Best Backpack for Bow Hunting
Bow hunting is a popular sport and a great way to get out into the wilderness to harvest the fruits that nature provides. When you are out in the field hunting, you will want to make everything as comfortable and easy for yourself. Doing this makes sure that when the time comes to make the kill of the year, your attention is on nothing but the game animal in front of you. Kitting yourself out with the best of the best makes your experience more enjoyable and your chances of bringing some game home better.
Making sure that all of your equipment and hunting essentials are in an easily accessible place that is organized and unrestrictive is extremely important. When you are out bow hunting things can get a little bulky and having a place to stow your arrows, blades, and other equipment will make your life 10 times easier. A bow hunting backpack is the solution to your problems. A good backpack will hold all of your provisions and hunting essentials while providing a place to stow your arrows and clip up your bow.
In this article, we will be looking at the features of a good bow hunting backpack as well as why they are so useful to the bow hunter. We will also be reviewing 4 of the best bow hunting backpacks for hunters of all budgets and situations. So, without further ado, let’s look at what exactly a bow hunting backpack is and how it can make your life easier. Enjoy!
What is a Bow Hunting Backpack?
A Bow hunting backpack is a backpack that is designed for the hunter that uses a bow as their weapon of choice. They feature quick-access pockets for handheld range finders, spotting scopes, and other essentials that you need to keep close to hand. They will feature straps that can be used to carry your bow when it is not in use and elasticated slots that you can stow your arrows in.
Bow hunting backpacks should have a decent storage capacity so you can take everything you need with you during a long hunt. They should also feature plenty of storage options on the exterior of the bag in the form of outer straps and clip-on tags. You can use exterior straps and tags to hang game bags, tree stands, and steps when you are walking to your vantage point. This is incredibly useful to the bow hunter that prefers hunting from height but still needs to hike far out into the wilderness.
An expandable backpack enables you to adjust your pack’s size depending on the length of the hunt. If you are just heading out for the morning it is unlikely that you will need to fill your backpack up to the brim, but if you are heading out for the whole weekend you will likely need much more room. Having an expandable pack allows you to compress your load size down so it is more comfortable on your back and it also allows you to expand your pack to accommodate a larger load comfortably.
A good hunting backpack that is suited for the bow hunter will be extremely durable, versatile, and hard-wearing. When you are hunting you can put yourself and your kit through its paces, so it is important that the backpack stays in one piece and keeps all your kit safe and secure throughout the hunt. Having a waterproof backpack or one with a pull-over cover is useful as well. If you are heading out in poor weather, having some rain protection for your kit inside the bag is essential.
Overall, you want to look for a hunting pack that is durable and hard-wearing that is built to last in all-weathers. A good backpack will have plenty of storage options and the ability to carry bulky items like your bow, tree stand, and ladder.
Best High-Capacity Bow Hunting Backpack: Badlands Sacrifice Hunting Pack
Overview
The Badlands Sacrifice Hunting pack is a large backpack with a huge capacity and loads of great features. This backpack has a vented back panel and shoulder straps that are padded for comfort and all-day support. Even during the height of the summer, this backpack is a dream to wear, it is designed to sit off the back to reduce sweat and its mesh back panel ensures cool air stays flowing around your back. It has load-distributing rods in its chassis that help you carry heavy loads with ease and surprisingly, it only weighs 3lbs and 13oz!
It has a bow boot so you can securely carry your hunting bow hands-free and it has plenty of straps and connection points that you can use to stow your arrows permanently for quick-access. It has two hip pockets with an integrated pistol holder in one, so when you need to dispatch a wounded animal it is straight at hand. This pack also has a pocket for a 3-liter hydration bladder (Badlands’ 3-liter bladder sold separately), so you can stay hydrated while on the move without stopping to grab a bottle.
This bag is constructed using a lightweight, camo, ripstop fabric that is rugged and durable enough to handle the wear and tear that hunting brings while keeping you hidden. It is unlikely that you will damage this rugged pack while out hunting, but if you do, you will be happy to know that Badlands offer a lifetime warranty on all of their products.
- High capacity
- Packed with features
- Extremely lightweight for its size
- Ergonomic back panel and shoulder straps
- Fully camouflage design
- Rugged and durable
- Lifetime warranty
- No apparent cons
Bottom Line
The Sacrifice from Badlands is the best of the best for the hunter that needs a high-capacity pack for their bow hunting ventures. It is made from high-quality materials and is packed with storage solutions both internally and externally.
Best Lightweight Bow Hunting Backpack: Tenzing TX Series Hunting Backpacks
Overview
The Voyager features 2500 cubic inches of main storage space along with plenty of smaller quick-access pockets, a large buckled pocket for shoving kit in quickly on the move, and plenty of exterior connection points. This pack is comfortable, lightweight, and has a surprising amount of storage space. The compression straps help strap down your load and hold arrows, a bow, or tree stand securely when you are on the move. Overall, this is a great pack that is simple, durable, lightweight, and rugged.
The Tenzing TX Series Hunting Backpacks are a series of three backpacks of different designs. The Voyager and Sling Archer backpacks are our favorite variations. Both of these backpacks are lightweight, rugged, and extremely durable. They are both made from the same ripstop mossy oak country camo and feature ergonomic padded shoulder straps that are fully adjustable for ultimate comfort in the field.
- Lightweight
- Comfortable to wear all-day
- Plenty of storage solutions on both backpacks
- Stealthy camouflage fabric pattern
- Great value for money
- Straps are a little too big for the hunter with a small frame
The Sling Archer Backpack is a super lightweight sling backpack that is specifically made for the stealthy bow hunter that doesn’t want anything too bulky that will slow him/her down. It has plenty of pockets to keep your equipment separate as well as some handy heavy-duty connection points to mount your arrows and bow on. The internal space adds up to 750 cubic inches with all the storage space easily accessible with a quick slide of the backpack to the front of your body. This backpack is perfect for the day hunter that wants to keep things small and light.
Bottom Line
Overall, the Tenzing TX Series Hunting Backpacks are a lightweight option for the hunter that wants to keep things simple yet functional. Within a simple lightweight design, Tensing packs some reliable and effective storage features. If you are the day hunter that doesn’t carry too much weight, the sling bag, or Voyager backpack are both great options.
Best Bow Hunting Backpack on a Budget: Alps OutdoorZ Trail Blazer Hunting Backpack
The Alps OutdoorZ Trail Blazer Hunting Backpack is a 2,500 cubic inch backpack that has plenty of pockets to keep all of your hunting equipment safe and organized. It has a large main compartment, large front pocket, and two handy mesh side pockets. The exterior of the pack features a front lashing system to store things like arrows and sighting scopes effectively and the strap system on the front of the bag allows you to strap your hunting bow in securely when it is not in use.
This pack has a fold-out orange rain cover to keep your kit dry and your body visible when the weather takes a turn for the worst. There is a hydration pocket that will fit a standard 3-liter water bladder for on the move hydration and the bag is constructed from mossy oak country camouflage. Overall, this is a great backpack for the money, and coming from Alps Outdoors, you can expect quality.
Overview
- Great value for money
- Plenty of storage space
- Great bow holster solution
- Plenty of exterior storage
- Handy hi-vis rain cover
- The large pocket has no separators so things can pile up in there
Bottom Line
The Alps OutdoorZ Trail Blazer Hunting Backpack is the perfect backpack for the bow hunter that is on a budget. It is a high-quality product that serves its purpose perfectly, although, the large pocket will consume everything you have in its depths!
Best Overall Bow Hunting Backpack: Insights “The Vision” Bow Hunting Backpack
Overview
The Vision bow hunting backpack from Insights is a backpack that is specifically designed by the bow hunter for the bow hunter. It features an extremely intelligent design that holds your arrows in an easily drawable place without obstructing access to pockets. It has a designated pocket for your bow that keeps it completely protected from the elements, knocks, and bumps. There is plenty of storage in this bag and all of it is perfectly divided for maximum space with ultimate accessibility.
This bag features a country oak camouflage design and is made from a waterproof ripstop fabric. The backpack is incredibly durable and versatile with its intelligent design and handy features. The Vision is for the bow hunter that wants a bag with all the bells and whistles without it being so complicated that it is a pain to use. It is beautifully constructed, made from high-quality materials, and designed by ingenious bow hunters!
- Intelligent bow-specific design
- Great storage options
- Waterproof
- Plenty of storage
- Beautifully crafted
- Great value for money
- A little bit on the bulky side for some users
Bottom Line
Overall, the Vision hunting backpack from Insights is a bag that boasts an extremely intelligent design. It is made specifically for bow hunters and bow hunting only, so if you are looking for a specialist product that is incredibly ergonomic and versatile, then this is the pack for you.
