Pack Recommendations

[Knot Tellin]

I am looking for some advice on a new pack. I plan to use it for back country hunting/hiking for elk, deer, and moose. I plan to hunt a minimum of 7 day. I have been looking at the KUIU Icon Pro 7200 and KUIU the Ultra 6000 but can’t decide which one to go with. I also plan on purchasing 1800ish day pack to be used with the same frame. I really like the looks of their packs and weight of them.
Has anyone had any experience with KUIU packs?
Which pack frame is better for packing large animals?
How much volume do you recommend for equipment based on time you plan to stay?

[AKmyles]

I have the Icon 7200... I love it. Its plenty big for 7 day hunts and handles heavy loads well (extremely comfortable). I am pretty sure that you can actually get more CIs from the Ultra 6000 when you use it with its load sling feature. But you'd have to double check the website. I believe the Ultra frame has a few pounds shed off of it from the Icon frame also, but I have no personal experience with the Ultras. Im sure you'd be happy with either frame.

[Knot Tellin]

The new ultra and Icon pro have both shed some weight. I like the idea of the extra space in the icon but like the weight and price of the ultra

[AKmyles]

I have to agree with you. The Ultra 6000 wasnt out when I purchased mine or i think thats what I would have gone with that.

[Knot Tellin]

I figure for moose hunting it will be a 10 day trip. How many days afield could I get out of a 6000?

[AKmyles]

Are you gonna be stricktly living off your back? The longest ive done with my 7200 is 7 days backpack hunt, worked just fine. We hiked 15 miles on the first day before we setup camp. When we go to moose camp for 10 days we get dropped off into camp, and hunt from there.

[907backcountry]

I purchased the Ultra 6000 this summer, haven't had a chance to field test it yet but I like the fit and feel of it. Extremely light but the fabric is pretty thin so may want to go with the icon pro as it has a much heavier duty fabric and would likely be more durable and last longer packing heavy loads of moose, elk, etc.

[eatwildgame]

I have the Icon 7200... I love it. Its plenty big for 7 day hunts and handles heavy loads well (extremely comfortable). I am pretty sure that you can actually get more CIs from the Ultra 6000 when you use it with its load sling feature. But you'd have to double check the website. I believe the Ultra frame has a few pounds shed off of it from the Icon frame also, but I have no personal experience with the Ultras. Im sure you'd be happy with either frame.

+1. Love mine

[bigskyguy]

I have this one http://arcteryx.com/product.aspx?lan...ra-75-Backpack

The pivoting waistbelt is really nice and it doesn't have a bunch of stuff hanging off all over it to get snagged while alder-busting. The pivot system is a dream on the hips. Longest day so far was 16 miles, 50lbs, 3800 vert, and while I was sore it was nothing compared to how I felt after using older traditional packs. Combined with a lightweight camo rain cover it's good to go. It's proven reliable with a large load of bou meat/cape/head and the storage works for carrying a rifle and spotter. The hip-belt also happens to carry my glock 10mm in a blackhawk paddle holster perfectly. I bet only a few with a chest harness could draw faster.

[MarineHawk]

I like my KUIU Ultra 6000 a lot. I have only tested it a few times so far, having bought it recently. I carry 45-lbs -50-lbs in it on four-mile workout expeditions. I think it is as comfortable with that load as most packs I have used, excepting my Arcteryx Bora 65 and Bora 80 packs. They are, by far, the most comfortable packs I have ever carried. However, they are more than 3-lbs heavier to carry the same volume. For most uses, I might go with the KUIU 6000. At 3-lb, 9-oz, it weighs less than many little day packs, and is pretty stout for at least up to 50-lbs. The material seems plenty durable to me.

[AKRecurveAssassin]

Get a Barney's pack. Enough said

http://barneyssports.com/backpacks.html

[hoose35]

Get a Barney's pack. Enough said

http://barneyssports.com/backpacks.html

Ditto. A lot of these posts say, I got this pack or that pack, and I really like it, but haven't used it yet, or field tested it. Barney's packs are proven. I wouldn't want to pack a moose with anything else.

[Alaska_Lanche]

I have been using the Kuiu Ultra all summer on my summer hiking trips and have about 14 backcountry hiking days with it as well as about 7 day hikes with it with loads from 20 to 80 pounds.

Did a review on what I thought of it here:
http://www.rokslide.com/2012-01-09-0...uiu-ultra-6000

That said if hauling moose or big brown bear are your main objective I would rather just use a simple cabelas external frame for that application if money was a concern. If money isn't too tight then go for a Barney's external, Mystery Ranch NICE 7500, or Kifaru EMR II...all are roughly $700+ though so keep that in mind.

[Jawz]

I have the Icon 7200 and it is very comfy. I packed out a whole bull tahr cape and meat in NZ and 2.5 deer here in Australia a couple of weeks ago. Im using it on a sept moose hunt and don't have any fear it will do the job.

[K Dill]

I usually don't advise people to buy this or that backpack, as fit and preference are so individual. I've had the ultralight $500-$700 rigs and rejected all of them as not what suited me when it came time to get down, bloody, ugly and dirty. I'll say this: I can't tell a difference between 62 pounds and 65 pounds on my back, so the fractional weight thing never mattered to me. When it comes time to shoulder something like 80 to 120 pounds of fresh meat...blood, smell, etc...I appreciate a very stout, rigid and simple pack. The 2 or 3 pound pack weight difference is lost for me when heavy loads come into play. I want a pack that serves me easily and dependably. I want it to take abuse and not falter. When it get grunged-up I want to tie a line to it and throw it in the river for a day. In short, I want a pack to be my hunting partner...tough, dependable, comfortable...and I don't care what he weighs or looks like. This is all me, so nobody here should think I'm judging what they do.

My heavy-hauler is a Barney's Freighter Frame customized to my needs. My daily hunting pack is a Mystery Ranch Dragonslayer (cute name) which is a phenomenal hunting pack capable of more weight than most would guess. If I had to go to one pack (only) I'm not sure where I'd land. I might use the Barney's frame with a large sil-nylon waterproof bag strapped aboard holding my gear. I'd probably select an ultralight 1800-size daypack and attach it over the load to use for daily hunting needs. I think this would work well for hunts that involve packing heavy moose, caribou, goat and other large game meat/trophies. The strong frame is a necessity for me.