I have done a lot of backpacking and thought the same thing. I think the main reason behind the weight in the Badland packs are due to the material they use. Compare this heavy weight material to a lightweight 500 denier Codura and you can have a difference of a few pounds. Another thing is the padding that Badlands uses. It is very dense and they don't use a mesh type of material with lighter weight padding behind it that breaths better and are just as comfortable in my opinion.

I am really surprised that a company hasn't come out with a pack that is lightweight like you are saying. The technology and materials are out there a company just has to put it all together.

I think it is what Sitka was trying to do but came up short a little bit. They used those better materials and tweek them for hunting, aka waterproof sections, spotting scope pouch etc. In think where they fell short was with the intitial pack design/layout. Sitka stuck with the standard, what I call 'tube' pack and didn't offer some of the benefits of the extra pockets and layout of say a badlands or eberlestock pack. They got pretty close though... I just wish I could get a real number for it's weight... seems i read something saying it is 'heavier than advertised' in many user reviews... guess i'll have to borrow a digital scale from the fishing section at SW at walk over to the hunting packs!

It looks like 6#'s and some change. The main compartment is something like 3900ci. You can check this thread for more...
http://www.sagecr...wtopic.php?t=5721

Thank You Sir, seems a bit small for anything over 5 days. I have a 3500 Kelty for general backpacking that I think I could go 6 or 7 days in tops but with the added hunting gear I think the Sitka might fall short for the 7 day requirement I have placed on the pack I am going to order. Then again, 3900 is more than 3500 and the added side pockets will take most of the other gear.

Geez, what a decision. I have checked them both out but keeping holding out in hopes of a miracle bag out there that weighs 3 lbs, holds 5000CI, has the most comfortable _frame_, is waterproof and walks and carries quarters on its own!

I pretty much have it narrowed down to the Badlands, JP9, and Sitka 45 with preference to the Sitka and Eberlestock.

On your JP9, do you feel there is adequate compression straps when expanded witht the duffel?

Also, you don't own the Sitka pack do you?

here it is lugnut... hope it helps

Similar to dbow, I have narrowed my search down to the following:

Badlands OX
Eberlestock JP9 Blue Widow
Kifaru LongHunter
MR Crew Cab
Wilderness Pack Specialties Compact _frame_

Or use a smaller pack like the BL 2800 for hunting and use a Kelty Cache Hauler for the meat!

I am waiting to try these on, with some bags of shot in them to see how they fit on me. Then try to see when my budget will allow the purchase, as I do not want to skimp here.