First Pack

[Sherman]

Got invited by some pro archery elk hunters to be the fourth on their trip to learn from them. I am 40 years old, just moved to Colorado and got into hunting. The plan is a 4-day hunt over Labor Day weekend and another 6-day hunt at the end of September. I do not have a tag, nor have a compound bow or know how to use one. I do have some lightweight gear and a nice backpacking pack, but not something to haul meat out with. I have spent numerous hours scoring the Internet watching/reading reviews. It seems that preference usually means to what body type somebody has. I haven’t seen any good reviews from guys with my body type. I am 5’11” & 250 lbs at the moment, plan to drop 15-20 lbs (very easy for me) before the hunt. The issue is, I am not a fat 250lbs. Extremely broad shoulders, big chest, type of guy. I’ve been described as a very large, dense human being. Very hard to describe yourself. I usually start showing signs of a six-pack around 230lbs, which is very weird, but might give you some insight to how dense I am.

I have been looking at numerous packs and wanted input from guys with larger frames like myself. I am really leaning toward a Kuiu pack. Exo Mtn Gear is right up there with it, and Stone Glacier is a close third. It is hard to justify the $200 difference between the Kuiu and the SG.

Also, my pack is really just my Hammock Gear Wanderlust setup with top and bottom quilts, Toaks pot with either my MSR Pocket Rocket 2 or Soto Windburner, Platypus 4 liter water filtration setup, and all the rest of the normal items.

if you could please be specific with the size of pack I would need that would be awesome.

We plan to hunt our way in to camp on the first day of each hunt, then set up a base camp deep in the mountains.

 

[Mighty Mouse]

Since you're in Colorado, I'd recommend paying a visit to Kifaru's HQ to try on their packs. You could probably also find some retailers of other top hunting pack brands (Stone Glacier, Mystery Ranch, etc) in the Denver area.

 

[miggy]

Personally I use Exo, got to mess around with a Kuiu and to me the layout of the Exo is far superior. It's more intuitive, has everything I need nothing I don't. I really liked the location of the compression straps on the pack and the straps for holding meat in place far better on the Exo. On the Kuiu you can only sandwich the meat between the bag and the frame where as the Exo has another set of straps on the frame for straping down meat allowing it to be held much more securely. When navigating difficult terrain having that weight held tightly in place is huge.
If you decide to go for a Stone Glacier I have an Evo 3300 for sale, brand new seems like an awesome pack but I have no use for it. The SG also has a superior setup for hauling meat compared to the Kuiu IMO.

 

[ThrowawayPNW]

I find Kifaru rides the best on those on the thicker side of things. Maybe coincidence but I’ve seen bigger boys favour Kifaru and the thinner guys favour SG.

 

[Sherman]

Personally I use Exo, got to mess around with a Kuiu and to me the layout of the Exo is far superior. It's more intuitive, has everything I need nothing I don't. I really liked the location of the compression straps on the pack and the straps for holding meat in place far better on the Exo. On the Kuiu you can only sandwich the meat between the bag and the frame where as the Exo has another set of straps on the frame for straping down meat allowing it to be held much more securely. When navigating difficult terrain having that weight held tightly in place is huge.
If you decide to go for a Stone Glacier I have an Evo 3300 for sale, brand new seems like an awesome pack but I have no use for it. The SG also has a superior setup for hauling meat compared to the Kuiu IMO.

Is that 3300 large enough for a 4-6 day hunt? Also what size is the frame/hip belt?

 

[hunting1]

I have Kifaru and others but like my KUIU as well. Hauled out a small bull last year just because I wanted try something new. Here is the EXO as well. The Kifaru does haul over a 100 lbs best!

 

[npro04]

I’m close to your build I’m 5’10” and 235. I’ve run exo for awhile now. It seems to do everything I’ve wanted it to. I have a 2200 bag and a 5500 bag with lid and two belt pouches. Was a little bit of a pain to get the suspension dialed in because there’s no “you’re this tall put it here mark” but once it’s where you want it I have no complaints. However like mentioned above if I was starting new and lived close to kifaru I’d be stopping in there seeing what they had and get fitted. Hard to go wrong with any of the top packs be it exo or kifaru or stone glacier. Buy once cry once is pretty true when it comes to packs and boots and sleeping bags.

 

[Marble]

Is that 3300 large enough for a 4-6 day hunt? Also what size is the frame/hip belt?

IMO no. But others with really dialed gear and systems may make it work.

I have 2 bags I use, a 44 mag and a Crater. The cavern is 6500 ci and it's big. The 44 mag is smaller but very doable for much of what I need to do.



Sent from my SM-G986U using Tapatalk

 

[Jedgar]

Well in Colorado you have three great choices, HPG, Seek outside, and Kifaru. Doing disservice by not trying them all.
good luck on your search

 

[Sherman]

I’m close to your build I’m 5’10” and 235. I’ve run exo for awhile now. It seems to do everything I’ve wanted it to. I have a 2200 bag and a 5500 bag with lid and two belt pouches. Was a little bit of a pain to get the suspension dialed in because there’s no “you’re this tall put it here mark” but once it’s where you want it I have no complaints. However like mentioned above if I was starting new and lived close to kifaru I’d be stopping in there seeing what they had and get fitted. Hard to go wrong with any of the top packs be it exo or kifaru or stone glacier. Buy once cry once is pretty true when it comes to packs and boots and sleeping bags.

Thanks everyone for the input!

I’m glad to hear the Exo works good for us thicker guys. I was really considering heading to the Kifaru showroom, but I just don’t think I could walk out of there spending anything less than $800. While doable, there is so more gear I need to purchase that I can’t justify it. Kuiu has a sweet veterans discount, and being a Navy special forces vet, I kinda want to support the company that supports our veterans. I think I am torn between the Exo and the Kuiu.

I can get the Kuiu Pro LT 5500 full kit for $450 with the vet discount.

The Exo has the K3 system rolled out and the 4800 setup will run $650 and the 6400 set up costs $675.

Is the Exo $200 better?

 

[Jedgar]

Exo, Kifaru, Stone Glacier, HPG are all made in the USA, and offer military discounts as well so absolutely worth it.

 

[Drenalin]

I'm not as big as you, but I'm a thicker guy. I'm already looking to dump the Kuiu Pro LT 5500 I picked up a few weeks ago because I can't get it to fit me comfortably. I don't know how many larger guys are using Kuiu packs successfully, but it ain't working for me. There are things I like about the Kuiu, like the bag layout and the weight, but the list of dislikes and the fit significantly outweigh the good points for me.

The Exo I had before this was light years better - again, for me - in nearly every way except weight of the pack itself. My only gripe with the Exo is that I get a little more lumbar pressure than I'd like under weight. I get at least as much lumbar pressure with the Kuiu with much lighter loads. I'm probably going to try a Seek Outside next, but the Kuiu is my least favorite frame and suspension out of the Exo, Kifaru, and Mystery Ranch setups I've tried. I really disliked the Metcalf I had on the newer frame, but I'd easily take it over this Kuiu.

Long story short, I don't think the Kuiu is the right choice for bigger guys. But the next post on this thread will probably be a human tank saying the Kuiu works great for him. Hard to know without trying it yourself. I have a pretty high level of confidence that Kifaru or Exo could get you squared away and they both offer the same 10% military discount that Kuiu does. I've read great things about Seek Outside getting bigger dudes taken care of, and they also have a 10% military discount. I'd pay the price difference for any of those options over the Kuiu, and will if I can't find someone who wants to trade for this thing.

 

[Wags]

Exo, Kifaru, Stone Glacier, HPG are all made in the USA, and offer military discounts as well so absolutely worth it.

Last I checked Kifaru did not offer a Mil/LEO discount, but it's been a while so that may have changed.

 

[Drenalin]

Last I checked Kifaru did not offer a Mil/LEO discount, but it's been a while so that may have changed.

They do, it's 10%.

 

[Sherman]

I'm not as big as you, but I'm a thicker guy. I'm already looking to dump the Kuiu Pro LT 5500 I picked up a few weeks ago because I can't get it to fit me comfortably. I don't know how many larger guys are using Kuiu packs successfully, but it ain't working for me. There are things I like about the Kuiu, like the bag layout and the weight, but the list of dislikes and the fit significantly outweigh the good points for me.

The Exo I had before this was light years better - again, for me - in nearly every way except weight of the pack itself. My only gripe with the Exo is that I get a little more lumbar pressure than I'd like under weight. I get at least as much lumbar pressure with the Kuiu with much lighter loads. I'm probably going to try a Seek Outside next, but the Kuiu is my least favorite frame and suspension out of the Exo, Kifaru, and Mystery Ranch setups I've tried. I really disliked the Metcalf I had on the newer frame, but I'd easily take it over this Kuiu.

Long story short, I don't think the Kuiu is the right choice for bigger guys. But the next post on this thread will probably be a human tank saying the Kuiu works great for him. Hard to know without trying it yourself. I have a pretty high level of confidence that Kifaru or Exo could get you squared away and they both offer the same 10% military discount that Kuiu does. I've read great things about Seek Outside getting bigger dudes taken care of, and they also have a 10% military discount. I'd pay the price difference for any of those options over the Kuiu, and will if I can't find someone who wants to trade for this thing.

Lots of good info. Thank you.

 

[hunting1]

Thanks everyone for the input!

I’m glad to hear the Exo works good for us thicker guys. I was really considering heading to the Kifaru showroom, but I just don’t think I could walk out of there spending anything less than $800. While doable, there is so more gear I need to purchase that I can’t justify it. Kuiu has a sweet veterans discount, and being a Navy special forces vet, I kinda want to support the company that supports our veterans. I think I am torn between the Exo and the Kuiu.

I can get the Kuiu Pro LT 5500 full kit for $450 with the vet discount.

The Exo has the K3 system rolled out and the 4800 setup will run $650 and the 6400 set up costs $675.

Is the Exo $200 better?

EXO gives the Veteran's discount as well!

 

[Gatorgrizz27]

I’m 6’ and 165 lbs, but I like my KUIU packs. The older suspension did put too much pressure on my lower back with heavier loads, but the current version is substantially more comfortable. Works good for training though, where the discomfort is a bonus.

FWIW, I do like the features of the EXO 4800, but I was decently invested in the KUIU setup by then, and I don’t get to hunt out west as much as I’d like.

I’m borderline obsessive about lightweight/compact gear (short of the people who go stoveless and do stuff like sleep on a 24” long Z-rest pad), and the 3300 is too small IMO for a week. I ran the 1850 for a week but carried my entire camp in a 2500 cu in dry bag in the meat shelf.

It worked really well for a pack in base camp type hunt, but required packing everything very particularly. Last year we did more of a bivy style hunt, not carrying camp 100% of the time, but moving much more often, and I went with the Ultra 5500, no lid, and a dry bag inside the pack. It was nice to be able to put clothing and a sleeping bag in it, and then stuff a wet tent and pad inside the pack.

 

[Clearwaterarcher]

It’s hard to justify the 200 dollar difference until you buy the Kuiu, haul meat with it, and sell it for an Exo or Kifaru(me). Spend money here. My Exo k3 4800 is night and day better than the Kuiu 3200 I ran. Can’t go wrong with Exo or Kifaru

 

[miggy]

Is that 3300 large enough for a 4-6 day hunt? Also what size is the frame/hip belt?

Personally I'd go bigger for a 4-6 day hunt. For me 3 nights 4 days is about the most I'd do with it, it has a medium belt. If you're interested I can sell it cheaper without the belt.

 

[Browncito8]

Got invited by some pro archery elk hunters to be the fourth on their trip to learn from them. I am 40 years old, just moved to Colorado and got into hunting. The plan is a 4-day hunt over Labor Day weekend and another 6-day hunt at the end of September. I do not have a tag, nor have a compound bow or know how to use one. I do have some lightweight gear and a nice backpacking pack, but not something to haul meat out with. I have spent numerous hours scoring the Internet watching/reading reviews. It seems that preference usually means to what body type somebody has. I haven’t seen any good reviews from guys with my body type. I am 5’11” & 250 lbs at the moment, plan to drop 15-20 lbs (very easy for me) before the hunt. The issue is, I am not a fat 250lbs. Extremely broad shoulders, big chest, type of guy. I’ve been described as a very large, dense human being. Very hard to describe yourself. I usually start showing signs of a six-pack around 230lbs, which is very weird, but might give you some insight to how dense I am.

I have been looking at numerous packs and wanted input from guys with larger frames like myself. I am really leaning toward a Kuiu pack. Exo Mtn Gear is right up there with it, and Stone Glacier is a close third. It is hard to justify the $200 difference between the Kuiu and the SG.

Also, my pack is really just my Hammock Gear Wanderlust setup with top and bottom quilts, Toaks pot with either my MSR Pocket Rocket 2 or Soto Windburner, Platypus 4 liter water filtration setup, and all the rest of the normal items.

if you could please be specific with the size of pack I would need that would be awesome.

We plan to hunt our way in to camp on the first day of each hunt, then set up a base camp deep in the mountains.

I just purchased the Kuiu 2300 and love it! I had a pack from RMEF that I bought from Scheels last year and it was too bulky and heavy. I’m happy with the Kuiu pack. Super comfortable and light weight. Of course you’ll probably want a bigger size if you are backpack hunting.