# Which Pack to buy?



## Igottabigone (Oct 4, 2007)

I am looking to get a new hunting pack. I need to be able to carry a gun/bow, spotting scope, tripod, and the other regular stuff. Which pack do you think is the best. I don't necessarily need a great big pack. Just a pack I can carry the above mentioned items. So what do you all think? Eberlestock, Badlands, Kelty, Cabelas, etc, etc.?


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## Gaston (Dec 6, 2008)

I'd look at the Badland 2200. It has somewhat of a internal frame that really helps when you have a heavy load.


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## ut1031 (Sep 13, 2007)

Badlands 2200......enough said!


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## ForkhornKiiller9000 (Jul 27, 2009)

Now badlands makes great packs i cant think of a bad thing about badland. With that said i did get a new pack this year and love it its the horn hunter mainbeam for $169.00. It fits by body a little better than the 2200 but i love badlands superday pack and bino cover so my advice go to a store and try them on if you go to cabelas usually thell let you put weight in it to see how they do with loads.


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## mtnrunner260 (Feb 15, 2010)

I just got an Eberlestock blue widow about 3 weeks ago and really like it.
I didn't get the gun scabbard with it but I rarely carry a rifle but my spotter and tripod fit into one of the long pockets really well and makes for quick access if needed.
It's about 2200 CU with everything tightened down and goes up to over 6000 CU if you add a spike duffel. With I could only use that much space if most of it was helium ballons.


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## elk22hunter (Sep 7, 2007)

I have had the BL 2200 and it is ok. I sold it however and got the Horn Hunter and really like it. 
All of them are too heavy and when they come out with one that hauls more things but is self propelled, that is the one for me.


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## silvertip (Sep 27, 2007)

I bought the Cabelas Bow & Rifle pack a couple years ago, It is a little on the heavy side but its pretty sturdy. I have hauled out 2 deer quartered in it and it has held up pretty good. I think it was quite a bit less $ than the Badlands packs, I cant really remember. Im happy with it, although I wish the day pack had better shoulder straps. They are kinda cheesy.


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## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

I think you would be happy with any of the packs mentioned above. I went through the same process you are last year. I ended up getting the horn hunter mainbeam. It is an awesome pack. I have used the BL 2200 as well. It is a great pack too. I think the hornhunter mainbeam fits me better, but both packs are very comfortable. The shoulder straps on the badlands are really nice though, and the zipper on the back of the pack is cool for getting into your pack in some hunting situations. Either way I don't think you can go wrong. Eberlestock makes good packs too, but I haven't had as much experience using them in the field.


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## utfireman (Sep 7, 2007)

Badlands comes in different sizes. All these complaints about the sizing would be taken care of with proper fitting of the pack.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

silvertip said:


> I bought the Cabelas Bow & Rifle pack a couple years ago, It is a little on the heavy side but its pretty sturdy.


i got the same pack a few years ago and i have used it numerous times even out snowmobilling but that was the only time it wasnt comfortable hitting all the bumps up in west yellowstone my back was so sore that day but other than that it was a great pack


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I also have the Cabela's Bow & Rifle pack. It's a good internal frame pack. I like the Badlands better, but with the money saved I was able to get a few more things to put in the pack. 
I do have a sturdy external frame hiking backpack, though, that I'd use to pack out an elk instead of using the Cabela's pack.


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## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

I have the Eberestock X1 and love it. Used it on a cousins bear hunt on the boulders and hardly knew it was there. 
Its cheaper then the BL 2200 is why I got it. It has a gun scabbard and a bow holder plus plenty of room.


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## ktowncamo (Aug 27, 2008)

Everyone loves the Badlands 2200 but frankly after packing out my deer last year and my buddy's elk as well as a number of days hunting with it I wasn't a fan. The 2800 is better suited than the 2200 IMO.

Timberhawk Kill Shot which is on http://www.camofire.com today (Monday) gets great reviews and the ability to expand to haul an animal or to contract when you don't want to feel like you've got a huge pack on is a plus.

Checked out the Eberlestock packs but can't remember the model I liked best. The Mystery Ranch system from a demo I got on how to use that pack had me salivating...until I realized I'd have to sell my first born son to buy one. $700+ if I remember correctly. :shock: Sheesh


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

Cabelas has knocked off quite a few of the Badlands packs so they have similar products for a lot less. I love my Badlands though.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

I have badlands packs... but am thinking about using an old Kelty (my dads old backpacking pack) external frame pack to get my shiz into my hunting area this year. Then I'll just use one of my Badlands packs to get the initial "meat trip" back to camp before going back with the external frame to get the rest of it.


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Duplicate post


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## Duckholla (Sep 24, 2007)

Jay Robert, one of the owners of this company "BlacksCreek" gave me one of his packs several years ago to try it out in the field and I was sold. I've since purchased one of each line that he manufactures. Jay is a hunter himself, who has teamed up with several other hunters like Jim Horn and together came up with a pack that can meet all the needs of a hunter. They've really thought of everything!
I was extremely impressed with their "Alaskan" pack from the "Mountain Man Series." Two years ago a buddy and I packed out an entire elk in one trip using this Alaskan pack, and although it was heavy, the pack distributed the weight like I couldn't beleive and we managed to make it happen with very little discomfort! I was SUPER impressed. So here's my plug for them.

http://www.blacks-creek.com/www/New Site pages/Sub Pages/PacksHomePage.html


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## Renegade (Sep 11, 2007)

Duckholla said:


> Jay Robert, one of the owners of this company "BlacksCreek" gave me one of his packs several years ago to try it out in the field and I was sold. I've since purchased one of each line that he manufactures. Jay is a hunter himself, who has teamed up with several other hunters like Jim Horn and together came up with a pack that can meet all the needs of a hunter. They've really thought of everything!
> I was extremely impressed with their "Alaskan" pack from the "Mountain Man Series." Two years ago a buddy and I packed out an entire elk in one trip using this Alaskan pack, and although it was heavy, the pack distributed the weight like I couldn't beleive and we managed to make it happen with very little discomfort! I was SUPER impressed. So here's my plug for them.
> 
> http://www.blacks-creek.com/www/New Site pages/Sub Pages/PacksHomePage.html


Those look great!


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## Igottabigone (Oct 4, 2007)

Thanks for the info everyone. They all look good. Has anyone ever used the Timber Hawk that Ktowncamo talked about? They look pretty cool, especially for the price


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## gwailow (Jan 20, 2008)

Badlands 2200--Awesome.


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## lehi (Sep 13, 2007)

I have the Badlands 2800. I have yet to use it. I got it for $175 at the expo. I have loaded it down with weight and it feels really comfortable. I could probably load it up for 2 days of camping and still be able to haul most if not all of a deer out with it.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

badland 4500.


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## Elkoholic8 (Jan 15, 2008)

Here is another vote for the Black Creeks bag. I was in your same situation about 3 years back and I narrowed it down to the Canadian by Black Creek and the Badlands 2200. I liked the feel of the 2200 but loved the adjustability of the Blacks Creek. It has an organizer in two of the 3 main compartments so you don't have to did for your stuff when you need it. It is hydration compatible, carries a gun on either side and a bow down the middle. One of the other selling points for me, when it comes to packing the meat out, the badlands has the meat on the outside of the pack and the BC has the meat bag against your back. If you have ever packed meat before you know how important it is to keep the weight as close to your body as possible. I use this pack on almost every hunt I go on, carry all my extended stay and safety gear with me, and it has eneough room to bring an elk quarter back to camp.
My only real complaint with my pack is that it is heavy, but it's compareable to every other internal frame daypack out there. Water is the heaviest thing in there and what can you do about that???

However, I use an aluminum pack frame if I am just going in to pack meat.


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## TopofUtahArcher (Sep 9, 2009)

Take a look at the Blacks Creek packs out of Idaho. I have sold out or I'd offer you a web special on one... I particularly like the Western for a mid sized pack - have packed over 100# of meat out several times with the one I had last year. They are very good packs.


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## IDHunter (Dec 17, 2007)

I personally hate the badlands 2200. To me it rides way to high over my shoulders and is constantly getting hung up on stuff when I'm walking through brush. The 2800 and the super day on the other hand are much more comfortable. The only down side to the 2800 is the plastic straps. The first year I used mine the strap broke with the first elk quarter I loaded into it and it's been broken ever since (5 years now). A warranty is great, but doesn't help when you still have 3 elk quarters on the mountain.


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## MadHunter (Nov 17, 2009)

Check out the Buck's Bags - Rifleman. It's a good pack, very durable and well made. It has a lot of pros and a few cons. I used it for several seasons and gave it to a new comer to the sport and got a BL 2200. I like them both a lot.

The Rifleman is a bit on the pricy side but it's 100% made in the USA. To some of us that is still important.
http://www.bucksbags.com/cm_item.asp?id=593


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## elkbudy (Dec 24, 2007)

+1 badland 2200 hauled all my stuff and a quarter at a time great back


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## thanatos (Sep 13, 2007)

+1 for horn hunter as well. The local customer service is a bonus too


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