Day Pack Weight- How much is too much?

[grfox92]

40lb for a 3 day backpack hunt. That doesn't include bow or bino harness.

Day hunts for mule deer were 35 because of layers for sitting, tripod ect.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

I am the OP. And not taking it personal....I started the thread. I am frustrated with the weight...as there ARE NO FEARS in that pack.

I was running a Tikka RoughTech with Harris bipod. I will bring it into work and weigh it. Wearing a NF NX8.

Pack is a Kifaru Duplex Lite with Stryker XL. Again...I am betting most others are NOT carrying out a critter on their backs with sub- 20lb weights.

THis is the first time I've ever tossed in a tourniquet. I usually don't take one.

There is no jet boil. Not a meal. Nada

Single Zebra head lamp. Spare battery and Anker power bank. Those are my only boojee items. No spare sox.

GoreTex top. Sitka puffy (synthetic) and Sitka Ambient hoody. I run very cold even in mid level temps. It's embarrassing, but I can't get around it. I futz with layers and systems to no end.

Did take a Swaro 65 spotter. And I do use it. Tripod is Tricer AD with the mini head.

One lighter in bino harness. No firestarter. So I am not toting FatWood (well, sometimes), PyroPutty, etc.

Cheap glassing pad- which I will NOT leave home. Use it all day.

Literally can't cram too much shit in a Stryker XL. The spotter and one puffy take up a ton of real estate.

I will admit there was one Fear Gear in there. Kifaru SuperTarp. 15oz. And it's more of a "If I am burning the calories to get in there....I am staying all day. Rain or Shine. And I use it on occasion

I SWAPPED TO: Tikka 300WSM chopped to 19" in a Stocky's VG Carbon. Maven RS Gen 2 15X And Spartan Javelin Pro bipod. Shit Canned the SuperTarp. If it get's really shitty, I will just quit. Although I didn't yesterday and stuck it out.

I will re-weigh this evening.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

Easier to just take a photo laid out than explain. But I am interested in the raw weight of the basics. Rifle/Pack/Spotter/Tripod.

The Duplex/Stryker seems like a Pig. But a pretty good number of critters have road of the mountain in that thing. I just don't think there is a better way or system. And I plan to succeed every trip, so why no go in ready to come out heavy?

 

[Marble]

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.

This is my thoughts too. My water, food and clothing is based upon the possibility of killing an animal late and getting stuck on the mountain until the early morning hours. Or overnight, but that's never happened.

On a winter rifle hunt where tempts are in the teens overnight, not including my rifle, I'm at 20-25 pounds. And that includes close to a gallon of water, food, ammo, full set of game bags and other essentials.

For archery, I'll be 15-20 pounds.

For a 4 day, 3 night trip it will be 40ish.


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[Koda_]

Pack is a Kifaru Duplex Lite with Stryker XL.

How much does that weigh alone?

 

[fmyth]

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.

That is extremely light. I'm trying to get my pack a little lighter but I'm not going to give up my first aid kit, tarp, rain gear, compass, signal mirror and fire starting items.

 

[MallardSX2]

Typically, if my day pack weighed more than 15 pounds, I would have a meltdown.... My day pack for elk weights between 10-15 pounds and that's typically non-negotiable. It probably weighed 20 pounds this year because I had to carry my kids junk with me. Gona make some changes next year....lol

 

[johnnycake]

That is extremely light. I'm trying to get my pack a little lighter but I'm not going to give up my first aid kit, tarp, rain gear, compass, signal mirror and fire starting items.

For me, I'm almost always wearing my rain gear up here in AK. I just rock my Yukon rain pants over my underwear with a long sleeve fishing style T shirt under my Yukon jacket.

As for your tarp, depending on which tarp you're using you might have real potential for significant weight savings. I've thought about adding a cuben fiber tarp, which should only add 1-2 oz. I used to keep fire starting materials, but all too often where I'm hunting everything is just too wet to reliably start anyway.

First aid kits are a great thing to have if you need them, and you never know when you might. Bird hunting with my dogs I usually have a decent kit in my vest. Big game hunting I will typically have one at base camp or in my truck if I'm day hiking. Beyond that, I kind of figure if I can't sort it out well enough to get to the trailhead with Paracord, belt, moss, and sacrificing clothing then it's time to hit the SOS button.