Trent Marsh 05.21.21
The hunt of a lifetime usually doesn’t happen just outside your back door. For those truly wild hunts we have to venture into the most wild of places. These adventures can take us days and miles from anything that passes for civilization. When this is your quest, you’ll be packing your gear in with you. That kind of trek requires far more than a fanny pack. Failing to choose the right pack for your hunt into the backcountry can range anywhere from inconvenient to disastrous. If you’re going to be in the bush for four, six, maybe even ten days, you need the best frame pack you can get, one you can rely on to get you out there and back. Don’t let the pack that carries all your other gear, be the weak link in the gear selection for your hunt of a lifetime.
Table of Contents
1. Alps Commander X + Pack – Editor’s Pick
The Commander X +Pack from Alps just delivers in every possible category. The pack is incredibly well thought out, for starters. The 4000 cu. In. pack bag detaches from the meat hauling frame so you can load the frame up with your trophy, or extra gear. The lashing system keeps everything connected to the frame securely, so you can haul the load with confidence. The pack itself offers enough compressions straps to keep the bag tight and tidy, making it easier to pack. Not only that, but multiple access points mean you can stow gear where you want, without having to unpack the whole bag to get to something. The pack weighs in at a little over 9.5 pounds with the frame and everything, one of the heavier options, but the balance of storage options, frame uses, and value make it a strong option for the hunter headed into the wilderness for extended periods.
Pros/ Almost limitless flexibility, which is huge when you get off the grid
Cons/It is among the heaviest options in group
Bottom Line/It just answers way more questions than it raises
2. Eberlestock M5 Team Elk Pack – Budget Pick
When you look at this pack, it feels like you must be missing something. There has to be something that isn’t included for the price, but trust us, it’s all there. While the smallest on this list, the 3,100 cu. In. between the pack and scabbard is still some pretty serious storage for getting gear into the backcountry. The tubular aluminum frame is ultra-rugged, and cool features like rifle and bow storage are built in instead of being accessories you need to add later at more expense. The size and configuration may mean that it isn’t the perfect pack for multi-week hike-in trips, but there are a lot of hunts that need a good frame pack that aren’t that involved. Bonus, 10% of every sale of this pack goes back to RMEF.
Pros/Huge value for the money
Cons/If you need a super-size pack for really long trips this might not be your best option
Bottom Line/here’s just far more pack here than the price tag would indicate
3. Mystery Ranch Beartooth 80 – Kitchen Sink Pick
At almost 5,200 cu. In., no other pack listed here is offering more storage. So, if you’re packing everything and the kitchen sink, this is the pack for you. If you’re new western/adventure style hunting, you may not be as familiar with the Mystery Ranch brand, but they have quite the following among those hunters who spend their seasons in the real wilderness. The new Guide Light MT Frame enables load hauling capabilities that you probably don’t actually want to exceed, not because the pack can’t take it, but because you don’t want to! The 270-degree zipper, in the model of a duffel zipper, makes accessing gear easy, regardless of where it’s placed. For as big as it is, the Beartooth 80 weighs just 6.7 pounds. That’s a huge space-to-weight ratio anyone can appreciate.
Pros/ Storage for days, literally and figuratively
Cons/ It’s one of the more expensive options here
Bottom Line/Big adventure requires a lot of gear, and this pack has storage for all of it
4. Badlands Carbon Ox – High-Tech Pick
Name one thing that isn’t made better with carbon fiber. Couldn’t do it, could you? The Carbon Ox from Badlands marries the seven-pocket 2,772 cubic-inch pack, with a carbon fiber frame to deliver a pack ready for serious adventure. The frame includes a built-in meat shelf that helps packing out game easier than ever. The pack fully separates from the frame, so you can load it up, and get loaded out. The pack also uses a batwing design and hidden daisy chain so you can keep adding more storage to the pack as needed. Lash points, compression straps, it has everything you would expect, with the added bonus of carbon fiber strength and durability.
Pros/Dude, it’s carbon fiber
Cons/Less storage volume than some other options
Bottom Line/Cool features, solid design, great reputation
5. Sitka Mountain Hauler 6200 – Efficiency Pick
No other pack on this list offers a higher store-to-weight ratio than the Sitka Mountain Hauler 6200. For sheer efficiency of gear storage, it’s tough to do much better. Like every other brand on this list, Sitka comes with a great reputation, so there’s no concern there. The primary bag has 4,000 cu. In. of space, that can expand to 5,000 with the use of the load-hauling shelf, a must for packing out game quarters. There’s a comfort factor as well. Because all the load-bearing portions of the pack connect directly to the frame it’s easier to keep the load centered and manageable. That frame is aircraft-grade aluminum, so in addition to being lightweight, it’s also incredibly durable.
Pros/Lightweight without sacrificing storage space
Cons/Not the most budget-friendly option…
Bottom Line/Sitka gear is all built to perform, and this pack is no exception
The different kinds of frame packs
Frame packs can come in internal or external frame configurations. Internal frame packs are more of an all-in-one solution, while external frames offer more modular and customizable options. Both have their purposes, so you need to figure out exactly how you plan to use your pack and find the option that most closely meets your needs. If you’re really planning to get into the backcountry and pack out the game you take in distances measured in miles, I would recommend finding a frame pack with a load bearing shelf to make packing meat easier and less cumbersome.
How big of a frame pack do I need?
No matter how big you go, you’ll probably wish you had chosen bigger. The best thing you can do is assemble the gear you expect to pack and see what kind of space it takes up. Don’t buy the pack that just fits everything you think you need. Find the bag that fits all that and still leaves you some extra space. You’ll never regret using your compression straps to cinch down unused space, but you’ll certainly regret having three dry bags strapped to the outside of your pack just to get your essentials into camp.
How should a frame pack fit?
The shoulder straps should be centered and snug, but the most important thing is how the waist belt fits. The hip pads from the belt should fit to the top of your hip joints and the belt should adjust to be snug. This is where you carry most of the weight of the pack.
How big of a pack do I need for an elk hunt?
Look for a hunting frame pack with between 3,500 and 4,000 cubic inches of capacity for an elk hunt that will last between 3-5 days. Don’t over pack, either. Be sensible about what you take. You can help this, too, by choosing the lightest possible pack to start from.
About the Author
We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works.