i'm planing a backpack hunt this fall somewhere in the north west i've pack hunted a few times in the va. but always been for a day or two and not very remote so would like to know what to carry and what not. figuring 4 to 5 days also i'm done with my GI sleeping bag any suggestions?
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whats in your pack
- Thread starter ducmarc
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Tim in Washington
Well-Known Member
For sleeping bag suggestion I would look at Western Mountaineering and Feathered Friends and a good drybag to keep it dry
mtnwrunner
Well-Known Member
ducmarc, good for you in heading west--you'll have a hoot. I would strongly urge you to check out rokslide.com. It is a website geared specifically for the backpack hunter. There are lots of experienced guys and gals over there along with a ton of information reference the question you asked.
Get the best equipment you can afford. Don't skimp. As Tim said, those both are great sleeping bags. A lot of backcountry equip is personal choice, some made by live and learn.
I'm a Stone Glacier Pack fan, and I've got numerous shelters. I currently use a Valandre sleeping bag and a thermarest pad. I've got my sleeping system to about 6 to 7 pounds and I do try and go lighter than most. Check out rokslide and let me know if you have any other questions.
Randy
Like mtnwrunner suggested check out rokslide.com. Very good info and reviews on gear. Also watch the classified section you could pick up some great gear at a great price. With my one man 3 season tent, 20 deg sleeping bag, and big agnes insul pad I'm at 6#6oz. Not the lightest or the best but I'm very comfortable with that setup. You'll also find out going ultra light weight is not cheap. Being comfortable can trump saving a few ounces. If you need specifics you can pm me.
thanks for the advice i normally carry parrchute cord skinnig knife,flint , chemical warmers, extra socks extra shirt and underware, toliet paper small medical kit, small flash light, small pan to cook with, and tape. used to carry water but was thinking about a purifier. food is a heavy what do u guys carry and how much for 4 days plus.my tent is heavy and notice a lot of talk about tarps instead is that a good idea?
califoriahunter
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- May 22, 2012
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Man forget a sleeping bag checkout a top quilt they weigh less than half a sleeping bag
BearDog
Well-Known Member
I'll echo what the above fellas said about Rokslide. Do your best to find a buddy who will go on this hunt with you. It drastically helps reduce weight and cost when you have a friend who is willing to go in on things that benefit you both like a tent, stove, water filter, and can help with carrying some of that weight.
More often than not you realize you over packed.
Spend some time thinking about your layering system and rain gear, as well as what you want to wear on the walk in. Think lite and packable. Also, make sure you learn how to cape out (if you get a wall hanger) and butcher animal.
More often than not you realize you over packed.
Spend some time thinking about your layering system and rain gear, as well as what you want to wear on the walk in. Think lite and packable. Also, make sure you learn how to cape out (if you get a wall hanger) and butcher animal.
I've thought about that but I can't bring myself to believe cold air doesn't get in. What do you think?
califoriahunter
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- May 22, 2012
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Ya I sleep great with mine you don't feel trapped or anything and when you have a good sleeping pad you will be good to go you will never know your just on a pad
Less and less every year, that's for sure. This year I used the x2 backpack and it's working out quite well for me in this capacity.
Anyway, off the top of my head this is what I took on my last 5 day solo backpack hunt:
A 2lb 25 degree down bag, 3/4 length pad, 9x11 construction tarp, 25' para cord, ~1.5lb food/ day, pocket rocket stove, 1 fuel cyln., 1qt ss pot, 2 ss water bottles, hydration bladder, water tablets, fire kit, 1st aid kit, hygiene kit, knife, steel, folder saw, headlamp, compass, topo, 2 extra socks, insulating base layers, wind/water shell, rifle, ammo, 2 game bags + 3 trash bags, multi tool, gun oil, lens cleaning kit, spotting scope, camera.
That's about all that goes in/on my pack going in. Before I strap my rifle on, the pack is right at 30lbs and completely stuffed! Trekking poles, binoculars, hat, boots, gloves, sunglasses, etc are on my person.
After I make camp and off load tarp-bag-food cache I'm left with a nominal day pack that I hunt with. The x2 backpack is plenty stout enough to take a 70lb load of meat/horns/cape out with. I do keep a freighter frame and extra provisions at the truck since multiple, bigger loads--or even a stay at the trailhead-- can be prudent.
Spend your pesos on quality boots, socks, and backpack first. Good trekking poles, good outer shell second. Take nutritious food, not just high calorie. Incidentally, my bag is just a no-name $100 down mummy that I unzip and use it's like a top quilt. Love it! Works well to near zero before I seriously second guess my own sanity anyways. My goto "tarp tent" is just a $4.99 Harbor Freight special. I kid not. It was bought as a backyard "experiment" but never got "upgraded". Backyards are great, low risk proving grounds... especially in bad weather.
However you go about it, go for it!
Anyway, off the top of my head this is what I took on my last 5 day solo backpack hunt:
A 2lb 25 degree down bag, 3/4 length pad, 9x11 construction tarp, 25' para cord, ~1.5lb food/ day, pocket rocket stove, 1 fuel cyln., 1qt ss pot, 2 ss water bottles, hydration bladder, water tablets, fire kit, 1st aid kit, hygiene kit, knife, steel, folder saw, headlamp, compass, topo, 2 extra socks, insulating base layers, wind/water shell, rifle, ammo, 2 game bags + 3 trash bags, multi tool, gun oil, lens cleaning kit, spotting scope, camera.
That's about all that goes in/on my pack going in. Before I strap my rifle on, the pack is right at 30lbs and completely stuffed! Trekking poles, binoculars, hat, boots, gloves, sunglasses, etc are on my person.
After I make camp and off load tarp-bag-food cache I'm left with a nominal day pack that I hunt with. The x2 backpack is plenty stout enough to take a 70lb load of meat/horns/cape out with. I do keep a freighter frame and extra provisions at the truck since multiple, bigger loads--or even a stay at the trailhead-- can be prudent.
Spend your pesos on quality boots, socks, and backpack first. Good trekking poles, good outer shell second. Take nutritious food, not just high calorie. Incidentally, my bag is just a no-name $100 down mummy that I unzip and use it's like a top quilt. Love it! Works well to near zero before I seriously second guess my own sanity anyways. My goto "tarp tent" is just a $4.99 Harbor Freight special. I kid not. It was bought as a backyard "experiment" but never got "upgraded". Backyards are great, low risk proving grounds... especially in bad weather.
However you go about it, go for it!
I was surprised how affordable ultra light backpacking is. Of course you can pay more to save a few ounces, but I find you usually only need to get a mile in to avoid 99% of the hunters. I hunt in the SW, so rain isn't usually an issue, but I use a GoLite Lair (13 oz) with 3 sides and put the open side up against a tree. It breathes, but doesn't let the snow blow in. If you want more protection, try an Appy Trail tent on eBay. It is light, but inexpensive. Mostly, I just stay out one night. If I'm staying all week, or expect bad weather, I take a Kifaru Tipi Tent & stove. It is heavy, but it is worth it to be able to dry out. There's nothing worse than coming back to camp wet, and climbing into the bag with wet clothes to dry them. It was the recommended system during WWII. By the Korean war, the GIs had wood/gasoline stoves.
I use a G4 backpack (17 oz) for summer hiking, but use a little heavier (3.5 lbs.) one for hunting. I've ripped strap seams on three packs after carrying out a heavy load of meat. I carry heavy needles and mini pliers for pack and boot repairs. I don't carry bones, I butcher it in the field. Water's a big issue down here, but up there you could carry a filter straw for drinking water. I have a Sawyer water filter. Check it out on the web. I use a gravity system with a wine bag on top and bottom. I switched to a quilt a couple of years ago. I took an old synthetic bag and cut the zipper out. I once spent twp nights in a wet down bag, and promised myself never again. The only time I had problems was in a 70 mph wind. I couldn't keep the tarp or the quilt down. That was a long snowy night. I cook with an alcohol stove on short trips. My cook kit with MSR Kettle weighs about 6 oz. plus fuel. I can get by on about 2 oz. a day. I find it is lighter to carry a wide pad and forget the ground cloth. I eat oatmeal for breakfast, elk jerky, dried apricots, crackers, m&ms for lunch, and packaged dehydrated meals for dinner.
I use a G4 backpack (17 oz) for summer hiking, but use a little heavier (3.5 lbs.) one for hunting. I've ripped strap seams on three packs after carrying out a heavy load of meat. I carry heavy needles and mini pliers for pack and boot repairs. I don't carry bones, I butcher it in the field. Water's a big issue down here, but up there you could carry a filter straw for drinking water. I have a Sawyer water filter. Check it out on the web. I use a gravity system with a wine bag on top and bottom. I switched to a quilt a couple of years ago. I took an old synthetic bag and cut the zipper out. I once spent twp nights in a wet down bag, and promised myself never again. The only time I had problems was in a 70 mph wind. I couldn't keep the tarp or the quilt down. That was a long snowy night. I cook with an alcohol stove on short trips. My cook kit with MSR Kettle weighs about 6 oz. plus fuel. I can get by on about 2 oz. a day. I find it is lighter to carry a wide pad and forget the ground cloth. I eat oatmeal for breakfast, elk jerky, dried apricots, crackers, m&ms for lunch, and packaged dehydrated meals for dinner.
One more thing. I carry a personal locator beacon (PLB). I've never had to use it, but for $250 and 5 oz. it could be worth its weight in gold if I ever did. It sends your location and mayday to a National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA satellite. NOAA doesn't charge for the service, and they will coordinate with local rescue. I've had a few close calls over the years, and at my age (60), I'm finally thinking about the consequences. My bones are more brittle, my tendons weaker, and my ligament abused. My wife loves that I carry it. It fits in the pocket of my hunting pants, so I have it even if I lose my pack. Cheap and invaluable insurance. I read about some hikers that hiked a mountain in the NW (Rainier, I think). They were going fast and light and left their PLB in the car (PLBs were heavier and bigger back then). They got caught in a blizzard and iglooed up. They survived the storm, and could have climbed out of their igloo and turned on their PLB and been home in 2 hours. Instead they died. They were talking about it on the radio here, and someone mentioned these guys were professionals. The announcer disagreed, and said professionals would have had a PLB. I went out and bought one. I use an ACR. Get one if you hunt alone, or in the wilderness.
+1 to this. I carry a SPOT tracker. My wife and family can track me all over the mountain and I have the insurance if anything bad happens. Too few people realize how lucky we all are to be healthy enough to storm through the mountains like we do, and how easily that can go away with one wrong step.
