Pack size for 5 day

[Kshusker]

Trip planned for up to 5 days, what size pack should I be looking at buying? Will be my first time on a backpack hunt also. Would be used spring and fall. Most likely not during late season hunts.

 

[Mjprohoroff]

I use a 4800 for 5-6 days but have done it a long time and have pretty small/lite gear. I would think when I was starting out 5500-6500. Also maters is it’s summer or winter (amount and size of clothes).


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[mtwarden]

I would say minimum of 80 liters (5000 cubic inches) and more would be fine. Backpack hunting you simply need more volume than "regular" backpacking. You carry more gear and it's usually cooler/colder weather, so more volume in your sleep system, more volume n your clothing and often a little sturdier shelter is called for.

It's much better to err on the side of a little larger bag, then the other way around. Most hunting packs do a good job of compressing, so if loads are a little smaller- it's still all good.

 

[easilyamused]

Depends a lot on what gear you have but id be looking at the 5000ci range at least. Lots of guys on here can (or claim) to do 10 day trips with much smaller packs than Id be comfortable with but a good ballpark is 2-4 days look at that 3500-5000ci range, 5-10 days would be in that 5000-7000ci range, and when you want to go 10-14+ days you should hopefully already know what you need.

 

[Kshusker]

As far as gear I have I will be borrowing most from friends. I am trying to get a big dollar item each year if possible so I don't have such a pain in the wallet.

 

[trophyhill]

I wouldn’t go anything smaller than 6500 no matter if I was going in for 3 or 14 days. The way these packs cinch down, why not have the best of all worlds? Why limit yourself? The cost and weight difference is minimal and almost not worth even mentioning.

 

[Wacko]

I went with a mystery ranch terraframe 65 last year. I agree with everyone above. I would go at least 5000 ci. If the frame extends like the mystery ranch for a load shelf you have some built in margin of error.

If you are borrowing gear - it won't be compact, light, and "perfect" for your needs. Having the "fudge factor" of a larger pack will make it work.

 

[Aaron Warpony]

If i'm taking a sleeping bag at all, i go with the biggest pack i have. Usually a 6400 exo mtn or whatever their biggest size bag is. If going solo or if you like food, that bag fills pretty quick

 

[nastynick]

All of the above is good advice. I would say that whether just backpacking or hunting I’ve never regretted or felt I had “too much bag”. If you try too hard to cram and pack really tight/compress all your gear real small, it slows you down and makes it tough when you are cold or tired or wet because you’ll have to compress your stuff down so tiny to fit it back in.

 

[trophyhill]

As far as gear I have I will be borrowing most from friends. I am trying to get a big dollar item each year if possible so I don't have such a pain in the wallet.

No doubt elk hunting and backcountry hunting can get pricey. I believe I accumulated my gear over 5 or 6 years before I was truly ready for a backcountry hunt and went all in solo in 2015 when I drew a Gila tag. I was hooked when that hunt ended. I have since done several gear upgrades and can do truck camp, backcountry camp, camper camp, or a hybrid style half truck and half backcountry because of those gear upgrades. Accumulating and trying different gear is part of the fun of the hunt for me. I test and fine tune while scouting, and always find something I want to or do change while actually hunting. Nothing wrong with the way you are doing it at all!

 

[Az wildcat]

Adding one piece a year works great. I do the same thing now, buy one larger ticket item a year and make do with what I have. My suggestion would be to go for bigger vs smaller. You can always use a bag that is slightly larger then slightly smaller. I hate having stuff hanging off or strapped to the outside of my pack.

 

[Runningwater]

for me 6000+. That said, my experience with packs is that with some brands, or perhaps models of brands, the stated size and actual size can be very different. I currently have a SO 6300 Fortress (worn in my little pic to the left). I previously had a Kifaru with a High Camp 7000 bag. These are both basically a big "bag", no pockets or anything - very spartan. The SO 6300 is significantly larger than the Kifaru High Camp. I don't know if Kifaru just slipped up on the labeling of that bag, or if that is common - but if you looked the dimension of that bag it was also pretty clear it couldn't hold 7000 ci. And I'm not trying to put a stick in Kifaru's eye - they make great packs, just saying the stated volume of bags isn't an industry standard, so look at them in person if possible or in addition to the stated volume look at the actual dimensions as well. Good luck in whatever you choose!

 

[Nimpkish]

I second the 5000+ . This will vary based on gear, time of year, and your individual packing habits. A little extra space is always useful, but make sure that doesn't mean you bring more than you need! My Kifaru Mountain warrior is a fine pack for 5-7 day hunts.

Good luck

 

[rclouse79]

All depends who you ask. Alone guy would be good with just a tarp to stuff debris into. Others like myself enjoy certain comforts. I would say 5000 plus or minus would do the trick for most.

 

[*zap*]

I wouldn’t go anything smaller than 6500 no matter if I was going in for 3 or 14 days. The way these packs cinch down, why not have the best of all worlds? Why limit yourself? The cost and weight difference is minimal and almost not worth even mentioning.

^ Sound reasoning right there......I like my Kifaru amr for anything more than overnight.

 

[Ron.C]

kshusker, trophyhill makes a good case ad for just buying one big compressible do it all pack.

I'd say if you have never been on a backpack hunt and will be going through a few years of trial and error this is solid advice. They all compress down quite well when empty and there isn't that much difference in cost.

As for minimum pack size for a 5 day hunt, it really depends on your needs and the gear you carry. If you do want to go with a smaller bag go to home depot and buy a cheap garbage can that is around the same volume as the pack you are thinking of buying. Load your gear in it and you'll see pretty fast how much space you need.

On my first backpack hunt, my bag was 85 L (5100 cu in) and it was jammed full with a few items strapped to the outside. It took me a couple backpack trips to nail down my gear and I probably hauled 30+% more of useless gear and extra food than needed on my first trip or 2.

for my last couple Oct backpack goat hunts I used a a 65L (3900 cu in). If I'm going with a partner we can share common items like the tent/spotter/stove.

I just bought a new pack that's 60L (3600 cu in) and this is everything I need for a 5 day solo hunt (fits well in this pack but not allot of room to spare). If I did need a couple more days or wanted a little more room on a 5 day I can add my daypack lid (adds about 10L).

 

[coloradoan]

Gonna agree with all the advice saying bigger is better. 6000 cu in or more is not too much for hunting. I have never agreed with the argument that if you use a big bag you'll be tempted to fill it up - if you keep track of what you're putting inside your bag and have the smallest bit of self control you should be fine.

Bigger can be a problem with poorly designed, cheap packs with poor suspension and compression. It can be easy to overload these packs to where they sag and are simply no longer comfortable. Shouldn't be an issue with any quality hunting pack or even a higher end backpacking bag.

 

[*zap*]

I fill up a SG 6200 with warm clothes for a day hunt when it is very cold.....jacket, bibs and icebreakers pretty much fills it but I do not go crazy with compressing the clothes.

 

[Hoodie]

I use 75L (4600-ish cubic inches) for up to 7 days.

 

[carsonkeys]

I didn't read thoroughly enough to see if you were looking at any specific brands, but if you decide to go with Stone Glacier size up. I had their 5900 for quite a while and it's a great bag, but it sure didn't feel like 5900 ci and left a lot to be desired in the size department. Trophyhill's advice of 6500+ is spot on, IME.