I will start by saying I have not had the opportunity to hunt while using the Predator Pack yet as our season opens Oct 1 but I've had ample time messing around with it in the back yard, simulating hikes in and setting up in the tree. Overall I am very happy with the pack. I think it serves a multitude of purposes and is a very versatile pack, probably more versatile than it is getting credit for.
The first impression of the pack is that it is well made, just like all of the other Tethrd gear. Yes, it is made in China. Tethrd hasn't hid that fact and they even addressed it in a FB post they made a while back. Given the demand and need to fill orders I understand why they made that decision. I can say, it does not appear to have affected the quality. I am impressed.
The pack fits the predator platform like a glove, duh. That's what it was made for. What I found is that there is still room for other gear in there, although not much. Also, the top doesn't completely close so the risk of something falling out is there. I did find out a water bladder fits pretty well in the pack even with the platform in there. I used a 2L CamelBak for testing. There was a previous post that showed another user doing the same thing, it works. I like that I can keep the feed hose connected to my Tethrd HYS strap to keep it handy and close by. Less movement overall compared to using a water bottle. There are other options for carrying a water bottle as well. More on that later.
The best part of the pack in my opinion is that you can attach lots of accessories and accessory packs utilizing the PALS webbing. I bought a few small packs from Amazon and tried them out. They all work great. You can attach mutiple pouches or just one small pouch and a pouch that holds a water bottle. With two accessory pouches attached I found I had plenty of room for everything else I like to bring with me on a hunt like a grunt tube, headlamp, knife, HYS strap, pull up rope, etc.
As far as climbing methods, I pretty much use sticks exclusively on my run and gun set ups so that is what I attached to the pack. I can say that three muddy pro sticks attach either to the bottom using the accessory straps or you can attach them long ways using the PALS webbing. Both ways felt secure. I imagine that hunters using WE steps will be able to attach those pretty easily as well. Certainly bolts will also pack anywhere on the pack, especially if you use one of the small accessory pouches.
When lashing the sticks verically on the pack using the PALS webbing, I was able to utilize the accessory straps on the bottom of the pack to lash a heavy coat and other layers. I, like many others, like to get mostly dressed once I reach my stand set up. While this won't replace my large backpack for late season, I am confident that I will be able to use this pack well into the colder weather later in the season.
Some cons....obviously you won't be able to pack out an animal with this pack. It is not designed nor meant for that. It has a specific design and purpose. Of course the major complaint we have heard about is the backpack straps that come with it. They do leave much to be desired, but if they had better straps, the cost would be higher....many of us, including me, would have been happy to pay a higher price to have better straps right out of the gate. However, I am sure they wanted to bring the pack to the market ASAP and the stock straps do the trick for now. I am guessing they will eventually sell better straps as an accessory. Smart business move if so. In true Tethrd fashion, they have shown us saddle freaks how to DIY our own upgraded straps. I plan on doing the upgrade myself as soon as I can find the time. Better straps absolutely will help, especially if you're planning on lashing lots of stuff to the pack. If you're a self filmer, this won't fit the bill. You'll still need a larger backpack. BUT, one of the best things about this pack is that the backpack straps are removable and they have MOLLE attachments on the back of the pack which will allow you to attach it to the outside of basically any backpack with ease. I like the idea of having a dedicated pack where my Predator can stay whether I am packing just the Predator and Predator pack in, attaching the pack to a larger backpack or putting it inside of a larger backpack.
In conclusion, this is a home run as far as I'm concerned. I see myself using this pack by itself for 80% of my hunts or so but I am not a self filmer. The rest of the time I will still use it, but just in conjunction with one of my larger packs. For pre set locations this absolutely is perfect. This is also great for early season of course, but like I said, I think it can be utilized far into the season with some mods and add ons. I know that Tethrd is testing a prototype add on pack, that would be a great addition.
Here are some pictures showing some of the accessory packs and set up.
Happy hunting and hang safe.
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