Backpack to heavy! What do you carry?
- Thread starter CanadianBaconPancakes
- Start date
Glad to see people pointing out that the weight needs to be mostly on your hips. I am surprised about how many people don't know this. There is two general guidelines to think about on how you should be carrying a heavy backpack.
1. 90% of the weight on your hips and 10% on your shoulders
2. The shoulder straps are only there to keep the bag from falling off backwards.
Follow one of the two guidelines and carrying a heavy backpack will be much more enjoyable.
But any way, If you have a camp set up and are just doing day stuff then you don't need much.
- a way to start a fire (I often bring two ways)
- a meal or two/ snacks
- warm enough clothes
- multi tool
- some kind of navigation for bush wacking. If you are following trails or cut lines don't worry about it. A simple compass to point you towards a road can make life safe
-cell phone, assuming there is service. No service bring a tarp for a shelter and some basic first aid stuff. your gun will work for signaling
If you are doing a multi day multi camp site type of thing your bag will weigh a ton. Just accept it.
1. 90% of the weight on your hips and 10% on your shoulders
2. The shoulder straps are only there to keep the bag from falling off backwards.
Follow one of the two guidelines and carrying a heavy backpack will be much more enjoyable.
But any way, If you have a camp set up and are just doing day stuff then you don't need much.
- a way to start a fire (I often bring two ways)
- a meal or two/ snacks
- warm enough clothes
- multi tool
- some kind of navigation for bush wacking. If you are following trails or cut lines don't worry about it. A simple compass to point you towards a road can make life safe
-cell phone, assuming there is service. No service bring a tarp for a shelter and some basic first aid stuff. your gun will work for signaling
If you are doing a multi day multi camp site type of thing your bag will weigh a ton. Just accept it.
DiabeticKripple
CGN Regular
- Location
- Red Deer, Alberta
My pack usually has
- first aid kit
- compass
- flashlight
- matches and a lighter
- emergency blankets
- TP
- tags
- game bags
- knives (havalon piranta, gerber bone saw, Outdoor edge swingblaze)
- rope
- calls
- camel back with water
- bottles of Gatorade
- food
- few extra rounds of ammo
- slingshot and SS ball bearings for grouse
And then I carry my binos and rifle on slings.
I usually don't hunt far in the backcountry so I don't bring a GPS, I'm usually close to cell service and half an hour from town.
- first aid kit
- compass
- flashlight
- matches and a lighter
- emergency blankets
- TP
- tags
- game bags
- knives (havalon piranta, gerber bone saw, Outdoor edge swingblaze)
- rope
- calls
- camel back with water
- bottles of Gatorade
- food
- few extra rounds of ammo
- slingshot and SS ball bearings for grouse
And then I carry my binos and rifle on slings.
I usually don't hunt far in the backcountry so I don't bring a GPS, I'm usually close to cell service and half an hour from town.
JACKSMYDOG
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Haldimand County, Ontario
More details please.
Size/brand of the pack?
How long was the trip?
What was in the pack?
Size/brand of the pack?
How long was the trip?
What was in the pack?
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Exactly what I was thinking. If the weight is on your shoulders you need to adjust and get it down onto your hips. Your shoulders are just there to keep the pack from flopping backward.
Rayleigh_Scattering
Regular
- Location
- Under the arch
I've figured out a couple of things by experimentation. YMMV, and I will cheerfully defer to those with more experience.
For more capacity move the load up to behind your shoulders. For better stability move the load down to the small of your back. You can't have both, no matter what the salesman tells you.
Tall packs can carry lots, but they're a real PITA in the bush.
A rope tied around your waist horizontally will not support the weight of a pack no matter how tight you make it. Similarly, any waist belt that has no cantilever strength will not carry weight not matter how pretty it is.
Even expensive packs can be poorly made, and some military packs issued by the 10s of thousands to 1st world armies are utter garbage.
Friction disappears once you start to move, so things that seem stable now will slip.
1/3rd the body weight seems to be about the most you can expect a healthy human in good shape to lug around for any length of time. They won't enjoy it, but it won't kill them.
Lastly, the easiest thing to carry is training. The best place to cut the weight of your rig is (for most of us) under your skin. And the best way to make it all feel lighter is to get stronger.
For more capacity move the load up to behind your shoulders. For better stability move the load down to the small of your back. You can't have both, no matter what the salesman tells you.
Tall packs can carry lots, but they're a real PITA in the bush.
A rope tied around your waist horizontally will not support the weight of a pack no matter how tight you make it. Similarly, any waist belt that has no cantilever strength will not carry weight not matter how pretty it is.
Even expensive packs can be poorly made, and some military packs issued by the 10s of thousands to 1st world armies are utter garbage.
Friction disappears once you start to move, so things that seem stable now will slip.
1/3rd the body weight seems to be about the most you can expect a healthy human in good shape to lug around for any length of time. They won't enjoy it, but it won't kill them.
Lastly, the easiest thing to carry is training. The best place to cut the weight of your rig is (for most of us) under your skin. And the best way to make it all feel lighter is to get stronger.
I try not to carry too much as I push a lot of bush.
My rifles are in slings.
Don't need binos in the bush.
Have a lighter in my pocket.
1liter of water tied up with a shoelace to loop over my head and under one arm.
Usually 4 extra bullets in each of my chest pockets on my jacket.
Knife is on my belt.
Can of Copenhagen in my back pocket.
This way I can haul ass through the bush if I need to and not be weighed down. I keep the rest in my truck, bone saw, 50ft of rope, more water, TP, knife sharpener, binoculars if I ever need them.
My rifles are in slings.
Don't need binos in the bush.
Have a lighter in my pocket.
1liter of water tied up with a shoelace to loop over my head and under one arm.
Usually 4 extra bullets in each of my chest pockets on my jacket.
Knife is on my belt.
Can of Copenhagen in my back pocket.
This way I can haul ass through the bush if I need to and not be weighed down. I keep the rest in my truck, bone saw, 50ft of rope, more water, TP, knife sharpener, binoculars if I ever need them.
Depends on the trip and terrain but my guidelines goes like this:
Less than 24hr:
Belt rig, ammo, either Camel back or canteen, Med pack, knife, dump pouch (garbage shells anything else) gun on a sling, Gloves, hat, soft shell jacket, para cord 50', power snacks, matches, compass.
More than 24 hr:
3 day pack (no bigger than a kids nap sack), belt, all the same, add in my hatchet or saw, sleeping back real food plus power snacks and both camel and canteen. I build my own shelter. Map
More than 36hr.
Will post later as it's a long list more to go wrong. Flares always remember the flares.
I am a firm believer (not right or wrong) that less is more, I would rather use my head than carry 50lbs of gear and get into more trouble with exhaustion, tripping, falling and distress. In avalanche survival I had to go 5 days with just my belt setup, granted there was no shortage of snow for water and had a shovel. People get in more trouble not stopping and thinking through things than not having the right items in their pack.
Less than 24hr:
Belt rig, ammo, either Camel back or canteen, Med pack, knife, dump pouch (garbage shells anything else) gun on a sling, Gloves, hat, soft shell jacket, para cord 50', power snacks, matches, compass.
More than 24 hr:
3 day pack (no bigger than a kids nap sack), belt, all the same, add in my hatchet or saw, sleeping back real food plus power snacks and both camel and canteen. I build my own shelter. Map
More than 36hr.
Will post later as it's a long list more to go wrong. Flares always remember the flares.
I am a firm believer (not right or wrong) that less is more, I would rather use my head than carry 50lbs of gear and get into more trouble with exhaustion, tripping, falling and distress. In avalanche survival I had to go 5 days with just my belt setup, granted there was no shortage of snow for water and had a shovel. People get in more trouble not stopping and thinking through things than not having the right items in their pack.
Butcherbill
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
If I'm out for the day I have a small/med pack that has the basics in it, gps, first aid kit, snacks/water, range finder, eye/ear pro, game bags, fire starter and toilet paper.
If out further in the bush or longer than a day I have an east German web gear set with pouches and canteen on the waist, has what I need if I get stuck and have to be out overnight. Couple fire starting options, first aid kit, headlamp, bivy sac, extra gloves, para cord plus all of the above but in bigger quantities if needed. As it's all at my waist it leaves the backpack open for rain gear or extra layers and my roll of knives for field dressing an animal. The web gear is comfy to wear and has padded shoulders, love it.
If out further in the bush or longer than a day I have an east German web gear set with pouches and canteen on the waist, has what I need if I get stuck and have to be out overnight. Couple fire starting options, first aid kit, headlamp, bivy sac, extra gloves, para cord plus all of the above but in bigger quantities if needed. As it's all at my waist it leaves the backpack open for rain gear or extra layers and my roll of knives for field dressing an animal. The web gear is comfy to wear and has padded shoulders, love it.
Rayleigh_Scattering
Regular
- Location
- Under the arch
>Canadian Military webbing
+1 on that. I deleted the magazine/grenade carriers and substituted a pair of pockets from an old set of cargo pants in the front.
Also added an L-shaped piece of aluminum sewn into place under cross strap at the right shoulder to help keep the sling in place.
I still haven't found a good way to mount anything to the shovel port. When you say "larger kit containers" what do you mean?
BTW: (1st post) Welcome on board!
+1 on that. I deleted the magazine/grenade carriers and substituted a pair of pockets from an old set of cargo pants in the front.
Also added an L-shaped piece of aluminum sewn into place under cross strap at the right shoulder to help keep the sling in place.
I still haven't found a good way to mount anything to the shovel port. When you say "larger kit containers" what do you mean?
BTW: (1st post) Welcome on board!
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Imagine how far you could go if you had even decent equipment, nevermind really good stuff!
Rayleigh_Scattering
Regular
- Location
- Under the arch
I can't believe I didn't lead with the old saying:
Backpacks only come in two sizes; too small and too heavy.
Backpacks only come in two sizes; too small and too heavy.
maltextract
Regular
- Location
- Rural Manitoba
I really want Canada Hunt Gear to make either a camo or a dark earth vest, I would be on that like white on rice.
