(WATCH BEFORE BUYING A NEW PACK) 2023 Top Hunting Pack Comparison: 50 and 100 Pounds!

Alright with us today, we have five of the best

hunting

pack

s for

2023

. We have the kuyu pro, the XO K4, the Glacier Crux stone frame, the Sky 5900 bag, the Kaffaro Bedlam in the duplex frame, and the Mystery Ranch Bear Tooth 80 on it. Mt guide frame between me and the forest, we have real world experience with all of them, but we really want to test them side by side and see what we think, so the main topic of this test will be comfort under load. To load each of these bags first with 50

pounds

, each of us will load it and then we will increase it to 100

pounds

and we will do the same route that will simulate a successful hunt in the field and then with each back

pack

.

We will have a card above that will link to the individual package video. We'll break down the type of bag further, our thoughts on the package, and determine what it may be worth. This video will discuss comfort below. let's load it up, with that being said, let's load it up with 50 pounds, we have about a one mile hike, 200 feet of elevation gain and loss, we'll see how it goes, here we go, final thoughts on the first run, what do you think I don't have? Complaints of any kind, the padding is a little stiffer on this one, it's okay, the frame moves independently, you have the shoulder straps.

I think as you gain weight it will become more your friend than your enemy, two more packs, two more packs, this is definitely the toughest one, huh. For the kuyu I didn't have the complaints that you had, he is not my standout favorite. I prefer the EXO on the stone so far, mainly because of that, you know, as you walk, that lateral load shift is present, I mean, there's less of it. belt there compared to say the cavaro or the EXO or the stone, even the waist on this pack was like a suction cup man, so the kaffaru just came out of the kuyu belt, not that there's anything particularly wrong with the Mystery Ranch, it's just a grade below, it's a big difference between the kaffaro and the Mystery Ranch in terms of how safe I feel, okay, we should trade it for the last 450 pounds, the last one, come on, it moves with me , small shoulders. rotating hips in motion it doesn't feel loose in any way this is embarrassing I'm glad maybe I'll just say we're trying really hard because we're on video well we're back we'll be back the next day a hundred quid a pack here we go luckily today we have a little bit flatter trail, but let's try it with 100 pounds per pack, about a mile, yeah, try to isolate the human variable and be more specific for the packs, 100 pounds over here, let's go.

I wanted to do this, here we go, hey, no, no, no, I think this was your idea after the first test, do you feel much more comfortable with this stone at 100 pounds than with other packs I've had before? Yes, I made the mistake. To start you know that we just arrived, let's go. I didn't secure the freight elevators, you know, but I felt it and once I did, there's money. I feel like this backpack is not as heavy as I expected. I thought about what it felt like to be 50. Double the weight, same amount of comfort, more fatigue on my body, that makes sense.

Lumbar hip belt. Shoulder straps. Everything seems solid to me, no problems, no I don't have a single problem, honestly I wish there was an easier way. way to do this test no, this is a little tight, well, we just finished iteration two with a hundred pounds what do you think about the kuyu? I am not anti-kuyu in any way. I like a lot of their products but this is none of them the lumbar support is too thick I may be alone on this but I'm not a fan of the grip it pulls on my shirt, on my skin in strange ways.

I noticed they were digging into these metal clips right here or into the turnbuckles on my ribs. I'm thin again, so that could be me, but also the pack mobility isn't as bad as what we had at 50. Probably because it's heavier, I guess, uh, more weight and I've got it tight as much as I'll catch you, but it's laborious, that's what it feels like and I'm going from EXO, which is a package that I know suits me, but yeah, I wouldn't, well that's a good point. Do you think any of your concerns are relevant? to adjust with the kuyu or you think you're pretty rock solid.

I tried, man, yeah, you saw me on the way. I was tweaking this every chance I could, so ultimately it's a very capable product, but sometimes it comes down to the individual body wearing it, maybe you. I know, yes, I would say that EXO is very similar to the stone, almost one equal. I think the frameworks are very, very comparable. I mean, I don't have any concerns with comfort with either of them. I feel like with this package, EXO can handle it perfectly. upright a little more easily than I could with the stone, yeah, yeah, that might be an adjustable fit, you know, related, sure I might not have it very tuned, but I mean, dude, very impressive, so let's change them.

Okay, they're in the kaffaru, you know, this is the third test so far. I feel a lot less tired than I did with that backpack, I really do, like I could keep going when I put it back on. I thought, "Hey, you want to." to go, I'm ready to get home, I think that's just the difference in body types, I think so because it seems like you're doing well, pretty good, I feel like I'm working a little harder and I did with the others , Yeah. I don't know how to quantify that, but it's true, I feel solid for us, you should, yes, I think the rigid frame is a noticeable difference, but I wouldn't call it a plus or a minus, it's just a different style of backpack. the stone or the EXO so it's a preference yes for the user, for me again the lumbar pad is a little big but still very manageable.

I would be happy to use this pack for a long time. I don't think I would have the number of complaints you did just because of the difference in our body types, maybe it's safe, but I feel like I'm working harder with a hundred pounds than I am with the stone and EXO. I don't know how to quantify. that, but it's a fact, it's true, yes, it just feels like I have something bigger behind me than before. I actually prefer the Q at 100lbs than at 50lbs. I agree, I think it's just because of the limited movement of that. 100 pound weight compared to yesterday's 50 pound weight, probably because I'm moving slower today getting back in the truck with this backrest.

I'm not too eager to take it off, that's good. I know I feel like I'm moving forward. It's not like we have to pack up the next pack, the sweaty old Mystery Ranch, okay, that's round four with 100 pounds. The kaffaro performed as expected for me, very stiff and very capable, but not in a bad way, it just holds the load a little differently. than some of the other Mystery Ranch packages. I didn't worry about it that much yesterday, but honestly, with 100 pounds of stew better than I thought, it feels at maximum capacity right now with the width of the shoulder straps, yes and Then the way it sits It distributes the weight it starts to go to the bottom of my hips and then to the front of my shoulders and I haven't been able to necessarily adjust that, but I got a different strap design with it. yoke approach, yes, and two independent straps, and I can feel that kind of tightening my neck a little bit and I think it all comes down to a difference in approach, difference in the end user, except we can both agree on all areas. that that style of belt is far superior to something like this, no objection, yes, I like this belt, yes, and the stone and the EXO have similarities, so the kuyu and the Mystery Ranch both go with the smaller belt and thicker padding, well, should we? change it to the last 100 pound race, last race, let's do it, yeah man, that's good, I feel good though, man, on this one, yeah, it's different.

I can honestly say that this backpack feels better, lighter, I feel more energized than with the previous one. three and I would say that says something as it's about three miles with 100 pounds on them which really says something this is at the end of the test um yeah I like it it just feels good no complaints . Mystery Ranch 100 lbs, it's just capable I just think it's a little lacking when it comes to comfort under load, maybe it has something to do with the design of the Yoke shoulder strap and the five piece belt, but I feel the difference, you know, I'd rather you know that you're looking in a different direction.

Maybe the packets return to the well which concludes our tests. We did a couple miles and took those sandbags on a trip, but 50 pounds and then 100 pounds with the five packs, we'll just go through them and talk about each one now. starting with the XL, the xlt4, the K4, yes, we will start with the belt, the lumbar, honestly, for me it was perfect. I think this style, this talhallic style of belt is really the way to go and the lumbar pad had enough cushion for me without being too annoying, okay it's almost a mix of kaffaru and stone when you look at the frame itself with the design of the belt ultimately was in the top tier of the five uh it drives very well. very good, shoulder straps, I didn't feel any pinching on my neck, it wasn't squeezing me too much or pulling my shoulders back, yeah, again, I mean, like we both agreed, it's pretty much a backpack where you don't really feel that.

I agreed and there is something to be said for the simplistic approach here, so simple but works so well, decent sized straps, no excessive sewing or bells and whistles, and whether I was carrying 50 or 100 pounds with that backpack, I almost felt the same if that makes any sense no I agree it was a nominal difference between the two uh more on The Human Side than the XO K4 so not exactly that's actually a great way of putting it like the added weight You could feel it, but it didn't change the fit, the feel of the way it moved, how secure it was, how agile you felt, other than the fact that you weighed twice as much.

Everything else, that's all I got, it was very good on that one, yeah, the queu Pro 6000. it's not one of my favorites, uh, it's a capable package, it'll get the job done and some people really like it, it's being coming close to trying to be, you know, the elite, however, I think it's lacking a little bit. I think it's a little bit because of the shoulder strap design instead of that simplistic, you know, Stone Kefaro I rode under load again, it wasn't one of the best, at least for me personally. You know, I agree. I found the belt to be inadequate in both padding and lumbar sizing for me.

I wasn't a fan of the lumbar. I felt like it felt too thick and also like I said, I don't like the grip on the lower back as far as shoulder straps go. My only complaint, really, was that this metal turnbuckle was digging into my ribs and you know, I'm a pretty skinny guy. but that would eat me alive after a couple of miles and when I used this pack I noticed that even with a lighter weight and then the shifting, it feels more fatiguing, like you said, it's more fatiguing, you have a lateral sway. As for the load, it is a little cushioned with a heavier weight in the backpack than with the 50 pounds, as we mentioned yesterday.

I'm a little different in body type, I'm a few pounds heavier than Brady and I. I'm also shorter, uh, that clip on the shoulder straps didn't affect me at all, like you're describing, but again, it just feels general, like we said. Comfort under load is not my favorite. I agree, okay, the kaffaru you've had. lots of experience with this package. What are some things you like? It's a tank, it doesn't have a lot of flexibility, but sometimes that's what the end user prefers, especially when you go through different weight ratings. carrying 50 100 lbs whatever it is but the belt is top notch from my side you know it's not it has enough cushioning but not too much that you don't feel wide around the hips it wraps around the contours , you already know. on this axis and on the vertical axis it just moves well the lumbar pad is obviously quite thick some people like it and some people don't.

I don't care and the shoulder straps are there. I had no problem. With the shoulder straps, any of the loads are very safe, very stable in movement, just the tank of a backpack. I do not agree with that. One thing I will say again for myself. The common theme seems to be that I prefer a little less lumbar. back pad and I noticed that the way the hip belt connects to the lumbar pad there is a little bit of room here on me so the pad feels a little bigger than I wanted on the hip belt was fantastic, I was worried about um pinching my hip flexors while walking didn't get any of that, the shoulder straps were good.

One thing I want to see here is the way these different frames flex, so what we were both saying the whole time is This is a differently built backpack, it's actually not hard to compare it to the XO or the Stone Glacier , especially because when you look at her like that, she is rigid, she is not aflexible backpack, you don't feel like it moves with you, especially with The load is especially tight, it's on your back and stays there, whereas on the XL, the stone and the Mystery Ranch they would flex as you moved, so it's like if it were a different approach too, yes, it's not less attractive to the user, it just depends on him. the user is right, I mean, you look at the kafaro and this Screams pack that will rise to the top whether you do it or not, um, it's just based on what your personal preference is, you know what they are. you're looking for in a pack, so move on to Mystery Ranch.

I feel like Mystery Ranch could use a little update or update to its framework and I would agree. I know they came out with this, which is the Mt. Guide Light Frame. Let's just say Mystery Ranch is probably the pioneer of those Backcountry type packs that incorporate a meat rack design. I just think that some other competitors on the market may have made some advancements that Mystery Ranch should consider or improve upon themselves, the package will do that. there's no doubt about it you just know it's a different frame approach obviously a lot more flexibility and the shoulder straps which is a yoke type design again the user will depend on the user actually yes I found that the shoulder belt hip was less than I wanted, I wanted more coverage like the kaffaru has and the shoulder straps, this yoke was tight on the back of my neck and pulled towards my shoulders, yes I was going to say that that strap design for the yoke shoulder felt like this.

I was stretching, yeah, maybe he's telling me I need to have better posture, you know what I mean, keep your shoulders back, but I mean, under that 100 pound load it wasn't as comfortable as some, so No, I felt a little. to max capacity Stone lastly the stone glacier go ahead and start with that if you're sure it's very similar to the EXO as these two packs are built very similarly similar to Flex in the frame this Marco will also bend this way when I first took it and it was really questionable, right? It is not like this.

I think it's a good thing. I think Stone Glacier knows what they're doing. These packs are tested and just fit well. What I said about the XO and the. Stone Glacier is the one that really isolates the human element, so carrying these backpacks told me I was out of shape. Basically, you're not alone and I really mean there's something to be said about a company that starts their Endeavor by just looking at backpacks. and then it goes into other, you know, products, for sure, compared to vice versa. I want to add here on your behalf, if I had you finish your 100 pound run, you know, fifth run with this pack and you were, um, I mean, you.

He had a lot of energy, didn't you go ahead and talk about it? Yes, I know I felt better after knowing that the last pack should have the downside, but I felt better in this pack than the previous three, so it's a little tough. to argue that I mean at the end of the day when you're talking about a backpack that fatigues you more I don't care how much the base weight is um I don't like it I could honestly say the weight of these empty packs didn't correlate to the feel of them at all, did and it's so small in that percentage of total charge that it's not really a variable, you know, no, I agree, I think I'll take a few more ounces or maybe. even more, you know, within reason, in a lighter load, you know, so that I have that capability and comfort when I go up to a heavier load.

Do you want to rate them if we could stay on the list? I mean, would you agree that Stone and EXO come out pretty tied for the top. I'm going to say that Stone and EXO are tied. Well, EXO, I mean, like I said, it's just as good, so the difference is not in the frame. It will be in the bag, what are the specific preferences of the bag in terms of organization or accessibility for whoever is going to buy it? You know, but Stone and EXO, the top tier artists, I would have Kaffaru a very close second to them. just a different approach, yeah, um, a very different package, but you, it feels completely different exactly, but still, I personally, uh, the kuyu at Mystery Ranch, now that I've felt that others know that they will do the job for my. my body type might consider something else you know, but yeah, I think I would take the Mystery Ranch and then the kuyu, but like you said, if I had to, they're all great packs, they're bad packs, there's nothing technically bad. with them you just know there are some of the best ones here for sure and they should be for the money for the money exactly exactly what you're paying for you should get something you like so that's fine anything else wraps it up I want say.

It's been a big couple of days but yeah I feel like I learned a lot too and I hope it helps everyone else

watch

ing the video yeah thanks for

watch

ing guys if you enjoyed this video please hit the like button subscribe to our channel. If you have any questions, leave them in the comments and tell us what your personal preferences are. We say there are many different body types. Leave in the comments what you liked and if you are looking to buy one. of these packages call us, we will talk to you about all of them, we sell some of them, check them out at gearpool.com