I intend to buy one in the next few weeks for a general purpose pack to carry emerg. gear while training here in BC's mountains.
I have a fully rigged SO Divide MC=2015 model and an Exposure 5000 I bought last June and I LOVE these packs. I want the Gila as my "last" pack as it is exactly the size to carry my emerg. gear and just toss into the Access Cab of my Toy Taco 4x4 when I go exploring or fishing or just visiting far from my current home.
I cannot recommend SO too highly, super gear and really fine folks, IME.
The Gila is one of my favorite packs. I use it dayhunting for elk and deer and it'll be great for weekend backpack trips in fair weather. Also handy for predator calling in the winter. These are all things I do a lot, so the Gila will see a lot of use.
For hunting applications I think it does have some limitations. It's on our Integrated platform, meaning you can't carry a load of meat between the frame and packbag. Plus with no separating side zipper the packbag opening is pretty small to squeeze meat into. So that limits meat carry options really to shoving all gear as low in the packbag as possible and then compressing meat on top and outside the packbag, either with a Talon or with gatekeeper straps.
The Peregrine is the Revolution platform brother to the Gila, and it does have the extra meat carrying features - breakaway load carry between bag and frame, plus a fully separating side zip.
Thanks very much for your input.
My hunting consists of packing in camp with a horse and usually hunting not more than a few miles from camp,when a animal is down I'll bring the first load back,get the horses and get the rest out.
I don't really need a Heavy Duty carry a 100lb load five miles kifaru pack.I'm looking for more of a daypack that will be lighter than my Kuiu 3200pro(like it a lot) but still be able to carry a 60lb load when needed.