Backpack setups for DIY'ers

[UPSman]

Well, lets hear about them or see them. I have a Badlands 2800 that I have used a little around here in the mtns. I would think that I could prolly go 3-4 days at most on an elk hunt with it. I'm bad for carrying too much stuff I don't need. I am kinda considering buying another backpack or a Kelty Freighter to haul the 2800 and other stuff. I like this guys setup.
Setup

 

[Radar]

That looks nice , Chris .

 

[PO Cedar]

I'll probably try to "lighten the load" of my existing backpack if I decide on the Montana sheep hunt. Otherwise, I feel pretty good about what I have. A person can sink a fortune in ultralight gear and with the constant research and development(just like compound bows) a person can get take a beating money-wise and have depreciated obsolete equipment fast. Plus, I have a real problem paying some of the prices for name brands and finding out they are made in Vietnam(DAMN COMMUNISTS that GIs lost their lives over),China(next superpower and we are making that happen sooner than later), and other third world countries. I prefer military surplus;field tested by our soldiers and the colors are more to my liking than pastels,blues, and purples found on the commercial stuff. IF I was to upgrade it would be to go all the way--"Mystery Ranch",Kifaru,or one of the other quality pack manufacturers that make their products HERE. A good rule of thumb when deciding on gear and weight is a factor: Ask yourself-"Will this piece of equipment do more than one function?" If not,look for something that will--I try to get all my battery-operated devices that use the same size batteries. For example:AAA-headlamp,GPS,small flashlight- A "Leatherman" multi-tool should be in the inventory.

 

[PO Cedar]

This is my old reliable large Alice pack with frame. I am a little overloaded on this trip but I didn't want to have to come back down to the truck for several days. I hunted up on top of the mesa you see to my right. Needless to say, I took a few rest stops before topping out!!

 

[WestTn Huntin man]

I like to carry 2 med fanny packs for mild days. I only use a backpack for carrying heavy clothes for cold mornings.One fanny for snacks and drink.One fanny for scent and calls.

 

[PO Cedar]

I've posted these pics here before. This is at one of the rest stops going up.

 

[Radar]

That's a nice climb . Good picture too .

 

[PO Cedar]

I like carrying a 5 quart Vietnam canteen because it collapses into a small package,has a filter screen, and if it is empty you can blow it up and it becomes a pillow to sleep on. Here is my water source up on top of the mesa. The drought has slowed the stream down to where I have to dam up the water to get enough to fill up the canteen. A "Platypus" Hoser water bladder is a good commercial version of the Vietnam canteen.

 

[PO Cedar]

Having a reliable water supply is the key to all backcountry hunting. I hid this piece of black irrigation pipe the first year I found this spring so I could use it to get water. A flexible elk bugle tube would also work.

 

[Radar]

Having a reliable water supply is the key to all backcountry hunting. I hid this piece of black irrigation pipe the first year I found this spring so I could use it to get water. A flexible elk bugle tube would also work.

I know all about a reliable water supply . I took someone's advise at a hunting camp who said a spring was safe to drink from without treating the water ,and I ended up with Giardia . I lost 12 lbs. in a week and nearly died of dehydration before I was admitted to the hospital .

 

[PO Cedar]

I was able to lay on my back under this tarp and see the constellations like no where else I've been.The weather was pleasant for 3 nights up there under this tarp. This was in 2004.This lightweight "bashi" tarp goes in my daypack every time I go out when hunting out West.

 

[PO Cedar]

In 2005 it rained almost every day up on top. I stretched the tarp over my bivy "kitchen" so I could sit outdoors and cook/eat.

 

[PO Cedar]

I used Cabela's "Hunter's Bivouac" as a shelter in '05. It was a lightweight unit and packed small but the condensation vents were inadequate and I woke up every morning to a "cold shower" from the roof.

 

[UPSman]

I have looked at the Mystery Ranch packs as well as Kifaru but their cost is prohibitive to me. I have been watching for deals on backpack gear, tents, pads, sleeping bags, etc. What do you normally carry in your pack as far as chow and clothes go? To me, as best I can figure, food is gonna be the heaviest item. Do you mainly hunt out of one camp or are you on the move following elk?

 

[PO Cedar]

I was going up to this one spot for several years and since there was good water I branched out from there but returned at night. I changed locations totally last year and found I could effectively elk hunt from a base camp.It required some changes in my way of doing things in the past but it worked out well last year. I have a mule deer buck only tag this season also. We'll see how it goes.
As far as clothing goes,Underarmour,3 sets of camo BDUs,1 set of wool(surplus pants/military wool gunnery sweater),Peter Storm raingear,Swiss wool surplus gaiters.

 

[PO Cedar]

Instant flavored oatmeal with coffee singles(like tea bags) for breakfast, gorp(trail mix) in the day pack for lunch afield, and an assortment of freeze-dried,military MREs for the night meal. Cooking consists of only boiling water for any meal.

 

[PO Cedar]

You can add Ramen noodles,tortillas for the assorted packaged tuna,salmon,chicken available. And a cheap alternative to the freeze-dried foods is the Lipton sides or other rice entrees that are flavored. Just disregard the cooking instructions and place packaged contents into a FREEZER ziploc and boil water. Set the ziploc in your mess kit bowl and pour the boiling water over the contents. Stir and wait a few minutes and you have a good hot meal. No need to add the margarine/butter as the recipe calls for.

 

[PO Cedar]

 

[UPSman]

I have a titanium cookset and a Jetboil stove. The Jetboil works great but is kinda limited in what you can cook in it. I think I may buy the larger pot or whatever it is they call it. I can get MRE's by the case from my cousin but after a few days of those....yick. I have eaten my fair share of those when I trapped bears for the USMC.

 

[PO Cedar]

UPSman, sounds like you have a good cooking setup.---The drawback to MREs is that they take up lots of room and are heavy.Buying just the entrees and having a good supply of the MRE heaters seems to be the better way to use them. I wouldn't get back to bivy camp until dark thirty and all I wanted to do was hurry up and down some food and hit the sack. I would fire up some water for the Mtn.House meal,gulp down some water, and crash.4:00 and the alarm goes off, and you start all over.

 

[PO Cedar]

We didn't exactly have the new ultralight backpacking gear but we wanted to hunt elk and we had a limited budget. So military surplus was the answer.LOL

 

[PMC certified]

PO - Have you ever looked at a Hennesey Hammock? I use one for backpacking and it is great.

Pmc

 

[PO Cedar]

They don't work too well in the high country,although I understand they have remedied the "frozen butt" phenomonem by adding an insulated layer. I'm just relating what a few "newbies" posted when they tried going ultralight and experimented with them in Colorado and was miserable when temps dropped at night, I have no personal experience with them. David Sapp's Golite Hex 3 with a sewn in "versaport" and an ultralight folding titanium stove(www.titaniumgoat.com) would be a good shelter choice,IMO. Pack in a few charcoal briquets to put in the stove just before sacking out and you should stay pretty warm,even with a marginal sleeping bag.

 

[PMC certified]

Interesting. I have used one down to about 20d with no problem. I found that using a insulator under me and dropping a couple of handwarmers in my bag to work well. One other trick is to hang it very low and pile up leaves or pine straw near the base to cut off the wind.

Pmc

 

[PO Cedar]

I went out early in 2004 to scout for elk for a bunch coming out later and ended up at the head of a drainage. A Forest Ranger was buried up there. I decided to sack out there next to him that night and keep him company.

 

[PO Cedar]

This was my backpack "setup"- a rainfly off an old A frame backpacking tent- definitely had a condensation issue the next morning.

 

[jarhead7481]

OK, I just found and bought a Kelty Cache Hauler. Boy are they hard to get a hold of. Now I need to look at them there packs. I am leaning towards either the Blacks-Creek Jim Horn Signature Alaskan, Canadian, or the Western. What do you guys think?
I have a year to ready myself and believe me I need readying.
No time like the present though.

 

[UPSman]

I looked at an Alaskan today at Sportsman Warehouse. For $149 I'm gonna get one. Its a very nice pack.

 

[ghosthunter]

The Elberstocks seem to be nice packs. I looked at one this morning at Sportsman's Warehouse. I've read great reviews about them.