Best External frame backpack for the money?

I'm looking for one that I can carry all of my supplies and camping gear for 4-5 days and still be able to use the frame to carry 100+ pounds of meat. So far I like these...

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=&id=0006342515117a&navCount=0&podId=0006342&parentId=&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=7IS&rid=&parentType=&indexId=&cmCat=netcon&cm_ven=netcon&cm_cat=N/A&cm_pla=N/A&cm_ite=netcon&hasJS=true

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?type=product&cmCat=Related_IPL_515117&id=0027273516485a
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Hiker
also this one...

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=Search_Results_NYR-cat20770-cat20770&id=0015826515447a&navCount=4&podId=0015826&parentId=cat20770&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=7IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20770&hasJS=true
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MuleyMadness
I like the second link you posted one the best, but I don't know a lot about frames.
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killerbee
i love my Dwight Schuh pack from feildline. i think it runs about 140$. i use it 4-5 times a year for 5+/- day bakpack trips and it works great. i've used it once for an 8 day trip and it still worked great, i just had do do a little more external hooks to pack a little more stuff [ which was back when i first started and after do a lot of these pack in hunts most of that stuuf i didn't need or have upgraded , so i 'm sure i could go 8+days now with out hooking things on the outside] it is water proof, it has a composite external frame that is very comfy, it breaks down into a back pack, a fanny pack , a pack frame, or a whole pack in style pack. so it's very versityle and preety light for a pack. i 've used the burn out of it and nothing has broken or torn at all. i've had it for about 5 yrs so i'm not sure if the one they sale now is exactly like the one i have but i can say it WAS built great! i was looking a while back at them and i'm not sure if the outside is still a fleece or saddle cloth type cloth, it kinda looks like it is just a gore-tex ,cover so it would be louder. any way hope that helps any, it's worth looking at any way
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Hiker
Thanks for the feedback Brett and Killerbee. KB, I'll have to take a better look at the pack you mentioned. Anymore suggestions?
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Default Avatar
Jeff, I'm thinking about getting one of the Cabela's packs right now too. My buddy bought one earlier this year; he really recommended getting the Outfitter Extreme over the plain Outfitter.
The Badlands packs are highly recommended by the Eastman's guys, but I don't like the idea of an internal frame.
The Kifaru packs are also highly recommended, but I think they are way overpriced and I can't justify that kind of $$.
Bill
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Hiker
Thanks Bill. The more I read about it and the reviews it might be the ticket.
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I dont know if it's the best one, but I love those Dwight Schuh packs from Cabelas. There are silent waterproof fleece, that offers both a fanny pack and an upper bag with a built in water bag. Also, both bags can quickly be detached from the high impact enduroflex frames. I wear the regular size pack for 3-4 day bivouac hunts where I want a light pack with minimal gear. The mega size pack has worked great for mew on 10 day wilderness elk hunts. I have owned both of mine for over 5 years and they have packed out several deer & elk apiece and still work great. 10sign:
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killerbee
"Joe" wrote:I dont know if it's the best one, but I love those Dwight Schuh packs from Cabelas. There are silent waterproof fleece, that offers both a fanny pack and an upper bag with a built in water bag. Also, both bags can quickly be detached from the high impact enduroflex frames. I wear the regular size pack for 3-4 day bivouac hunts where I want a light pack with minimal gear. The mega size pack has worked great for mew on 10 day wilderness elk hunts. I have owned both of mine for over 5 years and they have packed out several deer & elk apiece and still work great. 10sign:
 this is the same pack i was talking about,great pack!
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Hiker
Thanks Joe & KB. Do these packs have a place to hold a water bladder and hold it upright? When you guys are hauling out meat, do you just use the frame? how much meat will it haul, one rear elk quarter, 2 front quarters..etc.
killerbee, do you have the regular or the mega?
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Good morning Hiker. Yes Sir they come with a water bladder in the upper bag that has a hose that comes down the side of the frame, very easy to use. I cant speak for Killerbee, but here is what I do after killing an elk, say on a bivouac hunt where my pack weighs 18 pounds. After getting the elk meat hung in game bags to cool, my first trip back to my truck will be packing out my 18 pound pack along with the elk antlers, and I will also tie a small bag of meat on top of my pack to maximize the load. After reaching my truck and putting the meat in coolers with dry ice, I return to the kill site with just my packframe with the fanny pack attached on the bottom of the frame. From this point on, it will take you 3 trips of packing out the elk meat assuming that you are not packing out the hide or head. When I kill an elk, I completely bone the animal out on the spot, I see no point in packing out bones. I think it's important to leave your fanny pack on the frame because it not only gives leverage for the meat to sat on, but you never know if you will need the gear in your fanny pack. Headlamp, emergency blanket, matches, raingear, etc. Hope this helps you....Joe salxxute
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I'm about to make the jump as well. I have done some research and about to buy the Nimrod external frame. What I like about it is the weight, 4lbs. I plan to use it as a everyday pack. Most of my hunts are one day hunt but usually get 3-4 miles back, need to have the pack handy. Just curious.... Are you looking for a pack to take on trips or similar to what I'm looking for?
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Hiker
Thanks Joe! It sounds like you have it figured out and that seems like the ticket.
"wmm" wrote:I'm about to make the jump as well. I have done some research and about to buy the Nimrod external frame. What I like about it is the weight, 4lbs. I plan to use it as a everyday pack. Most of my hunts are one day hunt but usually get 3-4 miles back, need to have the pack handy. Just curious.... Are you looking for a pack to take on trips or similar to what I'm looking for?
 wmm, Thanks for responding. Yes I want to use it like you do, on day trips 3-4 miles in but I'm also wanting to use it for 3-5 day backpack hunts. My goal is to have one pack that I can use for all types of hunting and still be able to haul out the meat on a minimum number of trips. If I can save myself an extra 1,000 feet vertical climb and 3-4 miles each way / manuvering through, over and under down timber/ and other obstacles by having a little larger pack, that the route I'm looking to go.
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killerbee
i have the regular, i think it's 3000, or 3500 cubic inches?? i think.... anyway i use just the frame when packing meat . it will hold what ever i want to carry! easily 1 hind or 2 fronts. more if you want to pack it :)) it is very tough. and also yes it does have a place for a bladder then the hose hooks to the shoulder strap with an easy bite tip to drink as much as you need. i personally dont use it in there so i'm not sure how many oz. it is but it seems to be pretty big.
a buddy of mine has the same one and he dont like strapping on the meat to a frame so he just stuffs what he want to carry in the main pack and off he goes. it washes right up for the next trip. but i use the frame
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Buckmaster
I have used the Alaskan 1 for the past 8 years and have been very happy with it.(Both for backpacking and packing out meat) Last year my son bought me new Cabelas Extreme pack. I got to brake it in the fun way....lol if you call packing fun(@@) Both packs are great for packing gear and then adding meat!!
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I don't know about you hiker but the Cabelas extreme pack is starting to win over my vote. A lot of people, other forums too, are using this pack. I was going with Nimrod but no one has that frame, bad sign. Not to mention the cost with all the different options.

Buckmaster.... Nice pics. You might be a little nuts but nice pics:)
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By the way.... this is why I need a new pack. Great for carrying equipment, out of luck if you get something down. Weight is horribly distributed.
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Hiker
Buckmaster, Nice! That's the real deal. Does your new Alaskan make any noise?

wmm, I would say you need a pack, was that the whole deer?
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Buckmaster
Hiker... Zero noise, I have had over 100lbs on my Alaskan frame alone, by the time I got out with the rear quarter I had bent the frame, 50lb to 80lb would be the max on these frames. I have also packed in(camp) with my gear and boned out a Mule deer and was able to place all the meet inside the main pocket, My son picked up the head and some of my gear and away we went...... Here is another pic of my youngest son, His first buck, so he got the honer of packing his trophy head out. (Smoke pole hunt)This is his Cabelas pack frame.......Very user friendly pack system!! :thumb
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Hiker.... Just about. Both front shoulder were pretty messy, other than that, it's the whole thing and some gear. Notice how high the waiste belt is, basically does nothing.
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