The Best Backpacks for Big-Game Hunting of 2024

The pack is designed with firearm hunting in mind and has a dedicated rifle holder along one side. The brand designed a lashing system specifically to carry meat after the kill. With a volume of 5,250 cubic inches, it has plenty of space for overnight backcountry hunts.

Our Hunt & Fish Editor, Rachelle Schrute, is currently testing the hell out of the pack. We’ll see if it lives up to the current internet mumblings.

Like many of the backpacks on this list, the frame and pack are separate units, allowing for customization on size and configuration. We’re currently running the K4 3600 pack system, which can be compressed down tight enough to use as a day pack if you so choose — or expanded out to pack in a one-person overnight camp, with room for some pack-out action.

The excitement is built entirely around the frame upgrade. It’s all about lateral movement. The frame shifts and moves with you. The carbon stays actually flex with you just a bit when you bend forward. With all the flex and movement, the vertical flex is almost nonexistent. This equates to comfort that supports massive weight.

We won’t get too deep into the specifics of this pack or our thoughts on it until we try to wreck the dang thing, but at this stage — this pack/frame combo is epic. We wouldn’t be surprised to see it rise to the top of the list by fall.

The Metcalf is a versatile pack and ideally suited to multiday remote hunts. It sells as an all-in-one package, with both a large main packsack and a detachable, smaller day lid for quick stalks.

The pack easily slides away from the frame to create big shelf space for carrying big-game quarters (or other large, awkward items). And it carries heavy weight well.

We’ve tested this one over about 20 days, including thousands of feet of vertical gain and dozens of miles. The tough CORDURA fabric shows barely any wear (beyond a few bloodstains).

After the kill, the built-in meat shelf supports big loads to haul out elk quarters. It’s also available in blaze orange, a small bit of added safety but the kind of detail hunters appreciate.

Badlands also released its Vario system last year, another modular approach to developing a series of packs for one frame. GearJunkie contributor Jace Bauserman tested the Vario system and really liked it. From base frame to daypack to big ol’ multiday, Badlands has it all.

And if something goes amiss? Well, this warranty spells it out well: We don’t care what happened, or whose fault it was, we will fix it for free forever. We could care less if you bought it at a garage sale or a gear swap, as long as it says Badlands, it’s covered. All we ask is that you use and abuse your pack as much as possible so we can learn how to make our products even better.

The easy-open, full-access lid means no noisy fiddling with zippers or clips. With attachment points that allow you to easily hang it next to you in the tree or straps that allow it to hang itself, it does become a little base station in the canopy.

The fuzzy polyester outer build is dead silent (unless you’re dealing with loose-bark pine species), and the cinch pockets operate without a sound. With more than enough attachment points, I’ve now strapped my bow to the outside, a little white tail rattle rack, a grunt tube, and still had straps and pockets to spare.

It’s probably more pack than I need in my neck of the whitetail woods more of the year, but I also have the Treehouse 9, which can hold everything you need minus your actual bow. For late-season, though, I’ll likely stick with the Treehouse 20 for the extra layer space and pockets for my hand-warmer addiction. It’s the perfect all-around tree stand pack that fits the bill of everything you need without having to compromise.

The pack has three compartments: a large main compartment offers huge space for most gear, while two smaller compartments on the back organize key gear into smaller spaces. The top-loading, roll-down design does not come with a lid but is available as an add-on. I personally don’t think it’s needed as the pack itself is huge.

The Absarkoa attaches to the excellent ARK Frame, which forms a foundation for several Kifaru packs.

I tested the pack elk hunting and found it great on a five-day backpack hunt. In warm weather, it may be overkill. But it has plenty of extra space for more clothing or gear for colder weather. And it carries like a dream. I tested it with about 50 pounds (I did not harvest an animal) and it was very comfortable. I loved the firm padding and thick lumbar pad. For hunters going far afield pursuing big game or long objectives, the Kifaru Absaroka is a winner.

In testing, we found that the Terminus 7000 carries heavy loads extremely well. It has an excellent hip belt and shoulder straps, allowing you to hoist 150+ pounds without too much discomfort (at least caused by the pack — your legs will burn).

The Terminus 7000 pack is essentially a large tube with zipper access and an internal pouch to separate gear from meat. Designed for mid-size game animals, it would also work to pack out a deboned mule deer or similar critters. Because it does not have a meat shelf, I would hesitate to use it for larger animals like elk or moose, but it certainly has the internal space needed to haul all the gear for almost any kind of hunting.

If you need a huge, strong, ultralight pack, this one stands apart from the crowd, but at a hefty price. Check out our full review here.

The foundation of this modular design is a carbon fiber frame that fits a wide range of packs from the brand, so it works as a big daypack all the way up to an expedition-level system. All components are sized for the end users.

With the game on the ground, the pack fabric moves back to create a shelf for carrying meat. KUIU designed the 10-ounce frame system to carry more than 150 pounds.

And let’s not forget: The entire pack weighs under 4 pounds! Testing the previous iteration of the pack, I carried everything from gear to elk quarters to a whole wild turkey.

Personally, I’ve found this pack comfortable carrying loads up to the 80-pound range. I’ve also had no problems with durability in four seasons of use. Given the fact that I use this mostly as a from-the-road hunting pack, I’ve never had more weight than an elk quarter and some backstraps in it.

Some testers have reported discomfort from the hip belt beyond about 80 pounds. One other negative is the zippers. It’s the biggest fault I can find in this pack. They are loud to open and close, and being loud in big-game hunting is bad. So this is worth noting.

Also available is the Women’s PRO Suspension, allowing this pack to be a better fit for smaller-built humans.

The full kit clocks in at just under $500, which is comparable to many of the packs to follow.

Multiple testers used the pack over two seasons and during some pretty tough conditions. And while one is over 6 feet tall, and the other is 5’8″, the pack easily adjusted between the two. It took a serious beating in thick brush. Our testers also overloaded the pack’s volume and carried significant weight in the Rocky Mountains during archery elk hunting.

This pack really stands out as an all-in-one system. While many brands offer modular packs with lots of possible add-ons, Akek gives you everything you need — pockets, a gun or bow carry system, a rain cover, a carbon fiber frame, a meat shelf, and even a removable small pack — in one buy.  Pockets, zippers, and tools were all highly logical and efficient for hunt load-outs and heavy hauling. Its only downside is that this pack is slightly heavy compared to the competition. But for a mid-size pack most suited for day hunts and shorter overnights in temperate weather, the Akek 3200 has won us over.

The rifle hangs under your arm, allowing quick access. But the weight hangs from your pack. It eliminates the need for a rifle strap, which can be incredibly annoying to use when also carrying a backpack.

If your backpack doesn’t have this kind of system built in, get one. Just be certain to unload your rifle when around other people when using it, as the system does require a forward-facing gun carry that could point the muzzle in a dangerous direction if you were to fall.

The minimalist, roll-top design has everything you need and nothing you don’t, making it an excellent choice for a backcountry pack. When you start counting ounces, a bunch of extra straps, zippers, and buckles get infuriating quick. This isn’t the lightest pack on our list or the largest, but it falls in the sweet spot of just the right amount of storage, the right amount of support, and the right amount of durability.

Stretchy side pockets are capable of toting your Nalgene or helping secure trekking poles or a spotter. If you’re a hydro-bladder hunter, there is an internal bladder pouch with ports for your water lines. There are just enough straps to securely attach your bow to your back for the long hike in, and unnecessary straps are removable and reconfigurable. Waist belt webbing allows for any number of accessory attachments, like a pouch for your dang phone or a bow spider to have your bow in reach.

It’s a minimalist pack, for sure. But what more could you really ask for?

The brand’s ultralight, minimal philosophy filters into a collection of packs and gear with clean lines, stripped-down efficiency, and substantial aptitude for carrying heavy loads.

The EVO 3300 ($614) is a perfect example of this. This isn’t your 10-days-in-the-backcountry pack. What it does do is fit an elk quarter perfectly while maintaining enough space for a day hunt or an ultralight backcountry hunt.

This bag sits on the lauded Krux EVO frame, which can be stripped down to basics and still do the job. With carbon composite stays, high-end military-grade buckles, CORDURA 500-denier fabric, and a 150-pound rating, it’s high-tech carry at its best.

And the whole system — bag and frame — clocks in at 3 pounds, 13 ounces. The frame itself weighs 2 pounds, 7 ounces.

For all this tech, you’re definitely throwing some money down. The frame itself retails for $335, and the combo together costs $574.

Sold individually for $329, the pack frame weighs just 2 pounds, 9 ounces. But Seek Outside designed it to carry the heaviest loads.

Due to its ability to attach several fabric sacks externally, it’s a very versatile frame. It can be used for packrafting, hunting, search and rescue, and even expeditions.

A popular configuration (as pictured above) is to put a Merlin Daypack Talon ($130) on the frame to carry small items during a day of hunting. Attach a dry bag for bulkier gear, and you’ve got a waterproof system for longer backcountry trips.

The frame has a load shelf that adds 2,000 cubic inches of overhaul capacity, so you should be able to load in elk quarters for the haul out after a successful hunt