Backpack Setup for Newby

[WVhillbilly]

Backpack Setup for Newbie

Wow, this forum is awesome!
I need some help fellas! I am a whitetail hunter from WV. I have recently took up interest to go try my luck out on elk. I have a buddy that goes to Colorado that packs in on horse about 6 or 8 miles with a wrangler, then they take off on foot. They may hunt their way in 2 or 3 days from their drop point depending on the elk. His group are Kuiu fans. He recommended the Icon Pro 7200. Not being a backpack hunter, I had no idea that there were so many choices until I found this forum.
Anyway, I keep seeing Kifaru a lot on here. I will be using this 1 time a year if I am lucky for a 7 day hunt. I am not sure I can justify to myself the price of the Kifaru just starting out. Maybe an upgrade later down the road if I really get into this for sure. What are some recommendations? This will mostly be for Archery Season if it matters.
It would be nice if the pack could double as a day pack if I would setup a camp and hunt from there. Which may also may be of some use on some whitetail hunts here at home.
I have looked at some posts, but thought I would post my first post anyway!

 

[TySLive]

I'm in the exact same boat. From WV looking to go out west.. Where abouts are you from?

I've owned Kifaru gear in the past so that's what I decided to go with here. I've never had a load hauler from them but I do have an E&E for day hiking, and a duffel that I use for work, a woobie, and a couple different pockets and a stuffstack. The quality and craftsmanship is there so it's really a no-brainer. I plan on using mine for a December bear hunt in the Monongahela as well as a spring turkey around the same region. If it allows me to get farther away from other hunters in the area than I think over time it will more than pay for itself.

You can always look in the classifieds here and see if you can find something used, Ebay is another option.

 

[WVhillbilly]

I am in Putnam County.
The Kuiu I can get with accessories for right at $500 with the 20% discount. I also like the looks of the Exo. I don't have any backpacking gear so it is hard to buy the $1000 pack, and still need a decent tent, gps, sleeping bag, pad, .....,.....,,.....
Do you have a bunch in your setup?

 

[jtw]

I have an exo 3500 and love it. Cant compare with kifaru as Ive never owned one but the exo is great for backpack hunts and as a daypack. I use it a lot backpacking too.

 

[Matt W.]

I would start by reading through last year's Backpack Month articles. However, the articles are really only the teaser. The real meat comes from the broader Rokslide community in the follow on threads. Combine the two and you have some solid info to get ya started.

Backpack Month on Rokslide - Rok Blog
This link will send you to the articles. Each article should have a link at the end that pushes you to the follow on thread / conversation!

Welcome to Rokslide!

 

[hammer0419]

Kifaru or Exo Mountain will serve you Very well. I like KUIU clothing but wouldn't buy one of their packs.

 

[oldgoat]

I can't speak about Kuiu much, get their newest model if you go that route, old frames supposedly break pretty easy from what I read, and I freely admit, it's what i read, not what I know from personal experience. I do hear good things about their bags and clothes though!. I use Kifaru Nomad for elk and turkey blind hauling so far and will use it this fall hauling my tree stand around for whitetails. Some guys don't like the Nomad because it's so strappy, but it is so versatile I can't see using anything else.

 

[WVhillbilly]

Thanks guys, I will check out those articles too. Boy this is going to be expensive, starting out needing everything!

 

[Manosteel]

I remember seeing a thread a few years back that talked about setting up a backcountry backpack hunter on a Budget. It was a great thread to totally up your allie.

 

[maninthemaze]

You might try searching through Craigslist as well. I found 2 Kuiu Icon 5200 packs for $200 about a month ago. I bought them both, one for me and one for my brother. We are looking to hunt elk in Colorado in 2017.

Anyways, I simply typed Kuiu in the search and just kept changing cities . I found one in Missoula and one in Indy. Both packs were new, one still with tags.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[maninthemaze]

As a side note. Both packs are 2013 models and currently have 50lb bags of sand strapped to them. They seem to handle the load much better than me, but then again, I have over a year to train.

Good Luck!!

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[PathFinder]

People who want a pack that says Kuiu on it buy Kuiu packs. If you are looking for a top tier mountain hunting pack, Kifaru, Exo Mountain Gear, and Stone Glacier are the way to go. The Icon Pro packs aren't awful, but their load control is lacking compared to higher end packs. I don't think their frame is nearly as comfortable either, with a heavy load or a light one.

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[orionsbrother]

Something that I had posted on another thread:


"I had picked up a 2012 Icon for cheap when the problems were occurring with the frame sheets. It fit fine. I figured that I'd just limit my load weight. Then we ended up with two bulls on the ground the same morning. One was a Clydesdale. The pack got overloaded. It squeaked, but got the job done without unrealistic discomfort.

I cut a couple of carbon arrows and slipped them into the frame pockets with a couple of dabs of silicone. More peace of mind about the frame strength and no squeaks. I packed out another three elk and a mule deer with that pack with no problem.

Though I would not recommend one of those older Kuiu packs as a first choice, it may be an inexpensive interim solution that you could probably find relatively quickly."

There's a case that can be made by amortizing out the additional cost of a higher end pack over time and that the sooner you bite the bullet, the more time you're amortizing...thus buy once, cry once. There's also the reality that you can't squeeze blood from a turnip. If you need to make do for a few years, you'll be fine. My unloved KUIU pack was actually an upgrade for me. I spent a chunk of time with "turnip" packs.

Your gear can suck and be heavy, you don't have to be able to sprint past Cam Hanes...you just make up for it by having a little more heart.

 

[xziang]

My first pack was an eberlestock blue widow. I did NOT like that for elk however that is now my deer pack when I haul in a blind for GF and myself it is easy to put the blind on it.

I was able to get a KUIU ICON 7200 (2013) so the older one on clearance with KUIU and I'm glad I did. I've been very happy with it the last 3 years and for the cost I couldn't pass it up. I've been happy with it. If I lived in CO there is no question I would probably own a kifaru, I also keep a framed pack at my truck to use as a load hauler when/if I drop something. That is something I'm still working on doing. (craigslist cabelas Alaskan framed pack)

 

[WVhillbilly]

I really like the options of the Kifaru EMR II. Can anyone tell me how they like theirs? I noticed that is a little over 3 LBs heavier than the EXO 5500. That seems to be the 2 I have been looking at the most.