Hey guys, what do you use to carry your equipment while hunting? I have been trying different things from wal-mart, and i was just wondering what most of you guys use sucessfully.

NH_Hunter

The prices are not Wal-Mart but take a look at the KIFARU PACKS site. They manufacture some of the finest hunting packs going.
I guided a guy this year who had a devil of a time staying warm in the morning, too hot as it warmed up, then froze from sweat soaked clothes in the afternoon. So I filled my Kifaru pack with all his spare clothing as well as the normal gear I carry. Absolutely the heaviest I've ever filled a pack for hunting, but it was still stable, comfortable and balanced well.
THE neatest thing with the kifaru's is their gun carrying system. VERY handy. check it out.

FN in MT

I second what frank said. Kifaru makes nice stuff. - Dan

I looked at Kifaru's website and WOW! Those packs are expensive! Wayyy over my budget. I like the prices of the packs on www.cheaperthandirt.com much more. Also they are military suprlus, which means their design was accepted by the military just like the military Kifaru packs.

NH_Hunter

If you are looking fo something to carry incidentals and attach a light coat or vest on the day pack from Mountain Smith can not be beat for around $70.00. I have had mine for around 15 years now. I keep buying others thinking something will be better but I always go back to the old Mountain smith. It has a pouch on each side that will carrry up to a quart bottle of water, plenty of space for foo9d rounds knife , compass, GPS ect plus it has straps that you can attach clothing to when you need to take something off. It is a hip/fanny pack which I like. I hate those straps on my shoulder. Always gets in the way when you shoulder your gun. Check them out they have a web site.

i have been using a north face internal frame pack, about 3,500 cu. in.

i have been on many hunts with this pack and have not had a torn seam or rip in it yet. this pack can not be killed. alot of pack for the $. cheaper than the kifaru, but, still a mountaineering grade pack. i also strap a large of amount of stuff to the outside with no damage to the pack. very comfortable fits like a glove. even with heavy loads.

cold zero

Kifaru, Kifaru, Kifaru!

I have used my Kifaru long hunter for about 5 years now doing double duty as a hunting pack and for long backpacking trips. Quite simply it is the best pack I have ever strapped on and one of the best equipment investments I have made in a long time.

NH_Hunter, I see that you are a student... with a budget. I've been there, actually am there doing it again. Think about it this way. Amoratize the cost of a pack over x number of years. I have no doubt I will get 20 years out of my Kifaru. That is about $20 per year. Not to bad. I know the money up front is hard to swallow in your position, but it can be done. Short term it may be a lot of money... long term it is nothing. No to imply that you drink just because you are in school, but I know I personally could of bought one or two packs per semester if I never bought beer/booze at all while in school! Heck, it shouldn't be to hard to make an extra $25 a week to put toward a dedicated pack fund!

Incidentally Patrick Smith the founder/owner/designer of Kifaru is the founder and original owner of MountainSmith packs. He still does a great deal of design consulting for them from what I have gathered on visits to his shop in Golden, CO.

I can relate to being a poor student, BUT......in life one has choices when it comes to our toys. You can buy crap a dozen times, or buy quality ONCE. Doesn't matter if its optics,clothing,packs,tools,or whatever. You DO tend to get what you pay for. There ARE exceptions, but not many.

FN in MT

hie thyself to a good backpacking shop/store that carries several brands and try stuff on WITH A LOAD. fit is almost everything. i am only 6-foot-1.5 but i take a long pack (arcteryx khamsin 38 in extra long). why the odd fit? i have short legs (31-inch inseam) but a very long trunk. one brand or another will fit you very well. several brands will not, even if the trunk length is correct. that is why i say fit is almost everything. could be a kifaru does not suit you. could be a dana or gregory or arcteryx or north face or REI or ... whatever ... will fit you best. once you find what you want and the fit is perfect, try to get your store to put it on layaway if it is too expensive so you can pay it off over time. if not, come away with the fitment info and try to find a better price on the net. it could be that a relatively inexpensive pack could be perfect for you. i sure would not order anything - at any price, low or high or in between - unless i knew it would fit like my favorite pocket t-shirt.

a surplus US.Army medium sized Alice pack without the frame- just like the one I used in Nam(it had the frame). I've had the one I have now since 73.

Get's the job done just fine....

I second the Army pack - though I'd use the frame. They come in 3 sizes so you should be able to get the capacity you want.

I like a lumbar pack made by True North called "The Load Monster". You should be able to get it from Mountain Gear . I have had mine for several years so you might need to call them to see if True North still calls it the same or if it goes under a different name now.



The pack has a chest strap to keep the shoulder straps together. It has a loop to snap a tube from a drinking system to but I use it to hold the sling of my rifle when I need to have both hands free.



I like the fact it locates the weight of the contents on your hips rather than on your shoulders. I really heat up when climbing a ridge and I hate to have something like an Alice pack or a day pack right on the center of my back. I will sweat to death if I carry a pack there! This pack keeps my back clear so I don't get so hot and sweaty. It has many straps on it to tie off clothing so as you heat up and strip off layers there is someplace to strap the coat or vests.



Nice thing is it costs about $139.00.

Since not everybody is bothered like I am with a daypack up against the middle of their back, you might want to checkout the bargains from Sierra Trading Post . They have named brands like Kelty, Jansport, Deuter, Mountainsmith and so on.



I just today got a catalog (key code = 23375) which shows packs in the $40- $100 range.



Give them a call or look at their stuff on their website.



800-713-4534 is their phone number.

While I agree that it is generally wise to invest in decent kit over the long run, it is not always possible.

The Alice packs are certainly not the lightest nor the most comfortable on the market, but they have worked for a couple of generation of American Servicemen. I have never used one in the field but I recall seeing my American counterparts with them and they certainly looked pretty bomb proof. I don't recall if they have a waist belt though?

At the prices these things go for on the surplus market you can afford to buy one now and use it until you decide if you need something else. By using a pack you will also come to a better understanding of what you really need design wise. Even when you retire it, its always good to have a second pack as a spare....

Regards,

Pete

Good advice above for packs. I seldom use one, I don't like shoulder straps. I can carry all I need in a 9inch by 9inch hunting pouch slung over my shoulder. It holds my ammo, a first aid kit, a space blanket, a compass, matches, a folding canteen, a drag strap, apples, etc. I have attached a couple of thongs to it for carrying partridges. A jacket can be carried by just sliding it half way through the strap.

Well, i just took another look and found a couple of butt packs that attach right onto my regular belt. One is 10x9x4.5", and the other is 10x6x9". I like the features of the smaller one more, but the bigger one, well, it has more space. I would only put in a couple of bottles of water, an extra compass, a map, my GPS, some extra ammo, some parachute rope, and some snacks in it. I am not carrying very much in the way of survival gear, well, because where i hunt, it is not big enough to get lost in! I probably would sneak a little basic first aid kit as well. Maybe a microfiber pad to clean off binoc and scope lenses.
There is also a british butt pack thingy with shoulder straps and it holds a lot more stuff. I think it holds like 1020 ci vs. the 450 and 520.

NH_Hunter