Backcountry Pack Weights

[Dion]

How much weight are you packing in your backcountry pack? I expect to get different weights depending on the situation/type of hunt/abilities of hunter, but I'm curious.

Do you include the weight of your bow when you calculate this all out? Do you allow a percentage to clothing, food, sleep system, etc?

My current plan for elk will be 3mi in and almost 3k ft elevation gain and set up camp. I know the area and shouldn't have to move camp so this would basically be one trip in to my campsite. I wouldn't be carrying all the weight every day, just to the campsite.

Thoughts?

 

[luke moffat]

I try to include everything when I leave the trailhead including the rifle and weigh my pack weigh a luggage scale just to see right before I leave the trail head. I've been as light as 37 pounds for a week long hunt and has heavy as 95+ pounds for 3 days...just depends on what the trip entails.

 

[TEmbry]

I typically figure pack weight as the weight of whatever is in my pack. Sounds silly but to elaborate I basically get ready as if I'm leaving for a day trip from truck and everything else goes in pack. So clothes I'm wearing, boots, binos, and weapon don't count. The pack is the additional weight from everything else I had to bring to make it an overnighter...

 

[gil_wy]

I count everything that's in the pack... I don't count water and bow... After years and years and spending many $$$$ I'm down to around 24# for 5 days...

My experience is if it's light, it's expensive!

 

[breacher]

I weigh my pack based on what my body will feel on the hike in. I include everything.....water, food, bow etc. For a 5 day bowhunting in Northern California, I'm at 55#.

 

[JP100]

Im normally around 40lbs for most trips. and thats too heavy haha.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

10 day winter hunt including water and weapon, basically everything but the clothes on my back, is 52lbs.

 

[realunlucky]

I count everything that's in the pack... I don't count water and bow... After years and years and spending many $$$$ I'm down to around 24# for 5 days...

My experience is if it's light, it's expensive!

That is pretty impressive weight

 

[5MilesBack]

Since my bow never goes in or on my pack it certainly doesn't get weighed or included. I'm at 21.6lbs without water and food. That can be added for however long I plan on staying back there. With water and food I'm guessing I'll be around 35-40lbs for up to 5 days. But I haven't completely settled on everything I'm using this year yet, so that could go up or down depending on my mood for packing, and of course the GIF.

 

[Kevin_t]

I include it all and have been as low as 27 for a 3 day, near tree line hunt in November. It varies, generally if I'm low 30's all included I'm pretty happy. Sometimes I've been near 50 if carrying a lot of water.

 

[jwb300]

Some impressive weights here!

How much water do you carry per day? Is there usually water available where you hunt? When I hunted in NZ last year we only carried about 3L of water becauase there was creeks and streams everywhere.

The bulk of the weight in my pack is usually water but that is for Australian Conditions where water isnt available in a lot of places.

Cheers,
JWB300

 

[Kevin_t]

I prefer camping near water, but my favorite elk area has no water up high. I prefer to take about 8 L and go down 1500 ft every couple of days and refill. Next year , I'm actually going to try and hunt the higher part of the area which has more water. That will depend on snow etc

 

[bowtech3dhunter]

I'm at 35lbs for a 5 day hunt and that's gear, 3 liters of water to get to camp, 5 days of food. Bow weight not included.

 

[cody covey]

Like others I don't include bow or what I'm wearing daily. For a typical 7 day trip in September I am around 52 lbs, water included. If your doing on long hike to camp and unloading to stay for 5 days then you could get away with a lot of weight in your shelter/ sleep system. Not saying u should but when I am hunting from a "camp" then I don't get to concerned with weight as you will be carrying much more out after u kill.

 

[gil_wy]

That is pretty impressive weight

Daypack set-up (using SG Krux frame and HPG Highlander bag) weighs in at 14#, Sleep system is 5 1/2#, and 1/2 pound of food per day... an extra set of socks and long johns gets me to the number...

 

[LitenFast]

Last year in Sept hunting elk in CO, I was just over 50# including bow, binos, water, food and everything else I needed for 7 days. I was pretty happy with that, but I will be a few pounds lighter this year after just a few upgrades

 

[5MilesBack]

Sleep system is 5 1/2#

Mine is at 9lbs, but when I have to get long wides in everything that doesn't help. But I've already got a new quilt to try as well, that saves me almost a pound and a half. I'm also taking a hard look at the Seek Outside LBO setups.......might not save me much weight but will greatly increase my room for the same weight of my tent now. I've discovered that the listed 90" length for the BA Copper Spur UL2 must be the "outside length" because the inside is only 84". That doesn't give me much room on either end.

 

[gil_wy]

Mine is at 9lbs, but when I have to get long wides in everything that doesn't help. But I've already got a new quilt to try as well, that saves me almost a pound and a half. I'm also taking a hard look at the Seek Outside LBO setups.......might not save me much weight but will greatly increase my room for the same weight of my tent now. I've discovered that the listed 90" length for the BA Copper Spur UL2 must be the "outside length" because the inside is only 84". That doesn't give me much room on either end.

I also went with a quilt... That coupled with my tarptent rainbow and Klymit sleeping pad is a very light set up...

 

[Aron Snyder]

Daypack set-up (using SG Krux frame and HPG Highlander bag) weighs in at 14#, Sleep system is 5 1/2#, and 1/2 pound of food per day... an extra set of socks and long johns gets me to the number...

How long can you maintain energy with that amount of food!

 

[JP100]

Some impressive weights here!

How much water do you carry per day? Is there usually water available where you hunt? When I hunted in NZ last year we only carried about 3L of water becauase there was creeks and streams everywhere.

The bulk of the weight in my pack is usually water but that is for Australian Conditions where water isnt available in a lot of places.

Cheers,
JWB300

Where in NZ where you? 3L is heaps haha. I usually never carry water