I am sure this has been discussed many times, but I am looking for suggestions on hiking/hunting packs. Mine has gone missing between hunting season last fall and now. My trip is only two weeks away and I am looking for any advice and figured that the people on here have put them to the real test!

I will be using it for BW trips and hunting trips. Would prefer one with a frame of some sort. My last pack was a Kelty and it was great, used on many trips and was still like new! And I was not easy on it. I am considering getting the same one but figured I would look around first and maybe upgrade. Thank you

I don't own one, but a good friend that hunts elk a lot does, and if I was going to pick up a new hunting pack, not much question it'd be one of these guys...
Kuiu packs
Thankfully I don't have to decide on a pack to do the double duty you're talking about - not sure what direction I'd go in that case. Although I'm pretty sure I'd rather make the frame pack make do in the canoe than I would make the portage pack make do in the mountains or over any real distance.

I don't hunt elk, but I do use a rei internal frame pack, which looks similar in design as the Kelty, for both hiking and canoe trips. It works just fine, is comfortable, and I like the external pockets. My son lived out of his for 4 months in AK and it's still in great shape. I would also say if you can only get one, go with the frame pack rather than a portage pack.

Thank you for the suggestions! There are a lot of different brands out there and everyone has their favorite. The local sporting goods store doesn't have a good selection so I have been looking online but it is hard to tell if a pack is any good based on a picture and a couple reviews.
The kuiu pack looks very nice. I think it would be worth spending the extra money on quality. It is a little smaller than my old one but I usually bring way more than I need on my bw trips.

Another option that I think is higher quality than Kelty...although the Kelty is fine.
Granite gear

Order something right away!!
That way - you'll find the other one.

If you're willing to spend money on a kuiu, you might also consider Stone Glacier. I've been sort of eyeballing them and have read good things. You can get a load shelf that's integrated for serious meat hauling.

quote Farmboy88: "I am sure this has been discussed many times, but I am looking for suggestions on hiking/hunting packs. Mine has gone missing between hunting season last fall and now. My trip is only two weeks away and I am looking for any advice and figured that the people on here have put them to the real test!

I will be using it for BW trips and hunting trips. Would prefer one with a frame of some sort. My last pack was a Kelty and it was great, used on many trips and was still like new! And I was not easy on it. I am considering getting the same one but figured I would look around first and maybe upgrade. Thank you

"

Mystery Ranch out of Bozeman Montana packs for hunting. I have done a lot of both canoe camping and back packing over 50 years of it.

I never found a back pack that works well for canoe camping none of them are water proof enough. Never found a canoe pack that worked good for hunting/back
packing.

Each to there own but having one back for both is asking for a lot of frustration. When it does not preform well in each situation.

As I'm sure you know, a frame pack is not ideal for canoeing. The frame can restrict pack placement depending on the distribution of the load in the canoe and the location of the thwarts. I've tried to trip with a framed pack a long time ago.... it didn't work.

We use Battle Lake packs. Minnesota made, this company makes packs for EMTs, wilderness rangers, hunters, as well as canoe packs. They are tough, well-constructed, have a strap system that includes a sternum strap and beefy waist belt. All the straps have adjustment points, so the fit of the pack can be customized for each paddler. Battle Lake is at the Minnesota state fair every year.

Mike

I second the nomination of Mystery Ranch. Run by Dana Gleason who started Dana Design. Dana Design made some great packs. Supposedly the old models of Dana Design are now sold by Marmot, but there is a Terraplane on the MR website. I have an old Dana Design Astral Plane and love it. It's still going strong and I don't need a pack any time soon, but if I did, Mystery Ranch is where I'd start.

Now they make packs for the Navy Seals and wildfire firefighters, and they come highly recommended for backpacking and hunting. I would hesitate to use a frame pack for canoe trips, though - as MikeinMpls said.. but if you've made it work in the past, go for it again - having one pack for all three activities would be awesome.

These suggestions are great! I think I will be going with a frame pack. I think it would be easier to make that work in a canoe than a portage pack in the hills of Montana. I have never tryed a portage pack though. Would it be a lot better?.. worth having a second pack?

two harbors made

minnesota grown. The load hauler. Frame, and not tall like other frame packs.
little pricey. USA MADE for military operations. Depending on how it is loaded will fit between thwarts on most canoes.

flatbed video