Anybody use an old style frame?

[sojourner]

One thing I did with my cabela's frame is use two kifaru long pockets as "wings". The buckles on the long pockets actually snapped right into the female buckles on the frame that are meant for the orange compression panel. I had the wings full of day hunt gear and everything else in 2 25L dry sacks. At camp, I could drop the dry sacks and then snap the two long pockets together with a water bladder underneath right against the frame. I don't have a picture of the set up right now, but it works pretty slick. I also cut the frame horns off and lots of extra strap length. I drilled lots of "speed holes" in the frame to cut weight, but I'm not sure I can recommend it as I've never carried over 60lbs. in it and I'm not sure if it weakened it too much or not.

 

[jljmonky]

I finished putting the MOLLE strap set on the REI frame last night. Tomorrow morning will be the test run. It added just over 1.2 lbs to the pack weight but added load lifters, sternum strap and MOLLE to the hip belt. All in all I think its a good change.

 

[robtattoo]

Definitely a good change! I have an old Coleman Peak 1 frame, sporting an ALICE pack that I use for weekend camping trips that I have set up with the MOLLE/ILBE straps & belt & up to 50lb it's by far & away the most comfortable pack I've ever worn. Unfortunately the frame is way too flexible to cope with much more weight than that

 

[Tanner]

I have a Cabelas Alaskan frame and pack that I don't use anymore. If you want the bag, send me a PM. It's the 4 or 5k cubic inch one in Outfitter camo. I trimmed a bunch of unnecessary stuff off of it.

 

[robtattoo]

I have a Cabelas Alaskan frame and pack that I don't use anymore. If you want the bag, send me a PM. It's the 4 or 5k cubic inch one in Outfitter camo. I trimmed a bunch of unnecessary stuff off of it.

Thanks for the offer Tanner, I've got a stuffsack being made so I don't need it, but I really appreciate the offer!

 

[Tanner]

Right on. For the price Cabelas sells those packs, they are pretty damn good. There's been a pretty good amount of elk meat hauled in the one I have.

Tanner

 

[Carlin59]

Live2Hunt,
No duck lips here. Not much of a selfie-guy, just creating some evidence for the fiance that I was actually in the woods as much as I said I was last fall!

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Lol I try to bring meat back as evidence but to each their own

 

[Carlin59]

No such luck in the new home state yet. Just tonight she tried to convince me to sell my bow and rifles and switch to photography full time since the net freezer results (at least from CO) would be the same! Ouch!

 

[William Hanson (live2hunt)]

Ouch! I can feel the burn from here.

 

[tttoadman]

I tell the wife I will be back with the best $50/lb meat she's ever had.

 

[jljmonky]

4 miles this morning at just over 17 min mile... I felt TERRIBLE! Then I stepped on the scale. I had added and removed some odds and ends at home and didn't pre-way. I added a 25 lb dumbell trying to get to 65 lb. Was planning to up the weight over last week and keep the same distance. Well, 74 lbs was too much too soon. No damage, packe held up great, rode well, I am just not strong enought yet to carry 40% + of my body weight!

All is good, I will back down the weight a little bit and keep trying. I will post some pictures at some point!

 

[tttoadman]

4 miles this morning at just over 17 min mile... I felt TERRIBLE! Then I stepped on the scale. I had added and removed some odds and ends at home and didn't pre-way. I added a 25 lb dumbell trying to get to 65 lb. Was planning to up the weight over last week and keep the same distance. Well, 74 lbs was too much too soon. No damage, packe held up great, rode well, I am just not strong enought yet to carry 40% + of my body weight!

All is good, I will back down the weight a little bit and keep trying. I will post some pictures at some point!

Somebody just posted a really important reminder. Don't beat your body to death packing weight. When I have any weight on, I knock it down to about 2 MPH. You are still getting conditioning just standing there. As long as your body is conditioned and prepared for a few hard days, that is the goal. You have to have a healthy body to get there to hunt in the first place.

 

[jljmonky]

Yeah. It was pretty stupid.

 

[jljmonky]

Here it is! Really happy with it, but I am going to be far more careful with the weight in the future.

 

[tttoadman]

Here it is! Really happy with it, but I am going to be far more careful with the weight in the future.

View attachment 17671

View attachment 17672

View attachment 17673

I like it. That looks like a rugged setup.

 

[mlsthmpsn]

I think I'm about figured out.
I made up 4 extra compression straps to fit to the sides of the frame. I tried it out yesterday on a 5 miler with a 50lb sack of dogfood, plus 3l bladder & it carried perfectly.
I'm still on the fence about strapping all the individual stuff bags directly to the frame versus finding a large sack to hold everything.

Do you have any updates on this project? I just found this thread, and it is almost exactly what I am planning for this fall! My brother and I are going on our first Elk hunt in southern CO...we have regualr hiking backpacks, but needed a pack frame to help with the loads of camp and meat.

I picked up two Cabelas Alaskan frames before Christmas for $60 each and free shipping...must've been that last they had because the next day I noticed they were sold out. My plan was to strap our backpacks to the top part frame, and have camp stuff and food underneath the pack in separate sacks. Then drop the frame and stuff at camp and use the backpacks for day hunts. I realize its an extra trip to get the pack frames if needed for meat, but the backpacks will be much easier to use during the days in the terrain we will be in.

Our frames have no attachment points on them, just the tubes...so I'm going to make dual adjust buckle compression straps with loops on the ends to wrap around the frame...I see that was mentioned in this thread somewhere. I tested this on a scrap piece yesterday and it works great. For the loop ends, I found that an open loop (where the tag end is rotated 90° onto the the main strap) is better at wrapping around the tube than the flat loop in the picture here. I'll get pics of the open-loop strap I made.


I've ordered 5 ITW dual release buckles for each frame, and will likely order the Wilderness HandiPack or make a similar load panel for helping to compress and hold the separate bags all in place, plus help with meat hauling.

I've been leaning to sew the past couple weeks. Quality goes up with each iteration. These are bags from the Ripstop by the Roll $10 kit, and I made a pack cover from their MTN 1.1 fabric as well. Worked on flet-felled seams on each bag, because I need to make some tarps and a tipi yet too.





Would love to see updated pics of your setup.

Thanks,

MT