Thread: Big Badass Back Packs... Whats the Go.

2-3 days I use my 50L Macpac Torlesse. Love this pack.

Any longer and I'll take my 75+10L Tatonka Bison. I like it, but it is big and bulky.

I see lots of people rate the osprey 85L, looks like has some good features and very comfy, but how do these go with a lot of weight? I see they say max 27kg has anyone put more in them? I just feel like with a full pack and meat and antlers ect it gets heavy, will these hold up?

I use a Cactus hunaway for most of my work, can get a couple nights out of it, any more and i recently purchased a Cactus foray, had a Tatonka and couldnt get it short enough in the harness to suit me,

Had 34kg of boned out meat in the Huntaway last weekend on a meat mission, walked several kms through tussock up and down dips and it handled it no worries, i too had concerns about the weight in an Osprey so went for the cactus for its warranty/ ability to be repaired locally

Originally Posted by Southerner223

I use a Cactus hunaway for most of my work, can get a couple nights out of it, any more and i recently purchased a Cactus foray, had a Tatonka and couldnt get it short enough in the harness to suit me,

Had 34kg of boned out meat in the Huntaway last weekend on a meat mission, walked several kms through tussock up and down dips and it handled it no worries, i too had concerns about the weight in an Osprey so went for the cactus for its warranty/ ability to be repaired locally

Attachment 160130

Yep i also have the hunterway excellent pack has carried some big loads also, yes am tossing up between the foray and the hector, i like the front pocket on the hector but it is only 65L where the foray is 75. Already having a 45L i would prob be better getting the 75. Do you like the foray? Cheers

Originally Posted by H.M

Yep i also have the hunterway excellent pack has carried some big loads also, yes am tossing up between the foray and the hector, i like the front pocket on the hector but it is only 65L where the foray is 75. Already having a 45L i would prob be better getting the 75. Do you like the foray? Cheers

Foray is awesome aswell, has slightly more padding etc so even more comfy, has a flap/pocket and side pockets, being bigger can also compress it down smaller was my thoughts

Originally Posted by uk_exile

Oops, my mistake. You've got the correct link. Shame they're out of stock. Bloody good packs = out of stock!

I have a question please for the users of Cactus Outdoor packs. Having looked back through all the forum threads that discuss these packs there seems to be a common trend in terms of pack sizing in litres, either reported or sometimes implied, and I'd like to understand this better.

In a nutshell the Cactus packs appear to have more space in them for a given published capacity than competing brands.

So for example the Huntaway at 55litres might be "good for an overnight meat trip" whereas with packs from other makers, members here might feel they need to take in a 75 litre pack for that sort of thing. This might be an extreme example, but in every case I see at least the next model down in the Cactus range being used for a given purpose over packs from other brands. Is it just that Cactus understate the capacities?

I'm looking to buy a Cactus pack, but I can't get a handle on the actual capabilities of the Huntaway (55l), Hector (65l), or Foray(75l).

Originally Posted by Puffin

I have a question please for the users of Cactus Outdoor packs. Having looked back through all the forum threads that discuss these packs there seems to be a common trend in terms of pack sizing in litres, either reported or sometimes implied, and I'd like to understand this better.

In a nutshell the Cactus packs appear to have more space in them for a given published capacity than competing brands.

So for example the Huntaway at 55litres might be "good for an overnight meat trip" whereas with packs from other makers, members here might feel they need to take in a 75 litre pack for that sort of thing. This might be an extreme example, but in every case I see at least the next model down in the Cactus range being used for a given purpose over packs from other brands. Is it just that Cactus understate the capacities?

I'm looking to buy a Cactus pack, but I can't get a handle on the actual capabilities of the Huntaway (55l), Hector (65l), or Foray(75l).

Certainly the case comparing my Foray with my Macpac Ascent, the Foray is a truckload bigger.

I think it might be that Cactus quote capacity plus overflow extension, while most others quote capacity including extension.

Originally Posted by Puffin

I have a question please for the users of Cactus Outdoor packs. Having looked back through all the forum threads that discuss these packs there seems to be a common trend in terms of pack sizing in litres, either reported or sometimes implied, and I'd like to understand this better.

In a nutshell the Cactus packs appear to have more space in them for a given published capacity than competing brands.

So for example the Huntaway at 55litres might be "good for an overnight meat trip" whereas with packs from other makers, members here might feel they need to take in a 75 litre pack for that sort of thing. This might be an extreme example, but in every case I see at least the next model down in the Cactus range being used for a given purpose over packs from other brands. Is it just that Cactus understate the capacities?

I'm looking to buy a Cactus pack, but I can't get a handle on the actual capabilities of the Huntaway (55l), Hector (65l), or Foray(75l).

I now have both the huntaway and the Foray, not used the Foray as yet but can say it is A LOT bigger than the huntaway, which i use as a day/overnight pack. The Foray will be for mulitday trips and my boy is starting to come along now so will be able to carry some of his gear also. They may not have all the features of other packs on the market but ifya want a pack that will see you out and still go again then ya can not beat the cactus packs. I also like how they do not use heaps of padding on the harness so its not bulky at all and still very comfy. Simple and effective.

Originally Posted by Puffin

I have a question please for the users of Cactus Outdoor packs. Having looked back through all the forum threads that discuss these packs there seems to be a common trend in terms of pack sizing in litres, either reported or sometimes implied, and I'd like to understand this better.

In a nutshell the Cactus packs appear to have more space in them for a given published capacity than competing brands.

So for example the Huntaway at 55litres might be "good for an overnight meat trip" whereas with packs from other makers, members here might feel they need to take in a 75 litre pack for that sort of thing. This might be an extreme example, but in every case I see at least the next model down in the Cactus range being used for a given purpose over packs from other brands. Is it just that Cactus understate the capacities?

I'm looking to buy a Cactus pack, but I can't get a handle on the actual capabilities of the Huntaway (55l), Hector (65l), or Foray(75l).

Mines pictured above as the Huntaway, id say its pretty big for 55litres, in that as its picture off the top of my head would have,

Sleeping bag, thermarest, fly, bivy bag, spare thermals, food, cooker, jacket, polerfleece, another top, binos in a badlands pouch, camelback bladder, rangefinder, spotting scope, tripod, knife etc. Depending on where your going you could probably get rind of abit of that and have room for meat, with all of that as you can see it was full.

Hey guys,

I'm reviving an old thread as I may be in the market for a pack. I have inherited a macpac from the early 90s it seems to have aged okay but its not comfortable with an excess of 25kg in it. That may be my setup though. Any guide on how to setup their quanturn harness?

Alternatively I'm looking at a kelty coyote, wilderness equipment prion 85, bison 75l or bigger or the bushbuck 85.

It would seem tatonka have the market in nz and most people swear by their macpac.

Cheers

Originally Posted by paddygonebush

Just picked up at Wilderness Equipment Prion 85 from Further Faster in Christchurch. Aussie made. No frills, bombproof. It is 85L+, bigger than my previous Macpac Cascade 90L. https://www.wildernessequipment.com....on-85-m-olive/.

Will do a bit of a review after it gets a bit more bush time.

Hey,
, any update on the prion? They look good on their spec and I liked their gear when I lived in aussie.

I have a K2 Contractor on the sell section if any one chasing one basically brand new

Mystery Ranch - They are expensive but totally worth it!

Frame size makes a big difference on the Macpac packs. I had a size 2 for a while, had a love hate relationship with it. Some bad advice from a sale person led to this purchase. Brought a size 3 and what a difference.