Back Pack Weight
 

Going on my first big game hunt this October in CO. I have loaded my pack with most of what I plan to take along on each days adventure and it weighs about 20 lbs without food and water. I was wondering how that compares to others pack weights. Thanks for any information.

hell mine weighed about 100 pounds on the hike back from my bear hunt. and i had to hall that about 7 miles up and down the mountains. i tell you what you dont break no land records with that much weight on your back.

but our average weight hiking was about 55 pounds.

20 lbs seems about right for a short distance..a gallon of water and sum snacks is 10lbs..i guess ill have to weigh mine and see.

Mine weighs between 15 and 20 lbs with water, a few snacks, bone saw, game bags and basic survival gear.

Mine is about 25 - 30 depending on what all I throw in that day and how full the camel back is.

weight is relative,
how far do you plan on hiking?
have you hiked with 20 lbs before?
20 lbs seems like alot for a day trip.
also a well packed bag, and a good pack that distributes the weight correctly really makes a big difference.
other poster stated he hiked 7 miles with 100 lbs,
holy cow,
i am in relatively good shape,
do have +10 mile days, +30 mile weekends,
but for me, any pack really limits my distance,
for me a 40-50 lb pack i am struggling after 1-2 miles.
for day trips, dont need that much,
your heaviest item would be water,
i have cut down my water weight by using a hand pump filter,
small/light, and very reliable,
if your sure you will be coming across water on your hike, a hand pump filter is a great investment

is that supposed to get you thru a whole day and your coming back to basecamp at night? I dont know it seems a little high to me but all i have to compare it to is my pack that i leave out in the morning with and plan on coming back that night.

Is this just a day pack I'm assuming? Add your lunch and water for the day you've got around another 10lbs probably. I keep my total day pack right around 18-20lbs, so you're a little bit heavier than what I carry, but it's better to have everything you may need.
Remember, the more weight you add the slower and less you're gonna move. Don't be afraid to drop your pack if you need to cover ground quick for some reason, just make sure you can get back to it.
-Jake

A gollon of water weighs 8.34#'s, and I don't know anyone that carrys a gallon of water. As has been suggested, if there's a water source in your area, the better option is to get a filtered water bottle, or a filter pump and carry a smaller amount of water and refill as needed. I rarely drink but maybe a 1/2 gallon/day, but everyone is different, some may need more, expecially flat landers coming into the high country.
I can go into the high country on a 3 day bivy hunt and not carry 10#'s of water and food. So a guy should be able to do a day hunt with a lot less than 10#s of water and food combined.

i agree..100lbs is alot..my buddy in afghanistan carries 100 lbs on a day trip..
i couldnt imagine carrying that 1 mile..let alone fer more than a day.
i got large bino's
spotting scope
small bino's
range finder
azzhole puller
box of sharp knives
2 litre camel pak
thermocell w/ refills
rope
compass
survival tool and knife (I hate that it says bear grills on it, but its a good knife)
game calls
deer bag
snacks(whatever is handy)
2 full clips fer the side arm
batteries
pen and a permanent marker
tags
1st aid kit (small, but i put in what seemed to be important)
water purifier tabs


i had to pull it out to remember everything

Howler, I carry about 85 ounces of water. SO not a full gallon. I'm from Ohio, and I'm on a medicine that makes me dehydrate quickly, so I carry more than most do probably. But you also have weight in water bottles, or a little weight if you carry a Bladder.
-Jake

I understand that some, such as yourself, almost have to carry the water weight, and there are places where there's little water to be found. Where I elk hunt, my one 16oz. filtered water bottle is all I need. Fill it as needed.

I also believe in carring 2 road flares. Might never need them but it is an easy way to start a fire.

My backpack has everything I need to spend the night ............

My day pack doubles as a "night" pack !!! LOL

I generally pack 20 to 25 lbs including 3 qts. of water. The quality of the pack makes a huge difference. 25lbs in a well designed, well fitted pack will wear you less than 15 lbs in a poorer pack. Many can pack 60..80..or 100 lbs., and many of us have to to pack out animals, but I wouldn't recommend doing it if you don't have to. In the long run most will pay for. Muscle strength isn't the problem. Our skeletal structure really isn't designed for it. I wrecked my knees packing heavy loads in steep country.

My day pack weighs about 25 lbs. I have food, water, everything I need to field dress an elk, and emergency supplies incase I had to spend the night in the woods.

Mine weighs in at around 20 pounds. I have game bags, bone saw, a couple of knives, survival kit, food for lunch, and a water bladder. I tend to keep things like GPS, radio, flashlight and knife in there rather than on a belt. After I get an elk down and quartered I switch to a pack frame which is back at the truck to get the meat out.

My Kelty Cougar weighs 26 lbs fully loaded with game cleaning gear, first aid, survival, lunch, handgun, rangefinder, lights, and 3 liters of water.

Thanks to everyone for the info. Sounds like I'm about right on the weight. If I can keep it around 20 lbs. I think I can manage it.

My pack weighs about 20 pounds. Got everything in it to spend the night if I have to, start a fire, and cut up an elk.

Even though you plan only on day trips, If you are hiking back in any distance, I would make sure you have overnight stuff with. A couple of miles through the mountains is a LONG way with a broken leg.

X-2 If you think you know how your day or night is going to end up, you haven't been in the Rocky mountains very often. An unpredicted storm can blow in before you have a chance to scratch your butt. I've seen it happen.

Having a good GPS and knowing how to use can save your life. It is so easy to get turned around when you get on a herd or a big bull.

I followed a small herd last year thinking I was going to get a shot. I thought I knew exactly where I was. By the time I gave up on them, I was almost to the bottom of the mountain. I thought no big deal, I'll just catch the trail at the bottom and head back to camp. When I got to the bottom, there was no trail, I had came down the other side. I wasn't lost but if it would have been in the evening, I would have slept on the mountain. It took me hours to get back to where I knew the way back to camp where my GPS was in the tent.

I agree with all that. A couple of years ago I was hunting in Colorado with a couple of other guys. I got dropped off at a spot and climbed a very steep draw going out of a drainage onto a ridge and over the other side. At about 9 in the morning I could see the sky turning very dark but since we had bare ground I didn't worry much. At 10 it started to snow and by 10:30 I could't see anything. I started to work my way back to the ridge and had to drop down that steep drainage to get back to the road which was at the bottom of the canyon. It was late in the day and the snow was up to my knees and I couldn't get good enough footing to risk climbing down out of there. I had to use a radio and tell the other guys I would meet them at another road which was a ways away at the end of the ridge I was on. Thank goodness I had a GPS with topo maps showing the roads since I couldn't see anything more than 50 feet away. Needless to say it was a good decision to not try and climb down out of there. The downed logs were slippery and undetectable under all that wet snow.

additionally, I have become quite a fan of the SPOT GPS, pretty cheap insurance if you ask me.

additionally, I have become quite a fan of the SPOT GPS, pretty cheap insurance if you ask me.