I have an oft-modified Stansport pack and frame that i got 25 years ago for $5 at a yard sale with my favorite uncle. Still my most often used pack. I have the Alps OutdoorZ Commander X, 2 years old. Love it. See no need to pay Mystery Ranch or Kuiu $500-$600 for one of their packs.
Depends what you do but mystery ranch is pretty much the best of the best if you can commit to buy once cry once and not buying new gear every 5 years because their packs really are built to last
Not knowing any better, I have the Commander Z that you have there. I hunt on public land, so I do have to hike through overgrown areas. The land is specifically allowed to go wild except that hunters do carve little paths and we hang blaze orange ribbon for markers. So, I still think my kit is okay for what I want to do. Yes, I could take off the bag and strap to the frame and then figure out a way to strap the bag over it. I have heavy duty rope, rolls of paracord. Half a dozen bags for meat. Outdoor Edge Wild Pak processing kit, a gambrel and hoist I got at Harbor Freight Tools. A machette I wear on my belt. A traditional bone handle hunting knife my boss (also an avid hunter) gave to me. where I hunt, you have all kinds of branches and fallen trees. So, I will be quartering and packing out. I like the pockets on mine and when you get the pack off, the harness underneath has a rigging to carry the rifle. But I really like the other pack you have and definitely it wins in being able to remove it quickly. Who knows, I may change. Big question, is there a weight difference? The Commander Z and frame have some heft to them.
I enjoy buying cheap frame packs and then customizing them. Iv had expensive systems but keep going back to rhe ones iv customized. But this is going to sound silly. The very best frame pack i own is one i made out of 5 branchs ( 1.5 inch round ) with para cord, old tie me down straps, pool noodles for shoulder straps. Waist belt out tie me down strap, para cord with quick release 3 hole tensioners to hold a $5 duffle bag to it. Its ugly as sin. But soo comfortable. And has had zero problems packing out meat. But my god its ugly. But its my favorite. Just ordered a tidewe frame pack to customize. Should be a fun project.
Love the show great video pick up the good work men. I greatly value your honest opinions. I know exactly what you're talkin about from low-level to high end
I have looked at many varieties of packs from KUIU which has the same modularity, to Mystery Ranch, Stone Glacier, to Emberlestock, Cabela's, Badlands, and so much more. My brother has one similar to the exterior frame one you have, but I think it is easier to get the bag off the frame. He used it in Idaho and put a his whole camp set up in there, but when he did shoot a mule deer 1400 vertical feet up the mountain he took everything out to pack the meat out. I myself am looking for something in between the two preferably an interior frame pack that is quieter, lighter and still be a good day pack that also has a meat haul shelf. I have looked on E-Bay and some hunting forums to find a decent used one that is priced right, but isn't totally trashed. Hopefully next year or the year after I will have one. My budget is tighter than I like since I sadly work retail, so I definitely look for sales and good deals. I also wouldn't mind using it here in West Virginia for quartering out whitetail if I am too far from the house or car instead of dragging that animal up and over the hills.
Dude...did you just say "for quartering out and hauling whitetail?" I bone out, pack up, and carry out 75-100lbs of mule deer meat, plus the head and my standard 25lbs of gear on top of that. Are you 5'2" tall or something?
Some of yall need to try an Exo Mtn Gear or Stone Glacier Pack either or will change your life. Exo is more comfortable in my opinion, and I own a stone glacier.
I had that Alps pack and I hated it. I couldn't keep the waist belt tightened enough, and the problem was where the belt attached to the frame so it's not like I could easily tighten it on the trail.
so, this is one of the cheapest packs that Alps Outdoorz makes, and its a model from 5 years ago. I would be curious to see how their newer packs compare, like the Hybrid x or Trophy x, those retail about the same as some Blacks Creek
Not really fair to compare two packs on opposite ends of the spectrum. That said nice review. For the ALPS Commander the detachment rings should be changed out with cotter pins and the chest strap is an easy fix as well. As for quality of materials...lol it’s held up foe 5 years. That’s about $20-30 per year, just can’t beat that. I’ve used a lot of backpacks and in the end nothing beats an external frame pack at least for me.
From?waht I have seen through all my research is your paying for the tech to make stuff as lightweight as possible.composite/carbon frames, lightweight materials etc. If your 6'3 and 260, you dont need to worry about weight as much imo. I have the cabelaz multiday. My buddy thinks its heavy, i throw it on like nothing. YMMV.
Question, when you load meat in the pack, Is there something you need to consider in terms of scent and not emoting meat scent to bear or coyote? I mean you pack the meat, take it back to camp, then do you hang the pack from a tree like you would a bear can?
Here’s what I’ve learned: buy the expensive pack. So you don’t buy a cheap pack then you expensive one after that one wears out. Buy the expensive one to save money. Lol
I don't get it. The pack itself has no bones. Flatten the pack to frame and lash your meat to frame sandwiching the flattened pack. Only if you get a moose and are making 6 trips do you care about 4 pounds of efficiency.
A walmart pack is just as good..... ibe had mine for years and has many compartments and a place where you can put a gun or rifle... even use it fishing and carry my poles...
5 year can be a long time for a pack just depends on how often a guy gets out to hunt, and if they use the pack in the off season for hiking and camping. Some guys get out every weekend of season plus a few days vacation, chase a few different species, and camp in the summer. Other guys only get out for a handful of days a year. So 5 years could be as little as 20 days of use to well over 200 days of use. Just depends on the guy. Like myself I’m mostly a waterfowl hunter and get out 30+ days a year just for regular duck season. add on goose season, early teal, and traveling to other states to hunt before my state’s season opens up and I probably hunt a fair bit more than your weekend warrior waterfowlers. So for me getting 5 years out of decoys, a gun case, blind bag, etc is pretty dang good as for me 5 years/ seasons is a lot of use.
I have friends that hunt with me. I use the gutless method to quarter the animal and share the load with one or two buddies. If we get more than one then we start taking multiple trips. Yes it’s doable.
Iv used the badlands 2200 the last 2 years and packed out 4 elk. I had help so loads were 60-80lbs. I really like the 220 but with the meat far out from the back I had to lean forward a lot to keep my balance. Was doable for me but will try a mr metcalf this year and see what the difference is
If your hiking more than 2 miles and will be packing out the meat buy the best pack and boots that are comfortable and fit well.
My gosh, you guys are going to save me a lot of money... really glad I found this channel. :)
there is a company called mystery ranch and they make a lot of good packs with fair prices and they work the military so you know you can trust them
Eberlstock mainframe was what I have ended up with after trying many packframes, it was just way more comfortable when loaded heavy
I have an oft-modified Stansport pack and frame that i got 25 years ago for $5 at a yard sale with my favorite uncle. Still my most often used pack.
I have the Alps OutdoorZ Commander X, 2 years old. Love it. See no need to pay Mystery Ranch or Kuiu $500-$600 for one of their packs.
Depends what you do but mystery ranch is pretty much the best of the best if you can commit to buy once cry once and not buying new gear every 5 years because their packs really are built to last
Not knowing any better, I have the Commander Z that you have there. I hunt on public land, so I do have to hike through overgrown areas. The land is specifically allowed to go wild except that hunters do carve little paths and we hang blaze orange ribbon for markers. So, I still think my kit is okay for what I want to do. Yes, I could take off the bag and strap to the frame and then figure out a way to strap the bag over it. I have heavy duty rope, rolls of paracord. Half a dozen bags for meat. Outdoor Edge Wild Pak processing kit, a gambrel and hoist I got at Harbor Freight Tools. A machette I wear on my belt. A traditional bone handle hunting knife my boss (also an avid hunter) gave to me. where I hunt, you have all kinds of branches and fallen trees. So, I will be quartering and packing out. I like the pockets on mine and when you get the pack off, the harness underneath has a rigging to carry the rifle.
But I really like the other pack you have and definitely it wins in being able to remove it quickly. Who knows, I may change. Big question, is there a weight difference? The Commander Z and frame have some heft to them.
Do a video about the best cold weather hunting gloves! #need
The best cold weather hunting gloves are mittens.
I enjoy buying cheap frame packs and then customizing them. Iv had expensive systems but keep going back to rhe ones iv customized. But this is going to sound silly. The very best frame pack i own is one i made out of 5 branchs ( 1.5 inch round ) with para cord, old tie me down straps, pool noodles for shoulder straps. Waist belt out tie me down strap, para cord with quick release 3 hole tensioners to hold a $5 duffle bag to it. Its ugly as sin. But soo comfortable. And has had zero problems packing out meat. But my god its ugly. But its my favorite. Just ordered a tidewe frame pack to customize. Should be a fun project.
Bit if I needed to I'd definitely go with the more versatile pack... on your left...
Love the show great video pick up the good work men. I greatly value your honest opinions. I know exactly what you're talkin about from low-level to high end
I have looked at many varieties of packs from KUIU which has the same modularity, to Mystery Ranch, Stone Glacier, to Emberlestock, Cabela's, Badlands, and so much more. My brother has one similar to the exterior frame one you have, but I think it is easier to get the bag off the frame. He used it in Idaho and put a his whole camp set up in there, but when he did shoot a mule deer 1400 vertical feet up the mountain he took everything out to pack the meat out. I myself am looking for something in between the two preferably an interior frame pack that is quieter, lighter and still be a good day pack that also has a meat haul shelf. I have looked on E-Bay and some hunting forums to find a decent used one that is priced right, but isn't totally trashed. Hopefully next year or the year after I will have one. My budget is tighter than I like since I sadly work retail, so I definitely look for sales and good deals. I also wouldn't mind using it here in West Virginia for quartering out whitetail if I am too far from the house or car instead of dragging that animal up and over the hills.
Very comfortable hauling a mule up and down mountains
Dude...did you just say "for quartering out and hauling whitetail?" I bone out, pack up, and carry out 75-100lbs of mule deer meat, plus the head and my standard 25lbs of gear on top of that.
Are you 5'2" tall or something?
I have the commander x... it’s really nice
I love my Blacks Creek packs, and I'll never go back to a cheap pack!
I’m loving mine too!
you guys should talk about hunting boots some time.
Yup. We need to get some more of them to test out and put them through the ringer.
@@backfire you might like crispius.com boots.
You ever look at the super cheap military internal frame packs and the Teton packs?
Some of yall need to try an Exo Mtn Gear or Stone Glacier Pack either or will change your life. Exo is more comfortable in my opinion, and I own a stone glacier.
I had that Alps pack and I hated it. I couldn't keep the waist belt tightened enough, and the problem was where the belt attached to the frame so it's not like I could easily tighten it on the trail.
Get you ranger assault pack... unbreakable. Mines going on 18 years. Use it for everything also...
so, this is one of the cheapest packs that Alps Outdoorz makes, and its a model from 5 years ago. I would be curious to see how their newer packs compare, like the Hybrid x or Trophy x, those retail about the same as some Blacks Creek
One option is to just get a frame and a good dry bag.
Not really fair to compare two packs on opposite ends of the spectrum. That said nice review. For the ALPS Commander the detachment rings should be changed out with cotter pins and the chest strap is an easy fix as well. As for quality of materials...lol it’s held up foe 5 years. That’s about $20-30 per year, just can’t beat that. I’ve used a lot of backpacks and in the end nothing beats an external frame pack at least for me.
Love external frames. Reduce heat. For me that's a huge plus.
Wasn't the whole point of this video to compare bags on opposite sides of the spectrum?
Should have compared the Black creek against the Commander X
yes the commander x is the exact same pack from alps outdoors and its practically the same pack as the blacks creek pack maybe even better
From?waht I have seen through all my research is your paying for the tech to make stuff as lightweight as possible.composite/carbon frames, lightweight materials etc. If your 6'3 and 260, you dont need to worry about weight as much imo. I have the cabelaz multiday. My buddy thinks its heavy, i throw it on like nothing. YMMV.
Question, when you load meat in the pack,
Is there something you need to consider in terms of scent and not emoting meat scent to bear or coyote?
I mean you pack the meat, take it back to camp, then do you hang the pack from a tree like you would a bear can?
No. In your tent. Human scent, noise, and the scent, visual of a rifle puts off most predators.
Here’s what I’ve learned: buy the expensive pack. So you don’t buy a cheap pack then you expensive one after that one wears out. Buy the expensive one to save money. Lol
Have you guys ever tested the Outdoorsman bag and frame? Specifically the palisade 90?
We have not. Maybe one of these days.
Is there a max weight that the expensive pack can carry? You mentioned as long as you can carry the weight.
Most of the time the max weight going to be what the guy wearing the pack can carry.
I don't get it. The pack itself has no bones. Flatten the pack to frame and lash your meat to frame sandwiching the flattened pack. Only if you get a moose and are making 6 trips do you care about 4 pounds of efficiency.
"little key ring holder things" = split rings for those who were wondering.
Badlands vario kit is better than both of these combined. I really wanted to do blacks creek and support local but they just weren’t as good.
For the money? Neither one. For about $600 CAD I would go Savotta from Finland. Good review though.
The blacks creek pack is just the exact same thing as the alps outdoorz commander x pack they just stole the idea from alps so why would they do that
Hey i'm From idaho to haha!!
Idaho hunter here as well looking into a tidewe 5500
A walmart pack is just as good..... ibe had mine for years and has many compartments and a place where you can put a gun or rifle... even use it fishing and carry my poles...
Your Black Creek link is no longer good.
"I bought this pack five years ago, and been using it for a LOOOONNGGG time" what?
5 year can be a long time for a pack just depends on how often a guy gets out to hunt, and if they use the pack in the off season for hiking and camping. Some guys get out every weekend of season plus a few days vacation, chase a few different species, and camp in the summer. Other guys only get out for a handful of days a year. So 5 years could be as little as 20 days of use to well over 200 days of use. Just depends on the guy.
Like myself I’m mostly a waterfowl hunter and get out 30+ days a year just for regular duck season. add on goose season, early teal, and traveling to other states to hunt before my state’s season opens up and I probably hunt a fair bit more than your weekend warrior waterfowlers. So for me getting 5 years out of decoys, a gun case, blind bag, etc is pretty dang good as for me 5 years/ seasons is a lot of use.
Awe you got a boo boo. When I was your age we made our backs from sticks and the hides of the game we just killed. LMAO
You're going to put 100 lbs of meat on your back and carry 40 pounds of gear all at once on the hike back to the truck? Sure.
I have friends that hunt with me. I use the gutless method to quarter the animal and share the load with one or two buddies. If we get more than one then we start taking multiple trips. Yes it’s doable.
@@xxxarmycop just have to pop a rib or two off and go right in, tasty bits are easily extracted for those heart tacos!
Iv used the badlands 2200 the last 2 years and packed out 4 elk. I had help so loads were 60-80lbs. I really like the 220 but with the meat far out from the back I had to lean forward a lot to keep my balance. Was doable for me but will try a mr metcalf this year and see what the difference is