Hunting & Fishing I need a day pack.

[Rhyno]

Hey all, I'm a bit in over my head here and need some advice.

I need a day pack for hunting. Next year I want to hike into some public ground and set up camp then hunt for a week, and one thing I'll need is a day pack. Now I want to test this out before then so muzzle loader season should work for that, along with the late rifle season.

I don't have many requirements I want it to be capable of the following:

Carry a rifle
carry a bow
Carry enough assorted supplies for 1 day hunting (before dawn to after dusk)

And that's it. I don't know where to start, I don't want to spend much more then $300. I've done a little bit of research and the Eberlestock ones appear nice, especially the once with the gun scabbards.

But aluminum frames and what not are beyond my experience (I'm not military and most of my hunting is driving up to a spot walking to a deer Shack. I know some don't call that hunting but I don't care up until now I've only hunted for the meat.

Any advice appreciated.

 

[Wyfox]

Eberlestock is a great choice, I use their X1A1 or something like that. It has enough room for gear and has a rifle scabbard and spotting scope pocket. If you want more room get the Dragonfly, expands to carry enough gear for a week long back country trip.

 

[Rhyno]

So what advantages are there if you go for one with an aluminum frame vs without?

 

[J-Fonz]

Another vote for Eberlestock. I've ran one for 6 years now.

 

[Wyfox]

So what advantages are there if you go for one with an aluminum frame vs without?

Comes down to how much weight your going to pack, for a day pack there is no need for a frame unless you plan on packing out game quarters a long distance. The frame gives you rigidity and distributes the weight better on your body for heavy loads.

 

[pizzamanny]

Kifaru

 

[Rhyno]

Comes down to how much weight your going to pack, for a day pack there is no need for a frame unless you plan on packing out game quarters a long distance. The frame gives you rigidity and distributes the weight better on your body for heavy loads.

There is a chance of that, some of the place I pan on hunting have some steep ravines I'm not going to drag a deer up.

 

[ChemE1975]

I am interested in this question too. I have been trying to figure out a pack that I can pack a rifle with. My problem, one of them, is my lack of experience in actually packing a rifle. For example, will a good scabbard attached to a small-medium day pack work OR do I need a pack with an integrated scabbard as that pack is actually made to handle that load well.

 

[Nuke Man]

Tenzing or Badlands. Are you planning on using the pack to haul your harvest out? If so an aluminum frame is a must. As stated above it depends on how much weight you are planning to carry. For strictly a day pack I use a Badlands pursuit pack. No frame and just big enough to take to my stands. Tenzing and Badlands are a little easier on the wallet $. However they are not made in the good ol USA. They are good quality though.

 

[RobertB]

Look into kifaru, mystery ranch, and eberlestock. I've had my eberlestock x3 lo drag for a little bit of time and its awesome. If your wondering if its worth the mo ey I would say yes.y friend has the kifaru scout and its real nice. Just understand that lifaru is meant to expand by the pouches. Eberlestocks do too just not geared to it as much. Any product from the 3 listed brands will get you a quality bag.

Good luck!

 

[Nuke Man]

Check out the Tenzing TZ 2220 day pack. The cats ass in hunting packs.

 

[Wyfox]

If its only a slight chance of packing quarters out I wouldn't worry about it, non frame packs are more comfortable to carry. I've packed out several elk, sheep, and deer out in my X1A1 and it works, not ideal but it gets the job done.

 

[Oregonmuley]

Been pretty happy with my Mystery Ranch Dragon Slayer pack, well built and just the right size IMHO.

 

[Rhyno]

Okay I ended up buying the Eberlestock x1a1.

I got it already, and either I'm an idiot or I can't see, or something is wrong.

The hydration pocket has no hole for the hydration tube.

There's a hydration patch coming out of the main compartment however.

Everything I've found said the pocket by the scabbard is the hydration pocket.

 

[Rhyno]

Nevermind, they go inside now.

And the 3l bladder is impossible to get in there.

 

[zero_cool0313]

I own a badlands super day pack, it has a pouch to hold either a bow or rifle, I have used it for the past 3 years and haven't had one problem inexpensive for a pack, with plenty of compartments to hold your stuff for the day with a bladder storage for your camelback that is what I suggest awesome pack and have had a ton of complements on it as well. hope this gives you a good dea

 

[LR338nut]

Vote for Eberlestock. I have a few of their packs. I just got the Blue Widow with the Spike duffel, bow carrier, rain cover, and extra pouch for $200 used. Its perfect for a day pack that you can put meat in. I use it for my backpack hunting trips. I can carry 10+days of gear and food out. Set up camp and then take the pack from 7000ci to 2000ci for the day. You can also take the lid off the pack and use it as a fanny pack. Its my new favorite (hunting) pack by far.
Eberlestock JP9 Blue Widow Hunting Pack

 

[Chopperguy]

I used my EberlestockX2 on a remote hunt on yhr Nigu River in AK in August. I LOVED it. Easy to take plenty of stuff for the day and expandable to carry caribou quarters and antlers back to the raft a couple miles away.

Great pack and very versitle.

 

[x72821]

Everyone has already said it, but Eberlestock is the way to go. I own a phantom, F3F, and bow attachment, and they are the best.

 

[LanceS4803]

I'm a big fan of Crooked Horn brand. If I am hunting local, I go ultra-light and use their Trail Blazer II. I've used this for years and years, at least 30 days of hunting a year, and it still looks near new.
https://crookedhorn.com/cms_ver_03/store/crooked-horn-backpacks/trailblazer-ii-detail.html

I have their High Country extreme if I'll have to pack out. They also have a size in-between.

 

[krw]

I have a Badlands pack. Great pack, good layout. BUT they could not have put a louder zipper on it if they wooda tried.

 

[565fitter]

I gave up on my gunrunner because of the one big pocket seems to be a black hole and it was difficult to attach my bow. I run a simple 5.11 rush 12 with a dump pouch on the side and some webbing and a buckle to attach my gun or bow. Works awesome. 3 compartments (if you count the hydro pocket) and plenty of molle webbing to add on too it. With the pack and all the pockets I have added to it to customize to what kind of hunting I'm doing I have less than $200 in it.