Thread: pack advice

Have had a Macpac Cascade 75l and used to have a Canyon 85l? always seemed to be bursting at the seems so got ruthless with my gear and can now manage a few days with the Huntech 40l 'day pack' even with trips to the south island tops. Gets interesting when you shoot something though!

To help with your question though its hard to go past the Macpac, good gear!

I have a Tatonka bison 75litre. Awesome pack, strong and well made and good with heavy loads. Would recommend it

Kimjon, thats an awesome array of gear you can tuck away in your pack....most of my stuff is 'old school' (been tramping for 30 years) probably need to get some of the newer, lighter equipment.......especially with my knees!!!!!

Originally Posted by Scouser

Kimjon, thats an awesome array of gear you can tuck away in your pack....most of my stuff is 'old school' (been tramping for 30 years) probably need to get some of the newer, lighter equipment.......especially with my knees!!!!!

Yes, it makes such a difference. I used to lug around about 80L of gear and was still cold and uncomfortable, plus it weighed about 35kg+++. Now I can do 10days on less than 18kg of gear all up.

What I've found though is there is very little difference between an overnighter and 10 day trip now...so somehow I gained weight on the over nighters and lost weight on the 10 dayers hahaha, but that's because I've gotten soft and like to have all my comforts with me now like tents and sleeping mats etc... whereas in the old days I'd just ''hardman'' it for an overnighter and wouldn't take any gear, just a couple Mars bars.

kj

Edit: I must add that I hate BC meals, they taste like warm dog turd!!!! However they enable me to go places with less, so its a means to an end.

Have look at the Hunters Element ones. I have the peak, its nice and comfy and the rifle attachment on the side works well with my 303, the tikka 308, and even the little 12.5 inch barrel ar15. It also has the blaze orange cover built in.

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Hunters Element have some nice designs, but the workmanship and materials are crap. None of their gear seems to last the hard yards.
I wouldn't touch it again after a couple of experiences I've had.

Others' might have had different experiences to me though. Each to our own.

Originally Posted by kimjon

Like I said, the pack is listed as 35L, but the way I pack it, I think its more like 45L completely full. I took the following items (I wore some of the clothes, i.e. they didn't all go in the pack)

Food:

BC Meals x10 double, x10 single serves
Made up some musilie with nuts and dried fruit + added milk powder and pre bagged x10 (just add hot or cold water and eat)
50x coffee sachet's (yes I have an addiction)
Some lollies and chocolate
Musilie bars x20
1.5L drink bottle
Gas cooker and 2x Canisters (could Have got away with only one, but not worth the risk)
Coffee cup (I like plastic, not metal)
Small dia15cm frying pan/do everything pot and tinfoil for the lid
Lighter

Camp gear:
Fairydown Sleeping bag
MSR Hubahuba tent
I used a larger inflatable mat on this trip - but now I have an Epeed sleeping mat which is way smaller again
Inflatable pillow
Ridgeline Pikau for day pack use and doubles as pillow slip


Clothes:
Hunters Element XTR rain jacket
Swazi water proof paints (gortex bottoms for Tahr anorak) which I never used.
Fairydown puffer jacket
3x sets of thermals (tops and longs)
2x mid layer polar fleece tops
1x mid layer polar fleece paints
4x socks
1x wollen hat
Ashley gumboots (the finest foot wear money can buy haha)

Misc:
Small film canister of suncream
Insect repallant
Mesh head net to keep sand-fly's away (best tip ever!!!!!!)
Batteries (GPS and Head lamp, I took shit loads)
EPIRB
Head lamp
Pocket knife
GPS
Rangefinder
Bino's
Windmeter
Altimeter
Smart-phone (and USB AA battery powered charger)
Laminated drop charts
Rifle (set up for longrange 3-15x zoom scope)
Ammo
Ear plugs
pull through (Otis brand - very good stiff pull through that can unblock a plugged barrel)
Bipod
Compass
Map
Electrical tape
Inner tube for lighting fires
String (10m)
Leatherman tool
Roaring horn (aka - dishwashing bottle)



Proof is in the picture I guess? All packed up with an additional load. If you look carefully you can even see 35L written on the pocket of the pack.


I think that's about it, no doubt I forgot to list something...but that's the guts of it from memory.

kj

This should be made a stick somewhere.

Nice one Kimjon. I have a similar sized pack and carry similar gear for 2-4 day trips, mainly my reccy trips where I want to cover a lot of ground more efficiently. I HATE BC meals, so substitute for pasta meals, and add dried veges/jerky/salami/couscous for flavour and volume etc. When Im hunting I pretty much live on muesli bars and chocolate. Im always wary of loading a smaller pack up too much, alot of them are not really designed to carry big weights.

I have a bigger Cascade for multiday trips, but find that due to my habit of packing light I now never fill it up (allows me to take the odd extra treat too!). An excellent pack that lasts well and is a dream to carry. If I was going down the pack purchasing road again I'd be looking at Cactus too.

Yeah, you're right Josh - I do worry that the Stoney Creek pack will fail one day as it is Chinese made, but to be fair its done a dozen or so extended trips in some tough country and its looking good so far? I may have to use the string one day for a makeshift repair though eh?? But yes, Catus make so tough gear alright and I may look at going that way if/when the stoney creek fails....but it will be another 30-40L pack though.

Another mate of mine uses a womans pack (built smaller and slimmer) and he swears by it, great for pushing through the tight scrub without getting hung up on everything. He's not the kind of dude you'd ever hassle about having a pink stripe on his pack either

kj

Haha nice. I was just looking on the Cactus website. I like the look of the Miklat and the Ski Patrol packs. Anyone have these and use them regularly?? Might get my hands on a Miklat to test out.


Daz, I woudnt worry about a rifle scabbard on a pack, no good if you bump into an animal on the route in or out. A mate lost out on a decent stag (to me) because his rifle was in its scabbard and in his haste to get his pack off and pull the rifle out he got it all tangled up! Haha. I was carrying my rifle, simply loaded it, drew a bead and dropped the deer as it hit the bush edge. He was pissed! Still is...haha.

Plus carrying your rifle in your hands is much better for balancing while walking in uneven country, use it as a counterbalance. I also use my rifle as a walking stick quite a lot, like a third leg. And if you need both hands simply have a sling so you can quickly throw the rifle over your shoulder.

I meant make it a sticky (above).

I think you want the biggest comfortable pack you can get. Mine is a Kelty (canadian) about 95l I think. I went for that instead of the Macpac as I like side pockets. On long hikes I don't fill it and keep as light as possible, but if I am traveling with not much hiking ie Chopper you can fill it up! The top can be removed and used as a large bum bag, which is handy once at camp and going hunting. Can strap the rifle on the side as well.

AJ

Im also in the market. Looked at the hunters element, as above good design, pretty average quality. My hunting buddy just got a Markhor Eterlov 45l. Great size. Not too big to take on a day trip and enough room to throw most of what you need for a longer trip. If its not full he just tightens the straps down and it is small and doesnt move around. Quality levels are fantastic. Camping lady (yes lady, she really knows he stuff) at local store talked me out of the hunters element and into these. She said she has never had an issue with them, unlike the hunters. Best of luck. Ill probably lead down the markhor way. If I get it soon ill post pictures.

My bad. its eterlou. not eterlov

What "size" pack will I need as in 1,2,3,4 etc. I'm 6'1"/185cm, 90kg.