Question about Backpacks and Horseback

[rbljack]

Need some help on this one because my experience on horseback is limited. I carried a Badlands superdaypack on my back along with my AGC bino harness while on horseback numerous times and it has worked well. I really discovered that AGC harness to be money while on horseback. Allowed us to get up the mountain and do some glassing. I could fit the tripod and spotter in the badlands, plus water, puffy and rain jacket. I haven't needed to carry a larger back on horseback yet.

So I finally made the plunge into a kifaru duplex frame, and a reckoning bag for my extended hunts. How well does this frame/pack combination work when on horseback? For my mule deer hunting in NM, horseback trips may be an option this year.

 

[Gunnersdad49]

I just did a little jaunt with the Kifaru EMR2 on a duplex frame, AGC harness, and a horse.
What I learned was;
it is a pain to mount the horse with a heavy pack
The more weight you have in your pack, the more top heavy you are, and more dramatically you swing on uneven terrain
My bino harness kept hitting the saddle horn, I wear mine pretty low, so I had to adjust that.
My backfat kept getting pinched between the pack belt and the back of the saddle. Need to lose some backfat.
If you can use saddle bags for the majority of your gear, and keep the pack light, you will be happier.

 

[Kotaman]

I don't take my "tall" packs on horseback hunts. I have been on horseback hunts where your pack rides in the boxes on the pack horse and in that situation, the tall packs aren't an issue.

I've used a MR Metcalf successfully on a couple horseback hunts and a SG 5900 on a few. Both of these have worked great. In reality, they are only an inch shorter, but seem to ride better than my Kifaru has. I've never been on a horseback hunt without a designated pack horse, so pack weight has never been an issue for me. To be honest, your frame bag combo would drive me nuts on a horse.

 

[rbljack]

Sounds like it would work ok for day hunting, but not an extended hunt with heavier amounts of gear in the bag. He does have panniers as well, but on occasion, we have jumped on the horses and rode up the mountain to check out a few areas. Kotoman, you mentioned the Metcalf...and that was the other bag I was seriously considering. Figured id try and run the kifaru frame and bag and see how I like it. I was running a Eberlestock dragonfly the last few years, but it just isn't comfortable above about 40 pounds. Not for me anyways...my shoulders always seemed to have more of the weight, and they would get pretty sore. I did like the layout though.

 

[codym]

I think it will depend a little on the saddle. I rode into camp this year using one of those primos slings and the saddle rubbed the hell out of my bow and actually took a tiny chip out of the limb. When I saw this I decided to strap it to the front of my EMR II and wear my pack. It kept my bow safe but the bottom of the pack/belt would catch the back of the saddle. It was a typical western roping type saddle. I have a tropper saddle I used when I field trial dogs and I don't think I would have had any issues if I was ridding that saddle.