of the pack and the descriptions I think it may fit the niche.

Just something for you to consider, but realistically it would make more since to just spend a few $100 on a bag when you already have the frame.

I used a cc for years as my daypack meat hauler. The nomad is similar but different. You don't have the panel against the frame to hold water and thinner stuff nor do you have the back compression panel/pocket. My preference for a pack was to mimic the cc but increase the thickness of the bladder pocket to about 3" and increase the back compression panel to 4-6". The nomad will get close with a cpl pouches mounted to the inner frame panel but it still lacks the compression panel/pocket. With pockets you would still need to pull the bag to sandwich meat.
Youve seen what I use now and I have the nomad. For day hunts just using a frame, the genII, and a long pocket has been perfect so far this year. The meat is against the frame and no bag to remove. Hauled out one elk and one antelope so far. Three more goats and an elk to go.

Like JNDEER said, you may want to stick with the same brand of bag as your frame, but if you're open to other ideas, I'll throw in my vote for the EXO. I've got the 3500 that I'll get a chance to take on my 9 day Nov. elk hunt. Doing a test fit with all my gear proves I'll fit everything if I put my food in between the frame and bag. And I know you're not looking for multi-day packs, but being that it's only 3500 CI in the main pack body, it's just small enough for a day pack, especially if you strap it down right. I didn't want something as big as a T1 for the exact reasons you mention about daypack use, but I think there's enough versatility with the EXO 3500 to bridge that gap. It rides like an internal frame pack that you'd get from REI with how the frame flexes, but it has carried my 80+ pounds of sandbags on my training hikes beautifully. Also, the interior pack body is x-pac fabric, so it may help you stay fairly waterproofed.

SDHNTER-
I planned on running my Nomad for deer season last week. The weather was balmy so I was able to fit all my day hunt gear in a medium pod. I docked it low on my Bikini frame and used it like a fat grab-it to compress a rolled-up cargo panel, sit pad, and my spotter to the frame. I used the upper strap from a nomad gun bearer to secure the tripod legs at the top of the frame.

Lightweight, good upper body ventilation, easy access, with the capability to load a whole deer in the cargo panel had I found a shooter.

While I'd love to see Kifaru build a 2000 ci Timberline style bag, it seems that my imagination is the limiting factor with all the current offerings!