Day Pack Weight- How much is too much?

[Jesse Jaymes]

I decided to weigh my day pack after an all day ramble last week. I was kinda shocked. For the hunting style I was doing at the time....my day load out was 36.9lbs. That DID NOT INCLUDE my bino harness and binos.

That went with me every step, much of it was off trail, no clue on how much vert I gained/lost..but it was enough to take a full 25 minutes with multiple stops to catch my wind and I STILL got sweaty. Was over 6 miles per my Garmin watch. Wasn't a Crippling ordeal. I hit it again the next day. But I am nearly 54 years old and after a few days that seems to beg for a couple orange pills.

I think I have some pretty cutting edge gear. And I don't think I over pack and am running on almost minimal stuff to dump a buck and cart him out a few miles on my back. But damn! That's for sure not an East Coast load out to bounce around the State game lands for a day.

Anyone actually weigh their day pack? Not tally and guess.....weigh it?

This did include my rifle and Nalgene. Pretty much everything I take aside from the clothes I wear in and my bino harness.

Caused me to swap rifles, which should provide a 2lb savings. But also cost me about 200 yards in confidence.

I will have to see what my new load out is. But is anyone close to that for a day hunt?

 

[PNWGATOR]

Know the feeling,,,damn!

On a quest for a 30# 3 day load out @mtwarden style for ‘25!

 

[fngTony]

Know the feeling,,,damn!

On a quest for a 30# 3 day load out @mtwarden style for ‘25!

That’s impossible because @mtwarden isn’t human, he’s a figment of Ryan’s imagination created to inspire everyone to be lighter and do all kinds of bad ass things in the mountains.

 

[fngTony]

Kinda depends on the hunt. I was 22.3lbs this year. That was mid September so not really cold but I did pack puffy and rain tops & bottoms, basic fak, kill kit, water and a sit pad, bow, electronics and snacks. No spotter, not counting binoculars or small items in my pockets. I can see getting up there with optics, glassing tarp, heavier pack, another liter of water.

 

[jtill2424]

I like to try and keep my weight ar 25lbs if possible

 

[Idaboy]

It doesnt matter what the number is..if it prevents you from doing what you want to do in the field, then it's probably too much

 

[ljalberta]

Chunky load for the day for sure. Especially if you’re outside of real late season when you’re packing the layers. I’m usually around the 20lb mark but that would change by a good few pounds in either direction depending on what I’m hunting, how I’m hunting and when/where I’m hunting.

 

[Marble]

I bet there are a lot of "fears" in that pack.

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[Koda_]

Anyone actually weigh their day pack? Not tally and guess.....weigh it?

I do. One major component is the packs weight itself is essential to know as most are wayy too heavy. Especially hunting packs, the hunting community is horribly behind the ultra light hiking community and most hunters still think they need strength over weight... you don't.

Its a little subjective based on how one hunts, but a daypack shouldn't weight over 3lbs max. Neither should an overnight backpacking pack.

One exception is for hunting packs with a meat hauling design, that will add another 2lbs due to the added strength needed to haul that much weight. A good meat hauling pack, that includes the bag, shouldn't weigh over 5lbs.

 

[mtnbound]

I decided to weigh my day pack after an all day ramble last week. I was kinda shocked. For the hunting style I was doing at the time....my day load out was 36.9lbs. That DID NOT INCLUDE my bino harness and binos.

That went with me every step, much of it was off trail, no clue on how much vert I gained/lost..but it was enough to take a full 25 minutes with multiple stops to catch my wind and I STILL got sweaty. Was over 6 miles per my Garmin watch. Wasn't a Crippling ordeal. I hit it again the next day. But I am nearly 54 years old and after a few days that seems to beg for a couple orange pills.

I think I have some pretty cutting edge gear. And I don't think I over pack and am running on almost minimal stuff to dump a buck and cart him out a few miles on my back. But damn! That's for sure not an East Coast load out to bounce around the State game lands for a day.

Anyone actually weigh their day pack? Not tally and guess.....weigh it?

This did include my rifle and Nalgene. Pretty much everything I take aside from the clothes I wear in and my bino harness.

Caused me to swap rifles, which should provide a 2lb savings. But also cost me about 200 yards in confidence.

I will have to see what my new load out is. But is anyone close to that for a day hunt?

My typical pack weighs about 29-33 lbs, depending on the time of year and what I'm doing, and that's not counting my weapon.

 

[Wrench]

Mine is never under 20 and typically mid 30's.

 

[johnnycake]

My typical day pack is sub 20lbs including rifle and optics:
My frame weighs 4lbs 5oz
30L silnylon drybag 2 oz (in certain areas this becomes a 20L heavy duty dry bag at 14oz)
.270 with scope and sling and full magazine is 8lbs 2oz, plus another 6 oz in additional rounds that I've never had to use
Binos 1lbs8oz
Knife, havalon, extra blades 6 oz total
Sometimes 1lbs snacks (usually none though)
Lifestraw plus 1qt of water 2lbs 8oz total
Paracord 3oz
InReach Messenger 4oz
Phone 8oz
Game bags 8oz
Carbon fiber trekking poles 8oz
Headlamp with extra battery 4oz
DeWalt battery bank 4oz

Sometimes I also have my Kowa tsn-553 and a tricer head that I set up on my trekking poles with either a stick or a buddy's pole for the third leg.

 

[Brando]

I bet there are a lot of "fears" in that pack.

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This is a very good call out.
Be realistic on what you absolutely need, what will keep you alive if injured or stranded, and what would be nice to have but not necessary.
In the past I always packed a day bag as if I may have to stay the night in the woods. It could happen but it never has and I don’t pack for it anymore.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

196 oz. 12, 16 oz tall boys.

 

[wyosam]

This is a very good call out.
Be realistic on what you absolutely need, what will keep you alive if injured or stranded, and what would be nice to have but not necessary.
In the past I always packed a day bag as if I may have to stay the night in the woods. It could happen but it never has and I don’t pack for it anymore.

Yep, pack so an unplanned night out will suck quite a bit, but you’ll get out with your fingers and toes. Of course that can vary from nothing to still quite a bit of stuff depending on where and when you are. I’m a long time ER nurse, so people assume I bring a bunch of first aid stuff. Exact opposite. There’s a little duct tape on my Nalgene, and surely some expendable fabric on me somewhere, I’ll get by. I hunt where there are big bears. Not adding a bunch of weight in a sidearm. Might bring something if I opt to leave the rifle in the truck/boat while packing meat, but that is situational. Fear gets very little respect in my pack. I have to respect the true threat to my hunting future- my knees and my back.


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[ElkArcher918]

For Western elk/deer active day hunts I'm somewhere between 21-25 lbs total, depending on season/weather. Like to stay mobile and don't pack a spotter or what if "fears" anymore. Works for me.

 

[dieselchessy]

I keep mine at 25# or less. If it gets over that I pull stuff out. Ive proven to myself over the last 25 years or so that even at 25# ill have crap ill never use. At 25# i can walk all over all day and not feel loaded down.
My daypack on big game hunts is a Stone Glacier solo. I want to be able to make the first trip out loaded.

When I started hunting our day hunt gear was a buck knife on our belt, a few rounds and candy bars in our pockets, and a compass on a lanyard around your neck.

 

[Koda_]

Get rid of the what if "fear gear". A lighter pack is safer, less fatigue makes for more sound decisions in the field.

 

[EastHumboldt]

Mine weighs 35 lbs with 100 oz of water. That’s for a late-ish season hunt where snow is expected. I carry enough stuff to survive the night in a snowstorm. I’m 66 years old and typically hunt in very steep wilderness at 8-10k elevation.