"The official saddle hunting backpack thread"

[mattpsu1]

Eberlestock has the Renegade pack on sale for $137. That looks like a pretty good pack especially at that price. Of course I just purchased an X2 about a month ago. I don’t need another pack. I don’t need another pack. I don’t need another pack. Lol

 

[bowhuntr09]

I don’t need another pack. I don’t need another pack. I don’t need another pack. Lol

If only I had a dollar for every time I’ve uttered that phrase.

 

[Zero One Actual]

Had to google that too, why didn’t you just say Black beard the pirate haha thanks!

To ensure you did your research and learned your random fact for the day! Muhahahaha.

 

[wyetterp]

Roll tide. What is your avatar and patch from or mean?

Yup Teach or Black Beard. He's got some local history & just dig that jolly roger,
among other things. Far as bama, I was born there. When your born there, they don't
give vaccinations. You only get stuck with the Bama or the Auburn shot. No inbetween.
Adverse side effects are tourettes causing random & compulsive roll tides at all times.

 

[gcr0003]

Yup Teach or Black Beard. He's got some local history & just dig that jolly roger,
among other things. Far as bama, I was born there. When your born there, they don't
give vaccinations. You only get stuck with the Bama or the Auburn shot. No inbetween.
Adverse side effects are tourettes causing random & compulsive roll tides at all times.

Oh yea you’re preaching to the choir. My dad is a bammer but I had enough sense to go to Auburn. So WDE! I’m in North Alabama now but grew up in mobile. Wbu? I didn’t know black beard and Alabama was a thing, what’s that story?

 

[Tweet88]

Just picked up a saddle and sticks after last season. I have been lurking on here the past few months trying to figure out what I want to do.

I have this old military ruck that I think may do the trick.I am concerned though with the packability of other items. Basically just have a big top load pocket and no small ones. I will be running x2 pouches on my saddle and could get a vest/jacket with good pockets.

I would like to make this work but also have buy-in from the Mrs. to pull the trigger on a top of the line pack if I wanted to go that route.

Look forward to everyone’s perspective.

 

[Tweet88]

Found a smaller bag in storage, this one works well too and is more compact with better a better storage configuration.

Potentially use this setup when I am not too deep into the woods…roll with the big green ruck if I will be packing out the deer.

Bottomline: Happy with what I was able to put together from old storage and can spend the money a pack woulda cost on some other things.

 

[Hlzr]

Found a smaller bag in storage, this one works well too and is more compact with better a better storage configuration.

Potentially use this setup when I am not too deep into the woods…roll with the big green ruck if I will be packing out the deer.

Bottomline: Happy with what I was able to put together from old storage and can spend the money a pack woulda cost on some other things.

View attachment 63367View attachment 63368View attachment 63369

That’s a nice start, use what you have for a season and next year you’ll be posting here on the “pack addicts” thread about you’re changes lol. In all honesty the only way to streamline and get to where you want to be is real world experience. My opinions of what I wanted in my system changed so much between my first and second season, I was glad I used a pack I had and then invested more going into my second.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[The_Fit_Ness_Monster]

Welp as my luck has it we started complaining about pay at work and they hit us with a huge bonus, so I figured I’ll splurge on myself. I love my Assault pack/mule combo but I couldn’t help but always think if there was a better way to consolidate it all in one pack. I’ve been researching and am thinking of the Kuiu pro 2300 venture. Have you tried yours yet @JCLINE84 ? I haven’t found a single thing to turn me off of this pack yet.

 

[Hunterben86]

Welp as my luck has it we started complaining about pay at work and they hit us with a huge bonus, so I figured I’ll splurge on myself. I love my Assault pack/mule combo but I couldn’t help but always think if there was a better way to consolidate it all in one pack. I’ve been researching and am thinking of the Kuiu pro 2300 venture. Have you tried yours yet @JCLINE84 ? I haven’t found a single thing to turn me off of this pack yet.

Haven’t even hunted out of the saddle yet and the 2300 venture is what I landed on. After trying a few old packs I just wasn’t happy with the set up. Got the KUIU pack during their Presidents’ Day sale. Couldn’t be happier starting with that pack

 

[bowhuntr09]

Welp as my luck has it we started complaining about pay at work and they hit us with a huge bonus, so I figured I’ll splurge on myself. I love my Assault pack/mule combo but I couldn’t help but always think if there was a better way to consolidate it all in one pack. I’ve been researching and am thinking of the Kuiu pro 2300 venture. Have you tried yours yet @JCLINE84 ? I haven’t found a single thing to turn me off of this pack yet.

If you hurry you can still get he Kifaru tactical frame and StrykerXL on sale.

 

[JCLINE84]

Welp as my luck has it we started complaining about pay at work and they hit us with a huge bonus, so I figured I’ll splurge on myself. I love my Assault pack/mule combo but I couldn’t help but always think if there was a better way to consolidate it all in one pack. I’ve been researching and am thinking of the Kuiu pro 2300 venture. Have you tried yours yet @JCLINE84 ? I haven’t found a single thing to turn me off of this pack yet.

I have the venture 2300 and the Kuiu pro 2300 and frame. I prefer the frame and bag combo over the venture but if the venture fits you well it’s not a bad pack. It fits me really well at 6’1ish to 6’2. You don’t have the frame for exact adjustment and secure attachment points but it’s a decent pack for the money. The load lifters work well enough. I actually carry the venture for school and travel. If you can swing the price of the pro suspension, frame, and bag I’ve really enjoyed the one I picked up. Honestly it’s about as good as the Kifaru until you get to really heavy weights that we don’t ever experience saddle hunting. Much smaller frame than the Kifaru but in a good way. Not as bulky in the tree. I’m going to run them both this season to compare but after a couple weeks of playing with them I don’t think you can go wrong with the Kifaru or the Kuiu pro system.

 

[bfriendly]

I really dig my Alps Pathfinder. It is a lumbar pack that can roll up to a day pack. Holds everything I need in lumbar setup, and can unroll it for late season to put my layers in for the walk in and out. No problems climbing with it on.

Sent from my Pixel 6 using Tapatalk

That’s a tidy looking setup! I like that stick too…….I have the exact same one stick set up.

 

[GeoFish]

I have the venture 2300 and the Kuiu pro 2300 and frame. I prefer the frame and bag combo over the venture but if the venture fits you well it’s not a bad pack. It fits me really well at 6’1ish to 6’2. You don’t have the frame for exact adjustment and secure attachment points but it’s a decent pack for the money. The load lifters work well enough. I actually carry the venture for school and travel. If you can swing the price of the pro suspension, frame, and bag I’ve really enjoyed the one I picked up. Honestly it’s about as good as the Kifaru until you get to really heavy weights that we don’t ever experience saddle hunting. Much smaller frame than the Kifaru but in a good way. Not as bulky in the tree. I’m going to run them both this season to compare but after a couple weeks of playing with them I don’t think you can go wrong with the Kifaru or the Kuiu pro system.

You got me looking at a new pack. I have a Horn Hunter Main Beam. I am 6' 3" tall with short legs and the pack is too short for me.
I like the looks of the Kuiu 3600 Pro but the 500d Curdura fabric seems loud in all the videos. Is it really that bad? Wash it a bunch and it gets quieter? Or do you just live with it?

 

[JCLINE84]

You got me looking at a new pack. I have a Horn Hunter Main Beam. I am 6' 3" tall with short legs and the pack is too short for me.
I like the looks of the Kuiu 3600 Pro but the 500d Curdura fabric seems loud in all the videos. Is it really that bad? Wash it a bunch and it gets quieter? Or do you just live with it?

I don’t really worry about the 500d on Kifaru or Kuiu packs being loud. They definitely break in and get more quiet with use. Same for the zippers. But I also don’t sit in the woods and rub the fabric together or work the zippers nonstop. I understand why people worry about the noise but it’s never been an issue for me. Opening zippers and positioning things where I want them for easy access is a part of my setup routine. Climbing a tree is a bit noisy so I do all the noisy stuff during initial setup. If I need something from the pack I look around to make sure nothing is close and then I retrieve said item from the pack. It’s been my experience that the movement of getting something from your pack will get you busted much faster than the sound

 

[GeoFish]

I don’t really worry about the 500d on Kifaru or Kuiu packs being loud. They definitely break in and get more quiet with use. Same for the zippers. But I also don’t sit in the woods and rub the fabric together or work the zippers nonstop. I understand why people worry about the noise but it’s never been an issue for me. Opening zippers and positioning things where I want them for easy access is a part of my setup routine. Climbing a tree is a bit noisy so I do all the noisy stuff during initial setup. If I need something from the pack I look around to make sure nothing is close and then I retrieve said item from the pack. It’s been my experience that the movement of getting something from your pack will get you busted much faster than the sound

Thanks. Now I am looking at Kifaru. I figure if I am going to spend $500 on a Kuiu, mine as well go all the way.
Which Kifaru frame and pack do you have?
Do you take it up the tree?

 

[bowhuntr09]

Thanks. Now I am looking at Kifaru. I figure if I am going to spend $500 on a Kuiu, mine as well go all the way.
Which Kifaru frame and pack do you have?
Do you take it up the tree?

With Kifaru look at the Duplex Lite frame and pair it with either the 22mag or StrykerXL bag. If you wait a little they are releasing an update the the StrykerXL that’s a little larger called the Hellbender I think. I have both the 22mag and the StrykerXL and I think for my purposes the StrykerXL is going to be my go to. Yes, I take it up the tree.

here is a preview of the new Hellbender

 

[GeoFish]

With Kifaru look at the Duplex Lite frame and pair it with either the 22mag or StrykerXL bag. If you wait a little they are releasing an update the the StrykerXL that’s a little larger called the Hellbender I think. I have both the 22mag and the StrykerXL and I think for my purposes the StrykerXL is going to be my go to. Yes, I take it up the tree.

here is a preview of the new Hellbender

Thanks. Yes going to wait and hope they have a sale! Also need to sell a few treestands to help pay for the pack. Been looking at the Stryker XL. I need a pack for late season that I can carry lots of clothes.

 

[bowhuntr09]

Thanks. Yes going to wait and hope they have a sale! Also need to sell a few treestands to help pay for the pack. Been looking at the Stryker XL. I need a pack for late season that I can carry lots of clothes.

I edited my post above with a video of the new bag coming out.

 

[JCLINE84]

Thanks. Now I am looking at Kifaru. I figure if I am going to spend $500 on a Kuiu, mine as well go all the way.
Which Kifaru frame and pack do you have?
Do you take it up the tree?

I’ve got a Kifaru 22 mag on a frame and I love that thing. But I’ve also got the Kuiu pro 2300 and it’s great too. Less options than Kifaru as far as expanding storage and playing Legos with the add on pouches. But it’s no slouch when it comes to carrying weight well. I take them up the tree and hang them slightly below waist height at the 1-2 o clock position. Never given me trouble there.