Best Hunting Backpacks Picked by Hunters Feature Overview
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ALPS OutdoorZ Commander
Total Weight: 7 lbs. 5 oz. , Bag Weight: 2 lbs. 3 oz.
Durable Ripstop fabric
Two side accessory hinged pockets, main, front and spotting scope pocket
Clip-style holster
Drop-down rifle pocket
Hydration pocket and port -
TIDEWE Hunting Backpack 5500cu
31.5” x 21.7” x 11.8”
High performance Realtree fabric
Ergonomic design
Lightweight and compact frame
Total 5500 cubic inches (90L) capacity
Adjustable shoulder straps and frame -
Badlands Sacrifice LS
Nylon lining
Hypervent suspension
Tough nylon fiber design
Built-in Rifle/Bow Boot and batwing straps
Hip-belt pouches
Multiple lash points
Neutral approach camo -
Eberlestock Mainframe Pack
Weight: 4 lbs 5 oz - Dimensions: 26"h x 11"w
Intex ll aluminum frame
Full MOLLE webbing matrix
Three built in horizontal compression straps
Comes in a tall version: Weight: 4 lbs 8 oz - Dimensions: 29.5" x 11"w
Lifetime manufacturer's warranty -
ALPS OutdoorZ Extreme Hybrid X
Total Weight: 6 lbs. 3 oz.
Capacity: 45L/2750 in³
Dual aluminum frame
1680D nylon ballistic and robin nylon fabrics
Compressed wing-style pockets
Rifle and bow drop-down
Rain cover
Clip-style holster accommodation -
Badlands Diablo Dos
Badlands' KXO-32 fabric
Hypervent suspension
Zipper closure
Built-in Rifle/Bow Boot and batwing straps
easy access hip-belt pouches
multiple rear compression straps
Neutral approach camo -
Slumberjack Bounty 2.0 Highlander
Realtree camo
Lightweight
Durable
Heavy duty clips and zippers
Adjustable suspension
Capacity of up to 80 pounds -
TIDEWE Hunting Pack 3400cu
28” x 15” x 12”
3400 cubic inches (55 L) capacity
Weights 6 pounds
High performance breathable fabric
Steel carbon frame
User-friendly ergonomic design
Carrier for your bow or rifle
Best Hunting Backpacks Picked by Hunters What Makes a Good Hunting Backpack?
The best hunting backpacks have features that make your hunting trip uncomplicated and more enjoyable by reducing your stress—both physical and mental. Here are some of the qualities I think about when I’m choosing a hunting backpack.
Design, Weight, and Fit
Almost all backpacks have one of three designs— external frame, internal frame, or no frame. These designs have different carrying capacities. External frames, which hold the most weight, shift the brunt of the bag’s weight onto the frame. The structure sits slightly away from your body, which helps airflow and comfort.
Internal frames can still carry a lot of weight, but not as much as external frames. They hold the mass closer to your body, so they’re not best for hauling heavy game. Hunters generally don’t use backpacks without a frame because they can’t carry nearly enough weight.
As for backpack fit and weight, these are qualities that you only need to worry about if you’re on the smaller side. Manufacturers usually design hunting backpacks for sizable people, so shorter people may feel uncomfortable or tired while carrying a large rucksack.
Weather Capabilities
Quality hunting backpacks need to be able to withstand shifting weather conditions. It’s not uncommon for a hunter to start their hunt while the sun’s shining, but end the day by getting drenched by a downpour of rain.
If your bag isn’t at the very least water-resistant, you shouldn’t use it for hunting. If your gear becomes waterlogged you won’t enjoy the rest of your hunt. Always stick for a water-resistant or water-proof bag. If the backpack has a rain fly, that’s another feature you can take advantage of.
Weapon Holders
What would a hunting backpack be without at least one weapon holder? When you’re trekking through the forest with a backpack on, you can’t use your sling to put your gun over your shoulder.
Most hunting backpacks have multiple weapon holders in the form of holsters, scabbards, or other types of weapon holders. Some have holsters for a handgun, although most don’t. Having a weapon holder will help you trek through the bush without having to carry the gun in your hands.
Capacity
Capacity is perhaps the most important quality you should look for in hunting backpacks. The size you need will depend on what type of game you’re after. If you’re a pheasant or quail, you don’t need an extra-large backpack. A bag around 2,000 cubic inches will suffice.
For hunters who like elk or deer, you’ll need a larger backpack. All your meat needs to fit inside the bag, so I recommend getting a bag larger than 4,000 cubic inches.
You also need to think about what sort of hunting you’ll be doing. If you plan on heading out on day trips, you won’t need to fit nearly as much stuff in your bag. If you plan on lengthy hunting expeditions, you need to make sure there’s room for a tent and other essentials.
Best Hunting Backpacks Picked by Hunters Best Hunting Backpacks
ALPS OutdoorZ Commander
The ALPS Commander has one of the largest capacities I’ve seen in any hunting backpack I reviewed. With more than 5,000 cubic inches of space, the bag can fit anything you throw at it! With all that space you’d expect the bag to be heavy, but its total dry-weight is only 7 lbs. 5 oz.
The Commander backpack has an external frame to which you can lash heavy items. ALPS designed the lashing system with carrying meat in mind. All you need to do is take the bag off the frame and you can strap meat to the bare frame. The freighter shelf located on the bottom part of the bag helps support the meat, taking weight off of your back.
The Commander uses Ripstop fabric, a waterproof fabric. The bag includes a clip-style holster and a drop-down rifle holder. The backpack even has space for a water bladder.
TIDEWE Hunting Backpack 5500cu
The TIDEWE backpack, with 5,500 cubic inches, is another large hunting backpack. It has an external frame that incorporates TIDEWE’s unique frame design. Instead of a flat piece behind your head, TIDEWE designed their frame to keep away from your head. The curved section stays away from your head, allowing full mobility.
The TIDEWE backpack has two weapon holders, a handgun holster, and a drop-down rifle holder. The backpack also includes a rain cover that extends over the entirety of the backpack. Even if the bag’s material is water-resistant, the rain cover makes sure all your gear stays bone dry.
The TIDEWE can even hold a bow if that’s the type of hunting you enjoy. You can remove the bad from the frame, revealing a lashing apparatus you can use for your meat. The foldable freighter shelf helps take the weight off your back on long treks.
Badlands Sacrifice LS
Badlands designed their Sacrifice bag for comfort. The bag is large, with a capacity of 3,400 cubic inches, but not too large to feel bulky. The bag is light, with a total dry weight of 3 lbs. 13 oz.
Badlands built the interior frame with airflow in mind. To achieve that, they designed their Hypervent Suspension, which keeps the bag off of your back. By doing that, the bag doesn’t trap heat on your back, creating a cool, dry environment for ultimate comfort.
The Sacrifice includes a detachable bow/rifle holder. The bag has straps to hold your weapon in place when you put it in the holder. Badlands has a fix-it guarantee for the bag’s entire lifetime. If you purchased a backpack from them and something broke, you can always send it back to them to fix. They offer this service to their customers for free.
Eberlestock Mainframe Pack
The Eberlestock Mainframe is a minimalist’s dream. It’s a modular backpack, meaning you can attach the pieces you need while leaving the rest behind. The base of the modular structure is the Mainframe exterior frame. From there, you can add any Eberlestock pieces, although you’ll have to purchase them for an extra fee.
The Mainframe pack by itself is capable of carrying a rifle and the freighter shelf can fold out so you can carry your meat. You can lash your meat to the frame and use the straps to secure your load for long treks.
The Mainframe has an adjustable ladder harness to increase comfort. The harness means the Mainframe is comfortable for any size wearer, even if you’re on the smaller side. Eberlestock went for the highest quality materials in their bag, meaning it’s durable. With a lifetime warranty, you can’t go wrong with this backpack.
ALPS OutdoorZ Extreme Hybrid X
ALPS Hybrid X is a user-friendly bag that gives you plenty of options for capacity and fit. The abundant straps are adjustable so you’ll always feel comfortable while using the backpack. The bag is on the smaller side, with only 2750 cubic inches of volume, but ALPS’ unique lashing apparatus gives you more options for space.
The Hybrid X has an external frame you can detach from the carrying sack. By detaching the frame, you reveal the canvas freighter shelf and lashing system. After you strap in your meat, you can reattach the carrying sack to the frame. The lashing structure essentially doubles your carrying capacity.
The Hybrid X comes with a rain cover for adverse weather conditions. It also has a drop-down rifle/bow holder and an abundance of pockets to store equipment. The bag’s total dry weight is only 6 lbs. 3 oz., meaning it’ll be comfortable for people of any size.
Badlands Diablo Dos
The Badlands Diablo Dos is on the smaller side, but they designed it that way! The Diablo Dos allows hunters full mobility while providing a decent amount of carrying capacity. The Diablo Dos has 2100 cubic inches of carrying capacity, and with the internal aluminum frame, it’s strong enough to carry moderately heavy loads, like deer.
Badlands includes their Hypervent setup on all of their hunting backpacks. Their unique system helps keep your back cool by keeping the bag away from your back. This allows cool air to circulate, keeping you cool and dry on long treks.
The Diablo Dos has a detachable bow/rifle boot and straps to keep your weapon secure. Although the bag doesn’t have a lashing system, the bag has 7 pockets you can utilize for gear storage while you use the main carrying sack for meat.
Slumberjack Bounty 2.0 Highlander
The Slumberjack Bounty 2.0 Highlander is perfect for long outdoor excursions, making it perfect for hunting trips. The bag has an internal frame for support, but no lashing system. The Highlander makes up for its lack of a lashing system by having 4932 cubic inches of capacity in the carrying sack.
The Highlander has a detachable outer bag that straps onto the outside of the main bag. If you’re only heading out for a day hunt, you can remove this bag. Doing so will increase your mobility while decreasing the total weight of the bag. With everything strapped on, the dry weight of the bag is 6 lbs. 14 oz.
The Highlander has a drop-down boot you can use for storing your rifle or bow while hiking. The bag has large side pockets that can store gear like scopes, ammo, or other essentials. Slumberjack built their bag with multi-day hunts in mind, so the bag has space for camping equipment, too.
TIDEWE Hunting Pack 3400cu
The TIDEWE hunting pack has 3400 cubic inches of storage capacity, making it perfect for a weekend hunting trip. Not only can you fit all your hunting gear, but you can load it full of camping gear as well. The internal frame provides support for your back, but its lightweight design doesn’t impede mobility.
The TIDEWE bag has space for either a rifle or a bow on the rear of the bag, while also providing space for a pistol on the waist strap. The bag has plenty of pockets, so you won’t need to worry about where to store your equipment.
The fabric and padding on both the shoulder straps and back are durable and promote airflow, which will help you stay cool when out hiking. The TIDEWE backpack also has a detachable day bag for short trips or you can use it for extra storage capacity.
Best Hunting Backpacks Picked by Hunters Why it’s Vital To Choose the Best Hunting Backpacks
When hunters are searching for the best hunting backpacks, they tend to focus on the carrying capacity of the bag. I know it can be disappointing when you take down an elk but don’t have nearly enough space for it, so carrying capacity is a vital concern.
But when hunters focus on carrying capacity, they lose sight of other qualities that can make their hunting experience better. Here are some of the reasons why choosing the best hunting backpack will help you have a more enjoyable hunting experience.
Comfort
There are tons of different ways to be uncomfortable on a hunting trip. Whether you’re wet or you’re carrying more gear than your back can handle, being uncomfortable is a plague on a hunting trip.
Hunting backpacks help you feel more comfortable by including things like padded shoulder straps, ventilated back pieces, or rain covers. These qualities may seem small, but if you’ve ever been out in the rain with a normal backpack, you’ll appreciate having a rain cover.
Stealth
The best hunting backpacks integrate qualities that help hunters stay stealthy and avoid alerting any potential game. You need to be stealthy both while you’re hiking and after you’ve located an animal. I used to get extremely disappointed when I slipped off my backpack and it alerted a deer to my presence. Since I got my hunting pack, this problem doesn’t affect me anymore.
Strength
Normal backpacks, or even cheap hunting backpacks for that matter, just aren’t strong enough for what a hunter needs. The average bull elk will supply you with close to 200 pounds of meat. There’s no normal backpack I would trust carrying such a heavy load. Only hunting backpacks have design features that can withstand such heavy loads.
Best Hunting Backpacks Picked by Hunters Conclusion: Best Hunting Backpacks Picked by Hunters
The best hunting backpack I reviewed was the ALPS OutdoorZ Commander. Its massive size and unique lashing system gave me the most carrying capacity I’ve ever had the chance to utilize. With such a big bag, I was able to fit all of my gear, and thanks to the lashing system, almost an entire elk, too!
All in all, the bags I reviewed are solid for anyone who feels like they need to upgrade their old hunting backpack. If the ALPS bag doesn’t fit your needs, you can always check out the other excellent bags on this list, like the Diablo Dos or the TIDEWE bags.