Hunting Packs
A hunter, before heading into the wilderness, has to make sure all the hunting equipment is safely stowed in a top of the line hunting pack. The hunting pack has to be comfortable, conforming, versatile and lasting under extreme conditions.
Bow hunting with pack in the alpine
Here I am shown with 4 days worth of gear in my external frame pack, after a tough climb.
A high quality pack is a big game hunter’s best friend as a hunter goes into the back country with his pack and camping gear and comes back with the pack, camp and game. A backpack should comfortably store all the components like a gun or bow, spotting scope, binoculars, range finder, knife, personal locator beacon, sleeping bag, tent, bed roll, change of clothes, rain gear, medical kit, flashlight, rope, and enough food to keep a hunter from being famished for however long the trip is. A hunter whether a bow hunter or a rifle hunter needs fast mobility and the ability to move ‘hands-free’ on an expedition. The hunting pack needs to have finest possible ergonomic fit to be an integral part of the body for treacherous mountain climbing, belly crawling, horseback riding, wading streams and literally swimming rivers. And also allow the hunter to shoot from a bow or rifle with the pack on at any moment, at any time, especially in large brown bear and grizzly country.
badlands 2200 pack
My Badlands 2200 day pack shown here, very comfortable straps and lots of compartments.
Badlands and Eberlestock are among the leading manufacturers of high quality hunting packs in North America.
Features and some points to consider
Choose a good camoflauge, which will perform well in different field environments.
Look for a pack with a high quality external or an internal frame pack. A frame of aircraft quality aluminum will flex and move with the wearer, this leads to greater freedom of movement, and also keeps the pack body closer to the wearer’s back enabling a low center of gravity the hunter can move around easily without fear of gear shifting or loss of balance.
Look for built-in rifle and bow scabbard designs such that allow the hunter to get the rifle or the bow off while still wearing the pack. Deeper scabbard accommodates a full-scale hunting rifle and bow.
The organizer pouch should be designed with several mesh pockets and elastic keeper straps so that everything a hunter carries like knife, saw and flashlight, medical kit, personal locator, beacon, rope and any other bit of essential gear has its own special place and can be found when needed.
Look for a pack that offers good ventilation between the back and the pack.
A good pack fabric will be waterproof, and essentially burr-proof.
Welded zippers further help in complete waterproofing the pack.
Toothless zippers are recommended also soft rubber zipper pulls are easier to pull with gloves on.
Here is my pack before commencing on a back pack hunting trip.
Most hunting packs these days come with a hands-free hydration system, to ensure that the hunter stays fully hydrated in the field. The capacity is usually 3 liters and the tubes are routed through the shoulder straps. Taste-free polyurethane reservoirs clean easily, collapse completely flat, remain pliable and are treated Anti-Microbial Technology to inhibit microbe growth.
Most brands have vertical and horizontal compression straps to hold the weight close to the body.
A flex chassis will carry additional load like meat, cape, antlers, and horns.
Look for broad Padded shoulder straps, fully molded waist belt with a quick release buckle, sternum strap to keep the shoulder strap from slipping.
Look for waist belt with pockets to carry digital cameras, cell phones, and GPS units.
Hunting packs with a sleeping bag compartment are preferred.
Scent proof packs are available. Some manufacturers offer this feature.
A good-sized, hunting pack is designed to comfortably accommodate all your gear and accessories while keeping them at your fingertips. You should distribute the weight to the center of your body where you have the most strength.
Reading hunting pack reviews of several brands available will help in making the right decision about the type, weight of pack needed for a memorable hunting experience.