20 Best Load For Pheasant Hunting (2023 Updated)

50 years old, 5ft 9inches, little bit overweight 220 pounds :). Went on a Western Colorado 4th Rifle Public Land Elk Hunt during Thanksgiving week and had the (F1Mainframe “Regular”) with the Vapor 5000 on my back and it was put to the test!! It is by far the best, lightest pack I have every used.

Areas of pockets inside the pack for Hydro and Food, very easy to pack and organize all my other gear inside and if I should need something inside with the 5000 it has a “Top Roll Up” so I can get into it without having to undo the compression straps (I used the compression straps on the Mainframe for more secure hold).

On the outside, I was able to add my Tripod to one of the side pockets with no issues and secure it with the compression straps that are already on the pack and had no worries of it falling out and very easy to get it out when I needed it.

There is even a small zipper pocket right in the middle back of the pack for smaller items that you can easily access too if needed. I was able to load my Rifle right on the back of the pack using the compression straps from the F1Mainframe and it stayed fully secured with no movement, if you don’t have a Rifle Scabbard you really don’t need one.

Hiking around 18 to 20 miles for the week (average 6 to 8 miles a day going from 7,200 to 9,800 above sea level, going through thick brush, climbing over dead trees, boulders, snow while having this pack fully loaded with my gear inside, tripod, rifle and other necessary items I was carrying on the outside, I never felt tired at the end of the day and was ready to do it again the next morning.

If I should have taken down an Elk, I would have no issues packing it out with all the gear attached to it. If you don’t have a lot of gear you can compress it down to nothing. I will for sure will be purchasing the Vapor 2500 along with the batwings for more of my hunting experiences.

I would recommend the Vapor Series along with the F1 Mainframe to anyone who is doing a one day or multiple day hunts or just doing a hike. Great Work Team!!!.

I ordered these about a month and a half ago to use in place of some Stone Creek brier chaps that I have been using for several years for upland hunting. I love those chaps because they are basically bulletproof, but man do they get hot and and they restrict my movement bad when climbing.

I decided to try the Sawbuck Brush pants out and I am glad I did. I was able to use them on 5 hunts before the season closed here in the west. I hunted valley quail and chukar and even had them on under waders one morning as I had planned to take a walk for some quail after trying for some mallards and canada geese early.

They have done everything they need to do with brush and thorns so far and climb well in the chukar hills. The fit was great for my build, not too baggy, not too tight. Time will tell if they hold up in the long run, but I have a feeling they will at least make a few seasons.

The little bit of flex in them is fantastic and they seem to regulate body temp well, which is very important to me. I do wish they had at least one zip pocket though, as I feel I’m going to lose anything I put in the back pocket especially.

Also if you hunt in an area that is really cold and want to run a thicker base layer, sizing up may be needed as they kind of lean towards the more athletic fit category in my opinion. They seem to resist coffee spill and dog slobber/muddy paw stains pretty well too.

It all that sort of just wipes off really. I can also see these working well for mule deer hunts in some situations, especially those thick with mountain white thorn. Overall 4+ stars so far.

I spent a lot of time in the field walking through heavy brush and dense nasty thorns hunting with and training my bird dogs. I use and abuse my gear, if there are issues – I will find them. For the most part I really dislike the majority of the briar pants on the market.

And rest assured I probably own a pair from every major and minor outdoor apparel maker that makes them. I bet I currently have 12 pairs from 8 different brands currently. Most of them are way too baggy and fit like oversized garbage bags that in my opinion catch on brush more often and lend to their cuffs becoming torn and quickly worn out.

and if too loose, you’ll end up with more wear on your boot uppers and will spend a lot of time trying your laces. Many cuffs are so baggy they even make the use of gaiters uncomfortable. Many are loud, and for the most part they’re all rather uncomfortable.

Many dont breath and I would not want to wear them for anything other than a hunt. Hiking? Forget about it. All Briar pants are going to be a compromise – some will offer more protection at the cost of breathability, comfort.

Lightweight pants for warmer conditions will breath better but will often minimal protection and the fabric will wear considerably faster. What I have been looking for is a pair of pants that falls somwhere in the middle – middle range protection, good durability, but more important – a better more “athletic fit.

” And by a better fit – just like a normal pair of jeans or khakis and not so incredibly baggy. In addition – some fabric with a bit of stretch! I have about 30 days of active wear on my pair of Sawbuck brush Pants, and I can hands down say they are the most comfortable and best brush pants I have ever purchased.

They blow every other pair out of the water, period. Honestly, they’re one of the most comfortable pairs of pants I own and I put them side by side with any of pair of quality pants. I would wear these for any sort of outdoor work, hiking, etc.

The protective facing is not rigid and you almost dont even notice it. So far I have no wear or pilling on the fabric from thorns, and while I expected them to offer mid-range protection from briars, etc.

they are one of the best protective pants I’ve used. Short of the impenetrable waxed cotton pants/chaps, they are as good as any heavy nylon faced pants. I have yet to have any major scrapes across my legs, etc.

Breathability is excellent, and I put these up there in comfort with any pair of climbing or performance outdoor pants. The fit is my favorite part – they are fair from tight fitting but are an athletic fit with only minimal bagginess.

They dont catch on underbrush and tightly but comfortably fit over the top boots. I typically wear gaitors when bird hunting but I have found I havent needed too so far – the cuff is just tight enough i have had an issue with the pant leg being pulled up or boot laces undone.

I typically wear a ~32-33″ waist but I’ve added about 5-10lbs during the pandemic (who hasnt]. Currently I ordered a 32 waist worried that they may not fit but i found them to be a perfect fit with the stretch despite being a few pounds heavier.

For most people, if you were in between sizes like I saw (aka 32-33″) i wouldnt have a problem recommending the smaller size. The only negative is the inseam – they are long if you have a shorter or more average inseam like 30″ = I typically always get 30″ inseams I do wish that First Lite would offer that length in more waist sizes.

I will likely get my current (and the next pair) hemmed down an inch although the extra inseam length does help keep them tucked over a pair of boots. In review – these pants arent just my favorite briar pants, they’re one of my favorite pairs of pants.

Ill be ordering another pair and as quiet as they are I plan on ordering a camo pair to be part of my turkey hunting system. Well done First Lite!.

This is my honest review after having them for 1 day. After purchasing I was so excited to get these and put them to use! Reading reviews made me even more excited. Well they arrive and not at all what I was expecting.

Stitching coming out not even on a seam, in the middle of my freaking thigh, oh and I’ve worn them for 10 minutes inside my house. Whoever has wrote a review about these pants saying they are quite need hearing aides.

These are the loudest pair of pants I have ever put on besides rain gear. I know rain grear that is quieter than these pants. Regular carheart jeans are significantly quieter than these. If you buy these with the intent to shoot 300+ yards they are perfect for you, actually maybe not because a 20$ pair of jeans is quieter.

If you spot and stalk in these pants A) your gonna get busted at 80-90 yards or B) by the time you get to shooting distance the sun has set and the buck is long gone because you have to move so damn slow.

These will be used mainly for hiking down a popular trail with my girlfriend, or relaxed wear. Nothing fancy for the price go with kuiu.

I drove 150 miles round trip for the hunting sale. Got to cabelas and sizes available were 40 waist and up to 50. Road hunters don’t need brush pants. Numerous out of state hunters have the same complaint.

Cabelas isn’t the same since Bass Pro bought them out! Poor quality ,wrong sizes,low inventory, poor selection.

I bought this a month ago and have worn it over 7 days in the field hunting grouse, quail and pheasant. While I have been protected from the various burs and plants encountered the pants are fairly stiff, often limiting mobility.

I would look over other options in this price range before pulling the trigger. In my opinion it is worth a little extra money to get a pair of brush pants that wont restrict your movement as much. Dragging your feet through thick brush all day is difficult enough.

Boy am I glad I purchased these pants for my SD Pheasant Hunt. Last year I made my first trip out from Utah and had an amazing time in SD. Walking in the cover with just my Levi’s I was getting poked and had burs stuck in my pants.

This year I had none of that. The weather was warm this year and they are made heavy, but the lack of discomfort from the pokes and burs was well worth the extra warmth. I do not how long they will last if used in a heaven season as I do not chase the upland game like I used to.

I’ve hunted 2 full seasons with this vest so far. There is a little wear here and there, but overall still in great shape and ready for the next season! I don’t know how some people in the negative reviews hunt, but I’m able to load this vest up for half a day of walking for grouse or pheasants, and it has held a limit of pheasants for me plenty of times.

It’s lightweight and helps me stay cooler on hot days, but allows enough adjustment to go over thicker clothing at the end of the season. I wish I could add a photo, because I have a picture of the vest at the end of a hunt holding 3 pheasants, 2 quail, and a 1 Liter water bottle for the dog in the game bag, a bladder with 2 Liters of water for me hanging in the vest (probably down to a liter by that point of the hunt), a small med Kit (fits in a small ziploc bag), my wallet and keys, some wire cutters, and a dog bell, vet wrap, and gauze pads located in the pockets on the back of the vest, and I started the hunt with 26 shells between the pockets and shell loops.

The dog’s water bottle was the only thing sticking out of the game bag, but it rode there the while hike back to the pickup. I don’t know what more you’d need to pack along!.

I’ve had my upland game vest for about a year – purchased through Scheels in Fargo ND – THE best outdoor retailer in America. I wear my vest daily as I use it for dog training and conditioning (water and retrieving dummies) and carrying a few essentials (knife, leatherman, firstaid kit, phone and poo bags).

As a technical piece of gear, great balance, adjustability, adequate storage and durability. All my negative comments surround user functionality. First, an aesthetic comment – the sun fade of the “orange” material makes the vest look older than any piece of upland gear I own.

Some of that is over 20 years old. When you lay out two bills for a upland vest, the “blaze orange” should stay crisp looking longer than 12 months. Looks more like “dreamcicle orange” if you can related to ice cream treats.

Now the stuff that matters most to me. 1) rearloader vs side/front loader- I’m 64 and not as limber as I once was. I literally take the vest off to put a bird in the game pouch. I would like to see you extend loading shoots running from the game pouch to the front of the mag pockets (I do love these!) Issue 2) which would be affected by this change is the placement of the shell/cartridge loops.

I would remove from the underside of the mag pockets and add to the outside of the pocket. I would put two shell/cartridge loops on each side of the pocket snap closure (8 external loops). If this change is made 3) I’d like to see the mag pockets made 2 inches wider – more pouch room and greater external surface area to add the shell/cartridge loops.

I purchased the water bladder and the only change I would like is to have duel water lines coming off the bladder. One just like your original design, a second running under the game pouch and mag pockets that can be used to easily fill my dog’s water bowl.

Why carry the additional weight of water bottles if you are carrying a 3 liter water bladder? I do like the lateral pockets to carry water bottles when I don’t need the volume of a water bladder. 4) Elastic band bottle loops would certainly be appreciated to fully secure water bottles in these lateral side pockets.

My experience is I lose a water bottle (or two) when I remove the vest to train or deposit a bird in the game pouch. Final 5) item in the shell/cartridge loops- sew in a bottom strap so you don’t push the shells right through the loop when loading.

All my shell belts incorporate this item, with my favorite Beretta belt using leather and elastic to secure the shells. Happy to send pictures of my “dreamcicle” upland vest, just email me.

The upland pack/vest has shown itself to be more hype and gimmick than functional. The purported “90% market share” and “quiet closing shell pockets” are the principle infractions in this regard. Realistically, 90% of the upland hunting community probably can’t justify spending $200 on a vest! The shell pocket’s magnetic closure is as quiet as the claim is made but that has no advantage in upland sport.

Once you get the hang of it, shell access is only slightly easier than a poorly manufactured zipper. The disadvantage, however, is the relatively small volume (depth) that these pocket offer. If you are a long way from the vehicle and apt to do a great deal of shooting, generous bag limits and several shooting opportunities, you will likely need to carry some shells inside the pack – a major purpose of having shell pockets.

Unless I have misunderstood their use for over forty years? The greater hassle, with the shallow pockets, there is a tendency for shells to spill out as you’re reaching in to reload. Along the lines of spillage and generous limits, the game bag was designed to have someone “generously” carry birds for you! As stated in a few of the more realistic reviews, the game bag just cannot hold three rooster (pheasants) or a limit of any bird species I typically hunt.

The fashionable and slimming snug-fit just wasn’t designed to carry birds. But looks great for a night on-the-town! I would need to train one dog to hunt behind me for birds that spill from the pouch as I cross obstacles or manage steep terrain.

To be sure, the three-stars I offered was generous. I harbor no animosity, I have since relegated this vest to dog training and purchased a competitor’s vest for serious hunting.

Tried the 6. 5 Creedmoor 120 gr Trophy Copper for the first time on whitetail– a disaster. In the past I have taken many, many deer with the Federal Fusion 270 Win 130 gr, including many big whitetail and big mule deer bucks, with great success, at short and long range, since the cartridge was first introduced.

Never a problem, and never had a deer go more than 40 yards, easy blood trail, and massive hematoma on the exit side of the animal. After hearing about hawks and eagles ingesting lead, decided to try the trophy copper on whitetail this season.

After getting up 16 feet in a tree, shot a stationary adult doe in the chest at 15 yards with a scoped rifle. Twenty minutes later, shot another stationary adult doe in the chest at 40 yards. Neither hit released any discernable blood or blood trail.

A quick look in the direction of travel of each deer did not turn up either animal. I was in shock, and not what I’m used to. I then performed a 75 yard grid search out from my stand location. I never located Deer #1, or any blood.

The grid search turned up Deer #2 50 yards from where I shot her. She had laid down, but jumped up when she saw me, ran 40 yards on to some private land before I could shoot, and disappeared from view.

I did not have permission to hunt the private land so had to stop my search. A huge disappointment. Perhaps the trophy copper is better in big bore rifles for deer size animals, or better at longer ranges, but I’m now reluctant to try again in other calibers after such a disappointment.

I love Federal in the fusion and also trophy bonded tip, and until now, used them exclusively. However, this trophy copper in 6. 5 Creedmoor was a big let down.

I am a xl in size and this comes xl to 2 lx and the size is the 2 xl. Its too big and will not adjust enough for a xl. The first time I un snapped a pocket the snap came off it wasn’t crimped properly.

The game pouch is easily accessible and the water bottle holders are nice. The shell loops are good and the pockets stay secure while snapped as long as the snaps don’t fall apart. If the sizing chart was more accurate and the snap didn’t break i would have given 5 stars.

It would be better to buy this in a storewhere you can check it good prior to buying.

This ammo doesn’t fit to my Remington 700, chambered in 6. 5 Creedmoor. It seems the casing size is bigger than the chamber. I bought a box of 20 to test a lead free ammo at the range, and I was able to shoot only few of them with a lot force to feed the gun.

The gun was thoroughly cleaned before shooting, so it wasn’t cleaning problem. The grouping result was also awful; more than 2 MOA is just unacceptable. Fortunately, I had another ammo with me (hornady precision hunter, bought from Cabelas with the same order) which saved the day.

Chambered smothly and the grouping was half MOA. Anyway, since you cannot return ammo, I don’t know even what to do with remaining bullets.

My old Bob Allen XL coat had “shrunk” a little, so I ordered this 2XL Browning. Fit is perfect. Seems extremely well made with lots of little extras. Color is in no way tan but brown. This is fine with me–matches my Carhart upland pants.

Zipper is heavy duty nylon, would have preferred brass, but also has metal snaps that I will probably use more than the zipper. Generous pockets. It has a lining that should provide plenty of warmth.

Bought this coat for a trip to Iowa, looks like it will be a good investment. The coat is thin so don’t plan on sitting and staying warm. With a good hoodie and walking all day for pheasant I think it’s gonna be a winner.

Just received the coat. Nicely made with some interesting features. Good price. However, size runs very small. I’m not a big man but ordered an XL to layer underneath. I’m sending the coat back and reordering an XXL.

Bought for my husband. The size 44 should have been loose but these run small. The length had to be shortened by several inches. The quality of this product is very high, and the price was more than fair.

Excellent alternative to over-priced upland hunting apparel. Product as described. Great value. Highly recommend.

Pack used on recent eight day mountain mule deer hunt. Very comfortable and enough storage for day hunts. Having a Hybrid allowed for gear and packing out the quarters. Built in gun holder and rain cover worked great when needed, tucked away when not used.

Hauler handled 3 quarters with day pack detached. Unfortunately no chance to pack elk size quarters. I really like this pack.

The fit and cut on these are great; some may find them too slim but personally I prefer not to have my outdoor pants billowing like MC Hammer. The material is durable and good quality for an outdoor pant.

My one minor complaint (and I was aware of this purchasing), is as an avid upland hunter in Western Wisconsin, these aren’t really what I’d call “brush pants”. I’m very pleased with them as a pair of *field pants* for hiking and hunting, but they would need to be paired with chaps to be used when hunting the heavy cover and briars where I chase upland birds.

Where I hunt, actual “brush pants” would be something very much like these but with an additional layer of canvas or something similar sewn over the legs and around the ankles to function like built-in chaps.

if Duck Camp had something like that I would purchase in a heartbeat.

Love the fit, though a bit snug, and trim cut through hips and thighs. Consider a size up. Love the fabric, but better suited for casual/evening/work pants than for the field. Much lighter weight than expected.

but a very nice feel. Nowhere near as hearty as Carhartt. Consider these if you want pants that look great, and feel great, but not if you want pants to partner with you in the outdoors. Better suited for sporting clays/range than for the field.

Really great pair of pants. I don’t know if I would consider them true brush pants, as they don’t have an extra layer of protection, but these are absolutely awesome outdoor pants, and definitely can stand up to branches and light brambles.

If you’re going to be in heavy brambles, I’d recommend layering on chaps, but make sure you’re wearing these underneath, because they’re excellent and high quality. They also look great, and can be worn casually and are stylish and comfortable.

10/10 would recommend.

This pack has been everything I could have asked for! I’ve packed out a whole muley on one trip in Wyoming and then just yesterday a whole boned out cow elk all in one trip! I’ve used some other cheaper packs but this one right here is definitely worth the money! Have had it two years now and it’s been on 6 back country hunts so far and multiple trips just hiking the mountains around the house and it has yet to fail me.

I believe the way you are able to pull the load so close to your back makes the biggest deference for me, I would encourage anyone looking for a pack to really consider this one as you won’t be disappointed!.

Amazing pack! Went on a multi day elk backpacking trip in colorado after a snow storm, with a full pack and loved it! There are so many pockets and I ended up putting my rifle on one of the sides with the stock in the water bottle pocket and strapped it in and it worked great! Can’t ask for more in a pack.

Super comfortable, And tons of room, shocked how much this pack expands.

These pants are not going to be brush busting pants that you’ll want to take through wild rose. They are light weight, comfy, and will be great for warmer weather. The fit is perfect. Not too baggy but not skinny jeans.

The material is fantastic and exactly what i was looking for in a comfy Upland pair. I have filson chaps to wear if there will be alot of brush. Build is superb an I think you’ll be happy with them as long as you’re not liking for a pair that is tough as nails and will go through anything.

If that’s what you want, get these and a pair of filson chaps and you’ll have protection from any thorns you’ll find and water on those wet mornings.

Super comfortable, great fit. My big concern was these would be too form fitting. But they wear and look more like your standard cotton pants. Very stretchy material. Much easier to get your leg up really high to get over obstacles in the field.

My thick canvas, oil or cotton field pants with boots on make getting you leg over stuff a chore. I haven’t been in the briars and thorns yet to see if the double layer part of the pants actually keeps thorns from getting to your skin.

This is fairly light weight full synthetic pant. I find it hard to believe the thorns wouldn’t really snag and damage the upper part of the pant when you are in the high thorny vines like blackberries looking for birds.

If you are mainly in thigh height crop fields these will do nicely to keep you much dryer than cotton or canvas in rain or morning dew.

I love badlands anything! But these pants have been utterly destroyed in less than 20 outings hunting rabbits and woodcock. They’ve got so many strings hanging from them they look like the local hobby lobby store.

Briars pick through them now and last few times I’ve been ate up. I imagine these would make awesome chukar and pheasant pants but don’t come beating around the rough cottontail/grouse habitat in these you’ll be bloody and disappointed.

This has always been our go to brand to keeping scents ar bay when hunting. It’s also a good starter kit for anyone who is just starting out and need it all to try out. It comes with 10 items such as laundry detergent , 12 oz field spray and a 16 oz refill for the spray, pac it re fills, soap travel case along with the soap, 5 color face paint and spf 30 lip balm!! Comes in handy! If haven’t tried this definitely recommend yall trying it if hunt!.

The products are great and I’ve used them for years. Just not what I ordered. The one I ordered had a few different items then what I received. When I purchased, it had wind detector and when my order came in it was a different box.

Was really the only reason I ordered the bundle package.

Good kit. It was wet and bagged and boxed back up. Shipping label was cut and reattached. Still missing 2 items. Backorder i suspect.

I bought these pants for pheasant hunting but they were jot at all what I expected. I currently own a pair of Columbia pants from years ago and they are much heavier weight material. These pants are a thin lightweight pant which seems to be geared more towards hunting in warm weather.

The sizing is also very odd. All my pants are size 31 waisyand I had to buy size 34 and they are still tight. I will be returning these pants.

I like these pants and think they are great for most seasons. They are pretty lightweight so I especially like them in the summer. I put a base layer under them in the cold. They seem pretty durable for my needs in Ohio.

It would be better if the front briar resistant panels were higher. I think they are a great alternative to the many high priced offerings and will serve most people well.

HAve only had a chance to wear these once so far this season. Like the light weight for early season, but not sure how well they would hold up to briars later. Might need to wear a pair of chaps over them.

Two complaints. 1) Legs are not roomy enough. I am slim (6’2 and 180) and they felt a little snug. 2) There is no left back pocket which I thouoght weird.

Pack and associated frame very good quality and well made. No assembly instructions or listing of which buckles go where or for what some buckles, loops, or velcro are to be used. Some YouTube videos avail which helped but really it was trial and error to figure it out.

With instructions/illustrations outlining what the designer intended rating would be 5. still need to give it a test run.

I received this pack as a Christmas gift. Open the package and there’s no frame or straps. Apparently that has to be purchased separately but it doesn’t say that on the advertisement. So I am returning it and shopping around.

Not cool Cabelas…. Not cool.

These are very, very good upland pants. The cut, stretch fabric, zippered AND regular pockets, reinforced hem, built-in chap material, good looks, and all-around quality are impressive. Note: Zippered pockets protect your phone and wallet from all the debris that can make its way into regular pockets.

I used them for an entire New England upland season in the rough bottomlands, briars, hot days, cool days and I really like them. All that said (LL Bean, pay attention here), they could be even better.

First, the built-in chap material should go higher up on each pant leg. The upper-thigh area on my pair is really torn up, so I really wish the reinforced chap material would go much higher. Second, the shell-loop pockets — although impressive in the show-room — are not practical and certainly not worth the weight and extra expense.

Third, although the reinforced cuff material is awesome, there may be more of it than is needed — which adds unnecessary weight. Special note: I use the pants with the Arcade belt sold by LL Bean — light, comfortable, stretchy, and generally awesome.

I ordered these on a whim the week before opening pheasant/quail weekend here in KS this year. Although I’ve only had them for 4 weeks now, I’ve worn them for the past 3 weekends and for a total of 8 solid upland hunting days, with probably 50-75 miles of walking through thick CRP grass, briar patches, cedar stands, bushes, etc.

Needless to say, I am a huge fan so far. I’ve hunted upland birds my entire life, have always worn jeans, but will never wear denim again when chasing birds. These pants shed moisture well. The stretch of the fabric lends itself well to increase your ability to high step over obstacles.

The fabric texture allows you to glide past thorns and brush. Plenty of thoughtful, appropriately sized pockets to keep your items arranged (and I really like the zipper pockets for wallets and keys).

Even though they aren’t the waterproof version, these did well enough keeping me reasonably couple in a few inches of snow last weekend. As far as temperature range goes, I’ve worn these in the 70s on opening weekend (stayed cool) and int he teens last weekend with a simple layer of merino bottoms (stayed warm.

) They have held up well cosmetically, FWIW.

Pants performed very well on recent ND pheasant hunting trip. Very comfortable and handled 3 days of walking through waist high cover crop fields without issue. Stayed dry on the one day we had rain.

Only complaint is same as stated by other reviewers; pockets are usable but could be deeper, and there should be two back pockets instead of just one.

I am extremely impressed by this backpack. They thought through all the details and this is really the ultimate day pack. First off there are numerous interior pockets to organize things like your survival kit, first aid kit and water purification.

There is a separate internal pocket for keys and a wallet which is a nice feature as well. The hip pockets are actually big enough to store things bigger than chapstick which was a good call by Kuiu.

I use mine to hold a map and compass. The main interior is large enough for extra water and layering clothes for the day. The vertical zip pocket is just the right size for a lightweight rain shell and you can stuff a pack rain cover in the top part.

What really makes this pack unique however is the exterior strap system. I was actually disappointed when I first got the pack because the straps were set up in a way were I could not easily open the pack without unclipping them.

Then I realized you can literally reconfigure every strap based on the chain loop design they have. I spent the next 20 min putting my stuff together and setting up the straps to work for my gear. I even had a moment on the trail when hiking with my family and had to hang my 5 year old daughter’s backpack on mine.

It took about 30 seconds to move some straps and I was able to easily hook it on. The lower loop straps are well designed and can be used for holding a pad for glassing etc. I called Kuiu and suggested an additional front type strap for bear mace and the rep actually said they have straps that hook onto the belt pads and shipped them for free.

All in all this is an extremely well thought out pack and the rip stop material is pretty much bombproof. Today there is a trend from other pack manufacturers to be fragile ‘minimalist’ designs which are lackluster at most so its good to see Kuiu step up and make some real burly outdoor gear.

This is the type of equipment that you take into the woods and even if you go through some gnarly stuff you know it will see you through.

I purchased this pack for mobile deer hunting with a lock-on stand and sticks. I attach the stand and sticks to the front of the pack using the provided compression straps. This method is not very comfortable and puts strain on the shoulders.

I believe it is because the weight of the stand and sticks is too far away from the body. I have come to understand that a true frame pack will handle heavy loads much better than a day pack and allows for placing the load closer to the body (between the suspension and the pack), so I have ordered a Kuiu frame pack to try.

As a day pack with no stand or sticks attached, the Venture 2300 is super comfortable and carries a moderate load very well. I have hiked for a few hours in the hills with it on my back and sometimes forgot it was there.

I have read that a frame pack will allow more ventilation between the body and the pack than a day pack will. I can say that in warmer weather (October in the south) it can get very hot on my back with this pack on.

If I could make a change it would be to add some small to medium size pockets around the top and/or sides of the pack. The one grab pocket at the top of the pack is nice, but I find that I have too many items in it and the pocket gets too full where I have to fish around for things and they want to fall out of it.

I would recommend the Venture 2300 for a day pack in mild to cooler weather. I would not recommend it for carrying a lock on stand and sticks. My pack full is around 18-20 lbs. My stand and sticks are around 18-20 lbs.

So that is a load of around 40 lbs with the stand and sticks positioned farthest away from the body. The Venture 2300 would probably be great for someone who saddle hunts and carries just lightweight sticks and a small lightweight platform.

I received my pro 6000 pack a couple weeks ago and i’ve used it quite a bit since. The first thing i did was look at their youtube video on fitting the bag correctly to suit my body; I found the process quite easy.

I’m preparing for a back country elk hunt so i’ve been using weights in the pack to simulate and train incline and decline hiking. The pack sits perfectly and i feel like the lumbar support pad is just enough without adding the extra pad that was included.

Perhaps that may change as i increase weight over the duration of my training. Also, a few days ago i used the pro pack to haul my Tethrd saddle hunting setup as well as lone wolf climbing sticks. I was able to easily fit and fasten the predator platform and phantom saddle inside the pack along with the climbing sticks attached outside where a bow or rifle would be.

I was able to comfortably carry my setup to the hunting area, and set up and repacking was quite easy and fast. The true test will be in September when i hike 50-80 miles over a week in elk country and hopefully pack out a bull elk.

So far though, i am satisfied and very happy with the pro 6000 pack. It is big enough to fit everything you need for a week or more of camping, but also it cinches down quite compactly to carry a smaller load.

I have yet to hear any squeaking that some people have complained about in the past, and i suspect that may be caused by not properly fitting the pack prior to usage. 5 stars from me so far.