Mountain Hauler 4000 Reviews

Haven't had a chance to

Haven't had a chance to use it on an elk hunt yet but the material seems to be very durable. The shoulder straps area easy to adjust so that it sits well on your back. Seems like something that will be capable of taking a beating. I originally hoped that I could use this as a backpacking pack for camping as well but the way its built, I don't think it would work very well

sitka mountain hauler

I haven't got to see this one yet, but I own my own mountain hauler 4000 and my son has been wanting one for a couple of years. I love it and everytime he wants to give me a break and carry it for me, he can't stop talking about how much better it is in everyway. I bought this for him for Christmas and can't wait until he opens it.

Mountain Hauler

Well designed and sturdy construction.

Is it still there? Wears like it is part of you.

I got the Mountain Hauler 4000 when Sportco in Fife, WA had the digital camo pattern on sale. I have plenty of worn-out packs, and some that will never be worn out because they just are not worth wearing. The 4000 will be worn till it dies - which won't be soon. I wore it around the neighborhood hills a couple of times with a 50 pound bag of fertilizer, and was satisfied that the pack fit well and would carry well. The adjustments are easy, and the straps and buckles for cinching it up pull easy, and hold all day. On my first trip I camped in just a mile from the end of the motorcycle trail and shot a spike elk just 2 miles farther down the mountain. Took more than a full day to get the meat and camp back up to the truck, but I am grappling-distance from 60. The pack gives no pressure spots, rides the old hips up high causing no additional effort to step up, (and no resultant hip-joint pain) and sits still and quiet. First load was 80 pounds in the pack. Both meat bags on the meat shelf, with the bellows zippers released for the extra volume. Carried the rifle and the head in hand. Subsequent loads were smaller. Cleaned it up and wore it as a day-pack for my Idaho elk hunt, where we were skunked. Did see one buck take the wilderness moving sidewalk. The pack still looks new. So happy with this purchase. Male, 59. Average height and weight. No banana for scale.

Great Quality Product

This is a really well thought out pack design. The build quality is great and it’s very comfortable with a lot of weight in it. Also my experience with Sitka has been above and beyond! Probably the best customer service I have ever encountered.

Mountain Hauler 4000

This is the perfect archery elk pack. 6 day hunt and this was the perfect size. Durable and very comfortable.

Really like it

Thumbs up

Nice pack!

Love the way this pack is set up and has color coordinated straps. I have other high end packs and this one is neck and neck with SG, even without the external frame!

So far so good

I haven’t hunted with it yet but do have it packed and ready to go. Have done several training hikes with it and seems to be quiet and comfortable.

Great pack

Love the design and it’s very comfy to wear loaded or unloaded

Mountain hauler 4000

Pack was absolutely perfect on a five day mountain hunt. It is a little loud with no wind or cover noise.

Mountain hauler

Nice and comfortable for long days hunting, packs the heavy nicely once you get used to system. The fabric is nice and tough, should wear in nicely. Totally worth it. Its an adjustable sizing so you can get it just right

Mountain Hauler 4000

Great bag! Very well made.

Took this bag on an

Took this bag on an Alaska caribou hunt and was very happy with it!

Fantastic backpack Comfortable Also used

Fantastic backpack Comfortable Also used it on horseback

Mountain Hauler 4000

Great overall pack, exited to use it this hunting season.

Great but needs to be re-thought

Great overall design and function and very comfortable for me. I carried this pack everyday for 2 weeks on the Alaska penninsula and as my carry on during the plane major plane legs of my journey. (compressed of course but still a little big). I also walked my neighborhood everyday for 3 months with a 50lb load getting ready for my trip. I really liked this pack but decided to sell it. Here's why..... the waste belt attachment apparatus is horrible. Sitka also does not offer any accessories or hip belt pockets. I used 2 EXO pouches and had to zip-tie them to make sure they didn't come off. Trying to attach a sidearm and it be secure is impossible. I also rigged an EXO rifle carrier saddle to the side of the pack and made it work but it wasnt ideal. The fabric is loud while walking through brush but does repel water well. Sitka does not have a waterproof pack cover accessory either. I used a cheap one from Black Orvis. Sitka needs to support their product with accessories like everyone else and rethink the waist belt layout. Molle would be awesome. Also, with sitka, you have to buy a whole new pack to upsidze or downsize. A modular system with interchangeable bags would make their product more attractive in my opinion and give users more options. Even when traveling, allowing 1 size for your carry-on and then switch out once your reach your destination. I experimented with all the major brands before settling on the Sitka 4000 (EXO, Kuiu, MR), and I prefer and loved this pack, but given these sort comings, I sadly sold my MS 4000 and chose to go another route where I have accessory and interchangeable bag options. Sitka, fix this please. I love you guys and your stuff!

Mountain hauler 4000 pack

Bought the mountain hauler 4000 Last year new. After one Elk hunt both water bottle mesh holders pouches had ripped to where my water bottles were going to fall out. Sowing them up right now. Wish they were a bit stronger!

I have been a professional

I have been a professional hunting guide since the late 80s. I have had many different packs over the years. Sitka mtn hauler 4000 is hands down the best pack that I have ever owned. When you are packing heavy loads is when this pack shines. It manages the weight as an extension of your self. You carry the weight without your load shifting or swinging around. The packs strapping system has been well thought out.

Way to noisy

I'm bowhunting in the northern Québec in Canada. Most of the day is spend in black spuce, maple cedar and tick wood . The back pack is well made and comfortable. But the material made i very noisy . The branch on the backpack make the sound of plastic wich is not good in the middle of the wood less than 50 meters from moose, I had to build my own cover up with black polar to put over it to muffled the sound from the branch friction on the backpack . So if you hunt in thick area with bow in close range might not be the best backpak. Wish sitka would have made a cover up ... Stealth is lethal like they say

Mountain Hauler 4000

Expands. Compresses. Hauls meat, hauls gear. Well thought out design. Thank you Sitka!!!

Excited to get this in the field

I have several packs for whitetail and turkey hunting. I bought this one to go out west elk hunting. I am surprised by how light this feels but seems sturdy. Super excited to pack a quarter out with it.

Good, Not Great

It makes for a great backpacking pack. However, being an internal frame, its meat hauling capability isn’t great. I bought this pack for my wife originally, and took it out on a bear hunt to try it out. Hiking in, ~40-50lbs, was great. It was comfortable, didn’t ride, didn’t dig. We kept camp with us throughout the hunt. Fast forward to a hide, skull, back straps and camp on my back, I couldn’t get the weight off of my shoulders and onto my hips. The load lifters, in my opinion, are for aesthetic, not much function. The internal zippers, allowing for more room in the bag, is a cool design and functional. I love the dome lid. The strapping with the auto lockers on the sides are handy. Overall, it’s a good pack. Space and weight distribution became an issue. I would buy this pack if I was going for an overnight, out n back, but a multi day, 16mi trek… I would rethink my decision to take this pack. On the luggage scale, my finished weight was 107lbs.

Very loud

Pack is very well designed, however I’m worried the material will be extremely loud in the bush this fall

Solid bag for a 2-4

Solid bag for a 2-4 day backcountry hunt. Enough space for all the needs, not the luxuries.

The Total PACKage

I recently just got back from a 3.5 day backpacking trip in the Mtns. New to backpacking I wanted to get a pack that I felt I could use in different ways. Seeing myself in the coming years doing some back country hunting I wanted a pack that have multiple capabilities and not just a hiking pack. Once i fitted the pack to my body, (im a big guy 6’3” 260) and got everything where it was comfertable, the 36 pounds I carried was very manageable with this pack. The padded shoulder and waist strap were nice and my shoulders never fatigued. Also the low back lumbar pad was a nice feature as well. We bush whacked through some thick woods and brush at times and I never had a issue with my pack snagging or tearing. The material is waterproof and extremely durable. This in my opnion is a DO ALL pack and works great. Only thing I would reccomend is on a updated design maybe add a few tie loops where you could secure things with tie downs. Overall another quality product from the team at Sitka!!

Great Pack

Extremely well-built and surpassed all of my expectations.

Mountain Hauler 4000

Excellent pack. Well built plenty of room for gear and meat

Mountain 400 100%

Used this pack on a guided oryx hunt in nm. The pack out was rough this pack is 100% best in business. Look sdorto using it guiding elk hunte this fall thanks sitka

Mega pack

I recently went on a 3 day backpacking trip, this pack was an excellent choice. There was plenty of room for my sleeping bag, pad and clothes. Added in a 3 liter water bladder and 64 oz water jug. The pack loaded down fit well and secure and I loved the options of being able to tighten down every section and point on the pack allowing it to feel more secure when trekking. The shoulder straps are well padded as well as the waist belt and low back padding. Never felt any pressure points along my trek either. Covered lots of steep terrain and heavy brush cover and this pack performed flawlessly. Thanks Sitka for a quality pack, it will definitely be used a lot in the future.

Amazing Pack

Pack is extremely durable and lightweight!

Incredible!

This exceeded my expectations. Very well constructed and adjustable. Lots of pockets and space. I’ve tested it with 50 lbs. with no issues.

Love it to climbing up

Love it to climbing up the mountain

Versatile Pack

This is a solid mountain pack that can be used as a day pack, but also stretched out into a multi-day pack. The meat shelf works well, but is internal which makes it less than desirable for me. I have packed out a few Mule Deer on some backcountry hunts and it worked out pretty slick. I wouldn’t classify the mountain hauler series with other packs made by companies that are dedicated strictly to backpacks, but is still a top-tier product.

Stiff and noisy

I haven't used this pack because it is so stiff and noisy compared with an older Sitka pack I bought for my brother. The shoulder straps feel like boards and the fabric is so noisy it would scare every elk, deer, etc. within miles of me.

I absolutely love this pack.

I absolutely love this pack. It is everything I was looking for and more. Rugged, well put together and holds everything I need it too.

Elk hunt

This pack works better than any other pack I have. I got to use it on a elk we got this year in the steep Oregon coast worked great keeping the load secure and balanced.

Pack is exceptional. Multiple pockets

Pack is exceptional. Multiple pockets and great size for an all day hunt or packing an animal out of tuff terrain.

Very well built back pack.

Very well built back pack. Clearly a lot of thought went into the design. Have yet to pack an animal out but it has performed well with the 40 to 50 pounds of gear I have had in it up to this point. Was frustrated at first because when I had ordered it originally a used pack showed up. I knew it was used because it had wear marks inside, the spine adjustment clip was broken and the load sling/antler strap was missing. The costumer service representative was very helpful and sent a new one out right away. However UPS had some issue with not receiving the invoice so it got sent back to the manufacturer. I missed out on a few hunts while all of this unfolded. Costumer service accommodated me the best they could and I recieved a promotional hoody for the trouble. Happy now after all is said and done.

Mountain Hauler 4000

I recently purchased the mountain hauler 4000. The pack is comfortable and expands to a pretty large capacity. The pockets are large and able to carry lots of gear. My only wish is that it was a little quieter material. The areas we hunt are brushy and sounds a little scratchy. I would certainly buy this pack again.

Awesome backpack

Amazing backpack, can’t wait to hunt with it next year. Excellent quality.

Mountain Hauler 4000

I love my mountain hauler 4000 I used to to pack a 5 pt Bull elk out of the mountains in Colorado this past season for clients it handled the load with ease and it was very comfortable on me best pack I’ve ever used

Well built with durable fabric.

Well built with durable fabric. The frame and adjustment features are suitable for through hiker endurance. I have logged many miles with an average 45-50 load and can honestly say that this pack is just as solid & functional as my old mule pack.

Great pack....light weight....quality is all

Great pack....light weight....quality is all there...very happy with the purchase. Totally recommend this product.

My son and I both

My son and I both have this pack in M/L. I’m 6’0” and about 180lbs, he is 5’9, 140. With the adjustment system on the frame the same size pack worked well for both of us. If you’re a giant I’d go with the L/XL. We carried this pack for multiple scouting trips, some pronghorn hunts, and elk hunts. It is a great pack and held up well to everything we threw at it. The only meat hauling I did was a couple of cow elk someone else shot, but the pack worked great for those. Since the hauling shelf is on the inside you’ll want to pack your extra clothing in other compartments. When full of meat it limits how much other stuff you can haul, but the internal shelf system keeps the load nice and high for anyone with not-so-young lower back. The way it’s set up you can adjust how that weight rides, which I like.

This pack is able to

This pack is able to get small for quick day hunts but has the ability to expand like crazy for extra gear. I used it last year for archery elk scouting in August and the first week of September in the Big Horns. We had weather swings hot to cold, dry to wet. This pack held up, kept the dust out, rain out and gear safe on my back. I love the outside jacket pouch for easy access to a puffy. Will continue to use it for my everyday hunt pack for big game, upland and ducks/geese.

I really like the way

I really like the way the pack is designed. It just fits my way of packing. My only complaint is that the mesh pockets on the side are not durable enough.

I would love to give

I would love to give this pack 5 stars as it has performed perfectly as advertised during my most reason deer season. However, after only a total of 8 hunting days, the stitching of the top pocket is starting to unravel. I’ll now likely need to deal with sending it in for repair but it’ll need last through my elk season as-is. Other than that defect, it hauls heavy loads of meat and gear with ease and you’ll be comfortable throughout the entire hunt wearing this pack.

I bought this pack for

I bought this pack for a 5 day backcountry elk hunt. This was my first hunt of this type and I learned a lot from the experience. The Mountain Hauler 4000 was my favorite piece of gear that I purchased for the hunt. It’s very comfortable and it functioned exactly how I hoped my pack would. I think that Sitka packs should be included in the conversation with other big name pack brands. Unfortunately, the only test I wasn’t able to put the 4000 through was hauling out meat.

Absolutely love this pack! It

Absolutely love this pack! It has just the right amount of storage to be organized but not too much as to over compartmentalize. It'll haul any load out that you can throw at it and it is very comfortable fully loaded. The only thing I would like to see is the option to remove the bag from the frame and have an external load shelf in order to haul out meat, plus a fully loaded bag with my gear attached.