Ninety pounds of weights and pellets on a mid-July day in Michigan, around 95 degrees and, in James's words, "as humid as the inside of your mouth." That ruck was James's test run for the Latitude Praxis pack, and he says it did a great job. Then he took it apart on camera to show how he sets it up for day hunts and meat hauls.
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1. Set It Up Your Own Way
The day-hunt layout James shows is not how the pack ships. He took it apart and put it back together many times before settling on the configuration he likes best. What he likes most is that the pack can do so many things.
2. The Torque Straps Stand Out
James calls the torque straps probably one of the best things about the pack. They are super tough rubber straps, very similar to the ones Latitude puts on its sticks, and they are durable and quiet. He uses them to cinch the bag down to the frame and to carry sticks and a platform. He runs the sticks and platform back to back and cinches them down.
On day hunts without a saddle and platform, he can strap a spotter and tripod to the outside instead.
3. The 22-Inch Frame Is a Give and Take
The frame is 22 inches tall. That keeps it from snagging or riding up by your head as you walk through the woods. It works well for whitetail, turkey, and day hunts where you are not packing in.
With the shorter frame, James believes you carry less of the load on your hips and more on your shoulders, so you will feel it if you carry heavy loads often. He calls it a give and take, and 22 inches works for him.
4. Built to Carry Meat Out
By default, the frame comes with three straps attached and a leather piece behind the MOLLE that works as a keeper for the G hooks. The G hooks attach to the bag and sandwich meat down. James says the pack is made to carry meat out.
He took those straps off, and now he cinches a quarter straight against the frame, which he likes better than using the bag. When he filmed in July, the quarter he had in mind was a muskox quarter about a month later in Greenland.
A snap-closed compartment on the frame works two ways. It is a pocket where he keeps his kill kit, and it is also a shelf: detach the G hooks, hook them there, and set the meat on it. He has hauled weight both ways, and both work pretty well, so it comes down to preference.
5. Belt, Pockets, and Spare Straps
The belt is very comfortable, has a lot of adjustment, and does not slip. James calls the pockets great.
The pack also came with a few extra straps. James keeps them in the bag at all times, because some loads are harder or more awkward to carry out, and options help.
6. A Bag Made to Hang for Whitetail
The bag is made for whitetail hunting, so it is designed to hang, with pockets that work while it hangs. There is a zipper pocket you can reach into and a pass-through pocket that is a good size for snacks. Inside are a couple of zipper pockets, a cinch-down pocket for a water bladder, and straps for water bottles or clothes. Bottom-to-top zippers let you reach the main compartment even with gear pinned to the outside by the torque straps.
7. Where It Has Been
Joe carried the Praxis on his spring bear hunt in Saskatchewan, where he hauled beavers for bait in it, and he says dead beavers do not really stink. James planned to take the pack to Greenland as his daily bag, loaded with rain gear, a puffy, something to sit on, and snacks, with gear strapped to the outside. In the Greenland vlog, he lists his Latitude pack among the gear with him at spike camp.
The Verdict
James expects to use the Praxis for about 90 percent of his season, because it covers deer hunts and day hunts, which are most of what he does. So far, he calls it a huge home run.
FAQ
Is the Latitude Praxis pack good for hauling meat?
Yes. James says it is made to carry meat out. The frame has G hooks that sandwich meat against the bag, a snap compartment that doubles as a meat shelf, and room to cinch a quarter straight to the frame.
How tall is the Praxis frame?
The frame is 22 inches. That keeps it from snagging or riding up by your head, which suits whitetail, turkey, and day hunts. James believes the trade-off is more weight on your shoulders and less on your hips under heavy loads.
Watch or Listen
- Watch the breakdown on YouTube
- Listen on Apple Podcasts
- Listen on Spotify
- Watch the Bear Camp film
- Watch our Greenland film
This breakdown also runs as episode 305 of The Fair Chase podcast.
For more gear breakdowns from the field, subscribe to The Fair Chase on YouTube.