After my last elk hunt in WY, I found out that the pack I was using although vary well made and quite functional, it was not all that good at packing out a load of meat and or antlers and cape.

I have since been trying to find a pack that is as light as possible, but will also handel packing out a set of elk antlers with cape attatched or an equal amount of elk meat. So far the only pack I have found that meets my requierments is the Badlands 2800.

What I would like is input from people who have actually used this pack to pack out a set of elk antlers and or meat, and all other types of experences of actual use of the Badlands 2800.

I need a pack that can hold not only my survival and hunting gear, but in a pinch hawl out my first load of meat and antlers as well, and stiil weigh six pounds or less. The Badlands 2800 seems to fit my needs quite well. I would just like the input from any and all who have this pack and have used it enough to have formed a solid opinion of it.

Great thanks to any who help me out on this,
Art

My opinion only is look at the Eberlestock Just One and the Kelty Bison first. Good luck and they are life time warranty if you go with Badlands.

I love my Badlands 2800 for all of my long walk, faraway hunts where I have to pack the head and cape, or select portions of meat back. Works very well for me, and is very comfortable for my body and hip location. May not be for others tho. As it is only 8 years old, I am not interested in looking for a replacement soon. Once back to the truck, I dump it off for a Camp Trails Freighter Frame and Moose bag, which will handle up to 110# of meat on the second trip.

One of my shoulder straps tore off on my annual deer hunt last year. Most I ever carried in the pack was maybe 45 pounds and it was never abused. Badlands fixed it but that didnt do me any good while I was in a fly in hunt.

I have no experience w/ the Badlands, but I do w/ the newer Eberlestock J105.

I wanted a pack to haul my gear on 3-5 day mountain backpack hunts. Pack out game meat. Be small enough to wear while hunting and not get hung up on brush. Have a method to safely carry an accessible rifle. Have a hydration system.

The only packs I liked for this were the Nice frame/pack and the Eberlestock. I have a battle/jump proven retired/customized military pack that I like on a frame that I hate. I looked at the Nice frame to use w/ this pack. I will probably get a Nice frame in the future but decided I wanted to try a one piece internal frame rig for simplicity.

Glen Eberle spoke w/ me about this and recommended his J105. He took my measurements and weight over the phone, then sent me out a J105 that he said should be close to spot on.

My J105 only required minor adjustments out of the box for a good fit. The pack feels heavy in the hand but carries very light. I've used the pack on numerous hunts ,the longest being 21 days, and it has worked well for me. I can make it as small as a day pack and crawl through the narliest brush yet open it up like an expedition pack and carry big loads (I've carried close to 100 pounds). The rifle scabbard is as good as I've ever used.

As far as toughnest is concerned; I'm a fitness fanatic. I routinely run crosscountry w/ this pack loaded between 40-50 pounds carrying a rifle that weighs 10 pounds. I run 1.5 miles unburdened around 9 minutes. I can run the 1.5 miles carrying this pack and rifle well under 12 minutes. I can even draw and scabbard the rifle w/ the loaded pack while running (not recommended and only for training).

In a nutshell, I've been brutal on my J105 and it has held up well. It does not haul a 100 pound load as comfortably as a Barney's Carnivour, but it will haul the heavy loads comfortable enough for someone fit enough to carry such weight. I'd suggest you call Glen and give this pack consideration.

Gary

Great thanks to all who replied, and for the time it took in doing so.

Gary, if you would please, I have a few questions for you concerning the Eberlestock J105 pack you own. The requierments you set for your pack are identicle to mine. I have been reading a great many posts at sites all over the web about Eberlestock backpacks. Most raive about them, but enough have posted that thay experienced pouches ripping loose and other fabrics ripping as well. I wish I could be more spacific, but I can not recall what exactly failed where on the Eberlstock packs that I read about. I seem to remember one claim that the internal and external mesh pockets had riped with little use, so I am a wondering what your input is.

I would like to take a first hand look at a Just One Pack as thay are at the BP in NE IL. But I want to be sure I will be buying one as the BP is over two HRS drive one way from my house.

Money wise the J105 and the Badlands 2800 are the same price, so the desiding factor for me will be which is the better made, better designed pack.

Again, thanks to you Gary and to everyone else as well.

I have not had a Badlands 2800, but, did have a 4500, U.S. made, for a couple of years. It was a good pack, but, heavier and more complex than I prefer, it was stolen.

For what you want, I use the Kifaru Siwash with cargo chair and it is the finest pack for this that I have used or seen in over 40 years of hunting. I am aware that it is NOT low-cost, but, it is absolutely worth the price you pay and will outlast you! If, you can swing the price somehow, this is the way to go.

I've got an Eberlestock "just one" that is a great daypack/meat hauler, and a Kifaru Long Hunter that is also a great pack. For day trips where you might need to haul meat, I'd use the Eberlestock. For a pack in hunt, my Kifrau carries a lot of weight really well, but it doesn't have as much organization ability as the "just one". You'll do really well with either one.

Go to the webpage and look around:
http://www.eberlestock.com/Just%20One.htm

My J105 is identical to the pictures on the web (w/ the exception of the colors in my camo).

My pack does not have any mesh pockets. When you open the pack up, it does expose a mesh panel to assist in cooling your game meat. For external protection to avoid snags on this material, you either zip in a panel (reversible camo/blaze) or you zip on your external spike camp duffel. Internally, you place your gear inside a spike camp duffel and slide the entire duffel into the meat compartment, or you load your meat in game bags and slide them into the meat compartment. I've had no problems w/ durability on my J105.

Give Glen a call, I'm sure he can answer any questions.

Gary

I bought a Kifaru long hunter last season and it is a very nice bag. It looks to be better than my Badlands.