Hunting daypacks.

[Ugly Sauce]

Let's not forget the extra space and handiness of a large fanny pack on your hip. That way you have some of your most needed stuff close at hand and are able to use a smaller, lighter, backpack. I have several fanny packs of varying size depending on my needs and which backpack I'm using.

Have you found a way to wear a fanny or hip-pack at the same time as a pistol belt, with pistol/holster, knife and ammo pouch on the belt? I've never tried it, but it seems like they would not work together? or...do/can they?

 

[WisBorn]

Have you found a way to wear a fanny or hip-pack at the same time as a pistol belt, with pistol/holster, knife and ammo pouch on the belt? I've never tried it, but it seems like they would not work together? or...do/can they?

Lots of people wear a fanny pack across their body. That would work with a gun belt. Though I have never tried it.

 

[P89DCSS]

No camelback style water storage? I don't hunt but for hiking and mountain biking they sure are nice.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

No camelback style water storage? I don't hunt but for hiking and mountain biking they sure are nice.

I've tried camelback systems, but now prefer to have easier access to my water for making coffee, washing hands. So I carry a canteen, and two bottles of water in the pack. I use the water in my pack first to lighten it up as I go. That's for around here, up North there's plenty of streams, cricks and springs that I only need to carry one canteen. I'm never very far from a water source. Around where I live, hunting the state land, there's plenty of ponds that the moose deer and elk pee in, don't want to get thirsty enough to drink that!

 

[P89DCSS]

I've tried camelback systems, but now prefer to have easier access to my water for making coffee, washing hands. So I carry a canteen, and two bottles of water in the pack. I use the water in my pack first to lighten it up as I go. That's for around here, up North there's plenty of streams, cricks and springs that I only need to carry one canteen. I'm never very far from a water source. Around where I live, hunting the state land, there's plenty of ponds that the moose deer and elk pee in, don't want to get thirsty enough to drink that!

Do you remove your back to get your canteen?
You drink out of streams without any water treatment?

I'm a city slicker, untreated water is scary. My camelback carries 100oz of h2o. I need very regular hydration for health reasons. Camelback puts water at my lips and makes hydration simple. 100oz capacity lasts half the day in the most extreme heat. I use antibacterial wipes to clean my hands.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Do you remove your back to get your canteen?
You drink out of streams without any water treatment?

I'm a city slicker, untreated water is scary. My camelback carries 100oz of h2o. I need very regular hydration for health reasons. Camelback puts water at my lips and makes hydration simple. 100oz capacity lasts half the day in the most extreme heat. I use antibacterial wipes to clean my hands.

Oh no, not saying a camelback hydration system isn't good. I do use it on long rides on my dirt-bike, or mountain bike, and I have used them quite a bit in the past.

I always have one canteen, either on my belt, or more often now a boy-scout over-the-shoulder canteen, for when I need a drink. Sometimes I will just refill it from one of the water bottles in my pack. When I'm in the wilderness I stop often, never on a non-stop forced march kind of hike. So, my pack comes off and on often.

Indeed, up North, in the Northeast corner of Washington state, along the border of North Idaho and Canada, the water is more pure and clean than any town or city water. I do not treat or filter any water from a good clean clear running stream. The water comes directly out of the mountains, with no civilization or habitations upstream from them. So yep, I drink directly out of the streams, cricks and springs. Been doing it since the 1970's and I'm still here!! Alive. Never got sick. Now beaver ponds, I'd never drink from a beaver pond or closely down stream from one. I wouldn't drink water downstream for someone's camp, or a ranch or farm. Otherwise, for me, treated water is more scary than good old mountain watershed. !!!

 

[22250Rem]

Have you found a way to wear a fanny or hip-pack at the same time as a pistol belt, with pistol/holster, knife and ammo pouch on the belt? I've never tried it, but it seems like they would not work together? or...do/can they?

.... Can't recall wearing both the fanny pack and a pistol belt at the same time. Although I have had my bigger fanny pack on one hip and a small holster on the belt holding my pants up on the other hip. Even have some pictures on the computer of them that have been used in other discussion threads here. Fanny pack with pistol: . or fill the fanny pack with other stuff and put pistol on other hip in small holster: .... Whatever works depending on the situation. Sometimes I carry a pistol in a padded soft case in my backpack. Like the Luger that would get used for a coup-de-gras on a wounded deer if the situation ever arose again, ( only once so far). My uncle that I inherited it from thought that would be cool, so during deer season it's usually in my backpack in honor of his wishes. ..

 

[Ugly Sauce]

.... Can't recall wearing both the fanny pack and a pistol belt at the same time. Although I have had my bigger fanny pack on one hip and a small holster on the belt holding my pants up on the other hip. Even have some pictures on the computer of them that have been used in other discussion threads here. Fanny pack with pistol: View attachment 1148633. or fill the fanny pack with other stuff and put pistol on other hip in small holster:View attachment 1148637.... Whatever works depending on the situation. Sometimes I carry a pistol in a padded soft case in my backpack. Like the Luger that would get used for a coup-de-gras on a wounded deer if the situation ever arose again, ( only once so far). My uncle that I inherited it from thought that would be cool, so during deer season it's usually in my backpack in honor of his wishes. View attachment 1148640..

ah yes...the Luger. Sometimes I carry my Grand-dad's Luger in his honor. Good for you!

 

[stillquietvoice]

Have you found a way to wear a fanny or hip-pack at the same time as a pistol belt, with pistol/holster, knife and ammo pouch on the belt? I've never tried it, but it seems like they would not work together? or...do/can they?

When I use my fanny pack I put my pistol, extra ammo. on my regular belt. My oack has 3 compartments. I've had it close to 20 years and it's seen better days, but always goes with me into the field.

 

[Armored farmer]

ah yes...the Luger. Sometimes I carry my Grand-dad's Luger in his honor. Good for you!
View attachment 1148650

Nice Luger. My great uncle (that I'm named after) had one too. He acquired it during his tour of europe in the summer of 1944.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Nice Luger. My great uncle (that I'm named after) had one too. He acquired it during his tour of europe in the summer of 1944.

My Grandfather was Canadian, (as was my Dad) and he was in most of all the famous WW1 battles in France with the 116th/Canadian Army. We don't know of which battle he got the Luger, but he carried it through most of the war. He had some of the holster flap cut away and carried it with the shoulder stock attached. (which has since been lost) Still have the holster with his rank and name "field carved" into it. Also has the German unit, battalion and weapon number stamped on the grip frame. !!! Bavarian reserve unit. It also has two original magazines, one matching the pistol. And no, I have Mecgar mags for it, the originals never leave the safe! GrandDad passed away when I was about nine years old, so I never got to hear the war stories. Wish the Luger could talk, as it's seen some "stuff". Deep stuff.

 

[WisBorn]

I was digging through my hunting gear and thought that I would take a picture of my hunting backpack.


This old fieldline has many many hours in the field. But I can't recommend buying the new ones. My Brother-in-law has a newer Fieldline and it's falling apart after only two seasons.

 

[22250Rem]

Ugly Sauce; I recall that you mentioned that Luger before. Didn't your grandfather shoot a moose at close range with it? My paternal grandfather spent 17 months in France during WW1 with the Canadian Machine Gun Corps, but far as I know he never brought home any guns. My uncle liberated that Luger from the Mittlewerks at Nordhausen, Germany's V2 Rocket factory, in the spring of 1945, shortly after Germany surrendered. He was an Air Force ground crewman in England working on B-17's and being from a heavily German family, he spoke fluent German. Got sent to Nordhausen to act as a translator while the U.S. cleaned out the place and shipped it all here. It's a 1916 dated Erfurt specimen and was on display in a glass case in an office area. Biggest things he ever shot with it were rats in the early 1950's at a town dump. He would have got a big kick out of this photo: ..

 

[22250Rem]

And before the thread gets too far off topic, I should add a pic of my little fanny pack when even a small day pack gets too crowded with stuff. Makes a nice little storage area for smaller stuff, and this is on my hip sometimes even when not using the day pack. There's been times when this is on my left side and the bigger one on the right. Here it's shown with a 16 ounce bottle for size comparison... ..

 

[Ugly Sauce]

Didn't your grandfather shoot a moose at close range with it?

Yes. He never did have a rifle, just a 12 gauge double hammer gun that I also have, and the Luger. He would shoot a moose every year (or more?) for winter meat. Only used ball ammo, and the shoulder stock, which was lost after he died. 1915 DWM. I have it's two original magazines, one is serial numbered to the pistol.


Pack related content! Better picture of my little black pack, good for short hikes, or hunting towards evening and not going too far from camp. Being used to carrying much more STUFF and weight, it's a treat to use this. Still holds some food, fire, basic first aid and a few what-evers. Takes a camel-back bladder, which P89DCss will be glad to know. One big "pocket", and one smaller pocket, with some organizer-dividers.

 

[Armored farmer]

I can't believe that we have gone three pages on this topic and I have selfishly forgotten to mention my favorite and most useful pack that I own.......
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/1024042668
Thus Peregrine bucket pack may not be the most comfortable or lightweight, but it has much going for it.
It's waterproof
it floats
It's a swivel seat
It's insulated
It's crushproof and keeps gear safe
It's a dry box
It has great external pockets
It is awesome for waterfowl and dove hunts
I can't say enough good things about it.
It is a unique and versatile pack.
I highly recommend.

 

[FL-NC]

This thing is called a "yote" that I was issued some years ago, and they didn't ask for it back. It is small and is designed to hold a camelback blader, with plently of room for the other items I carry hunting. It won't hold a large coat but will easily hold things like sweat shirts and such. I also recently aquired a US mil aviator's survival vest with numerous zipper pockets on it that I may try this year. it even has a holster on it that will hold my Glock 23. It isn't hydration bladder compatible, so I guess I will just carry a 1 quart canteen when I use it. I will use it when hunting from ground/box blinds- I will stick with the yote if I'm hunting from a ladder stand since I am sure the safety harness on top of the survival vest will be a PITA.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I can't believe that we have gone three pages on this topic and I have selfishly forgotten to mention my favorite and most useful pack that I own.......
https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/1024042668
Thus Peregrine bucket pack may not be the most comfortable or lightweight, but it has much going for it.
It's waterproof
it floats
It's a swivel seat
It's insulated
It's crushproof and keeps gear safe
It's a dry box
It has great external pockets
It is awesome for waterfowl and dove hunts
I can't say enough good things about it.
It is a unique and versatile pack.
I highly recommend.

That would indeed be very ideal in one of my ground-blinds.


Or one of those "put on the snow shoes and get the heck out of the house before I go crazy mid-winter days"!!!

 

[Ugly Sauce]

I also recently aquired a US mil aviator's survival vest

I always wear a vest, kind of a cross between a camo hunter's vest and a tactic-cool vest. Light enough for warm weather, but also a good under layer when cold. Anyhow, it always has fire and a compass in it, and I never go hunting or trekking without it. It has an abundance of pockets, so I can carry other stuff that the "mission" requires. It even has a hood zipped in the collar, pretty good piece of survival kit.

 

[Wolfshead]

I’m not actually certain how many packs I have.
These are my three main hunting packs.
I have one more. It is the Badlands tree stand pack they made a few years back, but I don’t ever really use it. Don’t really like how it is set up. I understand the reasoning behind it but it just doesn’t work for me.
The packs I use are the Kuiu Venture 2300.
The Badlands Eastern Day pack.
And a Bravehawk Outdoors Tactical waist pack I got off Amazon for $14. I have the availability of the two molle pouches that easily fasten to the belt for more space if needed.
I am finding that I want to take less, and less with me into the woods if I can, and the waist pack really is becoming my favorite. This is also the set up I use for still hunting.
The Badlands day pack is for the early season all day sits when I can carry a little bit more than what I do still hunting.
The Kuiu Venture is for those late season sits.
My stands for late season are little over half a mile walk. So I put my parka and bibs inside the pack and carry them in so I don’t get over heated. It also allows me to attach my shooting sticks and a folding chair for on the ground sits.
I really like straps on the outside and the bottom of my packs to allow for more carry options and the Kuiu and Badlands packs both have those.

 

[Chuck R.]

I've gone through a bunch of daypacks over the years. For the past 6 years I used an Eberlestock X2:



It's worked very well and held up, but didn't have a lot of load/meat carrying capacity. I recently bought a Mystery Ranch Pop-Up 38 on sale that should fix that:

https://www.blackovis.com/mystery-ranch-pop-up-38-hunting-backpack

I really like the ability to strap stuff to my pack as it seems that I'm constatnly either adding or taking off clothing. The Mystery Ranch does both and I can use the cargo space between the pack and frame to pack in bibs and my pack boots. I've also gotten to the point where I like an adjustable frame and a weight supporting hip belt. My L4 and L5 have gotten to the point where the degeneration is "severe" so I've got to get some weight off my shouders.

I'm of mixed opinion on the hydration bladders, I've got them from my mil days, but usually just use a water bottle.

 

[Ugly Sauce]

My stands for late season are little over half a mile walk. So I put my parka and bibs inside the pack and carry them in so I don’t get over heated.

Yep, shedding and adding layers as the day goes by. I can identify with that. Being able to roll up a jacket and tie it on the outside saves room for me, but my "winter pack" is big enough to stuff extra clothes in. But the pack it's self weighs a bit more than my medium size green pack, so I mostly use it for winter, or up North if I'm "going deep".

I remember when most of the day packs on the market weren't much more than sacks with shoulder straps. !!!

 

[Varminterror]

I carried a 5.11 Push Pack - basically a tactical purse with a main compartment large enough to hold an 8lb jug of powder, and two water bottle pockets big enough to hold full size nalgenes on each side - for a lot of years. Still love the pack, but hauling my son most rifle season hunts these days, the small 6L pack didn't quite have the room to fit my puffy coat as well as his, plus both of our books, water, and snacks. So now, I haul a little bigger pack. I have one of the inexpensive RedRock Outdoor Gear Assault Packs, 28L if I recall correctly. It's right about the ideal size for what I want to carry for the two of us, and honestly, the extra room is nice even when I'm hunting by myself. Four compartments, plus some internal organization.

If they still made them, I'd have 4 more, but they don't, so I only have the two I have - but I absolutely LOVE the Kifaru Tailgunner for a day pack. Throw two nalgene pouches on the sides and an admin pouch on the front, and it holds more than I really want - and I can lash my puffy cover, rolled on the top in the built in compression straps. I don't use the belt on either of mine, just use the shoulder straps, except for when I've taken it up mountain and need the extra support. But I use one for my PRS match pack, and my wife commandeered the other as a camera bag - but when Kifaru makes another special run, I'll get a couple more.

 

[tazbigdog]

I have several. 5.11 12 and 72, under armor, maxpedition, etc.

 

[Condor]

I posted this in the “do you carry a handgun while hunting” thread, but it fits here as well…

This is a combination vest and backpack, designed for upland game. I use it during deer season as well. I really appreciate the extra blaze orange when I am out and about in the nearby state forest.

It was a Christmas gift from my wife…It was a great surprise (maybe my favorite gift so far). Most of the items I carry were gifts over the past years…including a Schrade Old Timer back when we really didn’t have the money to spare.

Carries everything I typically need for a day out. It’s very comfortable, and the pockets make it easy to stay organized.

I modified it a bit by sewing in attachments for the shoulder holster, and also added grommets at the edges of the game pouch. I threaded bungee cord through them to make the pouch hug the vest more snugly. If I’m out in colder weather it is a great place to carry an extra layer, dragline, etc.