Trapper Nelson packs.

[Bushleague]

For a few years I've had a collection of Trapper Nelson packboards growing in my shed. All of them were given to me and were damaged in one way or another. Well last week I finally acquired my final donor and assembled a fully functional, genuine Trapper Nelson. I used it on the weekend for a snowshoe hike and was surprized at how comfortable it actually was. Having no pack I just bundled all my gear up in side my tarp and tied the bundle to the packboard, that's how my grandfather told me he used his, and it was actually a very efficient method of packing. With a little experimenting on my bundle and lashing system it was even pretty easy to get into the pack for odds and ends that I needed throughout the day. In particular I was surprized how quiet it was compared to my more modern frames.

Once again, for some reason, I was entirely surprised at how well the simple methods of our grandfathers actually worked until the advent of advertising convinced us we needed something better. Anyone else still using the old style packboards?

[Grizzly Adams]

Got one, but don't use it anymore, just kind of a neat antique. Not cheap in it's day, think I paid 65. Packboard separately was a good idea, you could pack about anything on it. New stuff is a lot easier on the back and you gotta love pockets. Pic I took at my taxidermists.




Grizz

[JimPS]

My first new pack was a Number 2 Trapper Nelson. Before that is was army surplus steel frames that weighed a ton.

The board cost about $14 when a case of beer was $2 bucks. I couldn't afford the bag and rods right away - I think they were $27. Still have them - although the bag is eaten pretty good by rodents now. Mine was retired about 1970.

The board was comfortable enough on the back but you developed shoulder callouses from the straps pretty quickly.

Old timers used to make a "tumpline" - a strap around the top of the board that went around your forehead for packing extreme weights - parts of a wood stove or a 100 bound bag of flour or feed.

That rig really got a workout - and so did I - when we cleared a trail too and put a roof on an old trappers cabin in the 1960's. I carried an old Mcculloch 35 chainsaw, that was ancient even then, along with my gear and supplies and it weighed a ton.

I made a tumpline.

Until you mentioned it, I forgot how completely quiet the Tapper Nelson is compared to a modern pack. Good memories.

[shakeyleg02]

Theres a few of them around my place and my dads most of the straps are broke but did use one couple years ago to haul a big ole beaver back to the truck one night with the tail slapping me in the back of the head pretty comfy otherwise

[cschache]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Got one, but don't use it anymore, just kind of a neat antique. Not cheap in it's day, think I paid 65. Packboard separately was a good idea, you could pack about anything on it. New stuff is a lot easier on the back and you gotta love pockets. Pic I took at my taxidermists.




Grizz

That's a pretty cool way for a mount! never seen that before.

[honda450]

Yup I have 2. Them is for my mules.........my son and nephew. hehehe

[thunderheart]

have had a trapper nelson for as long as i can remember... i cant even guess how much weight its had tied to it ... love it .. never letting it go ..i have the frame and bag

[Slash8]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Got one, but don't use it anymore, just kind of a neat antique. Not cheap in it's day, think I paid 65. Packboard separately was a good idea, you could pack about anything on it. New stuff is a lot easier on the back and you gotta love pockets. Pic I took at my taxidermists.




Grizz

Awesome mount! And the old style metal tag through the nose. That alone was a trip down memory lane. Thanks for showing the pic.

[Bushleague]

Originally Posted by JimPS

My first new pack was a Number 2 Trapper Nelson. Before that is was army surplus steel frames that weighed a ton.

The board cost about $14 when a case of beer was $2 bucks. I couldn't afford the bag and rods right away - I think they were $27. Still have them - although the bag is eaten pretty good by rodents now. Mine was retired about 1970.

The board was comfortable enough on the back but you developed shoulder callouses from the straps pretty quickly.

Old timers used to make a "tumpline" - a strap around the top of the board that went around your forehead for packing extreme weights - parts of a wood stove or a 100 bound bag of flour or feed.

That rig really got a workout - and so did I - when we cleared a trail too and put a roof on an old trappers cabin in the 1960's. I carried an old Mcculloch 35 chainsaw, that was ancient even then, along with my gear and supplies and it weighed a ton.

I made a tumpline.

Until you mentioned it, I forgot how completely quiet the Tapper Nelson is compared to a modern pack. Good memories.

Yeah, I remember my grandfather's frame having a trumpline on it. It also seems to me that there is no real reason you couldn't rig up a hip strap as well. For packing truly heavy loads I have better frames to be sure, but just for hauling a few days worth of camping gear it was pretty nice. I tend to pack light though.

A bag with pockets is unarguably handy, but I found that using my shelter/ bedding to bundle my food and clothing did shed a noticeable amount of bulk, making for a nice, trim, well waterproofed load. Hard to say whether I'll stick with that method or not.

[Fisherpeak]

I sort of collect them, I have 7 so far.One I use for getting game out of the bush. My Dads old one.

[JimPS]

Originally Posted by Bushleague

Yeah, I remember my grandfather's frame having a trumpline on it. It also seems to me that there is no real reason you couldn't rig up a hip strap as well. For packing truly heavy loads I have better frames to be sure, but just for hauling a few days worth of camping gear it was pretty nice. I tend to pack light though.

I remember trying the hip strap but it didn't work out well. The load is best carried as flat as possible to your back. The thin canvas on the frame didn't support a lot of weight on the hips. Maybe it was my body type in those days - I was a scrawny wiry guy of 140 pounds that could pack 70 all day long. The tumpline helps pull the load flatter to your back without leaning too much forward.

[catnthehat]

Used a Trapper Nelson #2 for years, dunno how much fur and game I packed out with it .
Used to pack an outboard on the danged thing for a lake that was a ways off the road .
Cat

[HoytCRX32]

Have a number 3 in great shape...haven't used it since the '70's. Have to try it out again some time. The smell of the canvas sure takes me back.

[JimPS]

Originally Posted by HoytCRX32

Have a number 3 in great shape...haven't used it since the '70's. Have to try it out again some time. The smell of the canvas sure takes me back.

Mine still has that old Woods canvas smell along with old 20:1 chainsaw mix.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by JimPS

I remember trying the hip strap but it didn't work out well. The load is best carried as flat as possible to your back. The thin canvas on the frame didn't support a lot of weight on the hips. Maybe it was my body type in those days - I was a scrawny wiry guy of 140 pounds that could pack 70 all day long. The tumpline helps pull the load flatter to your back without leaning too much forward.

Here we're complaining about hauling 70 pounds, pity the poor Hudson's Bay guys who hauled a couple of hundred pounds on portages, if we are to believe the old stories.

Grizz

[JimPS]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Here we're complaining about hauling 70 pounds, pity the poor Hudson's Bay guys who hauled a couple of hundred pounds on portages, if we are to believe the old stories.

Grizz

I always though packing half my body weight was a good target back then.

I sure as hell can't pack 100 pounds today.

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by Grizzly Adams

Here we're complaining about hauling 70 pounds, pity the poor Hudson's Bay guys who hauled a couple of hundred pounds on portages, if we are to believe the old stories.

Grizz

I think their tumpline packs averaged about 100 pounds , but I have seen very photographs of crews running the Grand Rapids and Cascades up here in tiver scows and have read records of the things that were taken in stride in those days .
You can take it to the bank that the average man today is not as tough as back then , but we sure live a heckuva lot longer !
I have also crewed a York boat up the North Saskatchewan and would not want to man a sweep for a summer !
Cat