How full do you run your pack?

[guitarpreston]

Getting ready for a mule deer hunt and my 22 mag with Sherman is getting pretty full. I should have just enough room for a days worth of food and 2 Nalgene bottles. Which has got me thinking is there any downside to running a bag at 100% capacity? What do you usually run at?

It’s my first time going out west and I know there are a couple of things I could trim out and leave at the truck like my stove but I’m going to make those calls in the field. Also I got gear that isn’t the smallest or lightest (rain gear etc) because it was cheaper. Not going to make any changes to gear at this point.

 

[Poser]

I personally don't like having more pack space than I need and prefer to be full with a smaller bag than having excess space with a larger bag. There is, however, a tipping point where a pack has to be packed so meticulously that removing and repacking any one item requires an annoying amount of effort. That's just me, though and I own 5 different size of bags for my pack to meet my needs.
The prevailing wisdom these days is to just buy a larger bag than you think you'll need and go with that, which totally makes sense for doing 1 trip a year.

 

[trophyhill]

I have a bigger bag and only take what I need for the day. Kill kit, water, food, GPS and sidearm. Depending on the weather I may or may not take rain gear. No need for extras

 

[guitarpreston]

I’m over packing and know it but I’d rather not need something than not have it. I could leave my stove at the truck and take a smaller roll of TP or a smaller first aid kit but I’m not that hardcore.

I could size up to a bedlam and let it go after or keep it for next year. I love the 22 mag for eastern hunting. It seems perfect for my saddle setup.

 

[TaperPin]

A partially filled big clunky pack that’s with you every where drives me nuts. I have and like big packs, but like poser said, there’s a balance and too small is also a pain in the butt.

Hunting with a rifle that’s too heavy, or too long, a coat that’s too big, a hat that’s too small - all these things and your pack effect how comfortable the days are.

 

[guitarpreston]

It’s pretty much stuffed.

 

[Nightstandx]

I have the J34 blue widow. I pack my scope wrapped in my sweat shirt in the one side and in the other tube I have tripod, jetboil, water filter and my puffy jacket. This separates them from rubbing. In the top lid I have hat, small essential kit, TP, wet ones ect. The main meat compartment has bladder, all my food and in dry sacks I put my sleeping bag, hat, socks any extra clothes. My pad is in there too. My sleeping bag and pad goes in the bottom. I keep heavier foods close to my back and surround it with lighter stuff as I get further from my back. I prob shouldn't have my scope in the tube pouches but I like it there for easy access. Rule of thumb is heavy stuff close to you. Forgot my shelter. It's in the main pouch too. It only weighs 2 lbs. hope this helps

 

[TaperPin]

View attachment 760107It’s pretty much stuffed.

If you pull the tube out of the TP roll, there’s enough room for two extra power bars

 

[guitarpreston]

If you pull the tube out of the TP roll, there’s enough room for two extra power bars

HAHA im not as hardcore as a lot of people on here apparently. I may put a smaller roll in there but half a roll of TP's space does not seem life changing

 

[TaperPin]

HAHA im not as hardcore as a lot of people on here apparently. I may put a smaller roll in there but half a roll of TP's space does not seem life changing

Lol
The pack looks good.

 

[guitarpreston]

If I wear my jet stream that would fill up some space but it may get hot. Trying to plan for worst case.

 

[mtnbound]

I run a EXO K4 3600 and because it’s my SAR/Hunting pack I keep it probably at 50% of capacity and that allows me to adjust my gear load based on the callout. It’s much easier to compress a big pack and make it smaller. I often rescue people who say they have some piece of gear that would have helped them in their their current situation but they took it out because I didn’t have room for it.


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[Lawnboi]

The small bag mostly full or smallest bag for the job seems like a great idea in theory.

In reality when you have an animal on the ground, and it’s getting dark, and you want to get out of there, the last thing I want to mess with is monkeying with my pack that’s now to small.

After one successful year with a smallish pack, I went back to a 7k pack for everything when meat packing is on the menu.

 

[Steve300xcw]

I started with a bigger back and it was just to much for my needs. Now I run a 1700 serac, so its always fairly full It made me weed out all the extra lil crap that makes its way into your pack and never leaves.

I do tend to clip my raingear and other clothing to the outside of the pack. Makes more room in the pack, and I find I actually use the stuff if its quick and easy to get to.

 

[lukebrowning]

More bag than you think you need. Sure, it’s easy to pack everything neatly while at home, but in the field when you are tired, cold, dark, windy, rainy, etc the reality is you throw crap in the bag and get moving. I’m not fighting my bag and playing Tetris… that patience is reserved for my better half’s shoes on the Ibiza trip…

 

[Koda_]

It is far better to have a too large pack cinched down than a too small pack overstuffed.

 

[wapitibob]

My pack bag is 900ci, holds everything I need for a successful hunt including xtras, hygiene, first aid, kill kit, food, and a light rain jacket. The 2 straps under the bag will hold my 90% jacket after the day warms up. The SG frame has a built in load shelf, and the whole works weighs less than 10# minus water.
Vacuum seal everything into kits and the bulk is reduced a bunch.

 

[cumminsbassguy]

I run an IA4K for every one of my hunts. From 1 day -10 days... my pack gets filled to the brim for trips over 6 days and the biggest space consumer is food. I end up running about 6 days worth of food on the load shelf if it's a 8-10 day trip to free up bag space... i would like the 6k bag for a little added room but I'm stubborn and make it work. An overly stuffed pack is a PITA, but doable. Pic to show my stuffed pack. Hard to tell with the antlers in the way but she is stuffed like a turkey

 

[119bowhunter]

If I wear my jet stream that would fill up some space but it may get hot. Trying to plan for worst case.

Carry your jetstream between the pocket thing and the pack? I have a Mystery Ranch pack with a stick-it and I often keep my jacket and glassing pad there for easy access

 

[Cannonball]

I certainly wouldnt throw shit in the pack just to take up space. Packs have cinch straps for a reason and lowering carry weight is way more important to me. A smaller pack maxed out may be harder to repack in the field, but you have to be cognizant when using a bigger pack not to bring more stuff just because you have room.