reckoning pack setup

ofl0926

WKR
Joined
May 23, 2015
Messages
2,055
Location
miami, fl
So season is a long ways away but i am trying to dial in my pack setup.
Pack is a kifaru reckoning with Lite frame. i plan on running a guide lid but undecided on pouch setup, especially in day pack mode. My original idea was to run on the belt a small or medium on one side and the other a mini, nalgene holder and gun bearer. on the bag itself will have the guide lid and on the pals matrix I'm torn on two medium and one large or two large and one medium or even all one size.
So what are you guys running with your reckoning? what are you stuffing in your pouches in day pack scenario? again this is more concern for day pack mode setup. all input welcome. thank you
 
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
3,631
I just got a Reckoning and I’m going to run it with a small belt pouch and a bottle holder on the belt. Two medium pockets on the bottom of the bag and thats it. I have a standard lid for extended hunts to utilize the snow collar or strapping horns to it if im lucky enough. Bag is huge coming from a 3300
 
Joined
Dec 23, 2017
Messages
1,065
Location
Michigan
Pockets can add up weight pretty fast. The bag is pretty big on its own. I only do day hunts so i can only speak to the bag in day mode. I use a small pocket on the left side of belt, a water bottle pocket from pds8 and a gun bearer on the right. All the other stuff goes in the bag. For orginization i use ultralight pull outs.
 
Joined
Apr 26, 2017
Messages
304
My day mode is still overkill. I run the pack with two medium belt pouches on the belt and a nalgene holder on right. Spotter in left spotter pouch. Quick grab items in right spotter pocket. Flash light, headlamp, havalon, license and maybe batteries in the belt pouches. .45 between right pouch and belt. For Warmer weather I keep extra pants and shirt with a light jacket and possible rain gear. For colder weather I run bibs and jacket with extra socks and thermals in the main bag.

This pack is way overkill for a daypack but it is money for the 3-7 day. That said, cinch it down and it works perfectly. For longer trips like this I would run a guide lid. The one thing this pack can’t do, without adding an internal pack, is keep basecamp items that could be dumped so they can be dropped and left. Maybe that’s my organizational skills, or lack thereof.

Hope this helps.


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MikeStrong

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Oct 17, 2017
Messages
143
For daypack mode I have a small belt pouch on each side, an organizer guide lid for some of the items I want quick access to (including food for the day in the larger pocket) and then put the rest of the items I am carrying in the main bag. With the bottom zip access I have found it very easy to pull out a puffy jacket or anything else with the release of only 1 compression strap buckle.

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SoTxShooter

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 10, 2018
Messages
154
Location
Texas
On the belt, I have a nalgene holder on my left and a JC Custom Kydex holster on my right. For this season, I’m thinking about getting two medium belt pouches for the sides of the bag on the bottom, or getting a large pouch for the top of the lid.
 

marktole

WKR
Joined
Jan 12, 2016
Messages
697
Location
Kansas
Good lord, if you run a reckoning with a guide lid and all the pouches you mentioned above you’re going to be able to pack your house in there with a high order of organization.

I have a reckoning and have ran it with a mini belt pouch and a nalgene holder on the belt, a large belt pouch on the lid, and two mediums on the lower matrix.

Have also ran it without the belt pouches on lid and lower matrix, and used a guide lid instead. I liked that setup better, but wanted more organization than the guide lid so I just got an OGL from kifaru to try out. I think I am going to like that even better.

In day mode, or if I am out for an extended stay, I carry the same kind of gear/items in the lid or pouches. Usually smaller stuff that I use the most. Mini belt pouch on the belt gets a headlamp. OGL gets a neck gaiter, beanie, and gloves in one of the little pockets. Other little pocket gets the pack rain fly, steripen, maybe some extra batteries, and a power core and phone charging cable because I use my phone as a GPS. Big top pouch gets the days food and a water pump filter if I am carrying it. The back zippered pouch gets toilet paper and the knife for my kill kit.

After that I use the ultralight pullouts inside the main bag for the kill kit and a survival/first aid kit. Don’t have any problems getting to the center zip for a puffy or rain gear. Run a tripod in one of the wing pockets and a spotter in the other if it is with me. Also have no issue stuffing all the gear I need in the pack for gear and layers for everything from an early archery to a late season rifle hunt.

Hopefully that gives you an idea of some of the stuff that you might want to carry in the pouches outside of the bag, or how to set it up.
 
OP
ofl0926

ofl0926

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Joined
May 23, 2015
Messages
2,055
Location
miami, fl
Good lord, if you run a reckoning with a guide lid and all the pouches you mentioned above you’re going to be able to pack your house in there with a high order of organization.

I have a reckoning and have ran it with a mini belt pouch and a nalgene holder on the belt, a large belt pouch on the lid, and two mediums on the lower matrix.

Have also ran it without the belt pouches on lid and lower matrix, and used a guide lid instead. I liked that setup better, but wanted more organization than the guide lid so I just got an OGL from kifaru to try out. I think I am going to like that even better.

In day mode, or if I am out for an extended stay, I carry the same kind of gear/items in the lid or pouches. Usually smaller stuff that I use the most. Mini belt pouch on the belt gets a headlamp. OGL gets a neck gaiter, beanie, and gloves in one of the little pockets. Other little pocket gets the pack rain fly, steripen, maybe some extra batteries, and a power core and phone charging cable because I use my phone as a GPS. Big top pouch gets the days food and a water pump filter if I am carrying it. The back zippered pouch gets toilet paper and the knife for my kill kit.

After that I use the ultralight pullouts inside the main bag for the kill kit and a survival/first aid kit. Don’t have any problems getting to the center zip for a puffy or rain gear. Run a tripod in one of the wing pockets and a spotter in the other if it is with me. Also have no issue stuffing all the gear I need in the pack for gear and layers for everything from an early archery to a late season rifle hunt.

Hopefully that gives you an idea of some of the stuff that you might want to carry in the pouches outside of the bag, or how to set it up.

I see what your saying. I started to compile a list of day pack mode items that I plan on taking

Kill kit
Wipes
Fleece or heavy Layer
LPP
Rain gear
Jet boil with coffee
Snacks
Glassing pad
Bipod
Gloves
Beanie
Gaiters
Headlamp
Small first aid kit, battery, battery pack
Binos In bino pack with rangefinder
GPS
Nalgene bottle
Water filter kit




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ljalberta

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Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
1,447
I put a small or medium (I prefer medium) and a nalgene pocket on one side. Then gunbearer on the other side of the belt.

I’ll run a medium pocket (might get a large) instead of the guide lid on top for short trips.

I’ll put a guide lid instead of that pocket for longer trips. I can load up 14 days (probably more - haven’t tried though) of gear and food without any additional pockets. I find the pockets add up weight that I don’t nessesarily need. For organization I use some ultralight pull outs, which are much lighter.
 

Cantharellus

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 25, 2014
Messages
176
Location
Northern CO
I would keep the external pockets to a minimum as much as possible in day mode, maybe just a couple. Just my opinion.

I don't own the Reckoning, but I use the DT2 which is close-ish. I run a small belt pouch on the left, and keep the right clear for water bottle holder, gun bearer, additional pocket, or knife depending on my needs. I usually use a bladder for water. Puffy and extra layers go in the bag along with food, possibles pouch/first aid, and other things I don't need quick access to. Tripod and sit pad in one side pocket, spotter in the other if it's coming. Kill kit in one of the pockets, but it could easily be in the bag. Gloves and neck gaiter go in the belt pocket with little things like wind checkers, calls and such. Snacks sometimes go into the second pocket on the back. I usually bring along an extra compression strap to mount my rifle to the back of the bag for pack outs, and a Grab-it for the bow.
 
OP
ofl0926

ofl0926

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Joined
May 23, 2015
Messages
2,055
Location
miami, fl
I would keep the external pockets to a minimum as much as possible in day mode, maybe just a couple. Just my opinion.

I don't own the Reckoning, but I use the DT2 which is close-ish. I run a small belt pouch on the left, and keep the right clear for water bottle holder, gun bearer, additional pocket, or knife depending on my needs. I usually use a bladder for water. Puffy and extra layers go in the bag along with food, possibles pouch/first aid, and other things I don't need quick access to. Tripod and sit pad in one side pocket, spotter in the other if it's coming. Kill kit in one of the pockets, but it could easily be in the bag. Gloves and neck gaiter go in the belt pocket with little things like wind checkers, calls and such. Snacks sometimes go into the second pocket on the back. I usually bring along an extra compression strap to mount my rifle to the back of the bag for pack outs, and a Grab-it for the bow.

sounds about what i am looking to do as well.
i guess the best bet if to pack my pack and see exactly what i need.
 

fishslap

WKR
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
903
Location
Longmont, CO
Daypack mode: Regular guide lid on top, sometimes not. Small belt pouch front right on belt, water bottle holder behind it. Medium belt pouch front left on belt, gun bearer behind it. Large pouch instead of medium if I’m taking wiggy’s waders. Small ultralight pouch inside main bag for emergency kit. Medium ultralight pouch for kill kit. Gallon ziplock for food. I also cut the shoulder straps off the guide lid to save a few ounces, but mainly because I don’t need them. Only difference for pack in trips is that I add a grabbit and more/larger ultralight pouches inside.
 

fishslap

WKR
Joined
Jan 8, 2017
Messages
903
Location
Longmont, CO
I should add that I use a marsupial gear bino harness which includes my range finder, gps, wind checker, and sometimes I slide a quadrangle map behind my binos.
 

ChrisAU

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Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
6,086
Location
SE Alabama
My max gear set up:

Guide lid with organizer pocket on it.
Medium pocket on each side at the bottom.
Grab it II across the lower rear.
Nalgene holder and small mystery ranch pouch on left belt, gun bearer on right.

I really won't decide a final configuration until I am packing for a trip. I may be pretty easily able to go without the guide lid, but having my rain gear right there is nice.
 

Gumbo

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Apr 26, 2015
Messages
1,298
Location
Montana
That sounds like an awful lot on the gunbearer side of your belt. If rifle hunting I run the gunbearer and FHF GPS holder on the right side and a small belt pouch on the other. For archery season I replace the gunbearer with another small belt pouch. I also don't run a lid on the outside when in daypack mode, but I do run one as a pouch on the inside of the bag on top of everything so I can access it by unrolling the top. If I need to I can then attach it to the top. This strategy also works great for backpacking because you can pack in with your lid on top then put it in your pack after you drop camp. Also, I don't fold the top over, I roll it down, which works better for me and eliminates a bunch of slop. When archery hunting I run the Montana bow sling and a camo Grab-it 2, and during rifle season I switch out the camo grab-it for a blaze orange one. I also have a couple straps under the bag attached to the frame for when I need to pack meat and horns. My final thought is that this is a GREAT daypack and not overkill at all, it has ample room for extra clothing and bulky items, better to have the space and not use it. Other than the fact that I'm not crazy about the design of the spotter pockets, I feel this is the absolutely perfect all-around pack.
 

ChrisAU

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Joined
Jan 12, 2018
Messages
6,086
Location
SE Alabama
Yeah having a rifle on one side makes it lopsided enough. I definitely would advise putting the nalgene holder on the opposite side. Holder+nalgene+full water would be about 3 lbs. Put that on one side with your gun bearer and you have 10+ lbs more on that side than the other.
 
OP
ofl0926

ofl0926

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Joined
May 23, 2015
Messages
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Location
miami, fl
Thanks for the advice everyone. This weekend, I’m gonna pack it all up and see what exactly I need. From there, I’ll tweak my setup


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B-Ridge Sledder

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 17, 2018
Messages
120
Just bought a reckoning myself curious what people are running for water bladders. Looking for 2 or 3L that can hang from loop and not hang lower then bag or maybe even meatshelf.


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GarrettCrain

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Aug 3, 2018
Messages
100
Location
Oklahoma City
Just bought a reckoning myself curious what people are running for water bladders. Looking for 2 or 3L that can hang from loop and not hang lower then bag or maybe even meatshelf.


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I used the platypus hoser 2L last year. During the hunt I put the bladder in one of the side pockets and loved it there. Pack in and out I would move it between the frame and bag and it was just fine there.
 
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