• The SH Membership has gone live. Only SH Members have access to post in the classifieds. All members can view the classifieds. Starting in 2020 only SH Members will be admitted to the annual hunting contest. Current members will need to follow these steps to upgrade: 1. Click on your username 2. Click on Account upgrades 3. Choose SH Member and purchase.
  • We've been working hard the past few weeks to come up with some big changes to our vendor policies to meet the changing needs of our community. Please see the new vendor rules here: Vendor Access Area Rules

"The official saddle hunting backpack thread"

2 set ups
The MR pop up is 5lbs but I can haul deer quarters out
The tethrd pack is more for midday scouting when I don’t know if I’ll set up or not
This is where I struggle. I have a frame back for hauling out deer too, but I've been doing a lot of scouting and would like to go lighter because I don't know if I'm even gonna set up somewhere.

But then what if I do and I get a deer and now I'm way in the woods? Are you bringing your MR Pop up and just leaving it in the car and walk out to get it if you are successful? I end up just carrying it anyway so I don't have to make 2 additional trips, but I bring my ROS instead of a platform for those pure scouting days.
 
This is where I struggle. I have a frame back for hauling out deer too, but I've been doing a lot of scouting and would like to go lighter because I don't know if I'm even gonna set up somewhere.

But then what if I do and I get a deer and now I'm way in the woods? Are you bringing your MR Pop up and just leaving it in the car and walk out to get it if you are successful? I end up just carrying it anyway so I don't have to make 2 additional trips, but I bring my ROS instead of a platform for those pure scouting days.
It depends, I places I go in the morning I bring the MR
If I’m scouting a new area midday I use the tethrd pack. So yes if I set up and shoot something I’ll go back to my car drop my crap off and grab the MR. that hasn’t happened yet
The morning spots are about a mile back. So I bring the MR since I know where I’m going
 
This is where I struggle. I have a frame back for hauling out deer too, but I've been doing a lot of scouting and would like to go lighter because I don't know if I'm even gonna set up somewhere.

But then what if I do and I get a deer and now I'm way in the woods? Are you bringing your MR Pop up and just leaving it in the car and walk out to get it if you are successful? I end up just carrying it anyway so I don't have to make 2 additional trips, but I bring my ROS instead of a platform for those pure scouting days.
I don't use the MR, but that's what I liked about the Alps Pathfinder. I had a 4lb lumbar pack that converted into a meat hauler. Now, I just wear my saddle and it's the meat hauler too.
 
I don't use the MR, but that's what I liked about the Alps Pathfinder. I had a 4lb lumbar pack that converted into a meat hauler. Now, I just wear my saddle and it's the meat hauler too.

But it weighs 14lbs, lol.
 
But it weighs 14lbs, lol.
Not bad considering all the benefits.i wouldn't have switched from a conventional saddle and Pathfinder just to go with something that weighed more with no benefits that made it worth it.
 
This is where I struggle. I have a frame back for hauling out deer too, but I've been doing a lot of scouting and would like to go lighter because I don't know if I'm even gonna set up somewhere.

But then what if I do and I get a deer and now I'm way in the woods? Are you bringing your MR Pop up and just leaving it in the car and walk out to get it if you are successful? I end up just carrying it anyway so I don't have to make 2 additional trips, but I bring my ROS instead of a platform for those pure scouting days.

I’m willing to bet I walk more than most.

I’m built like a sneech. Carrying 15lbs in a pack without a waist belt for more than about 20 minutes is a truly irritating experience for me.

So take those two things into consideration.

I either carried the popup or the hybrid on probably 80-90% of my deer hunts since I purchased both. 300 yards or 15 miles. Didn’t matter. Yes, close hunts where I was hunting for 2 or less hours and had zero stuff with me, I may go with no pack. But if there was any chance of more than a few hundred yards or more than a few hours, I was ready to pack out.

Having to walk twice, and being uncomfortable while I’m walking, make no sense. At least having the option not to makes sense to me.

The thing that is so nice about the popup are the “drawbacks” in some peoples eyes: the narrow frame and narrow belt. These are things that make it small in the woods.


Half my reason for always carrying it was to be able to make one trip. The other half is being comfortable all day carrying a pack.

If you hunt less than half a mile from access on relatively flat ground, or don’t spend hours on your feet most days during the season, frame packs don’t make much sense anywhere but the bed of the truck. Then again, neither do saddles and 1lb climbing sticks and what not.
 
....The thing that is so nice about the popup are the “drawbacks” in some peoples eyes: the narrow frame and narrow belt. These are things that make it small in the woods....

I don't see the narrowness of the belt as something that makes the popup "small" in the woods.

When worn, a wider belt doesn't increase a hunter's profile.

Yet those stiff belt wings seem to prop up the bag, so it doesn't easily sit flat against a tree, increasing it's profile.

They're just a drawback, imo. Maybe it's the perfect belt for someone, but I have my doubts. A poor design imo.
 
I don't see the narrowness of the belt as something that makes the popup "small" in the woods.

When worn, a wider belt doesn't increase a hunter's profile.

Yet those stiff belt wings seem to prop up the bag, so it doesn't easily sit flat against a tree, increasing it's profile.

They're just a drawback, imo. Maybe it's the perfect belt for someone, but I have my doubts. A poor design imo.

funny, I just asked you a question related to this another thread 30 seconds ago.
 
I’m willing to bet I walk more than most.

I’m built like a sneech. Carrying 15lbs in a pack without a waist belt for more than about 20 minutes is a truly irritating experience for me.

So take those two things into consideration.

I either carried the popup or the hybrid on probably 80-90% of my deer hunts since I purchased both. 300 yards or 15 miles. Didn’t matter. Yes, close hunts where I was hunting for 2 or less hours and had zero stuff with me, I may go with no pack. But if there was any chance of more than a few hundred yards or more than a few hours, I was ready to pack out.

Having to walk twice, and being uncomfortable while I’m walking, make no sense. At least having the option not to makes sense to me.

The thing that is so nice about the popup are the “drawbacks” in some peoples eyes: the narrow frame and narrow belt. These are things that make it small in the woods.


Half my reason for always carrying it was to be able to make one trip. The other half is being comfortable all day carrying a pack.

If you hunt less than half a mile from access on relatively flat ground, or don’t spend hours on your feet most days during the season, frame packs don’t make much sense anywhere but the bed of the truck. Then again, neither do saddles and 1lb climbing sticks and what not.
Which is why I just end up carrying it every time. 2 weekends ago I hiked 6 miles over two days. Did another 2 miles last Sunday.

I think part of it is, and shame on me, is seeing everyone talk about how small and light they're going into the woods to hunt and feeling like maybe I'm missing something. But then I think about dragging...and just take my pack anyway.
 
Which is why I just end up carrying it every time. 2 weekends ago I hiked 6 miles over two days. Did another 2 miles last Sunday.

I think part of it is, and shame on me, is seeing everyone talk about how small and light they're going into the woods to hunt and feeling like maybe I'm missing something. But then I think about dragging...and just take my pack anyway.

Most times I don’t have anything in the popup besides food, water, and layers. I could get by with just the frame and game bags. It’s not even really the “pack” I need. Just the frame.
 
I don't see the narrowness of the belt as something that makes the popup "small" in the woods.

When worn, a wider belt doesn't increase a hunter's profile.

Yet those stiff belt wings seem to prop up the bag, so it doesn't easily sit flat against a tree, increasing it's profile.

They're just a drawback, imo. Maybe it's the perfect belt for someone, but I have my doubts. A poor design imo.
I keep that pack on the ground and don’t bring it up in the tree
Other than my bow I have a range finder and a grunt tube
 
Here’s a couple pics of the Hellbender with XOP edge and Skeletors on the load shelf. Still experimenting with the platform. Going to try a couple of sleeves, the gear ties hold it tighter than the XOP straps. 81722881-75B4-4E26-B0D3-ABEAA94A6CC4.jpeg3FC19591-4CF5-4CBA-B835-17E79C8196B7.jpegAA69B963-39D7-4AA6-8D82-E06248BB9A11.jpeg
 
I keep that pack on the ground and don’t bring it up in the tree
Other than my bow I have a range finder and a grunt tube
In the past I would leave a pack on the ground but too many times I'd have a doe or deer I didn't intend to shoot walk up and sniff a pack or even a pull up rope if I forgot and let it dangle and get spooked. Everything goes up the tree with me now.I hang my pack on my weak side and clip the belt around the tree and sinch tight.
 
It does have stays and I’ve seen some guys carry boned out meat. But by definition the venture 1800 is not a meat hauler. Hopefully this is helpful


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Yeah if you scroll through theres some guys that posted about it, all good reviews. I have the venture 1800 arriving today and can post later my thoughts as well.

So far digging the venture 1800. love the compression straps and the fact that you can move them around. carries weight very well once you tweak everything (belt,chest strap,shoulder straps,etc) The verde camo pattern is bad a** and bag feels very much high quality. strapped my sticks to it no problem. I will say that if you are a gear hog, you might want the 2300, especially you cold weather guys packing all kinds of layers, for me cold gear is usually just a hoody in S Louisiana. All in all very satisfied with it so far but time will tell and with the sale right now, you wont beat it for 99$

venture.jpg

venture2.jpg

yes thats a signed saintsation calendar, who dat!
 
Last edited:
Back
Top