I have yet to see a 40 lb pack. I have heard people talk about them but for a 10 day hunt I have never seen one. 50 lbs is still a light pack for 10 days.
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I have yet to see a 40 lb pack. I have heard people talk about them but for a 10 day hunt I have never seen one. 50 lbs is still a light pack for 10 days.
Either I don't bring as much stuff when I hunt our I have way lighter gear than you guys. Anything over 40lb sounds way to heavy to me.
I don't think I've ever come in under 60 lbs, don't know how it would be possible to have a pack that weighs 40
58 total pounds is the lightest I have acheived for a 10 day trip. Dropping another 8 pounds seems possible with some more gear changes.
Well I went thru my gear list to see if 40 lbs is possible, (without rifle) I think it is, but I would be leaving behind: salt, binoculars, spotting scope, tripod, camera, gps, rangefinder, first aid stuff, my supercomfy sleeping matt (can't leave home without it, even if it is heavier)....oh and not including water. Sure you can head out for 10 days @ 40 lbs, but I don't think you would be equipped for sheep hunting.
Also I think you should include your rifles weight, you have to carry it one way or another, plus it is one of the big areas where you can lose major lbs.
Also a solo list is alot different then a group or partner list, as alot of the heavier items can be shared.......
Mine is about 55 pounds, but then my partner's is about 80. Getting old is do-able if you have good hunting buddies.http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.gif
How about tips to lower your pack weight?
Heres a few,
Cut off everything you don't need, I cut off all the labels off my tent, boots, sleeping bag, clothes etc....
I cut off all the extra length of strapping on my backpack
Get Corlanes to build you a rifle (under 6lbs - scoped, sling, ammo and scope covers)
My pack comes in at about 60-62lbs including my rifle... I've spent a pile of money upgrading/replacing gear, so if anyone has a 40lb pack for 8-10 days I'd love to see your gear list.
With a super custom rifle, smaller spotting scope, and lighter sleeping bag I could shave another 3-4 lbs, but I am okay with it like this...
Carl
Thank you for the kind words.... Here is the list again.Quote:
A fine gentleman on this site named Carl (Bigwhities) has an excellent list c/w photos. It's about as comprehensive as it gets.
Aside from your pack here is a list of the items I currently pack along…
I have updated this list with some newer gear, replacements, etc...
The photos no longer reflect this updated list but I'll include them anyways...
Clothing
- 6 Pair Thorlo Level III hiking socks. (expensive but worth every penny)
- 1 mid-weight polartec fleece pullover.
- 1 lightweight Merino Wool Icebreaker (wear t-shirt underneath).
- 1 pair North Face Paramount Convertible Pants (2 pairs including the ones I wear)
- 1 pair light-weight thermal underwear. (use these for sleeping in or on colder days)
- 2 pair "Willy Wickers" boxer shorts. (including the one I wear)
- 1 light weight North Face wick away t-shirt.
- 1 pair lightweight rainpants. (rockwater designs)
- 1 lightweight rain jacket. (Helly Hansen)
- 1 pair uninsulated leather gloves.
Sleeping/Shelter
- 1 Lightweight backpacking sleeping bag. (good to about -5c - I will upgrade this bag soon)
- 1 Silcoat packcover (essential for keeping your pack bone dry)
- Prolite 4 Thermarest. (I own 3 thermarests. This one is nice & light and compacts very small)
- 1 Sil-Tarp II 8′x10′. (These lightweight tarps are awesome for a fast light weight shelter)
- 1 Integral Designs MK-3 Expedition Tent (4 season tent)
- 2 HUSKY heavy duty garbage bags (use for groundsheet under tent)
Equipment/Optics/Misc.
- 1 roll of asswipe.
- 2 packs of 15 baby wipes.
- 1 small can of penetan (diaper rash cream)
- 2 Hiking Poles (Chinook)
- SPOT emergeny satellite locator
- Petzl Myo Xp Headlamp. (very bright - runs on 3 AA batteries.)
- Handmade Hunting Knife (could shave weight here with a smaller buck or puma knife.)
- 1 scalpal handle with 3 extra blades (forget size sorry)
- 1 pair Swarovski 8×30 Binoculars.
- 1 Zeiss 85mm Spotting Scope.
- 1 Manfrotto 718 SHB Tripod (okay but there is better)
- First Aid Kit (Tylenol,Ibuprofen,Antiseptic,Bandaids,Bandages,Ga uze,blister kit)
- 1 Tube firepaste (this stuff is the best firestarter I have used yet - Perfect for backpacking)
- 2 or 3 bic lighters stashed in different places on my person or pack.
- 6 AA batteries. (I could probably get away with only 3 but just in case…)
- 1 TrailBlazer Buck Saw (This handy unit breaks down into a light aluminum tube. Makes getting wood for your fire much easier. - We use this lots)
- 12 Federal 130 Grn .270 Rounds (3 in my magazine and 9 on the butt of my rifle)
- 100′ Poly Rope. (Maybe a little overkill but I like to make a good camp)
- Tikka Lite S/S .270 W/Bushnell Elite 3200 Scope. (Great Gun - Accurate & Light!)
- 1 Sony Handycam Video Camera (20x Optical Zoom W/Zeiss Lenses)
- 1 Sony DSC-W50 6.0 MP Digital Camera (Great Small Compact Camera)
- 1 Garmix 60Csx GPS pre-programmed with maps of area.
- 1 printed and laminated copy of Google Map image for area.
Food & Cooking.
- Jetboil Stove (w/2 Canisters fuel - Good for 10 days of boiling water for drinks and meals)
- 2 Liter Soft Plastic Water Container (In case you need to pack extra water)
- 1 1.5 liter Nalgene bottle (Strap to outside of my pack)
- 1 4.85lb bag of salt.
- Pristine water drops (water treatment)
Breakfast
- 4 MountainHouse Granola W/Blueberries (Great Filling Breakfast)
- 3 Packets of Maple & Brown Sugar Oatmeal (Great Light Breakfast)
Lunches/Snacks (I don’t eat much throughout the day)
- 1 Clif Protein Bar for each day. (These are great snacks)
- 2 small bags of Grimms beef jerky
- 1 Ritter Sport Almonds Chocolate Bar. (eat a few squares per serving.)
- 1 Ritter Sport Hazlenut Chocolate Bar. (eat a few squares per serving.)
- 2 Nut & Raisin Chocolate Bars. (eat a few squares per serving.)
- 1 small ziplock with instant coffee
- 1 small ziplock with some sugar
- 2 packages of Emergen-C drink mix for each day.
Dinners. (all mountainhouse)
- 1 Chicken Teriyaki W/Rice.
- 1 Turkey Tettrazinni.
- 1 Chicken Breast w/mashed potatoes.
- 1 Beef Stew (Really Good)
- 1 Chili Mac W/Beef.
- 1 Noodles W/Chicken.
- 4 Pasta Primavera (Really Good)
Total Pack Weight = approx. 58 lbs W/Rifle.
One of the biggest challenges when getting your pack ready is how to efficiently pack everything so it’s going to be easy to locate and repack should you need to. As you can see in the photo below there is a lot of gear here!
http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/packspread.jpg
(All Of My Gear For 7 Days Sheep Hunting In The Mountains)
One of the best things I have found is to use those thin mesh draw string bags that so many camping/backpacking supply stores now carry. I can organize all of my gear into the mesh bags and it keeps everything together and packed as tightly as possible. The less volume your pack has the easier it is to navigate through heavy brush or tricky situations.
Here is a another photo of all the same gear but now I have reorganized my Clothes, Socks, and Food into the mesh bags. Look at the difference. It’s much more organized and makes it so much easier to handle when you are out in the field. The last thing you want to do is tear apart your bag and repack the mess while your out hunting or on your way to camp. When I am hiking I go non-stop until I reach where I am going.
http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/packcondensed.jpg
When packing my pack I lay the food in the big mesh bag to your right on the bottom of my pack. I then put my clothes on top of them trying to keep the heavier items towards the center of the pack. I make sure everything is strapped down and the zippers are all closed, nothings hanging out anywhere.
Here are some photos of all of my gear packed up and ready to go. This backpack has some handy straps on the side that work excellent for carrying my rifle around. Usually I prefer to carry my rifle in my hands but sometimes when you are going up a steep climb or side hilling along a mountain creek it’s nice to have free hands. (My tent will be attached near the bottom via 2 large buckled straps)
http://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/packloaded.jpghttp://www.bchuntingblog.com/mypics/packloaded2.jpg
(Here is all my gear fully packed up and ready to hit the hills)
Carl