12 replies to this topic

[BC9696]

Allow me to thank you guys for all the help here. I have listened and now have my vest, bipod, callers, rangefinder, binos, weapons, camos, gun cleaning kit, nearly everything I need but one, a decent day pack. Because i have traveled 3,000 miles on motorcycles and taken a half dozen spills, I have to be careful with my back. If I wear the load too high or too low I am screwed. Would like a pack that can hold a bow or rifle but that's a secondary issue. A pack that can hold everything i need for a day of hunting (any species) would be good. Prefer to go lightweight and keep the heavier items (ammo, water, etc) on my hips, not my back. Can I get by with a fanny pack or should I get a backpack? TIA

[Baja_Traveler]

My Eberlestock J107 Dragonfly and my smaller X1 are the best hunting packs I've ever owned. I use the big Dragonfly for elk hunting trips where I need to pack alot in and out, and the X1 for everything else. I love the built in scabbard of the X1 for packing a rifle in and out of the hunt, and my compound bow lashes to the pack perfectly also when I'm hunting with that. The X1 is a perfect daypack for all my hunting. I have a sciatic nerve pinch that can be really debilitating at times, but these packs are designed so well that I can adjust nearly all of the carry weight to my hips. These packs are really well designed with built-in hydration and excellent packability - No affiliation other than a satisfied customer - I can't recommend them enough...Looking at the site - they have a new pack, the Mini-me that looks like it would make a great coyote hunting rig.

[BC9696]

That's my issue too. If I bend and twist at the wrong angle, the nerve gets pinched and I can experience anything from mild discomfort to complete immobilization (although that only happened once 15 yrs ago). I am more cautious now but had to give up golf because the swinging of a club is exactly the movement that hurts the most. I like that pack, looks nice and i can see how you can adjust the load downward. I also like the ability to pack in a rifle & bow at the same time yet have both hands free for climbing/glassing, etc. Cool option. Anybody else have an alternate suggestion?

[Baja_Traveler]

Oh yea - golf for me requires 3 advil before tee off, then another 3 at the 9th. Putting is what gets me the most - bending over the putt gives me a huge nerve pinch. Good luck on the pack search - I'll keep an eye on this thread to see if something better than what I found comes up.

[BullsEye]

My day pack is a Badlands Diablo it has a suspension system built into it and bladder space which I choose to fill with 100 oz camelback and it has an Unconditional warranty. I have a larger pack by Dana Designs that I bought maybe 9 years ago that works great for longer trips. I don't know what its called though. Good luck finding a pack.

[BC9696]

I got an email recommending the badlands line as well however, when visiting their site I only saw one pack with rifle on it (the Ox which weighs twice as much as the one above) and none with a bow on em (though they say some are bow and/or rifle friendly). The ability to draw the weapon quickly seems like an obvious advantage in case something "unexpected" approaches you like Rosy O'Donnell on an appetizer platter. I also saw something kinda strange on that site...their Hypervent pack can pack a rifle "With duct tape!" :WTF_1: http://www.badlandsp...m/hypervent.php

[Baja_Traveler]

Yea - I think what they mean is that if you want to carry the rifle on the pack you have to duct tape it there!

[susp45]

Give badlands packs a try, they are the best pack I have ever used. I have two, a 2200, and a monster. While neither have a dedicated firearm or bow carrier, one is easily fashioned. The 2200 is a fairly long pack ,which I like because it puts the waist harness right on my hips for propper load disbersment. The rear batwing configuration makes it easy to fashion a bow or rifle holder by crossing the straps to form a cradle for either. The monster is a smaller fanny pack, but with the harness attached it can handle any day hunt. A rifle is also easily attached horrizontly strapped to the top of the pack. Truth be told, I very rarely carry my weapons on the pack, unless the hunt is over, so I am not as concerned with quick access. The thing that really sold me on badlands was their customer service and warranty. If their pack fails for any reason, they will replace it no questions asked.

[BC9696]

Gotta love the warranty but as I stated earlier, I'd like the ability to pack in a rifle & bow at the same time and the BL packs don't really provide for that.

[BullsEye]

Check put Crooked Horn Outfitters Master Guide II http://www.crookedho...p...pl&vmcchk=1

[susp45]

Gotta love the warranty but as I stated earlier, I'd like the ability to pack in a rifle & bow at the same time and the BL packs don't really provide for that.

The eberlestock packs are better for carring a rifle, I Just do not like the way they fit me. The badlands work fine for carrying a bow, but they take some work to carry a rifle with any sense of security. I faced the same prediciment a couple of years ago;The best way to figure out which one will work for you is to try them on. Bass pro has a pretty decent selection if you ever get up to ontario. A pack can have all the features you want, but if it does'nt fit you correctly you will just end up fighting it.

[BC9696]

Ain't that the truth. Guess I'm heading to Rancho Cucamonga.

[~DEVO~]

I have a bad back aswell (too many accidents as a child). I have used both a backpack and a fanny pack for hunting. I have a system that works perfect for me... again, it works wonders for ME. I use a thin under armour type shirt that cools you when the slightest breeze hits your body. The thing is that this shirt is purposly one size smaller than my usual size (for the purpose of compression).Over that I wear a back/lumbar support velco belt. Do not over strap this belt, make it fit firmly on your back.On top of that you can wear a regular t-shirt or what ever you want.From here you can use either a fanny pack or a back pack. The goal is to make sure that your HIPS have good contact with the load. When using a backpack, first address the belt support than the shoulder straps. Alot of people adress the shoulder straps first and then just clip the belt later to realize that their shoulders hurt cause the shoulders where carring 80% of the load and the hips only had 20%.The only down fall to this system is if you need to tie your laces if they come un-done (bending over). With this setup I am able to enjoy my hunts alot better. Now my legs get tied before my back does. Before this setup I found myself hiking two hours in-country resting for an hour then make it three and a half hours out (back killing me).Now I find myself going the same two hours in, have a snack (30 minutes) and make it back in two hours (back in good shape).Next time I go out I'm going to try three hours in.