What Alpine Backpack do you prefer?

[Mtn_Infantry]

Great topic
I’ve owned: Exo K2 5500, Kifaru, Mystery Ranch Pintler, and just got a Stone Glacier Terminus 8700

My thoughts: EXO…best designed bag, hands down, I had some initial frustrations with the belt slipping when I packed out bison quarters in Alaska (heavy!) but I think it could have been user error. Handles elk fine. It wouldn’t be my pick if I was regularly schlepping moose but for an all around winner it probably wins.

Mystery Ranch: actually kind of loved this one for short day hikes … simple design, but felt duplicative so sold off. Can’t fully rate this one

Kifaru: best for packing heavy loads, but also kinda heavy itself…I use it less than I thought…bag designs (I’ve had a couple, currently the Reckoning) seem childish compared to the well thought out EXO

SG Terminus: new guy, bought to shave off a little weight…should be great for ultimate deep backcountry week+ trips. Not a utility player as you can’t pack quarters out with it (need to bone out in field).

Regarding carrying rifle, mine is usually in one hand, trekking pole in the other.

Let us know what you think on the Terminus. Both it and the Exo are the two packs I keep going back and forth on. If I was doing a moose hunt instead of a sheep hunt I’d be looking harder at the Barney’s pack

 

[Olivier]

The Blaser Ultimate Expedition for Chamois Hunting (2-3 days in the wild)
https://store.blaser.de/fr/Blaser-Ultimate-Expedition-Rucksack

 

[Wildwillalaska]

I really think Stone Glacier nailed it with the Terminus. And if doing guided hunts, I’d get the 7000. It’s huge when needed, but really collapses down compact when on the move or spiking out. I do so wish they would go back to put side flap/baffle pockets on the bag where you can tuck your stock into the pocket and use side strap to secure. Most mountain still hunting is glassing, finding your quarry, coming up with a plan to execute a stock and sneak in close. It’s not something where you need immediate access to your rifle in a super hurry where you really need a quick release gun bearer. Fine if you want or like them, I just prefer to have my rifle secure, close to the bag, buttstock flush with the bottom of my bag. I packed out several rams and carried that 7900 Guide for over about 65 backcountry days afield. Zero real complaints. (One sheep partner is a big Kifaru fan, and I like their packs a lot, just never enough to leave my SG behind)

Loved my Sky Guide 7900 for that side pocket so much, but the fabric would get wet, blood could soak in, it would get a death smell that was near impossible to get out…when doing back to back sheep hunts it can really suck. In 2020 I did my hunt and then with 5 days rest turned and essentially guided my ex wife for her first ram…and my pack was horrid the entire time.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

So in 2022, I drew a Chugach permit and decided to do my first solo sheep hunt, since my daughter, Harper, being the lucky bugger she is drew the Mt. Harper permit her first year out. Knew I’d need help on her hunt, so wasn’t about to try and find two different partners and couldn’t expect the same buddy to help pack two different back to back hunt.

As I was approaching 50, I knew I also need to reassess and try to trim some weight where I could. My pack was an easy place for a real weight savings since the release of the Terminus had their new super durable, water resistant and ultra-lite fabric. It also dispensed with the whole break-away system and all the extra webbing and buckles and BS I can’t even keep up with, and never once used on my SG or Kifaru packs. Loved that it was a real internal frame.

So I used the Terminus 7000 on my solo hunt, packing my ram, fitting the entire sheep, my little seek outside tipi, tripod, rifle and kill kit all in/on the pack. I initially packed that load on the bone for the quarters, back to my new camp and boned everything there before packing out to my pickup spot, which was way way better than the 7mi bushwhack I had packing in from a low strip.

So it was heavy with the whole sheep, but it fit…that was my main future concern for Harper’s hunt that would start in less than a week of these photos.

 

[MacJenkins]

These pics are unreal Will!

 

[Wildwillalaska]

So for Harper’s hunt, my buddy Chuck (aka Frosty) helped and he packed his Barney’s freighter frame pack. Most of us that avidly hunt moose, caribou, big bears, have one of the Barney’s frame packs. If carrying moose quarters all the time, or giant bulky loads, they are great.

Harper was only 10, so she carried a custom ULA pack that was fit for her and carried all her personal clothes and bedding, snacks for the day and some of her 10-days of food. Chuck and I each had a rifle, I carried mine, Chuck carried Harper’s. We had two tents, and we had one spotter shared between us. Then plenty of comfort food and snacks on top of our normal freeze dried meals.

Chuck surprised us once at our first high camp that he had packed in a couple beers (now a tradition) and several pounds of skittles, like a king-size bag for each day. He’s got a sweet tooth and both he and Harper love skittles.

And again, I was more than pleased with my 7000 Terminus, until after Harper got her ram on day 8 and we had moved camps a couple times further and further away from our intended exit strips. So after she got her ram, we stashed the cape and meat at the bottom of a valley between our camp and where we had to climb over to the next valley head where he ram was. We rolled back to our camp and tents at like 2:30am. Next day was moving day, we had to grab camp and all the ram and move camp about 8 miles down and two drainages over. Big moving day given we would likely have to shuttle loads on at least one of the climbs as it was too steep to pack 130+ lbs up.

So we make that camp, and now we are just about 7mi from where we will Get picked up the following morning. Only one climb, then long downhill to the spot. Trouble was we really didn’t have time to shuttle like the day before. So I woke early, ran the meat and some gear to the top ridgeline. By the time I was back, chuck was up, he took most food and his gear and the cape head. I tore down and packed his tent while letting Harper sleep a bit longer, then repeated for hers. Chuck was going to grab meat and such that I left at the top and run it to the strip. Then start back and we’d meet him wherever along the way.

This is where the 7000 Terminus proved a little petite for me. We tents down, everything packed and head up to the ridge. We get to the top, don’t see Chuck anywhere heading back yet, and ALL the meat and gear I had packed up was still there. He somehow couldn’t find where I left it so tried to hot foot it to the strip. I knew we didn’t have time to shuttle at this point, I would just have to GRUNT IT OUT. So I drop my pack, which was already fairly full, and start just stuffing meat and gear, and catching other lighter stuff on the outside where straps allow. It was ugly and whonkey, but it looked to work.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

So my GRUNT IT OUT however possible almost looked like it was going to work…mostly, then we come upon Harper’s cape and head just sitting there. I was like what the hell. Well, Chuck a a moment of concern packing down to our exit with the trophy but not finding the meat, which is legit, since it really is a big no-no. We always pack meat simultaneously or first, never second.

But still no Chuck, and can see down valley to the pick up spot and not seeing him. Worried we would run out of time, you guessed it, I decided to MO GRUNT IT OUT. Drop my well in excess of 120+ pound pack, and not having anywhere to stuff more inside, and being out of time, I just tried to strap it on the best I could. Hands down the worst pack I’ve carried as everything was lopsided, off balance and all but actually falling off. I’ve carried a heavier pack…soaking wet 10’4” brown bear, but never one as badly situated to make it feel worse than it was.

I barely carried it a mile when Chuck came upon us and all but fell over laughing at the sight of me. He quickly stashed the stuff hanging off my pack and we made it down to pick up in time to cape out Harper’s ram before the cubs arrived. So all well that ends well. When we were in Reno for the sheep show and Harper was getting a youth award for her ram, we stopped by the SG booth. Saw their new 8700 Terminus. Yep, decided I’m not screwing around with that strapped and stacked stuff on the outside again. Chuck and I both ended up getting one and have used them three seasons now without a hiccup. Love the packs…but I’d buy a new one if they added the side flap pocket where I could slide my buttstock and ditch the lower part of the gun bearer.

 

[fourfive8]

Which “alpine” pack?
I think it depends on purpose. Packing out meat or a brown bear hide is one thing. Packing in/out for backcountry camping trip is another. I really don’t know brands and have forgotten many including the latest trendy names as they do regularly change. My only recommendation is the user really must at least try the pack first. Borrow one, put some weight in the thing and try it for a short hike over some rough terrain or at least something besides the showroom or internet floor. No matter the brand, it has to fit the user. Easy enough to inspect for construction design, welds and quality of fabric, etc.

Huge difference between packing 60 lbs in a 25 pocket, universal, trendy pack just purchased at REI and packing as 200 lb hide! A bone-in, large moose quarter can easily top 165 lbs. A large, wet brown bear hide can be close to 200. I remember a “hot” trendy pack heavily pushed for AK use about 20 years ago… a friend got one and I tried it out. About the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever strapped on my back loaded with a modest 70 lb of caribou meat! The most comfortable, non-super duty frame and bag for packing I’ve had is a no name I bought at a flee market for about $5. Easily packs 100 loads with low stress.

Pic of packing 200 lb brown bear hide AK Peninsula. Good ole memories… This heavy duty frame belonged to a friend- he had it custom built for the purpose of carrying super heavy loads.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

Which “alpine” pack?
I think it depends on purpose. Packing out meat or a brown bear hide is one thing. Packing in/out for backcountry camping trip is another. I really don’t know brands and have forgotten many including the latest trendy names as they do regularly change. My only recommendation is the user really must at least try the pack first. Borrow one, put some weight in the thing and try it for a short hike over some rough terrain or at least something besides the showroom or internet floor. No matter the brand, it has to fit the user. Easy enough to inspect for construction design, welds and quality of fabric, etc.

Huge difference between packing 60 lbs in a 25 pocket, universal, trendy pack just purchased at REI and packing as 200 lb hide! A bone-in, large moose quarter can easily top 165 lbs. A large, wet brown bear hide can be close to 200. I remember a “hot” trendy pack heavily pushed for AK use about 20 years ago… a friend got one and I tried it out. About the most uncomfortable thing I’ve ever strapped on my back loaded with a modest 70 lb of caribou meat! The most comfortable, non-super duty frame and bag for packing I’ve had is a no name I bought at a flee market for about $5. Easily packs 100 loads with low stress.

Pic of packing 200 lb brown bear hide AK Peninsula. Good ole memories… This heavy duty frame belonged to a friend- he had it custom built for the purpose of carrying super heavy loads.

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I know several areas out in the AK Pen look like another, but area in your photo definitely looks similar to Johnson’s place out on bear Lake. Curious if close by.

You bring up a great point of using a buds pack if at all possible since you will never know if it fits well for you without trying it with some uncomfortable amount of weight. The really nice thing on many of these trendy names, I will say are trendy for a reason, they make great packs. I fear Stone Glacier may get flung too far from their origins, similar to Kifaru, making great bomber packs, by human hands in the US and stand behind them. As clothing and other gear enter the mix, it gets hard not to wonder if at some point focus is lost. I don’t think it’s yet.

…but these trendy named companies have really designed an incredible amount of adjustment into their designs to allow them to comfortably fit many shapes and sizes very, very well. If you think it’s important that a rifle fit you, a pack is way more so, and the need goes up exponentially as weight increases. And as @fourfive8 correctly points out, once you are just doing strait away packing moose quarters or worse yet a bear hide, there is no real comfort. Comfort is gone, but you need a pack that can hold it and make the trip (or 8 trips for a moose) without failure, some kind of total breakdown, and ideally not totally break you. I love Barney packs for those heavy, heavy pack jobs. They will hold a ton of weight and allow you to carry more than you would want, and in a way it doesn’t totally break you down, but I also don’t like scrambling around knarly steep approaches with that big blocky pack. A nice internal frame that moves with you and as close to your body, even moving with your body, is so much more comfortable and safe, especially if you add high winds as well. Which you will get high winds if you hunt steep places at elevation.