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.


Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[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.

 

[canyonhunter47]

For AZ deer hunting, truly counting everything, my daypack is usually a little over around 40lbs with 5 more pounds worn. That’s around 11.5 lbs of optics (10’s, 15’s, 80mm spotter, RF, accessories) and 8.5 pound weapon (rifle, bullets).

• Pack - 5lbs
• General stuff (headlamp, phone, poles, 1st aid, water containers, vehicle key) - 2.5 lbs
• Water - usually 1G for 8lbs (rarely, IF I’m very confident in the water sources swap for 1.5L carried water plus filter for 3.8 lbs)
• Food - jerky, bars, sandwiches etc to avoid stove and fuel - .5-.75lbs
• Clothes and boots - 5 pounds of worn clothes and shoes plus 1-2 lbs for puffy and (rarely) 1.5 lbs for rain gear
• Optics - harness, RF’s, 10’s, 15’s, spotter, tripod, sit pad, adapters are 11.6lbs. 10’s get left most of the time to save 2 pounds. I like to carry the spotter to verify animals and filming shots, but sometimes it gets left, especially if I know the area and the bucks around
• “Other” hunting gear - game bag, knife, house wrap tarp, P-cord, gun bearer - 1.5 lbs
• Gun - tikka with 3-15 and 13 rounds total - 8.5 lbs

I’ll probably pick up a mid weight puffy that could save a pound or so off the Kelvin WS, sometimes. I could also drop the spotter or go down to 56mm to save ~2 lbs. While I’d love to cut 5+ lbs off that weight, there’s not much else I’m willing to change

 

[mtwarden]

Even though I'm just a fictional character (AI generated?), I'll "weigh in" anyways

Here's my early season day hunt setup, based on temps down to freezing or a bit below and also a very low chance of precip (hence my choice of rain gear, if that probability goes up, I add full on rain gear including mitts).

I don't feel I'm skimping too much. I carry a 50° quilt, a bivy and 50" of a Thermarest pad (r value 2) just in case. I also add ~ 1000 additional calories of what I'd normally eat in a day. I got to test this setup on my Dall hunt where we were forced to the spend the night on the mountain (fortunately not a long night above the Arctic Circle! ) and while I wasn't cozy, I actually slept where the guide and packer said they got no sleep

The quilt has a "poncho" hood, so I can also "wear" it as an additional layer glassing; the pad is used every day for sitting. Much (much) nicer than a tiny Z-seat pad.

Two Nalgenes full is my normal carry, but could be more or even occasionally less in water rich environs.

This is with a framed pack as I definitely don't want to walk back out to truck without a load on my back.

It also includes an active mid-layer, puffy jacket, puffy pants, an insulated hat and fleece mitts. Again those choices are based on temps to ~ near/slight below freezing.

It also includes essentials such as 2 headlamps, inReach Mini, first aid and a decent fire kit and even a small charger- not a place I'm willing to skimp much.

This list also includes a spotter and tripod. Some of my elk hunting I nix the spotter, but the tripod goes regardless.

The weight also includes food and water. Obviously water weight can vary by environment.

I list my rifle weight and bino/harness weight, but don't count them as pack weight.

Pack weight 22 lbs.

Yesterday I was hunting elk (day hunt) and in 8-12" of snow and temps down into the teens. I was hunting elk and didn't bring my spotter (- 2 lbs). My heavier puffy jacket, puffy pants and puffy mitts added + 1 pound.

So 21 lbs.

https://lighterpack.com/r/zkuuhj

* All content and photos were AI generated, mtwarden is fictional and was created by @robby denning

 

[robby denning]

Even though I'm just a fictional character (AI generated?), I'll "weigh in" anyways

Here's my early season day hunt setup, based on temps down to freezing or a bit below and also a very low chance of precip (hence my choice of rain gear, if that probability goes up, I add full on rain gear including mitts).

I don't feel I'm skimping too much. I carry a 50° quilt, a bivy and 50" of a Thermarest pad (r value 2) just in case. I also add ~ 1000 additional calories of what I'd normally eat in a day. I got to test this setup on my Dall hunt where we were forced to the spend the night on the mountain (fortunately not a long night above the Arctic Circle! ) and while I wasn't cozy, I actually slept where the guide and packer said they got no sleep

The quilt has a "poncho" hood, so I can also "wear" it as an additional layer glassing; the pad is used every day for sitting. Much (much) nicer than a tiny Z-seat pad.

Two Nalgenes full is my normal carry, but could be more or even occasionally less in water rich environs.

This is with a framed pack as I definitely don't want to walk back out to truck without a load on my back.

It also includes an active mid-layer, puffy jacket, puffy pants, an insulated hat and fleece mitts. Again those choices are based on temps to ~ near/slight below freezing.

It also includes essentials such as 2 headlamps, inReach Mini, first aid and a decent fire kit and even a small charger- not a place I'm willing to skimp much.

This list also includes a spotter and tripod. Some of my elk hunting I nix the spotter, but the tripod goes regardless.

The weight also includes food and water. Obviously water weight can vary by environment.

I list my rifle weight and bino/harness weight, but don't count them as pack weight.

Pack weight 22 lbs.

Yesterday I was hunting elk (day hunt) and in 8-12" of snow and temps down into the teens. I was hunting elk and didn't bring my spotter (- 2 lbs). My heavier puffy jacket, puffy pants and puffy mitts added + 1 pound.

So 21 lbs.

https://lighterpack.com/r/zkuuhj

* All content and photos were AI generated, mtwarden is fictional and was created by @robby denning

Bro! you're blowing our cover. Now they're gonna ask if @Matt Cashell is AI.

Nice pack weight though

 

[CMF]

36.35 total including EVERYTHING with bow, pack, harness and worn clothes
I'm at 26.5 without bino harness or clothes, but includes bow.
20.1 lbs. pack only without a weapon(2lbs less if I leave jetboil)

includes 1L water, 1day food, jetboil, 43x pistol

https://lighterpack.com/r/ghiwx5

 

[Brando]

My pack weighs 18.5 lbs. I’m not including any other gear that does not make up the weight of my pack and its contents. Pack weight does go up or down depending on if I’m archery or rifle hunting and elk or deer.

Old version MR Pintler
48oz water in Nalgene with Hardside hose kit
Kill kit includes 2 knives, space pen, zip ties, surgical gloves, Paracord, leather man micro with scissors and a electrical tape
First aid kit including tourniquet and epipen
Fire starter bag includes bic lighter, ferro rod, wax fire starter cube, and a hunk of trioxane.
Full game bag set if I’m elk hunting or 2 bags when deer hunting
Extra straps for pack
Headlamp and extra AAA’s
Extra light weight jacket and or additional rain jacket depending on weather.
Rain cover depending on weather
TP
Lunch/snacks
Rino 755t
Anker battery charger for iPhone and Rino.

Bino harness has a couple redundancies as back up to pack contents and then the usual bino harness things. 10x42’s, rangefinder, wind check, diaphragms, Venandi kydex holster and SP101 .357.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

@mtwarden so 22lbs is sans rifle and binos?

You might have a flyweight Kimber there with a Tasco something on it?

So that's 8lbs

So 30lbs All Up with Rifle?

I am interested in which "day pack" you chose if you have meat hauling capability

 

[canyonhunter47]

There’s a lot of inconsistency about “pack” weight, i.e. what is in your pack vs what you are packing around. Once you count everything but you in your birthday suit, I doubt anyone is under 35lbs and very few even close to 40lbs. Except maybe @mtwarden lol

 

[mtwarden]

@mtwarden so 22lbs is sans rifle and binos?

You might have a flyweight Kimber there with a Tasco something on it?

So that's 8lbs

So 30lbs All Up with Rifle?

I am interested in which "day pack" you chose if you have meat hauling capability

Yes sans rifle and bino/harness. Rifle is a modified (slightly modified) Kimber Hunter, scope is a Trijicon Accupoint.

It's a Seek Outside frame w/ their new day pack—the Silverton.

 

[johnnycake]

There’s a lot of inconsistency about “pack” weight, i.e. what is in your pack vs what you are packing around. Once you count everything but you in your birthday suit, I doubt anyone is under 35lbs and very few even close to 40lbs. Except maybe @mtwarden lol

Wanna bet?

Even adding to my list posted earlier, my underwear (Sheath V 8" inseam briefs), socks (just silk/nylon liners for June-Oct, midweight wool the rest of the year), L&S mountain hunter elite boots, Kuiu Yukon gaiters/pants/jacket, and my longsleeve T-shirt, I'll be under 35lbs "packing around." Hell, I would still be under 35lbs even choosing to bring my TSN-554 with Tricer GTP-III and packing an extra trekking pole to not have to cut a stick.