It’s that time of the year again! You clean your guns, sharpen your arrowheads, and begin to map out your hunt. It may take a few hours, or a few days but you’re not coming home empty handed, right? That depends. Are you taking the right pack to carry all your gear? Let's discuss the features you should look for when choosing the best pack for a hunt.
Purpose
The first thing to consider is what kind of hunt you are going on. If you prefer to use your sheer strength to set up your arrow, then you’d want to choose a pack that has a bow carrying system. However, if you’re more of a gun enthusiast then you’d want a pack with a rifle holder. But let’s say you’ll be close to your home, base-camp, or vehicle and only need to carry a few things. Then you might be better off with a day pack or smaller waist pack.
Size
Hunting packs range in size from 25 to 40 liters and the average hunting waist pack ranges between 3 to 6 liters. You will need to take into consideration the type of weapon you’ll be carrying, the amount of equipment, food, and personal items you want to bring. If you prefer to carry your weapon strapped to your shoulder and only need to bring along a few items, then you will be ok with a waist pack. But if your weapon doesn't have a shoulder strap attached to it, or if you need to bring a lot of food and a sleeping bag, then you will need a larger pack to accommodate those items.
Features
There are countless features that can be added to a pack, but not all of them may be necessary. Be sure to keep in mind the pros and cons of each one. Some features may add extra weight which will cause discomfort that could easily have been avoided. One thing to look out for is the ability to use a hydration reservoir. Drinking from a water bottle can be noisy, and every sound matters when stalking your next trophy. Fabrics and padding may be listed as premium features, but thicker padding or heavier fabrics may add more weight and less ventilation to keep you cool.
Warranty
This should give you a good idea of how confident the company is in their products. Some of the most popular hunting gear manufacturers offer a hassle-free lifetime warranty. If the pack you are trying to decide on does not offer some sort of guarantee, then it may not be of high quality and might give out soon. It's also worth checking the policies of the warranty carefully to see what is covered.