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- Jan 17, 2019
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Given my description below please recommend a size of pack and maybe pack features or a specific pack and/or critique my approach. My budget is $150 or less for the pack. Thanks.
Context:
I'm about to pull the trigger on a treehopper recon sling and tree suit platform. This will be my first saddle and so I'll need a suitable pack.
I am considering this pack
it is 37 liters. It has a waist belt and sternum strap, which is important.
I walk in a decent way in thick stuff (WV public land hunting). So, I will typically not have the saddle on with stuff hanging off the saddle. It will be in the pack. I can't see walking 2 or 3 miles up and down hills, often times off trail, with a saddle on and dump pouches holding gear (am I being biased here?).
Inside the pack I will have the recon sling saddle, oplux tether, oplux lineman's lanyard, 1 bottle water, 1 energy bar, branch saw, rangefinder, headlamp, extra flashlight, bow pull up rope, ultralight packable rain gear, daisy chain gear hanger, CAYG aider, and when cold I'll have arctic shield boot blankets/hot hands warmers/maybe an extra layer (if super cold I'll lash on a large stuff sack with many clothes to the outside of the pack).
I do not carry any deer processing gear with me and hardly ever take the deer out with my bow and gear. I walk back to the truck, drop everything off, and then get my kill pack (so after the shot is not a consideration for my setup).
I'll somehow tie the tree suit platform to the outside of the pack but haven't found any examples of that yet (suggestions?). I suppose bungee cord it to the back with the little legs sticking straight backward (?).
I will put 2 hawk heliums on each side. With the steps folded up, the heliums are around 29" total length because I barely cut them and left the step length long at 23".
I usually nest the sticks in pairs. I nest them by rotating them so that the brackets go past each other (like two people hugging, not spooning the way most people stack them). The pack I showed has some webbing on each side. I'll probably use it and also sew on some of my own lashing points made out of webbing. I have a bunch of bungees, shock cord, and gear ties. I am considering getting some treehopper steps and the mesh sacks (like dump pouches) I will use for those steps can also go on the sides where the sticks would go otherwise.
My only packs I own right now are small 20L packs and a big overnight camping pack that is way too big (I think it is like 75L or so). So, I don't have anything to go off and try for size.
Context:
I'm about to pull the trigger on a treehopper recon sling and tree suit platform. This will be my first saddle and so I'll need a suitable pack.
I am considering this pack
Dark Timber - Realtree EDGE | ALPS OutdoorZ
www.alpsbrands.com
it is 37 liters. It has a waist belt and sternum strap, which is important.
I walk in a decent way in thick stuff (WV public land hunting). So, I will typically not have the saddle on with stuff hanging off the saddle. It will be in the pack. I can't see walking 2 or 3 miles up and down hills, often times off trail, with a saddle on and dump pouches holding gear (am I being biased here?).
Inside the pack I will have the recon sling saddle, oplux tether, oplux lineman's lanyard, 1 bottle water, 1 energy bar, branch saw, rangefinder, headlamp, extra flashlight, bow pull up rope, ultralight packable rain gear, daisy chain gear hanger, CAYG aider, and when cold I'll have arctic shield boot blankets/hot hands warmers/maybe an extra layer (if super cold I'll lash on a large stuff sack with many clothes to the outside of the pack).
I do not carry any deer processing gear with me and hardly ever take the deer out with my bow and gear. I walk back to the truck, drop everything off, and then get my kill pack (so after the shot is not a consideration for my setup).
I'll somehow tie the tree suit platform to the outside of the pack but haven't found any examples of that yet (suggestions?). I suppose bungee cord it to the back with the little legs sticking straight backward (?).
I will put 2 hawk heliums on each side. With the steps folded up, the heliums are around 29" total length because I barely cut them and left the step length long at 23".
I usually nest the sticks in pairs. I nest them by rotating them so that the brackets go past each other (like two people hugging, not spooning the way most people stack them). The pack I showed has some webbing on each side. I'll probably use it and also sew on some of my own lashing points made out of webbing. I have a bunch of bungees, shock cord, and gear ties. I am considering getting some treehopper steps and the mesh sacks (like dump pouches) I will use for those steps can also go on the sides where the sticks would go otherwise.
My only packs I own right now are small 20L packs and a big overnight camping pack that is way too big (I think it is like 75L or so). So, I don't have anything to go off and try for size.
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