Backpacking Pack - Mammoth Ready?

[BoltBandit]

Hey all, I need some help picking a backpack. I'm trying to stay in the $300 to $450 range. I've recently started backpacking in the north Georgia mountains and my Rush 72 works, but it's not ideal as I have to strap my sleeping bag in a waterproof compression sack to the top, and a tent to the bottom. This is manageable; however, I have this idea in my head of doing the mammoth sniper challenge or something similar. Adding a rifle and associated shooting gear to a maxed out frame less pack just isn't gonna work for me. I've been looking at several Elberlestock models as they are in my price range and do what I need them to do.

Condensed Loadout for reference:

1. Sleeping bag in 20L compression sack
2. Tent (2 or 3 man)
3. Food for 1-3 days
4. Mess kit, approx 8" diameter x 3-4" tall
5. Jetboil burner with fuel canister
6. Survival knife
7. Water filter
8. Water bladder 3L
9. Crocks for creek crossing
10. Misc head lamp, batteries, flashlight, survival stuff
11. MPA BA rifle (18lbs) Rush 72 pack carries the rifle at the back of the pack making it feel off balance
12. Ammunition
13. Binos
14. Range finder
15. Kesteral
16. Misc. Tools
17. Additional clothing; socks, undies, thermals, warm layers, etc.

Here's my options and concerns.

Elberlestock V90 Battleship - at 99L I'm worried this will be obnoxiously big. The only practical matter I would think for the size at the moment would be backpacking with a 9 and 7 year old and having extra room to carry some of their stuff. My other concern is carrying an 18lb rifle on the side of the pack. Will this make the pack feel off balanced?

Elberlestock V69 Destroyer - at 60L this could be the right size, but the Rush 72 has me concerned as it's a 55L pack. Keep in mind though that the Rush 72 is broken down into 2 main compartments. The Destroyer with a 60L main compartment may be able to hold my sleeping and tent no problem. But can 60L hold all the backpacking gear plus shooting gear? I also have the same concern with the rifle being mounted to the side as the V90 Battleship.

Elberlestock G4 Operator - at 67L, again this could be a good all around size, but I am concerned that it's not enough for backpacking plus shooting gear. I've also read that the scabbord gets in the way of your head when going prone (not sure how big of a deal that is). Are there other instances the scabbord will get in the way?

EMOD - This is a modular system. I'd probably use the F1 mainframe with a little big top (64L) or the large dry bag (65L). The dry bag lacks storage compartments, pockets, and MOLLE, and the Big Top option is totaling around $550, which is over budget.

Any advice and recommendations would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Hoyt7mm]

Curious to here on this as well since I'm still torn as to what bag to use.

 

[Ryan7839]

Exo Mountain Gear is my personal favorite. They have entire YouTube series "Whats in my Exo" that outlines alot about what the professional hunters carry with them. Its going to be on the upper end of your budget, but they hold their value pretty well.

Check out the classifieds on rokslide.com they always pop up there, usually only slightly under new price. With hunting season winding down its a perfect time to pick up some lightly used gear.

 

[BoltBandit]

Exo Mountain Gear is my personal favorite. They have entire YouTube series "Whats in my Exo" that outlines alot about what the professional hunters carry with them. Its going to be on the upper end of your budget, but they hold their value pretty well.

Check out the classifieds on rockslide.com they always pop up there, usually only slightly under new price. With hunting season winding down its a perfect time to pick up some lightly used gear.

I like there stuff, but its out of my budget. How do you carry your rifle in that pack. On the side? If so, is it a heavy rifle or field gun and how functional is the side carry.

 

[M8541Reaper]

There’s an entire massive multi-page thread about packs for Mam 2020. You’ll definitely find what you’re looking for there.

 

[BoltBandit]

There’s an entire massive multi-page thread about packs for Mam 2020. You’ll definitely find what you’re looking for there.

Thanks!

 

[Luke]

FWIW I like Eberlestock stuff - they're well built and have convenient features but they are HEAVY. You're talking 8-10lbs for the the pack alone, before you've even put a single item in it.

You've got a pretty minimal loadout as is, but if you can find anyway to cut down on the amount of stuff you're carrying you'll be able to fit into a smaller/lighter pack that much more easily (obviously).

 

[M8541Reaper]

Thanks!

No problem. I just burned through it and there’s a lot of great information in it. Good luck!

 

[BoltBandit]

FWIW I like Eberlestock stuff - they're well built and have convenient features but they are HEAVY. You're talking 8-10lbs for the the pack alone, before you've even put a single item in it.

You've got a pretty minimal loadout as is, but if you can find anyway to cut down on the amount of stuff you're carrying you'll be able to fit into a smaller/lighter pack that much more easily (obviously).

I'm skimming through the mammoth thread and it's pretty universal to NOT get an Elberlestock due mostly to weight, although a lot of guys claim the pack doesn't carry well or comfortably. There's a lot of guys running backpacking packs, but I wonder if they can hold up to the weight.

 

[BoltBandit]

No problem. I just burned through it and there’s a lot of great information in it. Good luck!

Doing the same; however, it's NOT telling me what I want to hear, lol.

 

[muddawg]

Gonna throw this out there. I bought Slumberjack's Deadfall 65 for my attempt at Mammoth 2020. It has been a solid pack for rifle and pistol carry for all my training so far. It has a provision for carrying the rifle securely and without any unwieldy, overblown system. It is comfortable and durable and I am extremely happy with it. Just another option for you to consider.

 

[Diver160651]

You might want to consider a ultra light hunting backpack like KUIU with a universal KIFARU Gun Bearer, as far as weight to load out capacity.

The carbon frame really holds stuff secure and the "new" suspension system places it well on your hips. We had 4 Elk to pull out a couple weeks ago and I had the thing caring the kind of weight typically only a very heavy porter pack could. The new bags have zips in places where it is easy to get your gear. These are about 3-4LBS lighter than the Ebers for equivalent storage and WAY more comfortable under load especially if you are running.

While you can stow the rifle on the side of the pack or even use the load-shelf area between the carbon frame and the bag, it is slow and takes more time. The KUIU gun sling is just stupid - stay away from it. Hard to use and slow, hell it is better just to strap it to the side of the pack. That said; the KIFARU Gun Bearer is a home run. You can mount the gun with the pack on and unmount and shoot with the pack on. It keeps the muzzle a bit lower, so your not waking it on branches etc..

* image of the Gun Bearer from KIFARU's site --

The upside is you have a great hunting pack system, the down side is your $100+ outside your budget.

Just my thoughts having owned a couple of the Ebers and KUIUs as well as through camping gear. It is hard to go much lighter with the same comfort under load or robustness to weight. Mystery Ranch is in there too, just didn't conform as well for me. FYI the new Pro Suspension (its much more comfortable than last years Icon Pro)

 

[Runnineh]

Get rid of your "mess kit," get a couple mountain house propaks and some kids squeeze packs. Split your tent gear and jetboil/fuel with your teammate so you won't need a large pack. Smaller pack + lighter weight = happy team

 

[Eustice]

Mammoth probably won’t be possible for you this year. I think paperwork had to be submitted some time ago for access to the facility. I could be wrong about the timeline, though.

Bushnell Sniper Challenge will be February 21-23 in Ellerbe, NC. This is another great multi-day team ruck match. Search Bushnell Elite Tactical Sniper Challenge on FB. I believe it’s put on by Rock Solid Shooting Solutions. You may be able to find it online as well. This will have a similar format. Two-man team with a Primary/Secondary shooter, blind stages where everything is done on the clock, timed movements between stages, and a mission support site where one division will stay overnight.

Three divisions:
Mechanized: Arrive at a rally point in the morning, move by vehicle to the first point of the morning and between stages, leave the course at night
Trooper: Arrive at a rally point in the morning and meet the group by vehicle. Ruck in a timed movement between stages, leave the course at night. Failure to make time in a movement rolls the team to mechanized division.
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP): Timed movement between stages (shorter time back than trooper) and stay on the course at night. Failure to make time on a movement rolls you to mechanized division.

All of the info in the Pack for Mammoth thread is relevant to the Bushnell Sniper Challenge Match. Here is my opinion:

My first year at Bushnell I carried a 75L backpacking pack. The pack carried pretty well but if you have a pack that’s big you will fill it up. Another box of ammo, more socks, that extra jacket...if you’ve got room the tendency is to fill it. I strapped my rifle to the side for part of it and I felt it threw the load off. My second year I carried my Eberlestock Gunslinger II. I went from 75L to 35L and couldn’t have been happier. Despite all the hate for Eberlestock I think the rifle nearest your body and midline is the best way to carry it. Your rifle will be the single heaviest item you have.

As far as packs go, a pack that weighs 8 pounds but carries a 60 pound load well is going to feel better than a 4 pound pack that carries 60 pounds poorly. Load up your Rush 72 with all the gear you’ve listed. Now add a pistol with 120 rounds of ammo and your rifle with 130 rounds of ammo. See how you can attach your rifle and you’ll quickly see what to look for in attachments for it. Are the compression straps easy to get the rifle into and out of or are they a crossing pattern that makes it a pain. Do you like the rifle strapped to the side. That’s a good start for what you’d want to look at.

 

[never_summer]

Are you all signed up and what division? Your load out sounds pretty heavy just based off the description, and even heavier with the packs. It’s amazing how fast weight goes up when you add gear, and starting off heavy just makes it worst.

 

[MarkLeupold]

Shit, I just walked RIGHT into something. Let’s see if you cats can figure it out.

 

[Eustice]

With your mentioned packs, go with the Destroyer over the Battleship. The Destroyer can expand with the storm collar to give you some extra room. If you need the room the Battleship provides then you need to re-evaluate your loadout.

The G4 Operator is nice and big but I think the top and bottom sections are compartmentalized and I’m not sure if you can open it up to make one big space. Either way it should be plenty big for whatever you’d need. Weight may be an issue with that one since it comes in at over 10 pounds. But if it carries well then you may not notice it. Also, older models did not have the tubular frame that the newer models do. That may be something you’d need to decide on.

I liked my Gunslinger II because it had a storm collar and could become quite tall yet still be able to shrink as the days went on and my load got smaller (less food, less TP, less ammo).

You’ve got a lot of stuff on your list that you can leave at home. Ditch the mess kit. As said before, Mountain House or stripped MREs. Not sure what you need the survival knife for other than ballast. Get a folder for your pocket and a small pair of penny cutters. And you don’t need a 3L water bladder or filter. Water is provided at the stages and the campsite at night. A 16 or 32 ounce Nalgene is plenty. You can make it from hither to you on 16 ounces of water. Hydrate before you step off and after you arrive. Otherwise you’re carrying 6 pounds of water between stages.

“Crocs for creek crossings” I’m not sure where to go with that. You want to come upon a stream, drop your pack and dig out crocs, take off your boots, cross a stream, put your boots back on, and stow your crocs... all on the clock? My guess is you’ll only need them that one time then you’ll be rolled to mechanized for missing the time hack.

As for all the extra clothes, about half of what you have in the list is good. It’s only 60 hours. You can get by with one pair of undies, 3 pairs of socks, and warming layers. Save the space and the weight. Trade it for rain gear that’s not on your list.

 

[AC Power]

I ran a Eberlestock Gunslinger 2 at Bushnell last year... trooper division so no camping gear. Although I carried way too much crap. It’s a great, well built pack and I love the location of the scabbard... the pack was a perfect size. I’m not going to bash a great product, I’ll just say It didn’t carry well for me. I came home, did my research, and bought a Mystery Ranch Pinter. I run my precision rifle on the load shelf. It’s 3 lbs lighter than the GS2, and carries much better for me. Very happy on my training rucks so far. Hope to see you at Bushnell 2020 and I’ll tell you then how it worked out!

 

[SuperChop]

Another vote here for EXO. Love their stuff & worth the extra $$$ IMO. It's all about the combination of factors. Volume capacity. Weight of the pack. Durability. Organization. But maybe most importantly, how does the pack handle and feel under a significant load? I've used packs that felt great with 40lbs or less, but just plain suck at 50lbs or more, ...and especially when you get over 100lbs. My EXO 3500 pack weighs in around 5lbs, or maybe a bit under, and I have no issues with very heavy loads over a long hauls.

 

[BoltBandit]

With your mentioned packs, go with the Destroyer over the Battleship. The Destroyer can expand with the storm collar to give you some extra room. If you need the room the Battleship provides then you need to re-evaluate your loadout.

The G4 Operator is nice and big but I think the top and bottom sections are compartmentalized and I’m not sure if you can open it up to make one big space. Either way it should be plenty big for whatever you’d need. Weight may be an issue with that one since it comes in at over 10 pounds. But if it carries well then you may not notice it. Also, older models did not have the tubular frame that the newer models do. That may be something you’d need to decide on.

I liked my Gunslinger II because it had a storm collar and could become quite tall yet still be able to shrink as the days went on and my load got smaller (less food, less TP, less ammo).

You’ve got a lot of stuff on your list that you can leave at home. Ditch the mess kit. As said before, Mountain House or stripped MREs. Not sure what you need the survival knife for other than ballast. Get a folder for your pocket and a small pair of penny cutters. And you don’t need a 3L water bladder or filter. Water is provided at the stages and the campsite at night. A 16 or 32 ounce Nalgene is plenty. You can make it from hither to you on 16 ounces of water. Hydrate before you step off and after you arrive. Otherwise you’re carrying 6 pounds of water between stages.

“Crocs for creek crossings” I’m not sure where to go with that. You want to come upon a stream, drop your pack and dig out crocs, take off your boots, cross a stream, put your boots back on, and stow your crocs... all on the clock? My guess is you’ll only need them that one time then you’ll be rolled to mechanized for missing the time hack.

As for all the extra clothes, about half of what you have in the list is good. It’s only 60 hours. You can get by with one pair of undies, 3 pairs of socks, and warming layers. Save the space and the weight. Trade it for rain gear that’s not on your list.

Thanks for the input! Some of the stuff is not Mammoth specific and for when I've backpacked in the North Georgia mountains, like the crocks for those knee to waist deep crossings that are 30-40 yards across and survival knife. Wet feet SUCK!!!! I guess I was listing my standard load out, but would definitely streamline for mammoth. Good call on the mess kit, water and clothes, and duh, raingear.... amateur hour over here, lol, I know better.

I may be over thinking it, but my biggest concern is how the pack carries the weight and the comfort of the suspension system. I may be gun shy from backpacking with an assault pack. Trying my buddy's backpacking pack, there's no comparison to a framed suspension system. I started looking at the Mystery Ranch Metcalf as well. I like the organization of the V69 Destroyer, but there seems to be concerns with Elberlestock's suspension system. MM seems to have a pretty good reputation for it's suspension system.

I suppose I'm trying to find that second bag that fits most scenerios my Rush72 performs poorly at. Something I can backpack with, mulit-day backpack hunt, and if I get ambitious enough, not have to buy a new pack for the Mammoth or Bushnell sniper challenge.

 

[BoltBandit]

Another vote here for EXO. Love their stuff & worth the extra $$$ IMO. It's all about the combination of factors. Volume capacity. Weight of the pack. Durability. Organization. But maybe most importantly, how does the pack handle and feel under a significant load? I've used packs that felt great with 40lbs or less, but just plain suck at 50lbs or more, ...and especially when you get over 100lbs. My EXO 3500 pack weighs in around 5lbs, or maybe a bit under, and I have no issues with very heavy loads over a long hauls.

They look top notch, that's for sure! I'll have to look into that one as well. On sale for $399 but out of stock. I like the modularity of it too.

 

[BoltBandit]

Are you all signed up and what division? Your load out sounds pretty heavy just based off the description, and even heavier with the packs. It’s amazing how fast weight goes up when you add gear, and starting off heavy just makes it worst.

No, not signed up. Something I may look at in 2020. I workout consistently, just the wrong way for this event! I'm strong as an ox, but zero endurance. I'd never make it physically this late in the game.

 

[BoltBandit]

Mammoth probably won’t be possible for you this year. I think paperwork had to be submitted some time ago for access to the facility. I could be wrong about the timeline, though.

Bushnell Sniper Challenge will be February 21-23 in Ellerbe, NC. This is another great multi-day team ruck match. Search Bushnell Elite Tactical Sniper Challenge on FB. I believe it’s put on by Rock Solid Shooting Solutions. You may be able to find it online as well. This will have a similar format. Two-man team with a Primary/Secondary shooter, blind stages where everything is done on the clock, timed movements between stages, and a mission support site where one division will stay overnight.

Three divisions:
Mechanized: Arrive at a rally point in the morning, move by vehicle to the first point of the morning and between stages, leave the course at night
Trooper: Arrive at a rally point in the morning and meet the group by vehicle. Ruck in a timed movement between stages, leave the course at night. Failure to make time in a movement rolls the team to mechanized division.
Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP): Timed movement between stages (shorter time back than trooper) and stay on the course at night. Failure to make time on a movement rolls you to mechanized division.

All of the info in the Pack for Mammoth thread is relevant to the Bushnell Sniper Challenge Match. Here is my opinion:

My first year at Bushnell I carried a 75L backpacking pack. The pack carried pretty well but if you have a pack that’s big you will fill it up. Another box of ammo, more socks, that extra jacket...if you’ve got room the tendency is to fill it. I strapped my rifle to the side for part of it and I felt it threw the load off. My second year I carried my Eberlestock Gunslinger II. I went from 75L to 35L and couldn’t have been happier. Despite all the hate for Eberlestock I think the rifle nearest your body and midline is the best way to carry it. Your rifle will be the single heaviest item you have.

As far as packs go, a pack that weighs 8 pounds but carries a 60 pound load well is going to feel better than a 4 pound pack that carries 60 pounds poorly. Load up your Rush 72 with all the gear you’ve listed. Now add a pistol with 120 rounds of ammo and your rifle with 130 rounds of ammo. See how you can attach your rifle and you’ll quickly see what to look for in attachments for it. Are the compression straps easy to get the rifle into and out of or are they a crossing pattern that makes it a pain. Do you like the rifle strapped to the side. That’s a good start for what you’d want to look at.

Mammoth is something I'll be considering for 2020. I agree, it's too late in the game and I haven't been training for this type of event.

There's truth in the last paragraph! The Rush72 does a mediocre job for backpacking. I shot the Guardian Long Range Sniper Match a few weeks ago at GTI Training Facility (match was an absolute blast btw) and the pack worked great! But I can't imagine that pack carrying backpacking gear, plus shooting gear. It would be miserable.

 

[BoltBandit]

You might want to consider a ultra light hunting backpack like KUIU with a universal KIFARU Gun Bearer, as far as weight to load out capacity.

The carbon frame really holds stuff secure and the "new" suspension system places it well on your hips. We had 4 Elk to pull out a couple weeks ago and I had the thing caring the kind of weight typically only a very heavy porter pack could. The new bags have zips in places where it is easy to get your gear. These are about 3-4LBS lighter than the Ebers for equivalent storage and WAY more comfortable under load especially if you are running.

While you can stow the rifle on the side of the pack or even use the load-shelf area between the carbon frame and the bag, it is slow and takes more time. The KUIU gun sling is just stupid - stay away from it. Hard to use and slow, hell it is better just to strap it to the side of the pack. That said; the KIFARU Gun Bearer is a home run. You can mount the gun with the pack on and unmount and shoot with the pack on. It keeps the muzzle a bit lower, so your not waking it on branches etc..
View attachment 7194850
* image of the Gun Bearer from KIFARU's site --

The upside is you have a great hunting pack system, the down side is your $100+ outside your budget.

Just my thoughts having owned a couple of the Ebers and KUIUs as well as through camping gear. It is hard to go much lighter with the same comfort under load or robustness to weight. Mystery Ranch is in there too, just didn't conform as well for me. FYI the new Pro Suspension (its much more comfortable than last years Icon Pro)

I would love to drop the coin for a Kifaru, but damn the suspension is just as much as the other packs! But I have thought of just buying the suspension now, and saving for the bag later.

 

[BoltBandit]

Mammoth Gay Ski Week

mammothgayskiweek.com

Your pack needs to have ample pockets for extra dildos, and unobstructed rear access per the rules for “King of the Hill”.

Watch out for the shill accounts for Arken optics. I hear they plan to take the crown this year.

DONT bring a 36” long double ended dildo. Previous contestants found that while it was intimidating, it was just too difficult to wield.

I would think 30" would be the max. 36" is just ridiculous!

 

[BoltBandit]

Exo Mountain Gear is my personal favorite. They have entire YouTube series "Whats in my Exo" that outlines alot about what the professional hunters carry with them. Its going to be on the upper end of your budget, but they hold their value pretty well.

Check out the classifieds on rockslide.com they always pop up there, usually only slightly under new price. With hunting season winding down its a perfect time to pick up some lightly used gear.

rockslide.com? Leach line construction?

 

[Diver160651]

I ran a Eberlestock Gunslinger 2 at Bushnell last year... trooper division so no camping gear. Although I carried way too much crap. It’s a great, well built pack and I love the location of the scabbard... the pack was a perfect size. I’m not going to bash a great product, I’ll just say It didn’t carry well for me. I came home, did my research, and bought a Mystery Ranch Pinter. I run my precision rifle on the load shelf. It’s 3 lbs lighter than the GS2, and carries much better for me. Very happy on my training rucks so far. Hope to see you at Bushnell 2020 and I’ll tell you then how it worked out!

That was my point earlier, I’ve found the heavier Ebers just do not compete with the stability and comfort of the Kuiu, Kifaru or Mystery ranch.

Here is a picture from two weeks ago with 2 Elk quarters BS and tenders about 130lbs+ strapped to the pack. The pack was still stable and the weight on my hips. Again this works because the suspension is good and it is a frame pack - its just that the full back carbon frame is hidden.

Here I just am getting back to the truck after descending about 1500 feet out of the snow.. the pack is fine, but my legs were trashed.. usually we do one quarter each and make multiple trips.

2 more key pieces of gear you might want to think about are your "tent" and "bag". These other than caring only a spork and eating in bag are the two best places to save space and weight. The lighter you are the faster and further you can go with the same effort. Yes, it is super expensive but worth every penny. It is not un common to save 8-10 pounds between the pack, bag, and shelter.. Even more over the casual backpacker. Saving weight also allows me to bring my RRS tripod on hunts or field matches without a penalty.

Shelter I am not saying you guys need to go so minimal as to bivi, but tarp tents are something to consider. Even fully enclosed tents by Zpacks or Hyperlite your talking 20oz setups. Yep, you'll be tight in them but faster everywhere else.​

​

Sleeping Bags (<link) can be found for well under 1lbs the link is to one I use again by Zpack. (While I also use their 23 oz ARCzip backpack for thru hiking it is far to fragile and can not carry the loads you need with your gun.)​

​

As a side notes: bladders can be super problematic. They require that you unpack your pack to refill and when you run your compression straps tight on your pack to stabilize your load for jogging/running etc, it can make the delivery of the water difficult. I personally have moved to the ultra light bottles like Platypus that stow flat when not in use and super easy to filter into. My favorite tip would be to put dry undies into and your bag into dry-bags made of the ultra light Dyneema.. These are again ultra light and more importantly do not add as much space as your typical river drybags.. They take, sweat, heavy rain of a quick fall in the river, but are not meant to stay submerged. I know it can seem dorky, but a pair of collapsible 10 per set carbon poles by Black Diamond serve double duty as tent poles, but more importantly really help you travel with a load when the terrain gets steep.​

BTW -If your more into tossing your pack into a truck more than packing and just want thicker pack material, but don’t care as much about carrying weight with great load stability (hustling or running) the Ebers are good. There is a reason you tend to see so many for sale used though.

Edited to add: Systems like KUIU and Kifaru frames let you swap just the bags.. that is huge value, your future proofing your purchase

PS.. I am only tossing out suggestions on what I've learned over decades of not having the good stuff. In the last 6-8 years thru-hiking tech has revolutionized packing, but most of it has not filtered into PR. We are all individuals so your millage will vary, lots of good stuff out there.. We just thru a UKD field match (see it in the SH local match section), even without the camp.. guys brought way too much crap, to heavy of gear and the hills really beat them up..

Edited to add: Systems like KUIU and Kifaru frames let you swap just the bags.. that is huge value, your future proofing your purchase

 

[BoltBandit]

That was my point earlier, I’ve found the heavier Ebers just do not compete with the stability and comfort of the Kuiu, Kifaru or Mystery ranch.

Here is a picture from two weeks ago with 2 Elk quarters BS and tenders about 130lbs+ strapped to the pack. The pack was still stable and the weight on my hips. Again this works because the suspension is good and it is a frame pack - its just that the full back carbon frame is hidden.
View attachment 7195493
Here I just am getting back to the truck after descending about 1500 feet out of the snow.. the pack is fine, but my legs were trashed.. usually we do one quarter each and make multiple trips.

2 more key pieces of gear you might want to think about are your "tent" and "bag". These other than caring only a spork and eating in bag are the two best places to save space and weight. The lighter you are the faster and further you can go with the same effort. Yes, it is super expensive but worth every penny. It is not un common to save 8-10 pounds between the pack, bag, and shelter.. Even more over the casual backpacker. Saving weight also allows me to bring my RRS tripod on hunts or field matches without a penalty.

Shelter I am not saying you guys need to go so minimal as to bivi, but tarp tents are something to consider. Even fully enclosed tents by Zpacks or Hyperlite your talking 20oz setups. Yep, you'll be tight in them but faster everywhere else.​

​

Sleeping Bags (<link) can be found for well under 1lbs the link is to one I use again by Zpack. (While I also use their 23 oz ARCzip backpack for thru hiking it is far to fragile and can not carry the loads you need with your gun.)​

​

As a side notes: bladders can be super problematic. They require that you unpack your pack to refill and when you run your compression straps tight on your pack to stabilize your load for jogging/running etc, it can make the delivery of the water difficult. I personally have moved to the ultra light bottles like Platypus that stow flat when not in use and super easy to filter into. My favorite tip would be to put dry undies into and your bag into dry-bags made of the ultra light Dyneema.. These are again ultra light and more importantly do not add as much space as your typical river drybags.. They take, sweat, heavy rain of a quick fall in the river, but are not meant to stay submerged. I know it can seem dorky, but a pair of collapsible 10 per set carbon poles by Black Diamond serve double duty as tent poles, but more importantly really help you travel with a load when the terrain gets steep.​

BTW -If your more into tossing your pack into a truck and just want thicker pack material, but don’t care as much about carrying weight with great load stability (hustling or running) the Ebers are good. There is a reason you tend to see so many for sale used though.

PS.. I am only tossing out suggestions on what I've learned over decades of not having the good stuff. In the last 6-8 years thru-hiking tech has revolutionized packing, but most of it has not filtered into PR. We are all individuals so your millage will vary, lots of good stuff out there.. We just thru a UKD field match (see it in the SH local match section), even without the camp.. guys brought way too much crap, to heavy of gear and the hills really beat them up..

Thanks for the response! I definitely want to buy once, cry once (within reason). I certainly thought the Rush72 would be more versatile than it actually is. I need a second job, lol. Precsion rifle is excpensive enough as it is, much less all the backpacking gear, lol.

So how does the Mystery Ranch compare to the Kifaru in terms of suspension? My option is to by the either the MM or the Kifaru frame and get the bag later.

 

[lht645]

Gregory

 

[BoltBandit]

So I may have discovered a find here with the Kelty Faclon 4000. https://www.kelty.com/falcon-4000/

 

[Eustice]

Mammoth is something I'll be considering for 2020. I agree, it's too late in the game and I haven't been training for this type of event.

There's truth in the last paragraph! The Rush72 does a mediocre job for backpacking. I shot the Guardian Long Range Sniper Match a few weeks ago at GTI Training Facility (match was an absolute blast btw) and the pack worked great! But I can't imagine that pack carrying backpacking gear, plus shooting gear. It would be miserable.

I was an RO at the GTI Match. That’s an awesome venue. I was the one who asked if you were taking a shot at the carrier then took you up the stairs on Stage 7 in the tower. Scarier Carrier.

Best bet is to watch a few videos about what people have taken. Gear Tasting has had several in depth reviews of his loadout. And one of the winners of it last year did a good video about what he took to Mammoth. Spoiler: He used a medium Alice with Tactical Tailor frame, straps, and kidney belt.

Formulate a plan based on your research and do your best at your first match. Then learn from that for subsequent matches. The worst that will happen is you’ll get rolled to mechanized at the Bushnell match.

 

[BoltBandit]

I was an RO at the GTI Match. That’s an awesome venue. I was the one who asked if you were taking a shot at the carrier then took you up the stairs on Stage 7 in the tower. Scarier Carrier.

Best bet is to watch a few videos about what people have taken. Gear Tasting has had several in depth reviews of his loadout. And one of the winners of it last year did a good video about what he took to Mammoth. Spoiler: He used a medium Alice with Tactical Tailor frame, straps, and kidney belt.

Formulate a plan based on your research and do your best at your first match. Then learn from that for subsequent matches. The worst that will happen is you’ll get rolled to mechanized at the Bushnell match.

Ahhh, yes, the one where you shot from the stairs and everyone was bitching about finding targets 1 and 2? We were one of the few that did decent on that stage. The RO on the glass said we were actually the fastest to find targets 1 and 2. Super cool event and I can’t wait for another one.

I’ll definitely check him out. An Alice pack, really??? Guess I’m overthinking, lol. Thanks for the advice as well as RO’ing GTI!

 

[AC Power]

+1 To BoltBandit’s comments on the Guardian at GTI. The absolute coolest match I’ve ever attended! Hats off to Gary and Todd. I ROed it because I missed the sign up... sold out too fast.

All of this gear stuff is great info learned the hard way. One think I noticed both at GTI and at other matches is that we shooters carry way too much crap. Bushnell 2019 was my first ruck match and I learned a lot about what not to bring. Don’t think “what might I need”, think “what can I absolutely NOT shoot without”. Aside from a better carrying, lighter pack, my next focus was shooting bags. My modified full size Gamechanger and rear bag weigh less than one pound now after replacing fill, and that’s it for my shooting bags. Friends lugged full weight gamechangers and would have gladly buried them along the route if they could have! Th next thing to save weight is optics. Bino’s and spotting scopes are great, but “must” I have them? Still my best glass is my rifle scope (AMG). I’ll be using it with a cat-tail for spotting duty going forward on ruck matches. Another is ammo. Most guys carry WAY too much. Last year in three days of Bushnell I shot less than 100 rifle rds as the primary shooter. I carried 200. That adds up.

My target pack weight including precision rifle for Trooper at Bushnell this year is 35 lbs, and if I were in LRRP, my target would be 45 lbs.

Best of luck. Light stuff costs, but as others have said, its worth it. Remember that old military saying, ounces make pounds, and pounds make pain!

 

[BoltBandit]

+1 To BoltBandit’s comments on the Guardian at GTI. The absolute coolest match I’ve ever attended! Hats off to Gary and Todd. I ROed it because I missed the sign up... sold out too fast.

All of this gear stuff is great info learned the hard way. One think I noticed both at GTI and at other matches is that we shooters carry way too much crap. Bushnell 2019 was my first ruck match and I learned a lot about what not to bring. Don’t think “what might I need”, think “what can I absolutely NOT shoot without”. Aside from a better carrying, lighter pack, my next focus was shooting bags. My modified full size Gamechanger and rear bag weigh less than one pound now after replacing fill, and that’s it for my shooting bags. Friends lugged full weight gamechangers and would have gladly buried them along the route if they could have! Th next thing to save weight is optics. Bino’s and spotting scopes are great, but “must” I have them? Still my best glass is my rifle scope (AMG). I’ll be using it with a cat-tail for spotting duty going forward on ruck matches. Another is ammo. Most guys carry WAY too much. Last year in three days of Bushnell I shot less than 100 rifle rds as the primary shooter. I carried 200. That adds up.

My target pack weight including precision rifle for Trooper at Bushnell this year is 35 lbs, and if I were in LRRP, my target would be 45 lbs.

Best of luck. Light stuff costs, but as others have said, its worth it. Remember that old military saying, ounces make pounds, and pounds make pain!

Dude, amen to packing way to much at GTI! I was one of them. Kept 150 rifle and 50 pistol rounds each day and I was definitely one of those ready to bury my game changer...... I used it once, though it was a huge help. I have a SAP rear bag with lightweight fill, weighs nothing. Now the binos I couldn’t do without, I have to admit. I need more practice spitting through a rifle scope with such a narrow FOV.

What are cat-tails for spotting?

 

[MarkLeupold]

What are cat-tails for spotting?

A.K.A: "throw levers" for riflescopes so you can change magnification quickly

 

[AC Power]

Cat tail: switch view, throw lever.... work that zoom out for spotting and scanning, in for shooting!

 

[Eustice]

I think by cat-tail he’s referring to a band you put around your magnification ring. Allows you to move from high power to low power quickly. A throw lever.

Best thing I did with my gamechanger was took out a seam and replaced it with Velcro. Now I carry the empty bag and use a little plastic shovel (shit shovel) to just fill it before the stage with whatever is around. Bushnell at Arena was great because the dry clay from the road worked great as a fill. Then dump it after the stage. That was a trick from the video of the Mammoth winner. That’s a 6 pound savings right there.

 

[Chips26]

If you can afford a bino harness like the FHF, you can keep your binos, rangefinder, and kestrel outside your pack on your chest, which will save room in your pack, and keep everything up front to be used if you drop the pack or need your glass in a hurry.

Personally for only 3 days a 60+ liter bag is way overkill, even with your loadout, unless you plan on killing something and packing a large animal out.

 

[BoltBandit]

A.K.A: "throw levers" for riflescopes so you can change magnification quickly

Ahhhhh, never heard it called that before! I just got edumacated, lol.

 

[BoltBandit]

I think by cat-tail he’s referring to a band you put around your magnification ring. Allows you to move from high power to low power quickly. A throw lever.

Best thing I did with my gamechanger was took out a seam and replaced it with Velcro. Now I carry the empty bag and use a little plastic shovel (shit shovel) to just fill it before the stage with whatever is around. Bushnell at Arena was great because the dry clay from the road worked great as a fill. Then dump it after the stage. That was a trick from the video of the Mammoth winner. That’s a 6 pound savings right there.

Man I'd have a hard time ripping a seam in a $100 bag! But the weight savings sounds awesome!

 

[BoltBandit]

As an update, I made an executive decision and bought two bags, the V69 Destroyer and the Kelty Falcon 4000. My other option for an extra $100 is the Mystery Ranch Metcalf. The metcalf is 6lbs, so there's a 1lb penalty for the Falcon and a 2lb penalty for the Destroyer, which for me is insignificant. I can take the money I save and invest in a lightweight sleeping bag or some other area.

The Kelty is almost the ideal bag! They have a long history in making good civilian packs, so I'm confident they will have a good suspension system under weight. The pack, though well thought out, doesn't seem to have the little things like the V69 Destroyer. For instance, MOLLE webbing on the left side of the hip belt, but not the right (seriously?) I like how the V69 has side pouches that can carry a rifle, tripod, etc.... whereas the Falcon doesn't have any side pockets or pouches, just MOLLE. To be fair, I'll probably invest in a Kifuru gun bearer for either pack, but the side storage is nice. I also am not a fan of the bladder storage on the sides of the pack, rather than in the middle, but I believe this is the same for both packs, though I could be wrong about the Destroyer. It just seems like something has heavy as a water bladder would be very unbalanced. Then again, so is an 18lb rifle on one side. Neither company is thorough with pictures or descriptions of their packs. The Destroyer seems more feature rich, which I like, but the suspension and load bearing capabilities is a major question for me. So because of that, order both, try them out, and return the one I don't like. If I don't like either, I'll probably pony up the extra $100 for the Mystery Ranch.

 

[Diver160651]

My game changer has a zipper.. they sell them that way. You can also cut 4 lbs with the airfill and not worry about filling in the field.

I know one team this year will be using Hyperlite packs... my earlier comments about through hiking tech seems to be happening I am sure thry do not care if the pack life is mostly used up after the training and match.

 

[Eustice]

I borrowed a Destroyer and loaded it with about 65 pounds and for me it carried great. When it went on it just felt like a turtle shell. It just fit right. I don’t know why I’m so against buying one for myself.

If you’re planning on keeping either bag for life or aren’t worried about resale in the future then get out the seam ripper and scissors. You can probably cut a pound from the Eberlestock. There’s a lot of stuff you probably don’t need. Molle webbing in the inside could have its use but for me it’s just extra. Same with some of the internal pockets.

It starts to sound like I have a common theme. I don’t mind cutting something up to make it more for me.

 

[Eustice]

My game changer has a zipper.. they sell them that way. You can also cut 4 lbs with the airfill and not worry about filling in the field.

I know one team this year will be using Hyperlite packs... my earlier comments about through hiking tech seems to be happening I am sure thry do not care if the pack life is mostly used up after the training and match.

The big ones do have a zipper. I should have specified. Mine is the pint sized GC. I wish it had a zipper. I thought about adding one but didn’t want to risk jamming the zipper with dirt.

I didn’t realize they did an airfill. Is that something you can get it with or something you add later?

 

[BoltBandit]

The big ones do have a zipper. I should have specified. Mine is the pint sized GC. I wish it had a zipper. I thought about adding one but didn’t want to risk jamming the zipper with dirt.

I didn’t realize they did an airfill. Is that something you can get it with or something you add later?

Mine is older, no zipper. I guess the trick is finding a shop with heavy enough equipment to add a zipper to that heavy material.

 

[FishDr]

If you like the V69 you might also try the Eberle Skycrane. Lots of versatility there, and the little brother is removeable. Can put a scabbard in it. But prob no need with the Kifaru gun bearer. It carries very heavy loads very well. A good modular pack, but not light on the weight or wallet.

 

[Diver160651]

“MA

The big ones do have a zipper. I should have specified. Mine is the pint sized GC. I wish it had a zipper. I thought about adding one but didn’t want to risk jamming the zipper with dirt.

I didn’t realize they did an airfill. Is that something you can get it with or something you add later?

They have a light fill but there is a guy on the Hide selling a very light, but stable fill. It does not squiggle as much or get the long term squish to nothing like polystyrene.

I use a shoe cobbler for all by shooting bag mods as well as sewing my name on everything..

Here is the factory Zip

FishDr - the gun bearer lets you get the pack on and off easier, gun out faster. The simple things will add up in keeping the workload down and your mind sharp.

FWIW - Almost packs feel good with a static load, especially if you do not know how to properly adjust the hip, torso and shoulder stabilizers (opps not all packs have them). It is one of those "I don't know what I am missing" until you get a great fitting "pack system". I would encourage you to try several packs, test them with a gun putting them off and on quickly and run in your system, especially in preparing for a timed event.

 

[FishDr]

^ Agreed. I was saying that with the gun bearer you won’t miss the scabbard. My Skycrane carries the heavy loads very well because of the multiple adjustments, harness and lifters etc. made a big difference replacing the hip belt too.
I do like the MR waist system Better but the modularity and frame of the J79 is why I tried it out.

 

[BoltBandit]

^ Agreed. I was saying that with the gun bearer you won’t miss the scabbard. My Skycrane carries the heavy loads very well because of the multiple adjustments, harness and lifters etc. made a big difference replacing the hip belt too.
I do like the MR waist system Better but the modularity and frame of the J79 is why I tried it out.

That thing is heavy though at 11lbs!!!

 

[FishDr]

That thing is heavy though at 11lbs!!!

Sure is … but the modularity has benefits. Remove the head pouch saves 1.5+ lbs. Remove the little brother saves just over 4 lbs (save this for the occasional 1-day match). Add the zip-in dry bag at 10 oz. you can still attach rifle to rear load panel for security and use both bat-wing style vertical storage tubes and internal organization pockets. Youll be right at a 6# pack, still a bit on heavy side, BUT you will have BOTH a polymer framesheet and external aluminum stays with ability to carry 75+ lbs with comfort. You dont want to carry that much, but could if needed. If you don't need that kind of support, remove aluminum stays, go with zip-in panel instead of dry bag and save another pound. Its not a perfect system, but the modularity gives a ton of flexibility.