has anyone used the cabelas bow or rifle backpack. i was wondering if it kept your bow from moving around. does this bag have any other things that make it worth buying over other packs.

thanks,
Nick

One of my hunting buddies bought the bow backpack. It seems to hold the bow pretty solidly in place. He uses it for when we hunt up in one of the State parks where we must hike back for several miles before setting up. I have not yet felt the need to get one but probably will eventually.

I have one and don't use the bow carrying feature very often when I hunt whitetails but in certain circumstances elk hunting I have used it and it does a good job of containing the bow and quiver.

antler eater,
how does the backpack keep the bow in place, (velcro straps?). is there anything that you didnt like about the pack? also do you think that it is worth the money that it costs.

thanks,
Nick

Sorry I did not get back to you yet Shootem. My buddy is supposed to call tonight as we are going surf fishing on Sunday but he hasn't yet. If you don't get the answer soon then hopefully he can provide it. Or, you could just call Cabelas and ask one of their product specialists. I should have thought of it earlier when I was out at the store.

Sorry I could not help more.

pabowhntr,
no problem im just a little anxious!! i am just trying to get all the info on it i can before i spend the $90 they want for it.

Hmm, let's see if I can give you an accurate description.

Of course as you already know there is a pretty good picture of it in Cabela's Archery catalog on page 159. Underneath the removeable"padded compression pod" are two velcro straps (the picture shows three. Perhaps the bigger pack has three or the newer versions now have three.) that run horizontal on the back of the pack. These two straps are the ones used to secure the bow or gun to the back of the pack. On the bottom of the pack as you can see by the photo there is a third point of contact, in the form of a strap with a "pocket" attached to the end of said strap that fits over the cam or gun stock to keep either from sliding down. While I have not used it for a gun, it has held my bow in place just fine, freeing my hands up in case I had to climb, carry a stand, or some other needed accessories. I find myself disconnecting the "pod" and using the velcro straps (on the back of the main pack) to carry my rattling antlers to and from my stand during whitetail hunts. In cold weather it will hold a lot of clothes so you can walk in wearing a minimum of clothing, in an attempt to keep from working up a sweat on a long hike to the stand.

Is it worth the money? Being that any type of back pack is expensive, I would have to say for me it was money well spent. This will be my third season elk hunting with it. It is still in excellent shape. I bought the smaller of the two and I found it is still generously put together. It distributes the load well on my body for a modest (by comparison) priced pack which in turn means less fatigue on those long mountain hikes. The padded back is very comfortable, however you do have a trade off with the heat factor if you hunt in warm climates.

Any gripes I have would be nit-picky on my part. But for good measure here are a few. There aren't a lot of small compartments for all of my whitetail gadgets and do-dads. The padded compression back makes my back sweat more than a regular day pack. They don't include a bladder for water in the system however it is advertised as hydration compatible. It is a huge pack to hang in a tree.

Good luck I hope this helps on your decision. Sorry it took me so long to reply. Every now and then life gets busy.