Backpack hunt Gamebags

[Brambles]

What are all the other weight concious backpack hunters using for game bags.

Right now I have two body pillowcases and a standard factory walmart jobbie in a Ziplock bag. Should be enough room for a boned out mule deer.

Problem is it weights 15.2 ounces as a package. I'd like to cut that back a bit.

I see on Bigwhitey's gear list he says his 2 gamebags weights 2 ounces.....either thats a mistake or I'm missing something here.

What do you guys use?

I'm also carrying a couple big heavy duty garbage bags to line my pack with before putting the meat into my pack.

[Rams-head]

http://www.pristineventures.com/products/game-bags.html

http://www.pristineventures.com/images/stories/product_gameBagsSmall.jpg

Best bags I have ever used. They are really tough for how light they are. Well worth the money. If you de-bone, you can fit all the meat from one deer in one bag and the cape in another.

[Brambles]

http://www.pristineventures.com/products/game-bags.html

http://www.pristineventures.com/images/stories/product_gameBagsSmall.jpg

Best bags I have ever used. They are really tough for how light they are. Well worth the money. If you de-bone, you can fit all the meat from one deer in one bag and the cape in another.

So some down and dirty math suggests that each bag weighs 3 ounces?
I think one of those bags would be over kill for the cape but even though, 6 ounces vs 15 is a good weight savings.

[Rams-head]

Over kill? I guess you could sew the bag smaller if you wanted to cut out another oz.... But I find the size nice if you want to take a life sized cape or entire bear cape.

There is also the Kifaru game bags. They are lighter yet, but the couple times I used one, I found they don't breath very well and they keep the heat in the bag. Nothing I would want to put a cape in. Might as well put it in a garbage bag.

https://kifaru.net/meatbag.html

[Everett]

We make our own using ripstop nylon about 1.5 oz per bag 4 bags will do a caribou. I have also used sylnylon packliners from MEC. Kifaru makes some superlight ones as well

[Brambles]

So I just ordered some TAG bags,

Provided I can get all the meat for one boned out mule deer in one bag, and I'll cut one of my long cheese cloth bags in half for the cape. I'll be into it for 4.5 ounces or less. So I just shaved over 10 ounces off my pack with just this. Sounds good to me.

[Riverratz]

T.A.G. bags are the best thing ever made when it comes to game bags, bar none.
Not a back-pack hunt, but we used them last year, and they got "torture tested" to the max., they perform as advertised and are well worth the cost.
Absolutely no bugs or dirt can get in, good ventilation, tough as nails, and they are incredibly light.
One bag with a moose quarter (150 lb. approx.) in it got accidentally snagged on a very sharp broken tree branch and hung there for a minute or two with no damage, can't even find where the branch poked into it. Try that with regular meat bags.
We got 2 - 28" X 60" sets; one bag completely swallows a full moose quarter with lots of room to spare.
Various sizes are available, best buy is the "sets".
They clean up real good; after inadvertently leaving them blood soaked in the garage for about three weeks, one quick trip thru the washing machine, hung to dry, no stain left, look as good as new and no odor.
We will probably never have to buy game bags again......ever.

[Tuffcity]

They look interesting! Are they stretchy or a "solid" bag?

[BackPackHunter]

I just ordered the kifaru hanging meat bag, for boned out meat,
cape... i use cheese cloth, or a game bag made from cheese cloth
thats all around 5oz

[pearljam]

So I just ordered some TAG bags,

Provided I can get all the meat for one boned out mule deer in one bag, and I'll cut one of my long cheese cloth bags in half for the cape. I'll be into it for 4.5 ounces or less. So I just shaved over 10 ounces off my pack with just this. Sounds good to me.


So how do you like the tag bags?

[boxhitch]

Barneys Sports Chalet had some b/p game bags at his display at the WSSoBC convention. Supposed to act like gore-tex and wick out the moisture. They are not on his website yet, new stuff. Super light, and knowing Bob, some of the best available.

[Brambles]

I ordered the TAG bags, the 5pk of bags was suppose to weigh 18 ounces, when I got them they seemed heavy so I weighted them and they were 26 ounces.

I contacted the company and they said that they do make a lighter one and I could exchange them. I told him I didn't want to exchange them, that I'd keep these ones and I'd buy the light ones too, but because there was no way to order them from his website I wanted to hear from him to make certain I got the right ones this time.....That was months ago and haven't heard a word back from him....


Haven't used the bags i recieved yet, they seem like nice bags, time will tell.

[BiG Boar]

This is 2 different opinions I found online that might help with people trying to figure out the weight and durability of these different bags.

Person 1.

"I decided to take a closer look at the game bags tonight and do some measurements and weights.

The picture left to right is

TAG - (5 New style bags) 24"X44" 1 lb 10.6 oz 8X7X3 stuffed

TAG - (5old style bags) 24"X44" 1 lb 1 oz 8X5X3 stuffed

Caribou (4 bags) 48"X28" & 1 30"X23" 1 lb 12 oz 8X5X4 compressed

Caribou 2 48"X28" & 2 30"X23" 1 lb 3 oz 6X5X3 stuffed

Allen Game Bags - had a unopened pack of 4. They are a very small football in size :-) total weight 1# 3.4oz. Have never used them so no comments.

TAG Bags - When I bought mine they had just converted over to the new material and they were heavier than advertised. After a few conversations I received a set of older bags for comparison. (Like I said, great customer service). These bags are durable and breathable. The older style does need a little care around the side seams but still a great bag - Newer style is a bit better seam but still not as good as caribou. The stuff sacks that come with these bags are made perfect for the bag sets as they really compress the bags and make a nice tidy package.

Caribou Gear - After getting them out side by side and refreshing my memory, I think these are a little more durable than the TAG bags as the side seam is sewn better (folded seam vs flat seam) - but they are heavier that the old style TAG bags. The loops and reflective strips make them easier to find after dark. The stuff sack that comes with these is a bit larger than it needs to be and makes a loose bundle. But I use the exta space to put in my skinning knife, surveyor tape, pepper and sharpening stone and it fills it up a bit more but still not stuffed. The nice thing about the caribou bags is I purchased the Elk Big Game Bag Pack so it allows me to swap the bags around for Elk or Deer hunting configuration - 2 48"x28" and 2 30"X23" bags are perfect for deer hunting and weighs only 1 lb 3 oz in the stuff sack.

I don't think you can go wrong with either TAG or Caribou game bags."




Person 2.

"I've tried just about all of them the past 2-3 years and I have 2 brands I rely on, depending on the hunt - Caribou Gear and Alaska Game Bags.

The Alaska Game Bags I use are the non-rolled "Northern" bags, and they are as tough as nails. We've loaded down some heavy packs and never had an issue with them, quarters or boneless. They are light and inexpensive (4-pack weighs less than 7 ounces and sells for $10). They are not reuseable, but they work great for keeping the meat clean and bug free, especially when every ounce counts.

The Caribou Gear game bags are as tough as anything I've tried. They cover about all the bases when it comes to quality and are "relatively" lightweight. A single medium quarter bag (48" x 28") weighs 6.5 ounces (26 ounces for 4 bags). They are synthetic and very similar in feel to a pillowcase. They are made to be washed and reused and come with built-in drawstrings and hang tabs. Higher quality and more bells and whistles than the Alaska Game Bags, but also heavier and much more expensive ($12.99 for a single quarter bag).

If I am hunting an area where I know I can get the meat out in one day and I'm going light, I carry the Alaska Game Bags. I've put over 20 elk into Alaska Game Bags and NEVER had an issue with tearing, bugs, or dirt.

If I'm hunting deep where there is a good chance it'll take me more than a day to get the meat out, or if I'm going to be hanging the meat at camp for multiple days before getting to a butcher, I'll take the Caribou Gear game bags.

Neither of these 2 bags have ever let me down."

[Rams-head]

I ordered the TAG bags, the 5pk of bags was suppose to weigh 18 ounces, when I got them they seemed heavy so I weighted them and they were 26 ounces.

I contacted the company and they said that they do make a lighter one and I could exchange them. I told him I didn't want to exchange them, that I'd keep these ones and I'd buy the light ones too, but because there was no way to order them from his website I wanted to hear from him to make certain I got the right ones this time.....That was months ago and haven't heard a word back from him....


Haven't used the bags i recieved yet, they seem like nice bags, time will tell.

Well that's a big rip off. It would have been nice of them to update their web site with the new info. I wonder why they have gone to a heavier material? The ones I have are tough as nails.

[bigwhiteys]

I see on Bigwhitey's gear list he says his 2 gamebags weights 2 ounces.....either thats a mistake or I'm missing something here.


My 2 game bags actually weigh 6 oz. They were $19.99 reusable ones from wholesale sports, pack of 4 if I remember... The prior ones, were 2ozs (from crappy tire) but smaller and not as strong. I will update that list.

They are plenty big enough for a boned out deer, sheep, goat... I've used, washed and reused these ones a few times now.

[Aheny]

Update their website, I thought Caveat Emptor was how you roll? As for cleaning your game bags, just put em away dirty and sell them online as "new". Seems to work for some people...