Backcountry Pack Weights

[tttoadman]

How do you get 10lbs as a reasonable weight for weapon, optics and ammo?

Open sight single shot rifle with "one" bullet in it, and a small monocular. A stick from the forest for an optic support.

 

[greyghostnw]

i pretty much lay out all my stuff a few days befor i go look at it all as i put it in its dry bag so i physically see the item and know i have it, load pack accordingly then head to my digi scale. weigh myself, then weigh myself with pack on. it is what it is cuz i know i am taking what i need for my trip, but i like to know for reference. i never count my weapon because i always carry it in my hand, there may be times i need to be hands free so i have a way to attach weapon if needed, mine varies. last summer early fall seasons it was usually 60 pounds including 100 oz h20, i drink mega h20 throughout my trips. my system for this season looks like 55 pounds that is for 4 days in similar season, (20-80) degree temp range. for every day after it would be 1 pound for food for each added day. if snow is available i will spoil myself with real protein (meat) at nite and keep it in the snow.

 

[Aron Snyder]

Open sight single shot rifle with "one" bullet in it, and a small monocular. A stick from the forest for an optic support.

I just spit chew on my phone!

Just out of curiosity, how many animals have you killed and packed out?

 

[greyghostnw]

The only way to know what "your" pack should weigh, is to go out and hunt. The more trips that you go on the more you will get your gear dialed for you.

I keep most of my gear on spreadsheets but that is mostly for comparing when I'm looking at new gear.

I save weight by getting as high quality of gear as I can afford so that I can save weight without giving things up. Using a Kifaru pack is a good example. It does the job of heavier packs but weighs less.

this is well said.......

 

[bigeasygator]

How do you get 10lbs as a reasonable weight for weapon, optics and ammo?

If you used a spreadsheet you'd know haha if someone used just a rifle/bow with only a pair of binoculars, I could see 10 lbs. My weapon usually weighs 6-9 lbs and for optics I have a spotter, tripod, binoculars, and rangefinder. I'm at closer to 15-18 lbs personally.

 

[littlebuf]

. At the end of the day pack weight isn't going to make or break you too much to any extent IMO. I'll still get out there and hunt no matter if my pack were to weigh 25 pounds or 60 pounds. Just a matter of how fast you'll end up going at that point...

this. i try to go just as slow with 25 as i do with 60+ that way justin and brock can run there ass up the hill and by the time i get there they've found what ever it is were looking for, camp site,bear,deer,water and i just kinda show up. they think there winning though, thats cool

 

[greyghostnw]

How do you get 10lbs as a reasonable weight for weapon, optics and ammo?

i often daydream of jumping out of a tree onto a bear with no more than a fixed blade between my teeth..... do my eyes count as optics and the blade as my weapon? that would be a pound or less pending on blade size!

 

[Buster]

this. i try to go just as slow with 25 as i do with 60+ that way justin and brock can run there ass up the hill and by the time i get there they've found what ever it is were looking for, camp site,bear,deer,water and i just kinda show up. they think there winning though, thats cool

You've got it dialed in. I'm gonna make a spreadsheet detailing hunting partners.

 

[Justin Crossley]

i often daydream of jumping out of a tree onto a bear with no more than a fixed blade between my teeth..... do my eyes count as optics and the blade as my weapon? that would be a pound or less pending on blade size!

My brother who goes by dirtytough has actually tried to get me to film him doing this. I told him that he was crazy. He'll probably try it at some point.......

 

[luke moffat]

Last year I was pushing 60 lbs for my September elk hunt. This year I am hoping for low 50's. A new kifaru pack should cut 4 lbs off and new rain gear should shave another couple of pounds or more.
What I need to figure out is a good pack weight for an Alaskan caribou or moose hunt with 40 mile air. They only allow 50 lbs plus weapon and what's on your body for the flight.
I bet Luke has that answer. Lol

Flew with 40 mile air and we had our weights down to 50 pounds per person, plus what we could fit on our person. Was tough as we were packed for 18 days of food or 36 food days at 1.5 pounds of food per day so over half of our gear allotment went to food which left 46 pounds left for gear and 3-4 pounds of that was for a bear fence to guard our food for us....so 42 pounds of gear for 18 days split between two people....was tough to widdle it down to that, but doable. Even just going for 2 weeks would have freed up 12 pounds.

 

[luke moffat]

Wow... The great pack weight controversy 2014... I believe this officially proves we can argue about anything!

Fwiw- I'm officially changing my pack weight to 35# to avoid controversy

Nah no worries...if it makes ya feel better go for it! Heck don't count the weight of you backpack itself either as its not actually IN your pack so its not legit weight either. Bring on the sub 20 pound weights now

 

[littlebuf]

You've got it dialed in. I'm gonna make a spreadsheet detailing hunting partners.

im telling ya. my future son in law wrestles for Oregon st on a full ride scholarship. he spent most of the year #1 in the nation at 198 and is talking with the Olympic comity about the next summer games. hes making it on the spread sheet, going to see how much that kid can pack. i may have my pack weight down to just snickers bars

 

[AK Troutbum]

How do you get 10lbs as a reasonable weight for weapon, optics and ammo?

First off, you only need 1 bullet, and your optics is mounted to your 7 lb. rifle.

I know, smart ass comment, but I just couldn't resist.

 

[Muledeernv]

Pretty soon someone is going to come up with a helium filled pack frame to lighten the load even more. Hahahaha

 

[Buster]

im telling ya. my future son in law wrestles for Oregon st on a full ride scholarship. he spent most of the year #1 in the nation at 198 and is talking with the Olympic comity about the next summer games. hes making it on the spread sheet, going to see how much that kid can pack. i may have my pack weight down to just snickers bars

My nephew is only 3, but I'm toughening him up early. In about 13 years you're gonna see the weight of a 6 pack of coors posted on here for my pack weight.

 

[fulldraw1972]

Flew with 40 mile air and we had our weights down to 50 pounds per person, plus what we could fit on our person. Was tough as we were packed for 18 days of food or 36 food days at 1.5 pounds of food per day so over half of our gear allotment went to food which left 46 pounds left for gear and 3-4 pounds of that was for a bear fence to guard our food for us....so 42 pounds of gear for 18 days split between two people....was tough to widdle it down to that, but doable. Even just going for 2 weeks would have freed up 12 pounds.

Wow that's what we call getting by. Lol
I will be getting ahold of you for sure when we deside to head north. If we do go with 40 mile air its probably going to be a caribou hunt first.

 

[Darren Best]

When I sling my pack on and I go "what the hell is in there" I know it's too heavy and I need to lighten it up a bit.

 

[Becca]

Flew with 40 mile air and we had our weights down to 50 pounds per person, plus what we could fit on our person.

Wow that's what we call getting by. Lol
I will be getting ahold of you for sure when we deside to head north. If we do go with 40 mile air its probably going to be a caribou hunt first.

Don't underestimate what you can fit on your person. I wore all my clothing, including rain gear and puffy gear, as well as my bino pouch and managed to cram 36 snickers bars in all my pockets. I looked like the Michelin (wo)Man. They kindly let me stow my puffy and rain coats before take off, which I was grateful for since it was pushing 75 degrees that day...

 

[tipsntails7]

How do you get 10lbs as a reasonable weight for weapon, optics and ammo?

I would imagine with bow, binos and rangefinder it could be done.

Rangefinder 7.7
Binos 25
So as long as your bow is in the 7 -8 pound range it is possible. I always have a camera and a tripod and spotter, and I've been usingmy binos way more this year on the tripod so that seems to always be with me as well.

 

[Darren Best]

Don't underestimate what you can fit on your person. I wore all my clothing, including rain gear and puffy gear, as well as my bino pouch and managed to cram 36 snickers bars in all my pockets. I looked like the Michelin (wo)Man. They kindly let me stow my puffy and rain coats before take off, which I was grateful for since it was pushing 75 degrees that day...

OMG I was laughing my ass off, literally.