Purchasing a Pack for Backpack Hunting

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I spend many years searching to find a pack.  I hope that my journey helps you as you search for that perfect pack.  My trouble with packs is that if I get much over 50lbs in them they start to sag off my waist, primarily at the small of my back. I have to constantly crank down on the waist belt and it’s a nagging issue. I have had deal with it over the years, but I was hoping it could be resolved.

In 2006 I started off my search for an Alaska worthy hunting pack with a Dana Design/K2 external frame Terraframe, a well-designed pack, that just never quite fit me right. I believe that this issue is because I cannot get the waist belt tight enough on the Dana. The belt is borderline in terms of fit, running a little on the large side. I also think the lumbar support is not enough for my build. With that said Dana Packs are a great pack for the budget hunter; and hard core hunters have hauled out many a critter with these packs. If you get one that fits, you will have a comfortable load hauling machine. For the adventurous do it “your-selfers” there is a lot of info on the net about guys modifying these frames and even utilizing the Hills People Gear and Kifaru waist belts. I like to tinker, but not that much.

2012 Sheep Hunt

2006 Sheep Hunt

So after a few years of dealing with it, I ignored the critics and purchased a KUIU ICON 7200. I loved the pack bag on the ICON and I initially thought it felt pretty good on the back. I took it on a half dozen training hikes or so and then launched out for the 2013 Sheep Hunt.

Hunt went well and I got to pack a ram out in the ICON. It was an improvement in fit and features from my Terraframe. In reality it was the best pack I had worn to date. With loads around 50lbs it rode pretty decent. I had to crank the waist a bit, but fit was not bad. I got back from the hunt and although I had some issues with the pack, it did work. I was convinced I had finally found the pack for me. I sent an email to KUIU about the waist slip and they shipped me a 2012 ICON waist belt at no cost. This practically solved my sag issue and made a huge difference in how the pack fit. I thought I had found my pack. However, I did have some fraying of the carbon fiber and between that and the constant beating the ICON was getting on the net; combined with pictures of broken frames and I began to doubt the durability of my ICON.

2013 ICON Packout

Early in 2014 I decided to try out some other packs to see if there was a difference in how they felt. I reached out to Kurt at Stone Glacier with some questions and within a few weeks we had met and a demo Sky 7400, with the three piece waist belt, was in hand. It too would not stay up on my waist with my test load of sandbags.

Frustrated I vented a bit about it in an email with Aron at Kifaru; something about how I’ve tried a lot of packs and am struggling to get a good fit and so on. This was followed by a phone call and a few texts. Aron said it was because I had a flat back and that the flat back stays offered by Kifaru would help my issue. He suggested I find a local Kifaru pack and see if it made a difference. Aron stated if a Kifaru pack made a small improvement, then a pack tailored to me with flat back stays would make an even bigger improvement.

So I rounded up a Kifaru T1 with standard stays, threw a few sandbags in the pack and noticed a big improvement. That darn pack almost felt glued to my back. About this same time I reached out to Kurt at Stone Glacier to convey my issues. He appreciated the feedback and asked if I would work with him on a few things so he would be better able to help others in the future. I agreed and he sent out some extra padding to increase the lumbar pad. This somewhat worked, but still did not solve my issue.

At this point I realized 2014’s season was fast approaching. Having lost faith in the ICON I needed to move on a pack. A few more calls to Aron, and a bit a research, and low and behold a Duplex Frame EMR II got ordered. Now the dreaded Kifaru ship date wait game was on.

However, Kurt was not giving up and he sent me a few different lumbar pads to try out. Bam, one of those pads worked! Stone Glacier Sky 7400 was now fitting as good, or better, than the Kifaru T1 had! Well now I had a dilemma; two guys had worked really hard to solve my problem. So being the good guy that I am I promptly sold the ICON and a few other odds and ends and sent Kurt a check for the Sky 7400. I figured between the two packs I would find an ideal configuration for me.

The EMR II finally arrived in mid-April. I used it on several trips but have struggled to get the fit dialed in. Depending on how I tweaked it I alternate between lower back or hip pressure. It is a beast of a pack and a load hauler’s dream and I love the full length zipper and overall design. One can tell this pack was designed by a hunter for hunting. The Kifaru EMR II is a top notch, high quality pack, but in the end the simplicity and fit of the Stone Glacier Sky 7400 works better for my body and hunting style.

I think if I was to do Kifaru all over again I would have just gotten the Highcamp and used pockets as needed. I probably would order it with both frames, figure out which one fit me best and then send the other back. Kifaru has so many pocket options that one can practically build their own pack. When I started I really had no idea as to what type/style of pack I was looking for.

For those shopping for a new pack you need to consider two chief principles; a solid company and fit. It is critical to pick a company you personally trust and can depend on. Both Kurt and Aron were easy to work with, and on the spot ready to address any issue or concern I had. If you chose to go with another brand be sure that brand is every bit as responsive and helpful as these two are. With that said KUIU also addressed every issue I had. They answered questions and even sent me a 2012 waist belt at no cost. I had no issues with KUIU costumer service, I just personally could not maintain my confidence in the 2013 ICON 7200 setup based on what I was seeing. As a disclaimer please note that I did not reach out to other pack companies for this effort.

Fit is EVERYTHING. You must find a pack that fits you well. It must be tailored to your body style and intended usage. Packs are not running shoe comfy, more like a stiff hiking boot, but just like a boot don’t settle for one that does not fit you. Ask around and try to borrow a pack. Lots of guys are more than willing to let you try out their setup. Be polite, patient, and utilize the heck out of the manufacturer to ensure your pack fits you. Any quality pack maker wants you in a pack that fits you. Most should be able to accomplish this for you, but if you are unique and the process is not working politely move on.

One plug for Kifaru is the “optionality” they bring to the table. Stay lengths, waist belts, stay shape, etc. If you are hard to fit ensure the vendor you choose has lots of options. If you are easy to fit then you have a much easier path, just find a quality company and go forth and procure. I hope my journey to a good pack fit helps those of you who are searching. As one of many who have learned the hard way, buy quality, well-fitting gear the first time. Up front it may cost more, but in the end you come out way ahead, both in terms of dollar spent and time wasted!

KUIU ICON 7200
Favorite features:
The Lid, 3 pockets, great for organizing odds and ends (favorite lid of the three).
All the pockets… for the way I like to organize things, it’s a nice set up. Very well thought out design.
Rifle connection (utilizes side water bottle pouch, side pocket, and compression straps. Its rock solid and an ideal set up)
Load Shelf

Concerns:
Buckles and straps seem fragile when compared to the heavier duty hardware on the SG and Kifaru.
Lighter duty cordura fabric, long term durability? Mine worked fine for the season I used it, but I wondered about it long term?
Main Zipper should go both ways
Other users have snapped / broken the frame.

Summary:
I hauled an entire ram out and it handled a load well, but waist sag was an issue for me. It’s a better pack than it gets credit for, but it is hard for me to be confident in a pack I have seen pictures of broken. I sold mine. I probably would have kept it and dealt with the minor fit issues, but I just personally could no longer trust the frame. Fit was greatly improved with the change out to the 2012 waist belt. It added additional lumbar support that almost eliminated waist sag.

This pack is no longer made and the new KUIU ICON Pro has replaced it. My concerns around durability of the frame appear to have been addressed by the frame tweaks. It would be interesting to check the new one out in person.

EMR II Loaded Up

Kifaru EMR II, Duplex Frame, Hunting XTL Lid
Favorite Features:
Optionality: It’s a beast of pack that provides a lot of options of hauling gear and weapons.
Pockets and attachments galore.
Heavy Duty, Burly pack.
Quality Construction
Many options for fitting and customization
Multiple camo patterns and colors

Preferences / Concerns:
The wait time is never fun, but patience is a virtue and Kifaru’s new supplier greatly reduces this concern. I have yet to find the Kifaru lid that is exactly what want, but lids are easy to modify.
The “grab handle” on my pack is a tad short. When heavily loaded this makes hoisting the pack a little difficult (My buddy’s T1 is almost twice as long and twice as functional).  It took me a while to get this pack dialed in, and I never got it where I wanted it. I don’t blame Kifaru for this, I could have called and pursued fitting it more diligently, but time constraints being what they were I didn’t pursue this option like I should have. It was simply to much pack for what I wanted.

Summary
The EMR II is the F350 of packs. It’s tough and designed for large heavy loads. It’s well built and Kifaru’s legacy is one to bank on. If durability is your chief concern then you won’t be disappointed.

Stone Glacier Sky 7400 
Favorite Features:
Light Weight (being an ounce counting sheep hunter, this is what drew me to the pack to start with)
Good lid, simple, yet has the pocket I wanted (also easy to use the pack w/o a lid)
Heavy duty hardware and straps
Quality construction throughout
Good Stability with weight on
Versatility and ability to “shrink” the pack down
Load Shelf (Read Kurt’s articles on this, it’s very informative) Stone Glacier Load Shelf
Xpac fabric (adds waterproofness where utilized)

SG Sky 7400 with Kifaru Gun bearer, I later switched to the SG Rifle Carrier

Preferences / Concerns:
For those of us in the 30-32” waist, it might be good to add the option of a smaller 3 piece waist belt.
Would like to see larger hip pockets available as an additional option. I struggled to get the hip belt pulls set up correctly but Kurt patiently worked with me and we eventually resolved the issue. I think having these pulls sewn in as a permanent part of the belt might help alleviate this issue.
I will post a more detailed review of the Stone Glacier Sky 7400 soon as it has become my go to pack.

Summary
Fit is very good, pretty easy to adjust. For me it required a Stone Glacier custom lumbar pad to dial in and fine tune the fit on the 3 piece waist belt. The Spotting scope pouch works wells and provides an extra external pocket if you prefer to put the spotter in the pack. The hip pockets are great, but a tad small (new pockets resolve this). Internal pockets could use a slight design tweak as stuff had a tendency to fall out during use, but camp pockets made a big difference in internal organization.  A detailed review on the Sky 7400 can be found here: http://remotepursuits.com/stone-glacier-sky-7400-review/

Overall Summary:
The KUIU ICON 7200 is a decent pack in its own right, but the yearly changes, and the broken frames made me look elsewhere. Their new design seems to be much more robust and is worthy of a second look, good price as well. Despite Kifaru’s reputation for load hauling comfort I think the Stone Glacier can hold its own and the load shelf really allows for some serious gear hauling capacity and versatility. For me it all boiled down to fit and configuration for my style of hunting. The Stone Glacier Sky 7400 took some work to get there, but it now fits me well and meets my expectations. Kurt was great to work with and I can’t say enough about his patience and persistence to get my pack dialed in and tuned to me.

December 2015 Update
We added another pack review! Looking for a daypack? Check out the Exo 3500 Review!!