Eberlestock Dragonfly

[aammat]

As for now I'm using a Tatonka lastenkräxe http://intranet.tatonka.com/infosys/infocgi/artinfoe.dll?1130&0 as freight hauler when hunting musk ox, but since my rifle is 14lb I fance the idea of using a dragonfly istead..
Since the ability to carry as lot of meat is the most important thing I email Eberlestock asking for the weight limit, they replied:
"We do not have a weight limit for our warranty-We say that the back goes before the pack!"
That's al good, but seens I allready once have tried a no limit freight hauler that broke while walking downhill with 120 lb meat I need to hear what yours experiences tells you is the weight limit..??
Typical I/we need to carry 600-800 lb meat going back, so I/we have to walk alot.. 12-15 miles is standard each way, so I/we spend a lot of time after the hunt walking..
So please share you carrying experience with me..!!

 

[Snubbie]

There is a thread on page two in this Backpack Hunting forum, titled "Eberlestock vs Cabelas Outfitter Pack. There are a lot of testimonials from those who use the Eberlestocks. Real guys that use these to haul meat.

On page 4, esornenson has some very impressive photos with whole animals strapped on and in his pack.

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f61/eberlestock-vs-cabelas-outfitter-pack-66733/index4.html


No doubt the Eberlestocks are well built and will carry about any load a mortal man is willing to pack out.

I suppose ANYTHING can break or fail.

If Eberlestock says the lifetime warranty does not have a weight limit, I suppose that's about the best one could ask for.

 

[aammat]

I have read almost all the treads, using "search" but most of the review mension carrying 1-5 miles..
esornenson writes about carrying 60lb 1 mile, what I want to hear is peoples experience carrying above 60lb for more than 10 miles - how comfortable is the eberlestock dragonfly then..?

I do like the idea of not having to carry my riffel going out and that's why I ask about peoples experience with the dragonfly..

The picture shows my backpack while making a stop to drink some water, it's loaded with a part of the musk ox (150lb) and a rabbit I cae across walking down hill..

 

[Snubbie]

Sorry, I misunderstood your original question. I thought you were concerned with the durability of the Eberlestock carrying that amount of weight.

In my mind, 150 pound loads over 10 miles on my back, and the word "comfortable" are not compatible! At my age, I'm past even contemplating that and it's pretty doubtful I would have contemplated that in my younger days!
I packed a whitetail a little over a mile just last week over rugged terrain and it was tough. My pack weighed ONLY 66 pounds. 150 pounds? Forget it, that doesn't sound like fun.

You know, there is a reason humankind has bred horses, donkeys, mules, and llamas for thousands of years!lightbulb

Anyway, can't help you much. Maybe someone will chime in.

 

[retiredcpo]

While I cannot testify to packing anything for ten miles.
I can say I love my eberlestock
My dragonfly weights 40 lbs with my gun and gear but no food or water.
This year I hiked in 2 miles shot my deer and packed it out im sure with meat and cape I was pushing close to 140-150 lbs and I made it out no problem.
Understand I am a retired Disabled Vet with a very bad back.
I use this pack as a day pack as well kind of heavy for that really some day i will get a lighter model for short hunting.
Get one you wont regret it
retiredcpo

 

[tt35]

Retiredcpo: Your back can't be that bad, buddy!

aammat: Do you carry your rifle on the multiple trips? The Dragonfly is designed to be used as a day pack and then haul meat after the shot. Would it work for you to keep your meat hauler at the vehicle and just use the Eberlestock to bring out the first load and then going to your freight hauler? Best of both worlds possibly?? BTW those kinds of loads and miles is hardcore!

 

[aammat]

tt35: Yes it may be a solution to leave the Tatonka I have now in the camp/boat or vehicle..
Normaly I carrying my rifle both ways on my multiplie trips, just in case I run into a reindeer or a musk ox.. And that's why I like the idea of not having to carry the rifle over my shoulder or in my hand, have thought..
Yes, it's hard work carrying the meat out, but the family love the meat and I love the nature and the hunt so every body is happy.. 4 days ago we made spareribs out of the ribs from a musk ox - XXXL spareribs..

It's hard to decide wheather to exchange the tanoka I have with the Dragonfly when I can't try it on before buying it.. Only big problem with lving in Greenland, limited access to hunting equipment..

 

[.284]

I can help you out with this.
I packed out a sheep over 20 km with the cabelas pack. The strap broke about 4 km from my truck - it was kinda my fault cause I was pretty tired and just grabbed one strap and hoisted it up. That pack is all right but won't stand up to what you want

Fell for the marketing bs and got a dragonfly pack. This is more of a day hunt bag and is hardly big enough to use for back packing multiple days. The rifle holder works well but you might hit the crown of your rifle when going down hill and it's a joke to put it in there when the bag is loaded. I practiced hiking with 70lbs in it and it's not too bad but not too great either for a comfortable ride. You won't get as much in it as on your tatonka and I don't think the zip in panel would hold up for too long. If you plan to use the extra gear hauler bag or whatever they call it you need to buy extra straps to go around it as the ones they provide are too short and they failed to mention that. I still have mine for a day trip gear bag but in my opinion it's not what they hype it up to be.

Next I went to a mystery ranch 6000 and can say that this is in my opinion the best you can get. Practiced hiking with the same load and it is night and day difference in comfort and you can strap everything in tight to your back so it rides better. If you load up the erblestock to 6000 cubic inches it's gonna be hanging way back. I can't say for sure but I would bet that their external frame load hauler would be great for what you want

I have also used the badlands 4500 with the same practice load. It definitely rides better than the erblestock but the 4500 capacity is from extending the part with the drawcord that is usually under the top cover all the way above your head. Not the way to pack weight.

Hopefully this helps you out and you only buy one bag. Go for a mystery ranch. Hands down the winner. I pack my rifle in the water bottle holder on the bottom with the sling around my neck and bought some extra water bottle pouches for the waist belt

 

[ATH]

I've used a Dragonfly to haul ~90lbs for 4-5 miles. There is no reason it would not have gone further, the pack seemed well within its limits and would have held more meat had my back/legs been up to the abuse. Where we were, it simply made more sense to make a second trip rather than break ourselves.

I believe the Dragonfly would have held as much as I would have wanted to carry in it. No, it is not the best meat carrying pack out there but it works well for me as an all-around pack. If I was really concerned about absolute carrying ability I'd keep one of those in the truck for the second trip. It has other features which make it attractive for the actual hunting phase.

 

[rcdinaz]

I have read almost all the treads, using "search" but most of the review mension carrying 1-5 miles..
esornenson writes about carrying 60lb 1 mile, what I want to hear is peoples experience carrying above 60lb for more than 10 miles - how comfortable is the eberlestock dragonfly then..?

I do like the idea of not having to carry my riffel going out and that's why I ask about peoples experience with the dragonfly..

The picture shows my backpack while making a stop to drink some water, it's loaded with a part of the musk ox (150lb) and a rabbit I cae across walking down hill..

This is crazy, you are a beast! The fact that you had a brontosaurus ham on your back and still took time to kill the pretty white bunny is beyond me. I am in pretty good shape but I can tell you the only thing I would stop to pick up with that thing on my back would be my tongue.

As to the question I have carried 60 lbs of gear regularly in my Dragonfly and it was nothing as far as the pack is concerned. You gain a little more balance having a well layed out scabard so I am sure you could do over 100 lbs pretty easily and the backpack wont care they are well made.

This year I am trying out a Kuiu carbon frame pack which so far for comfort and extreme lightweight seems to be the bomb. We will see how it holds up on the first trip in two weeks.

 

[aammat]

RCdinaz: The bunny was shot before the musk ox and that why it's in the picture,,

While I was carrying the musk ox down my hunting body had taken the boat to pick up 2 thorphy hunter, in the photo you can see an small lake and while walking down I spotted a king size musk ox (1000 lb)..
So when I got down with the backpack/meat I tracked down the musk ox, when my hunting body came back with the 2 thorphy hunters I callede them to guide them to the bull I had found..
I didn't want to shot it so when they came up tp me 1 of them got the shot, re is the proud hunter with this first musk ox..
I spend the rest of the day hauling meat down to the boat..