I'm no expert. But I've learned a lot over the last 2 years about living out of a bag or vehicle with some more extreme camping and hunting trips.
They might not be tactical, but some of the new modern packs really allow you to haul a ton of gear. The big thing is handling weight efficiently. With hunting becoming an extreme sport with a focus on athletics, I think much of the mountain Western hunting can translate well to non-tacticool bug out gear.
In Alaska, one of the premier packs is the locally made "Barney" pack.
https://barneyssports.com/product-category/default-category/packs-bags/external-frame/
Local Alaskan sporting goods store with their own pack is kinda cool. Hunting buddy has one. Expensive, but he has hauled over a ton of meat with it cumulatively.
Many of the "Gucci" brands also have awesome frames. Kuiu. Eberlestock. Badlands (one of my favorite brands).
I do think, for gucci but value, the Eberlestock RMEF pack is the best mix of dump truck and sports car.
https://eberlestock.com/products/team-elk-pack?variant=16875766775859
I'll likely buy the Team Elk RMEF eberlestock if I go out this year.
I did get by on a budget though... Good ole USGI surplus Molle ii pack frame. Required some ratchet straps and Paracord, but I did haul much of my 62.5" Yukon moose out with it. 135# quarters are no joke.
Screenshot_20230224-075730.png
Damn that's a beautiful beast! I got myself a badlands day pack for buying 2 years ago. It's awesome, I was looking at one if they're larger pack frame for carrying elk out with.
One of the premeir us hunting pack manufacturers is.
https://exomtngear.com/collections/k3?page=2
There made in Idaho. For short and multiday hunting trips. Of large and medium game. Primarily elk and deer. Even their largest pack weighs in at under 6lbs. And most around 5lbs. Which is very disriable when adding up weights of all gear needed on a long range hunt.
The main idea behind these packs is they are made to separate the pack from the pack board. So you can carry meat strapped down under your pack. They are also very comfortable riding packs as they are made for heavy loads. But even on a smaller hunt the weight of these packs make them very desirable when hunting rough terrain.
Watch the video. It does the best job of describing these packs. There are also several yt videos comoaring this pack to others in the category.
They're not as expensive as a kifaro. Fairly affordable at arround $600. For pack and frame. They also come in a full range of frame sizes. And camo patterns. There is a new K4 version coming out. I would look at that on their website too. Only drawback is they are dropping multicam.
I've wanted to get a Barney's pack since I was a teenager. By the time I could afford one I pretty much stopped hunting. I still think about picking one up every once in a while.
Every time I've hauled a moose quarter out of the woods in a game bag slung over my shoulder I've thought 'NEVER AGAIN' and yet it kept happening. :clownshoes: