]]>Posted by: Steve Flores on Apr 7, 2014
Having grown up in the southern mountains of West Virginia, I feel more than qualified to talk about the needs of the mountain bowhunter. One of those needs is bow transportation. With the exploding popularity of UTV’s, and the vast number of bowhunters who utilize ATV’s to access remote hunting areas, the need for safe, reliable, easy transportation of archery gear (specifically the bow) has grown as well. In fact, it is paramount to a successful hunt. After all, if your bow doesn’t survive the trip then what’s the point? Certainly this is true no matter what part of the country you hunt in. Thankfully though, bowhunting manufacturers have recognized this need and have introduced products aimed specifically at those of us who use such means of transportation in and out of our hunting areas; Blacks Creek is one such company.
The Blacks Creek Bow Transporter
One of the best things about this product is that it isn’t simply limited to a guy like me; someone who carries their bow exclusively on an ATV/UTV. The Blacks Creek Bow Transporter can also be used inside of your vehicle. However, the meat and potatoes of this particular item is the ability to safely carry a bow on your ATV.
The Blacks Creek Bow Transporter allows users to obey game laws (in certain states) by having their bow cased after dark and while on (or in) a motorized vehicle. This is something that ordinary, bow “grips” can’t do.
Bow Friendly Features
Topping the list of highlights on the Mathews ATV / Truck Bow Transporter is durability. This case is made of a 3 layer, Tricot and 1000 Denier Cordura Fabric Construction; making it one of the strongest soft bow cases on the market. This is essential when you consider that the majority of time the case will be attached to an ATV ridding over rough terrain. The typical outcome of that situation is “worn spots” on the bow case from the constant back-and-forth rubbing while traversing uneven terrain. However, due to the materials utilized here I can honestly see many years of use without failure.
The outside of the bow case is adorned with my favorite archery logo which adds to the overall style of the product while letting everyone know my bow of choice.
Next up is the Dust Cover Flap that protects your bow while driving; especially if you’re behind another hunter. Most November rut hunts don’t produce a lot of dusty trails. However, the early season, on an ATV, means one thing….dust, and plenty of it! Dust is hard on a bow’s moving parts. Personally, I do my best to keep it and my finely tuned weapon separated. The Dust Flap can do just that. It is connected with adjustable nylon webbing straps; which means you can place your bow inside of the case (with the quiver attached) and cinch it down as tight as you like.
Inside The Case
Mathews shooters will like the attractive Lost Camo pattern found on the inside of the case. Not only that, they will love the ½-inch padding locating on the bottom of the case. This, obviously, provides protection between your bow and whatever it is attached to; ATV, UTV or truck. Two nylon straps can also be found inside the case and ensure that your bow is tightly secure. And, if that isn’t enough, the interior also houses a “pocket” that runs the length of the case and up one side which prevents the bow from moving; providing even more security.
Not only is the Mathews ATV/Truck Bow Case attractive, it is also highly functional and does the one thing it was designed to do…protect your bow.
Around Back
Users will find a dual nylon connection straps located on the back of the Transporter. These are used to attach the case to your ATV/UTV or the back of your truck seat. I really like this feature because it eliminates the need to carry a separate case. In the past, I’ve had to carry one case in my vehicle and a separate case for my ATV. Blacks Creek essentially eliminates this conundrum with the simple addition of straps that can easily be detached and reattached; making it the perfect hauling devise for your Mathews bow.
Quality, adjustable straps on the inside and out of the transporter bow case allow you to securely hold your valuable bow rig during the ride into your hunting area.
Final Thoughts
In addition to all of the previously mentioned attributes, I like the fact that this case has no zippers. This allows quick and quiet access to my bow and who are we kidding, zippers eventually fail due to dust and debris; rendering a once great bow case useless. Also, the Transporter comes with a carrying handle and is made in the USA; who doesn’t like that?
Users will like the inside of the case which is padded and covered in Mathews’ exclusive Lost camo pattern.
If I could change one thing about the case it would be to add a small hole to the front which would allow me to store my bow without the need to remove the stabilizer. Now, I will admit I shoot an extra-long stabilizer (12 inches) while most bowhunters opt for a much shorter 5 or 7-inch model; which fits nicely inside. So, in reality my “want” is really not a direct result of a faulty aspect of the case. For general bowhunting rigs this soft case is spot on perfect.
Features:
- 3 layer Tricot and 1000 Denier Cordura Fabric Construction
- Dust Cover Flap
- 2 Bow Securing Straps
- Carry Handle
- 2 ATV / Truck Seat Attachment Straps
- Fits Most Mathews Bow Designs
- MSRP: $99.00
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]]>Posted by: Steve Flores on Mar 13, 2014
When it comes to the way I bow hunt whitetails I guess you could say the process is sort of an enigma. What I mean is when you compare the way I hunt to the way the rest of the Bowhunting.com staff does the most common denominator is the game we pursue. After that our tactics and methods begin to vary greatly.
For example, steep, rugged terrain is the norm for me every time I walk outside and head to a stand. There are no open fields to stroll across, no scenic views, and most often every piece of gear I have is strapped to my back in an effort to remain as cool as possible during my walk to the stand. Sometimes my hunting areas are so far off the beaten path that hunting them for a few hours simply isn’t an option. As a result, all day sits become the only logical way to hunt those stands and therefore even more gear must be brought along because I must prepare for a number of situations. I guess this explains my fetish for backpacks. I look at them the way my Bowhunting.com brothers might look at food plot seed or the latest piece of farm equipment. In short, they are vital to my success.
If you are in the market for a high quality, American made backpack, do yourself a favor and give the Blacks Creek Antidote a look.
The Problem
For me, when it comes to hauling in my whitetail gear I typically look for a backpack that is built for a Western hunter because we are very much alike. That comparison might sound strange but until you’ve hunted where I hunt you can’t fully understand the similarities. You see, many of my whitetail hunts require trips into the rugged mountains of southern West Virginia and with that come the same difficulties that many Western hunters face.
In a nutshell, I need a pack that is lightweight, can securely carry all of my clothes, my essential gear, food, water and also my weapon. It must also balance the load evenly across my back; allowing me to move faster without inducing fatigue. My pack also needs to be tough enough to withstand bone-jarring ATV rides over rocky hillsides and keep everything dry when exposed to rain, snow and mud. In the event I arrow a buck too far from an access road, my pack of choice must also be built to handle a boned-out whitetail. As you can see, typical, run-of-the-mill “whitetail” packs rarely accompany me into the timber. I need a little something more.
No matter what your chasing, if you hunt in mountainous terrain there is a good chance that you rely on a quality backpack to get you and your gear in, and possibly a big-game animal out.
The Cure
Aptly named the Antidote, Blacks Creek introduces a backpack that meets all of the challenges that come with big-game hunting in the West, or in my case, whitetail hunting in the mountains. With a robust 3,000 cubic inches of carrying space the Antidote tips the scales at a scant 5 lbs. When you consider the loads this pack is capable of carrying and the amount of space available, this is a very impressive dry weight. Compare the numbers to some of the other popular models on the market and see for yourself how the Antidote stacks up.
The Comfort Factor
It is one thing to build a lightweight backpack that can carry a large load, but it’s an entirely different thing to build one that can carry a large load comfortably. One of the biggest issues with a poorly designed backpack is that the load tends to shift while walking and fatigue usually sets in after a short amount of time. The Antidote addresses this issue with an adjustable Butterfly Harness System. This system serves two purposes. One it allows the user to custom fit the pack to their frame and second, it evenly distributes the weight of the load across the upper back and meshes perfectly with the scapula.
With its adjustable butterfly harness system, the Antidote can be custom fit to different torso lengths. In addition, the system prevents load shift during transportation of meat, gear or both.
The Butterfly Harness is adjusted by opening up the Velcro closure located on the center core of the pack. Once opened, the harness can be adjusted by sliding the Velcro tab through the desired horizontal webbing rungs and then fastening the Velcro back to itself. The butterfly portion of the harness is designed to spread the weight across your scapulars evenly. When loaded down, this prevents the pack from teetering side to side; the less “teetering”, the less fatigue.
The Butterfly Harness really adds to the Antidotes stability. It is one of the best load carrying packs I’ve tested in recent memory.
I tested this feature with all of my gear, a 50 lb. dumbbell and my Mathews XS strapped to the pack. Try as I might, I couldn’t get the load to shift from side to side. The butterfly system seemed to do its job by preventing any lateral shifting of the weight. I do acknowledge that the 50 lbs. was concentrated in a small space; not evenly spread out the way you would normally find in a loaded down back pack. However, I still think the test was a good indication of the Antidote’s ability to handle a substantial load and do it effectively. In fact, I think had the load been spread out, the results would have been even more impressive.
I placed a 50 lb. dumbbell in the pack and headed into the timber to test the strength and stability of the Antidote. I was pleased with the way the pack handled both.
Top Storage
Storage is abundant on the Antidote. Starting at the top of the pack users will find a detachable lid that offers storage capabilities on the outside and inside of the lid. This is good for Western hunters who decide to drop the main pack when closing in on game; allowing them to move faster and with less bulk and then return at a later time. For me, the detachable lid offers a different advantage. While I rarely stalk whitetails in the mountains (different story for a different time), I routinely carry a loaded pack into the stand with me. As I alluded to earlier, this usually entails a laundry list of items. The problem for me begins when I reach my stand.
While the detachable lid addresses one of my biggest concerns regarding the use of large backpacks while hunting whitetails, it also compresses the load vertically as well as expands upward; allowing even more storage space when items are loaded into the main compartment.
Most often, when hanging a stand in hill country you will discover that you are not always above the whitetails line of sight. What I mean, is in steep terrain there are instances that I shoot whitetails that are standing directly in front of me; despite the fact that I’m 20 feet up in a treestand! Try to picture that for a moment. So, depending on the direction deer approach, there are times when they are looking directly in my eyes while I’m in the stand.
Therefore, it only stands to reason that any extra “baggage” hanging off of the tree will easily be spotted. So, while I need a large pack going in and out of my hunting locations, I absolutely hate to have that same pack hanging off of the side of the tree with me; increasing the odds that I get busted. The detachable lid solves this problem beautifully.
Main Storage Features
The Antidote provides easy access to the main compartment by means of opening the weather guard collar located on the top of the pack. The weather guard collar also expands upward (in tandem with the detachable lid) which also increases loading capacity. The collar is closed using a drawstring system and seems very durable.
The main compartment of the pack is accessible through the top of the pack and is a perfect location for elk quarters, camera equipment, clothing or anything else you want to haul.
One of my favorite features of the Antidote is the side entry, vertical zippers located on each side of the pack. This allows access into the main compartment even while the lid is closed and compressed. Gone are the days when you have to remove everything inside of the pack in order to find that one item you need (usually located in the bottom). Instead, simply unzip one of the side-entry zippers and you can quickly access your item of choice no matter where it is located. Also, these dual, straight, vertical zippers allow entry into the pack without the need to remove your weapon. ANTIDOTE 7 The side entry zippers located on both sides of the pack insures quick and easy access to the contents inside; dumbbell not included.
In addition to the main storage compartment, the Antidote comes with an optics pocket which is located on the exterior face of the pack. This pocket comes with dual zippers and can be opened from the top or the bottom. Inside the optics pocket are two additional pockets perfect for smaller items that you wish to keep close at hand. Located on the outside of the optics pocket are two additional storage pockets.
The optics pocket is large enough to handle spotting scopes or even camera arms depending on what your situation calls for.
The outside of the pack comes with 6 compression straps which is great. In my opinion you can never have too many compression straps. And, in order to keep everything nice and neat, the excess strap material tucks neatly away in a simple, Velcro enclosure system. When the load gets heavy, users will appreciate the load lifting and load shifting straps located at the top of the pack attached to the frame.
These straps adjust to lift the weight of the load upward and relieve pressure from your shoulders and hips. The waist belt on the Antidote has a similar system that attaches to the frame and pulls the weight inward toward the hips. I experimented and played around with this system until I found the most comfortable position while the pack was loaded. A little adjustment here and there really did make a difference in how the load felt.
Improvements
No pack is perfect so I’m not going to act like this one is. However, it is dang near close. If I could change one thing about the Antidote it would be to replace the bed roll straps with those that have a snap closure. The current bed roll straps force the user to compress clothing (or whatever else is being hauled) and slide it in between the straps. Even worse, if you choose to undo the strap and open it up, you have to compress the load while fidgeting to run the strap back through the clip, then pull and secure the load.
In my experience, it is much easier, not to mention allows bulker items to be used, when you can lay your bed roll or clothing across open straps, compress the load, snap the closure, and then simply pull the compression straps further if needed. All of the other compression straps on the pack come with snap closures except for the bed roll straps. I agree this is not a major worry but something I would like to see changed.
The Antidote is also capable of carrying your bow or rifle thanks to the removable weapons boot.
Overall Impressions
While Blacks Creek may not have the latest celebrity spokesperson endorsing their packs that doesn’t mean they are producing sub-par equipment; quite the contrary. In fact, you will be hard pressed to find a more rugged, highly functional back pack that is also lightweight and carries heavy loads with as much ease as the Antidote. This pack will perform anywhere a heavy load is the rule. That might be on a Western bow hunting adventure for elk or in your very own steep, rugged back yard. Either way, Blacks Creek has the Antidote for whatever situation you find yourself in. Don’t overlook them. The MSRP $350
KEY SPECS
- 3,000 CUBIC INCHES
- 5 LBS
- 1000D Cordura or 3 Layer Tricot fabric construction
- YKK Zippers
- Internal Frame
- 9 Pockets
- Possum Tail zipper pulls
- Bow/Gun Boot
- R7-2 waist belt
- MSRP $350
For a busy 2013 season of guiding, hunting, and packing I chose to use the Remedy 7 Solution pack by Blacks Creek Guide Gear. The pack was able to fit my guiding needs from day hunts in the desert for Coues’ Deer all the way up to backpack, week-long trips for Alaska Dall Sheep. Here are the 4 highlights of the pack in my view;
Fit: The feel of the Grip Frame on my back and waist feels more comfortable than any pack I have previously used. With the adjustable support and strap designs, the Solution always tucked in tight to my back, allowing for stable support under heavy loads.
Straps: At first glance you will notice the Solution has more straps than you may have ever seen on a backpack before. After using the pack and placing your gear in the desired pouches, the straps tighten down to make everything feel secure and solid. After the kill when the work begins, there are plenty of straps to secure your load, extra gear, meat, hide, and antlers so that extra rope is not needed.
Bag: The Solution bag is made out of a thick material that can handle sliding down shale rock chutes and being drug through thick alder brush. The full length side storage pockets allow me to store my 80mm spotting scope securely on one side and my tripod on the other. On overnight trips my sleeping bag gets tucked into the bottom pocket which is designed to compress a sleeping bag and keep it protected. However, on day trips, my wet rain gear is stored in the lower pocket, making it separate from the dry gear and readily accessible when that thunderstorm comes rolling in.
Frame Expansion: August 10th, opening day of the Dall Sheep season, I found myself 8 miles from spike camp with a happy client and a dead Dall ram. Other guides asked me before the trip, how will you carry meat out with just a 4800 cu in pack? Well the secret is in the frame. The Solution bag is simply unzipped, exposing the frames internal strap system. I lowered the entire load of sheep meat into my game bag, and tucked it against the frame, between the bag and the Grip frame. The straps are plenty long, allowing me to secure 75+ pounds of meat tight in between the bag. Cinch the bag up to the meat and you are ready to go! In 8 miles of up and down with the full load, the meat never shifted or sagged.
This Solution backpack and the Grip frame will haul all that you can throw at it with plenty of straps and support to make it comfortable. The backpacks made by Blacks Creek Guide Gear leave no personal modifications to be made and are ready for the most grueling hunts you can take them on. It is the Solution for all the backpack complaints and troubles you have ever had.
—
Austin A Atkinson
Professional Guide
Thx again for the pack, I’m definitely going to be using your products from here on out .I was amazed on how comfortable the solution felt with the ram’s head and cape in it plus all my additional equipment. I packed my ram out of the wilderness 2.5 miles and the solution made it a very easy hike. I have put the pack thru 5 months of scouting and thru two different hunts now and the pack has held up to everything. Excellent pack and would highly recommend to anybody that is serious about hunting.
Dave Acosta
ArizonaDesert Ram
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How often do we find ourselves searching through the Magazines or forums reading articles and listening to others opinions on products that are new and improved? We all have our likes and dislikes on items. We depend on our fellow brothers and sisters in the outdoors to give us their feedback on products so we can make a choice on what item will be best suited for your type of ventures.
My name is Dusty Bourasa and I have been a Pro-Staffer for Blacks Creek for quite some time. I have had the opportunity to be involved in a lot of the products that have been born from this great company. We as staffers put in our ideas to make the best products that we can and keep the products that we make on the cutting edge. We are an American made product and proud of it.
This year I was asked to try out one of the new packs that came out for the 2013 product line up. This new pack is called the “Cure”. This sweet little gem is a fanny style pack that offers 1200 cubic inches of storage in the main compartment and 9 smaller storage components that can be used for storing any kind of knick knacks that you choose. This product also features to side pockets that can be used for water containers or just whatever you decide to put in them. The “Cure” features a R7-2 waist belt with a full lower lumbar support and a shoulder harness. Now this sounds like most fanny style packs on the market right? Wrong! We at Blacks Creek have gone one step farther. We have added a meat shelf to this fanny pack. Yes, you have read this correctly, a meat shelf.
I am one that would prefer to use a day/fanny style pack above all others. They are simple, small, and when it is hot out, you do not have as much surface area covering your torso. I sweat like a canary at a cat convention so that is why I choose this style of pack. But like a lot of you out there in the hunting world, you have to take another pack with you just in case you harvest an animal. How many times have we wished that we had our frame with us in the field to save one trip off of the mountain? I know that I have thought of ways to carry out a load on my older style fanny packs. I used the bow/rifle pocket to support the leg bones of a quarter and then the strap on top to secure the heavy end. Just to save that one extra trip. Talk about rough on a guy.
No more do I have to worry about this problem. I used this pack to its fullest capability that it was designed for and even more. I did my normal early season archery for mule deer and shanked a dandy 185 4×4 muley in full velvet and also was blessed to kill a small bull elk. The pack fit like a great pair of Armani shoes and its features were stellar. But the best test was when I packed my bull out. It took me five trips to get my bull out of the abyss that I had killed him in. Sure, I could have made my loads heavier but why burn your body up. I also could have made the 3 mile hike back to the rig and get my “Solution” with a grip frame but I chose to use this pack and really put it to the test. I removed the main compartment by simply unzipping the zippers on either side of the pack and detached two buckles. This will expose the interior meat shelf that we have designed in the pack. Simply undo the four small buckles and lay the load supports to each side. This fabric is made of 1000D Cordura and is stitched into the frame itself. The lower meat shelf made of the same material will lie facing you. Simply put your load of choice on the frame. Then take the two side wings and buckle them together and tighten them with your load adjustment straps. Then take the lower wing of the pack and simply attach the buckles at the top and use your load straps to tighten. Every load that I packed that day felt good on my back. No hip fatigue or sourness to my shoulders. Even on the last load of loose meat and the head, it wore like a glove.
I did tell you that I put it to the test on the elk hunt but I even went one step farther. I was fortunate enough to do a Rocky Mountain Goat hunt with a couple of buddies. We hiked into the mountains about 12 miles round trip every day. On the second day of our hunt towards the afternoon we found 2 very large Billies bedded in an alpine basin. After a short stalk and final judgment, we had a 52 and 1/8 inch Billy on the ground. One of my buddies used my “Solution” and I used my “Cure”. He packed a front and hind quarter and my friend Ed packed the other. I packed the loose meat and the full head and hide of this majestic beast. I did not take a weight of this pack but I am going to say that it was in the 70 pound range. Now this pack is not designed for heavy loads, but if it was going to fail (broken buckles or other connectors) it would have done it on this trip. I have news for you folks, it handled that trip flawlessly.
So now that Christmas is just around the corner and you are looking for that perfect gift, come check out the New “Cure” from Blacks Creek.
Whether you hunt from a tree or the ground, this pack will meet every requirement that you will need in the field.
Thank you for taking the time to read this review. I have used this pack and guarantee you will love it
American Made and American Strong!
Dusty Bourasa, Oregon
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The 2013 big game hunting season is all but in the bag, with all its ups and downs! One of the highlights of the 2013 hunting season for me wasn’t necessarily the tags placed on big game, which was great, but rather the new pack that I had the pleasure of using this season! I was fortunate enough to pick up the Remedy 7 (R7) Alternative pack to start my year off right! I have used several packs over the years and have liked most of them; however, the one thing I would complain about all of them was the fact that I had to take two packs with me on every hunting trip. One for packing around my gear and one for hauling out meat, if I was on foot, I hated that because that generally meant hiking back down off the mountain to grab the frame pack after putting an animal on the ground. Well, the R7 Alternative was a game changer this year! Equipped with the Grip Frame, the Alternative is the all-in-one solution to my plight of taking two packs with me on hunting trips!
When I first saw the Grip Frame I was impressed, to say the least! At first glance I didn’t even notice the ingenious feature, but once I was shown how it worked I was stoked to get out there and use it! With 3,000 cubic inches of space to put all my gear, I loaded it up and I was ready to go! To add to the great features like the Grip Frame, I immediately noticed how comfortable the Alternative was when loaded down with my gear. The six compression straps made it easy to fit the pack snug to my back and adjust to my comfort level. I tend to carry a lot of weight in my pack because I like to go prepared. So when I went on my first hunting trip of the season at the end of August I was loaded down with camping and hunting gear. No matter what pack you have weight is weight and it will wear on the legs, but with the Alternative I noticed a significant difference in comfort compared to previous packs I had. After putting on roughly 13 miles our first trip in I was completely sold on the R7 line of packs!
Later in the season I was able to put the Grip Frame to use on a buddy’s bull by helping him pack out his cape and some meat. The Grip Frame worked like a charm! I love the way the main compartment zips off the Grip Frame and how easily it clips back on once the frame is loaded. In the future if I decide I need more cubic inches for more gear I can easily upgrade to the Solution pack by just buying the main compartment and zip it right to the Grip Frame!
The Grip Frame, compression straps, pockets, comfort, and high quality material are just some of the selling points of this pack. Versatility is what it’s all about and with the R7 line that’s what you get! I recommend every hunter out there try one of Blacks Creek Remedy 7 packs. You won’t be disappointed! To top it all off, all the Blacks Creek packs are made right here in the USA!
Travis Long
HuntAddicts.com
Antler Addicts Anonymous
Idaho Deer Alliance
Get the full story from Eastman’s Hunting Joural EHJ138_64-71
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Blacks Creek Remedy 7 Solution Pack Review
Editor: Mike
Basic Description of Item:
Hunting Back Pack. 1-4 day pack, good for sustained weights up to 65 LBS
Just the Facts:
FEATURES:
– 4,800 Cubic Inches
– 9 lbs
– 1,000D Cordura
– Military grade hardware
– YKK zippers
– 14 pockets
– External optics pocket
– Sleeping bag compartment
– Detachable lid
– Detachable day pack
– Main compartment access in front and top
– 6 compression straps
– Draw string weather collar top
Story:
I have used Blacks Creeks Packs for many years, the Alaskan, the Canadian, and several others. I was excited to see them come out with a more tradition pack, built on top of a Separate Frame / Suspension system.
I obtained the pack at the International Hunting Expo about 3 weeks ago, and have spent virtually every day using this pack in some way.
My initial hikes with the pack were focused on functionality: Checking out the Optics Pockets, looking at how the Sleeping bag goes in, working on how to expand, or lock down loads, etc.
On my most recent trips I became more focused on load hauling, weight management, and comfort.
Blacks Creek Remedy 7 Solution Functionality:
The Solution is loaded, and I mean LOADED with features. Let me mention a few:
-Bottom compartment with lined sleeping bag stuff sack.
Yes that is correct, the bottom section has a built in stuff and compression sack for your sleeping bag. This is a cool feature, and will allow you to not take your own compression bag. Keep in mind that this is fixed in place. This is a cool option, and worked well for my -20 down bag.
-Exterior detachable small day pack.
This is very small, but would be great for a short, very little weight, side trip.
-Side, external optics pouches.
I have a Swarovski 65 spotting scope, angled, that fit well on one side, and my tripod on the other. Compression straps help to keep these tight against the pack.
-Top and front access to main compartment
You can stuff this packs main compartment, or come in through the front zipper, nice feature and should be widely used.
-LOTS of compression straps, and places to strap on exterior loads
I really liked this, you can easily SECURE, and tighten a load down to your body.
-Many more features, too many to mention.
This can be overwhelming. Several times I have lost things in this pack?
Load Hauling, Weight Management, and Comfort:
I mentioned earlier that the last few trips I have purely focused on HAULING. The guys on facebook, somehow convinced me to take a nasty hike with 80 lbs. WOW, that was hard! ?
Here are my findings and thoughts:
-The pack is capable of hauling enough gear for a 5 day pack in trip.
This is what you would expect out of a 4800 cubic inch pack. You will probably need to strap a few things on the outside. But there is room enough to get this done.
-It handles weight fairly well.
The Solution Back Pack is a decent hauler. I felt comfortable with weights up to 60 lbs, when pushing above that mark, I felt a need to constantly adjust the pack, and change the pressure points.
-It is comfortable.
I found the pack to be in the upper level of comfort related to other packs. Some packs that may be slightly more comfortable with large loads: Kifaru, KUIU.
The pack comes with just decent shoulder pads, better pads, that make a HUGE difference, can be purchased, I highly recommend the better shoulder pads.
I also noticed that the pack was a little lacking in lumbar support. I would suggest to Blacks Creek a larger pad for the lumbar section of the pack.
Summary:
This is a good pack, and certainly a pack that should be considered for a 1-5 day trip. This pack has more features and options than I could possibly list. It is a good choice for the guy that wants a certain spot for each item. It is loaded with pockets, straps, and features.
The Blacks Creek Remedy 7 solution at times can be a little confusing. The compression system is unique, and the pack has a pockets and straps all over the place. Some guys will LOVE this, others will be confused by it.
We think this pack would serve most people well, and certainly should be considered.
What they could do better:
-Larger Lumbar support. We really noticed this with loads over 50 lbs.
-Ship it standard with the better shoulder straps
-This pack is not cheap, see if you can reduce the price by 50-100 bucks.