I'm.thinking about buying a quality pack

[lucky_magic_stick]

Originally Posted by rem338win

You cant compare an Osprey to a Stone Glacier. Ive used both and an Osprey wont take the same load with the same comfort period. Ive used both.

If you want to back pack seriously get a quality pack with a load shelf and exchangable bags. Make sure it fits properly and is supported by good company.

This man is spot on! I bought a stone glacier sky archer last spring with the crux evo frame. I think it's been the best investment for my back while back country hunting. Helped pack out 3 elk this fall with it, including the full deboned front half, with trim, neck meat, back straps, etc. All of it but the hind quarters in one go, and it felt awesome.

The extra size of the sky archer sure makes it nice when you wanna pack a little extra gear, or clothes. You have the space for multi day trips, or you can compress it down to a smaller single day pack. Spend the money once, cry once!

[Travco1]

Stone Glacier is the best . Also made in USA . not china .

[calvin]

just received my new pack in the mail today. there are a lot of straps but cinching down a load shouldn't be a problem. first impression is really good. will post later how things go.

[mitchj]

Weres best place in edmonton to buy a nice pack with frame
.

[Cjj]

Kifaru is the only way to go. Expensive but good. Any of the new ones are worth the money. The Fulcrum is awesome

[Mastercaller]

Originally Posted by dcw17

I'm looking at the kuiu and the exo mountain. Any feedback or other suggestions would be appreciated. Probably going to go with around the 3500 size.

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EXO all the way. Customer service is 2nd to none!!

[John9750]

Originally Posted by dcw17

I'm torn between the 2000 and the 3500. Very similar in size when compressed. The 3500 is only 6 inches longer.

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Weight is nothing for another 6". That gives you more room if you want but you dont have to use it.

[calvin]

Originally Posted by John9750

Weight is nothing for another 6". That gives you more room if you want but you dont have to use it.

You're bang on John. There is very little difference in costs on the bags, your cost for the frame is the kicker. The Stone Glacier bags really cinch up well so even if you just take it out for a day, you shouldn't need to remove much at all to save weight. They carry themselves quite well. Take the basics and cinch it up. Shoot yourself a nice big mulie, bone it out, pack it up and head back to the truck. I like the 5900 bag and felt it would be adequate but opted for the 6900 as we will be packing quite a load of food in to our next trip. Hopefully out heavy as well.

[wildwoods]

Just bought the Exo Mtn 5500. It's coming soon in the mail!
After doing my homework and watching the videos, it came down to Stone Glacier and Exo. Exo won hands down. Very light (both packs are) but very functional without a ton of compression straps and dismantling to get to the meat shelf. Also the built in dry bag is a huge coup (you pay extra for the dry bag). Both great packs by the looks of things but I am convinced I made the right choice.

[Pathfinder76]

Exo has a great marketing scheme for sure.

[Deer Hunter]

Originally Posted by wildwoods

Just bought the Exo Mtn 5500. It's coming soon in the mail!
After doing my homework and watching the videos, it came down to Stone Glacier and Exo. Exo won hands down. Very light (both packs are) but very functional without a ton of compression straps and dismantling to get to the meat shelf. Also the built in dry bag is a huge coup (you pay extra for the dry bag). Both great packs by the looks of things but I am convinced I made the right choice.

Good choice. Great pack.

[Coiloil37]

Seems most of you are either ignorant to or willfully ignoring the fact there’s no “best pack” but there might be the best pack for you. If you choose from the alpha packs you’ll get a piece of gear that’s built to handle what your going to put it through and it’ll be almost infinitely adjustable. How you adjust it is ultimately up to you and the features you find important may be model or brand specific.
I’ve been through 10-12 alpha packs and have two in my basement that have a combination of the features I want, the load hauling capability I need and are both extremely comfortable on my back. I would bet dollars to donuts most of you could wear either of them and it would feel more comfortable then a eberlestock, badlands etc but they wouldn’t be adjusted properly to you. Even if they got adjusted you still might not find them as comfortable as something else.
I’ve also got a trail behind me of 6-7 crappy packs and 8-10 alpha packs that didn’t work for me. I said in the beginning of this thread your better off trying to find some of the packs your interested in and getting them on your back before you spend the money on them because name alone doesn’t guarantee comfort.
Stinky thinks if he tries an alpha pack or two and it doesn’t work he can write them all off. I disagree but I wouldn’t pretend the pack he’s chosen isn’t comfortable on his back. It might be, it might not be and either way I’ll never know but I’ll take his word for it because I’m not carrying it.
Old Chuck fell in love with SG and even though most of us can remember how much he loved mystery ranch for the last ten years... now it’s SG or nothing and EXO isn’t any good even though he probably hasn’t tried one but they’ve “got a good marketing scheme”. SG makes good stuff. I haven’t owned one but I’ve packed with one and even though it wasn’t adjusted for me it carried a mule deer just fine and they’re very well made. They don’t have the features I like so I’m not spending my money there but they’re certainly good packs.
EXO makes good gear. I’ve never worn one but I’ve read enough reports from guys who pack more in a year then I do in a decade to know they’re up there with the top brands.
I’m a running a kifaru and a mystery ranch for different reasons because they do what I need and feel great on my back. I wouldn’t say any of the top tier brands aren’t good. They are however all different as we are and you’ve got to find one that has the features you like and has been adjusted to your body properly and feels good.
Good news is they hold their value and they’re easy to sell on forums that actually move that kind of gear. If you don’t like what you’ve got any of them can be sold on rokslide or kifaru forums classifieds in a matter of hours and then you can try another one.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Coiloil37

Seems most of you are either ignorant to or willfully ignoring the fact there’s no “best pack” but there might be the best pack for you. If you choose from the alpha packs you’ll get a piece of gear that’s built to handle what your going to put it through and it’ll be almost infinitely adjustable. How you adjust it is ultimately up to you and the features you find important may be model or brand specific.
I’ve been through 10-12 alpha packs and have two in my basement that have a combination of the features I want, the load hauling capability I need and are both extremely comfortable on my back. I would bet dollars to donuts most of you could wear either of them and it would feel more comfortable then a eberlestock, badlands etc but they wouldn’t be adjusted properly to you. Even if they got adjusted you still might not find them as comfortable as something else.
I’ve also got a trail behind me of 6-7 crappy packs and 8-10 alpha packs that didn’t work for me. I said in the beginning of this thread your better off trying to find some of the packs your interested in and getting them on your back before you spend the money on them because name alone doesn’t guarantee comfort.
Stinky thinks if he tries an alpha pack or two and it doesn’t work he can write them all off. I disagree but I wouldn’t pretend the pack he’s chosen isn’t comfortable on his back. It might be, it might not be and either way I’ll never know but I’ll take his word for it because I’m not carrying it.
Old Chuck fell in love with SG and even though most of us can remember how much he loved mystery ranch for the last ten years... now it’s SG or nothing and EXO isn’t any good even though he probably hasn’t tried one but they’ve “got a good marketing scheme”. SG makes good stuff. I haven’t owned one but I’ve packed with one and even though it wasn’t adjusted for me it carried a mule deer just fine and they’re very well made. They don’t have the features I like so I’m not spending my money there but they’re certainly good packs.
EXO makes good gear. I’ve never worn one but I’ve read enough reports from guys who pack more in a year then I do in a decade to know they’re up there with the top brands.
I’m a running a kifaru and a mystery ranch for different reasons because they do what I need and feel great on my back. I wouldn’t say any of the top tier brands aren’t good. They are however all different as we are and you’ve got to find one that has the features you like and has been adjusted to your body properly and feels good.
Good news is they hold their value and they’re easy to sell on forums that actually move that kind of gear. If you don’t like what you’ve got any of them can be sold on rokslide or kifaru forums classifieds in a matter of hours and then you can try another one.

I could care less what pack anyone here uses.

[Zuludog]

I have an EXO 3500 and really like it. Bomb proof, light and simple to use.

[Leadpipefill]

I have the old version of the Exo 3500. Probably won't buy another pack

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by lucky_magic_stick

This man is spot on! I bought a stone glacier sky archer last spring with the crux evo frame. I think it's been the best investment for my back while back country hunting. Helped pack out 3 elk this fall with it, including the full deboned front half, with trim, neck meat, back straps, etc. All of it but the hind quarters in one go, and it felt awesome.

The extra size of the sky archer sure makes it nice when you wanna pack a little extra gear, or clothes. You have the space for multi day trips, or you can compress it down to a smaller single day pack. Spend the money once, cry once!

The beauty of these packs is that you reduce them to day pack size and get rid of the lid until needed and maintain a closed top. Great design.

[Deer Hunter]

The lid is something I never leave at home. It is where all my small stuff goes. Having a pack that collapses down to "daypack" size isn't unique to a SG.
Post a pic of it carrying a moose quarter, not your jacket.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

The lid is something I never leave at home. It is where all my small stuff goes. Having a pack that collapses down to "daypack" size isn't unique to a SG.
Post a pic of it carrying a moose quarter, not your jacket.

I did not say it’s unique. Nor do I have a Moose quarter handy. However, I have posted plenty of pictures of my packs full of meat over the years.

[Deer Hunter]

Originally Posted by chuck

I did not say it’s unique. Nor do I have a Moose quarter handy. However, I have posted plenty of pictures of my packs full of meat over the years.

Nothing unique alright. Except the marketing...

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

Nothing unique alright. Except the marketing...

I’m ok with your choice. You seem on edge about it.

[Deer Hunter]

Originally Posted by chuck

I’m ok with your choice. You seem on edge about it.

I've used mine outside the bedroom.
It's ok.

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

I've used mine outside the bedroom.
It's ok.

Laughing! Good grief.

Here is Mystery Ranch and Stone Glacier with meat.

[Deer Hunter]

Originally Posted by chuck

Laughing! Good grief.

Here is Mystery Ranch and Stone Glacier with meat.

Nice!
By the looks of that terrain you could have called a taxi to pick up that deer. Nice to go through the motions though.

[Pathfinder76]

Humbling.

[Pathfinder76]

On a lighter note, the best motivation to work hard and save for a better pack.
:-)

[KBF]

Originally Posted by chuck

On a lighter note, the best motivation to work hard and save for a better pack.
:-)

Looks like a happy hunter there that dont give a hoot about what kind of pack he has, other than its full.

[Pathfinder76]

The day I came to hate Eberlestock (actually this is day two with the ram in there). I would have called a taxi Deer Hunter, but the cell service sucked.

[Pathfinder76]

Deer Hunter, here is a North Face pack with a removable lid. This pack made me question removable lid design.

[Deer Hunter]

Great pics. I was beginning to think all you used your backpack for was for taking pics in your bedroom. Have you personally used a SG pack?

[Pathfinder76]

Originally Posted by Deer Hunter

Great pics. I was beginning to think all you used your backpack for was for taking pics in your bedroom. Have you personally used a SG pack?

Yes I have. But I’m beginning to think the only place you’ve used a pack to carry meat is on a cow trail in the aspens. You have one picture showing that so it must be true.

If you want a tutorial on packing meat in rough terrain my 14 year old son might be able to help.

The ankle biters association is sure strong here.