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Choosing a good Backpack that doesn't cost 400 dollars?

donnieballgame

donnieballgame

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 31, 2017
Messages
1,872
Alright gents, I need some help. I've got a crappy Mossy Oak bag, actually it's not bad, just too small for all of my cold weather gear, it's probably perfect for early season/turkey hunting. But, like other hunters here, I've got some camera gear that I'd like to use and no current way to carry it. Now most of my hunting has been in the parks and I can't film there, so I haven't really worried about it, but I'm hunting for 2 days up in PA for the rifle opener and I'd love to be able to bring the camera and give it a go. Anyway I was all set to pull the trigger on the Horn Hunter Main Beam when I hem'd and haw'd and now it won't make it there in time, CRAP!!

As it turned out today I was walking around Cabela's and saw the Tenzing TZ 2200 and I gotta say it looked about perfect, 2800cu in, a little heavier than I'd like at 5lbs, but the pockets and layout looked very simple and well-thought-out. Obviously without throwing my gear into it and going for a hunt its kind of hard to figure that piece out.

I think I want about 2800-3000 cu in, nothing crazy heavy, carry's weight well, possibly the ability to pack out quarters etc. Oh and I don't want to break the bank, I was looking at some of the more expensive brands and I can't see spending that much, even the Tenzing is pricey, at 230 I think.

Thoughts?
 
donnieballgame said:
Alright gents, I need some help. I've got a crappy Mossy Oak bag, actually it's not bad, just too small for all of my cold weather gear, it's probably perfect for early season/turkey hunting. But, like other hunters here, I've got some camera gear that I'd like to use and no current way to carry it. Now most of my hunting has been in the parks and I can't film there, so I haven't really worried about it, but I'm hunting for 2 days up in PA for the rifle opener and I'd love to be able to bring the camera and give it a go. Anyway I was all set to pull the trigger on the Horn Hunter Main Beam when I hem'd and haw'd and now it won't make it there in time, CRAP!!

As it turned out today I was walking around Cabela's and saw the Tenzing TZ 2200 and I gotta say it looked about perfect, 2800cu in, a little heavier than I'd like at 5lbs, but the pockets and layout looked very simple and well-thought-out. Obviously without throwing my gear into it and going for a hunt its kind of hard to figure that piece out.

I think I want about 2800-3000 cu in, nothing crazy heavy, carry's weight well, possibly the ability to pack out quarters etc. Oh and I don't want to break the bank, I was looking at some of the more expensive brands and I can't see spending that much, even the Tenzing is pricey, at 230 I think.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
You can get the tenzing 2200 for about 160
 
I hear ya on pack prices. I’m looking for a pack myself and am sold on stone glacier for western hunts... stupid prices. I would check out their Avail 2200. I think that’s around $280.
 
I've tried several and for some reason I keep going back to my $35 Walmart cheapo. The last one I tried was a carryall and I didn't like it. None of them do what i want. Typically I fold and tie all my cold weather wear to the outside of my pack on top of my sticks.

My current plan is to make my own in the off season. For $400+ that they want for these packs I can buy a sewing machine and all the materials and still come out ahead. Plus end up with exactly what I want, with the ability to change it later as I use it. If there's one thing I've learned about saddle hunting: The more you get into it the more you end up building / manipulating all your gear.
 
I think I need to see and mess around with all the options, lol, it would be nice if one store had a bunch of these backpacks, oh well, guess I'll pick one and see how I like it and hope I don't lose too much on the resale if it doesn't work out.
 
I second the horn hunter main beam. I carry 4 mod'd heliums and my predator. The predator goes on back where its made to hold your gun/bow. My woodbury jacket and extra layers fold up nice in there. I have been hunting 1-2 miles from the truck minimum and works great. When people say they want to be minimalist and carry less, you simply can't do that in the Northeast this time of year. I sweat like crazy hiking in so need to pack many layers. Then if you don't need your sticks/platform the pack is made to synch up tight against your back by tightening the compression straps that hold your sticks.

My brother has the tenzing and you can't got wrong with that pack either
 
I have the Horn Hunter G2 and it’s coming in just atad short on space. Thinking about getting a bigger one. The Main Beam seems toobig for me but the G3 could be alright. However I was thinking to goaway from Horn Hunter because my other complaint is loud zippers. I even tried waxing them. Anyone else have this issue? Are the other Horn Hunter packs better in this regard?


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Since getting my sewing machine, I am probably going to try and make several things in the off season, a lightweight backpack to my specs is going to be one of them.
 
A hand sewn US made saddle is $200+ so we have that basis of familiar comparison.

A backpack is easily 2x the material and labor. Sewing is a lot of time intensive labor that really the only way to cheapen it is to source Asian mfgs paying jack squat.

Anything that carries a load in excess of 20 or 30 pounds is going to need a frame. A beefy one if you ever intend to pack game. Those are expensive too.

Add in the weight/price/quality tradeoff that exists with pretty much all gear.

You'll generally get what you pay for. I don't get why people balk at backpack prices when it is such an important component of comfort if you hike in a good ways. Which I think is why most of us are hanging from saddles in the first place.

Heck you don't need to collect them like women's handbags. One versatile pack can do everything year round. I expect to get a good decade out of mine. I understand budget constraints but a capital investment well worth it imo.

I try to avoid luxury pricing. Yeti being a classic example of that. I don't see that being the case with packs, even the Kifarus, SG of the world. Quality US handmade stuff ain't cheap.

Just my perspective.
 
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elk yinzer said:
A hand sewn US made saddle is $200+ so we have that basis of familiar comparison.

A backpack is easily 2x the material and labor. Sewing is a lot of time intensive labor that really the only way to cheapen it is to source Asian mfgs paying jack squat.

Anything that carries a load in excess of 20 or 30 pounds is going to need a frame. A beefy one if you ever intend to pack game. Those are expensive too.

Add in the weight/price/quality tradeoff that exists with pretty much all gear.

You'll generally get what you pay for. I don't get why people balk at backpack prices when it is such an important component of comfort if you hike in a good ways. Which I think is why most of us are hanging from saddles in the first place.

Heck you don't need to collect them like women's handbags. One versatile pack can do everything year round. I expect to get a good decade out of mine. I understand budget constraints but a capital investment well worth it imo.

I try to avoid luxury pricing. Yeti being a classic example of that. I don't see that being the case with packs, even the Kifarus, SG of the world. Quality US handmade stuff ain't cheap.

Just my perspective.
Click to expand...

Getting the cabelas external pack frame and using it to train (50 lbs on it and 3 to 6 mile walks), carry 50 lbs corn out to a feeder for urban culling operations, carrying hang on and sticks to help hang a permanent set, generally carrying light pack (dayone) and sticks, saddle and gear, and carrying what I need to post property, scout, hang cameras, etc. ..., I am totally sold on the idea of a high quality light pack frame. Then I will just lash what I need to the frame (and maybe get a pack that is compatible with it.

My next purchase.
https://www.stoneglacier.com/collections/all-packs/products/minimalist

Less than 3.5 lbs.

And it is less than $400.

Then lash whatever I use for my time afield. If I go out west, I’ll just buy a compatible bag to attach to the frame.

The best thing is I’ll be able to sell all my 100 to 200 dollar packs that don’t do what I need.
 
This is treating me very well. My WE steps go in here along with everything I need to hunt, including food and water. Can also carry your bow or gun, which came in handy when I had to drag the deer out. It has sturdy straps and good padding so you can load it up when needed. 99 bucks.

I have been tempted to go smaller and lighter but I have learned that a supportive pack trumps a light pack all day long when hiking.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E3Q7Y3S/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
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Get a used badlands pack. They have lifetime no question asked warranty. If something is broke just send it back. The packs are great and they have se eral models to fit wbat you nees.

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If youre equipped with a 2-3000cuin pack, with no frame or load shelf, in winter(layers), with your standard climbing and hunting gear, and toss camera gear on, you’re not getting it out all at one time adding deer quarters to it.

If you want to do it in one trip - a frame pack with load shelf is a requirement.

Deboning might get you into ‘possible but not optimal’ if your walk is 1/2 mile or less on relatively easy terrain. Any further you need a frame pack.

If you don’t want to do it in one trip, then buy whatever pack fits your stuff, and handle the deer packing conundrum independently.

My personal opinion on that one is to decide whether or not you will pack deer out in one trip or not, then equip accordingly. For me - making that commitment actually lessened the complication and amount of gear.

Some things cannot be accomplished for 50.00, and this is one of them. Having said that, if you’re not packing deer out, I’d be looking at the alps packs that don’t have frames or load shelves. Excellent packs for the price.
 
I guess a JX3 hybrid is a pack with a frame and a saddle for $375. I have used it and the mantis all fall. I like both. The hybrid is what I want if I am sitting for a long time. At 9.5 pounds the JX3 feels light. I can stuff my winter clothes in and carry my 24 inch sticks no problem.
When carrying the mantis and stick and gear I have used a tenzig turkey pack which is cheap I bought it half price $80 cdn on amazon- has no frame but I do not carry camera gear so it is not bad. When you put stuff in the front pockets it balances out the load nicely.
Maybe I will buy a main beam some day.
 
Alright alright you guys have convinced me to stop being such a cheap ass and buy a decent backpack, I like the versatility of the MR cabinet, need to look at some of the other stuff you guys have mentioned.

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Oh man, I love my old fleece pack for super light super quiet short hunts. Then I got a badlands treestand pack, that was before I started saddle hunting. Now it just feels over stuffed. It has a fine zipper so it is a little loud. It does handle weight pretty well. I needed more space so i started using my sons Field and Stream Powderhorn XL ,which fits everything well enough, but I wanted just a bit larger one. I just got my hands on a Pioneer 2100RT , and I mean just got it out of the box. It looks like it's set up nice pocket wise, I think it will give me the space I need. I wanted a bow carry feature. It was 200$.
 
The badlands ascent is still on sale from the badlands website for $120.

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