With so many backpack makes and models available, choosing the right one can be an intimidating process. Here’s what you need to know to find the best hunting backpacks.

The Superday is exceptionally comfortable, and its 1,440 cubic-inch size and 3.15-pound weight rating are ideal for a day trip.

With a price tag under $150, this 2,500 cubic-inch pack has a lot going for it, and it doubles as a day and overnight backpack.

A do-all pack that works as well in the stand as it does on a spot-and-stalk muley hunt. Sitka’s Apex spots a low-profile frameless design that reduces noise and abrasion while providing a full 1,800 cubic inches of space.

Hunters need the best hunting backpacks—whether it’s a Midwest hunt for whitetails or a walk through the Rockies searching for elk. Like most outdoor gear, modern-day packs are comfortable, purposeful, and designed explicitly for various big-game pursuits.

I’ve tested and toted hundreds of different packs during my outdoor tenure. Some are still in my hunting arsenal, and others, usually due to a significant flaw in comfort or durability, have been given away at family yard sales. The best hunting backpacks, regardless of the pursuit, have several features in common. Those include comfort, durability, functionality, and technologies that serve a purpose. Once you find the best hunting backpack that hugs your shoulders, back, and waist, and travels like a dream—never let it go.

Before deciding what the best hunting backpack is for you, you must first determine the pack’s purpose. For instance, you can’t slug an awesome treestand pack as a failure because it didn’t work for you on an elk hunt. On the flip side of the coin, a treestand hunter isn’t going to love the space a 4,000+plus cubic-inch pack takes up in the tree. Different hunts require different amounts of space. Here’s a breakdown of the storage space you will need based on hunt type and style.

Hunting backpack manufacturers take lots of things into consideration when building a pack. The best whitetail backpacks are cloaked in noise-killing fabric and sport a zipperless central compartment opening. They have an internal design that allows the pack to remain open and not crumble. Backcountry packs have additional pockets, pouches, and features that enable the hunter to haul more gear. Just know that more accessories often mean more weight. Here are some key features to look for in a hunting backpack. 

When it comes to the best hunting backpacks, you get what you pay for. However, don’t think for a second that a $65 Cabela’s pack won’t work for the back 40 whitetail hunt. It will. On the other hand, a backcountry elk hunt will chew that $65 pack up and spit it out. Price is dependent on your needs. My favorite elk pack is branded with a $425 price tag. That’s expensive, but it is second to none for comfort, durability, and performance. For some hunts, the price of a pack that sheds pounds, ups comfort, and has no-fail features, is worth every penny. 

Stone Glacier Xcurve Frame & Sky Archer 6400 Pack

Why It Made The Cut: This 6,400-cubic-inch bag, when paired with the Medium Xcruve frame, is remarkable in every way. The system has a frame+bag 5.8-pound weight rating, a 150-plus pound load rating, and strong Cordura 5000 and Xpac fabric. 

This is the pack and frame I used on my once-in-a-lifetime Colorado Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep hunt, and it exceeded all my expectations. The internal spotting scope compartment is a win, and access to the main compartment via side-zipper access will be cheered by those that use this pack. The Sky Archer has a pair of side pockets, and the left side pocket accepts a tripod or arrow tube. Inside the panel side zip are 3/4-inch tri-slide buckles to attach Swing Out or Camp Pockets for added organization. The center compression straps have extra length and dual adjust male and female buckles for increased versatility. With 6,400 cubic inches of volume and 2,500 cubic inches of load shelf expansion, this pack and frame combo is worth every penny. 

Why It Made The Cut: Though the pack has no internal frame, it feels as if it does, thanks to the shoulder strap adjustments that allow weight to be distributed to a contoured waist belt that wraps tightly around the hips. The Superday is exceptionally comfortable, and its 1,440 cubic-inch size and 3.15-pound weight rating are ideal for a day trip making it the best day pack. 

Badlands’ Superday pack is a well-built pack that provides plenty of interior room for the day hunter. The molded foam hugs and conforms to the back to ensure a comfortable ride, and the waist belt grabs the hips. Pack adjustments are quick and easy, and I appreciate the bedroll straps and detachable rifle/bow boot holder. Another hat-tipper is the C6 DWR coating. This water-repellent coating causes moisture to roll off the pack, keeping inner contents dry. Pockets on the pack are purposeful and having used the pack for multiple years in an array of environments, I can testify to its toughness. 

ALPS Elite Frame + 3800 Pack Alpsoutdoorz

Why It Made The Cut: I applaud how easily the pack detaches from the frame and the frame’s numerous lashing straps and meat-hauler design. Hunters that go with this multi-day pack can also purchase a 1,800 cubic-inch pack that attaches to the frame for day-hunt trips.

I used the Elite Frame and 3800 Pack for the entire season on multi-day hunts, and the pack is remarkable in every way. The Load Lifters, torso adjustment, anti-sway waist belt, and shoulder straps allow the user to create a perfect fit and feel. The rifle and bow drop-down pocket is easily accessible, and you’ll appreciate the trio of compression pockets. The main compartment is spacious, and the re-engineered frame cut weight by 30 percent and boosted strength by 30 percent. Small hook tabs make pack-from-frame removal super simple, and the 500D Nylon Cordura is PU coated and extremely water-resistant. 

Cabela’s Bow and Rifle Pack cabelas

Why It Made The Cut: With a price tag under $150, this 2,500 cubic-inch pack has a lot going for it, and it doubles as a day and overnight backpack.

This pack has been a favorite of many over the years, and it’s not hard to see why. I love a backpack that holds my rifle or bow securely and lets me walk through hard-to-navigate terrain with my hands-free to carry trekking poles. I also applaud the back-panel design, allowing instant access to the main compartment while boosting overall comfort. The comfortable waist belt allows for sidearm holster attachment, and a foam structure in the pack makes a great rest when shooting a rifle from the prone position. The integrated rain cover smothers the pack and keeps moisture from getting inside, and the backpack comes with a built-in hydration reservoir. 

Why It Made The Cut: The ridged stay-open design of the pack allows instant access to the main compartment, and the lid folds out and away from the pack and puts a zippered compartment close to the hunter to minimize movement.

This hug-the-tree tote is fitted with a top haul loop, and the waist belt can be wrapped around the trunk to ensure no-swing positioning. The two-zipper access allows the face panel to open to 45-degrees without letting gear fall out. This design keeps essential gear like calls close to the hunter to limit movement. Multiple sleeves and pockets line the inside of the pack to help the hunter be more organized, and the waist belt features a pair of side pockets that are perfect for a headlamp, knives, and camo face paint. Outside compression straps make attaching a stand or bow easy, and the front stretch-woven pocket holds additional gear like a rain suit or an extra jacket. 

Sitka Apex Pack Bass Pro Shop

Why It Made The Cut: A do-all pack that works as well in the stand as it does on a spot-and-stalk muley hunt. Sitka’s Apex spots a low-profile frameless design that reduces noise and abrasion while providing a full 1,800 cubic inches of space. 

Built to be a streamlined move-with-you pack, the Apex hunts bigger than its 1,800-cubic-inch rating, and the body-hugging waist belt is fitted with multiple pockets. Three outside compression straps snug extra clothing down, and at just 36 ounces, this pack is a feather. The deployable/retractable cam cables quickly deploy and retract to rest your bow and arm to keep you steady when the moment of truth arrives. Although, hunters packing large hauls of meat may have to make a few more trips than desired.

Having hunted almost every creature in the lower 48 with a bow and rifle, I’ve put hundreds of packs to the test, which made narrowing down the finalists relatively easy. Each award-winning backpack above has proven reliable, comfortable, and purposeful in the hunting woods. Features that I took into serious consideration when making these picks included the following criteria:

There are lots and lots of excellent deer hunting packs. However, most deer hunters tend to hunt from an elevated position, and the best packs for this type of pursuit are those with rigid designs that allow the pack to remain open without collapsing on itself. A pack that remains open allows immediate access to necessary gear.

Remember, backpack space should be dictated by the purpose you expect that pack to serve. The longer you plan to stay in the woods living out of your pack, the more cubic inches that pack needs to have. I don’t recommend buying a pack without going through it in person first. Some packs look big but hunt small, while others are just the opposite. 

Every elk hunting pack should have an internal or external frame system. If not, you will kill your shoulders and back when hauling out meat. When it comes to size, it depends on whether you’re returning to a base camp every night or living out of your pack. Those that return to a basecamp can get away with a daypack, as long as it has a frame system. Those looking to venture off the beaten path and live in the elk woods for days at a time need to consider a pack between 3,800 and 6,500 cubic inches.

Not at all. More pack manufacturers are creating packs in solid color options. I do recommend staying with flat earth tone colors, but if you find a great pack and it isn’t offered in camo, that fact shouldn’t dictate whether you buy the pack or not.

Hunting packs get dirty—inside and out. I clean my packs at the end of each hunt, or the very least, the end of each season. I’m always amazed at how many pine needles, pieces of dirt, trash, and other junk I find while cleaning out a pack. Packs also get bloody, and a good inside and out washing will get rid of that blood. After removing all the pack’s inner contents, follow the manufacturer’s washing instructions on the label

What goes in your hunting pack depends on the animal you’re chasing. For instance, it will do you no good to have an elk bugle in a pack you’ll be using for whitetail hunting. Be smart when adding content to your backpack. Unnecessary gear only adds weight. Some items that are in every pack I own include: • first-aid kit • emergency blanket • fire-starting equipment • headlamp • extra batteries • two knives • handsaw • rubber gloves • rain gear • field wipes • Garmin inReach • water • snacks  

Remember, there isn’t a one-and-done option for proper backpack selection. The best hunting backpacks have multiple things in common (durability, comfort, functionality), but each pack is designed to serve a particular purpose. The only way to find the right pack is to make sure the pack will meet the needs of your style of hunting. 

Jace Bauserman is a full-time freelance outdoor writer who has been working with Field & Stream since 2017. Before going full-time freelance, Bauserman was the editor-in-chief of Bowhunting World and Archery Business magazines. 

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