When it comes to packs in general, the market favors Western hunting and rightly so. But there are plenty of whitetail hunters who need storage for remote all-day sits, camera gear, or extra layers. And for those deep public hunts, sometimes dragging a whitetail isn’t feasible. Throw steep or thick terrain into the mix and you’re in for a hellacious deer drag that’ll make you think twice before pulling the trigger.
The KUIU Venture Divide 3000 has plenty of room for those deep hunts when you need to debone or quarter a deer out and save yourself from a heart attack. But even if you don’t plan on packing your buck out, this pack can hold all the gear a whitetail hunter needs.
In short: the KUIU Venture Divide 3000 shines as a versatile hunting pack across Western hunting, that should also appeal to whitetail hunters who need plenty of storage.
- Weight: 4 lbs., 11 oz.
- Material: 330D HT waterproof CORDURA
- Sizing: 28-42"
- Shoulder yoke height adjustment: 2.5"
- Volume: 3,000 cu. in.
- Frame height: 22.5"
- Expanded dimensions: 22" x 13" x 11.5"
- Hydration compatible: 3L
- Removeable Hip Belt:
- Polycarbonate Frame:
KUIU Venture Divide 3000 Review
Testing the KUIU Venture Divide 3000 in the Field
This past deer season, I used the Venture Divide 3000 as my primary whitetail pack for everything from hang and hunts to still hunting. For most of my hunts, I typically packed a platform for saddle hunting, climbing sticks and ropes, camera gear, food for all-day sits, extra layers, game bags, and a host of other small items. The KUIU Venture Divide 3000 held all of my gear and didn’t require a crash course in Tetris. Even with all my gear, I never hit max storage capacity, and it never felt like overkill.
Storage
Compartments on the Venture Divide 3000 waste zero space, and they’re intuitive to access. The dual top shroud on the Venture Divide 3000 pulls double duty. It creates extra space to store more gear or a hindquarter, but it also keeps gear within reach. While saddle hunting, I would open the top shroud for storing a grunt tube, rangefinder, or other layers. And the drawstring means you don’t have to worry about loud zippers when you need to access something.
The pockets on the hip belt are one of my favorite features, particularly when I’m in a tree. Though not as prevalent or necessary in the whitetail woods, these pockets are great for stashing smaller gear like an extra release, bow hanger, windchecker, or headlamp, though they make pack-ins extremely comfortable and snug. In the tree, the hip belt conveniently hugs the trunk and keeps these pockets within reach.
On the front of the pack, the horseshoe zipper and storage compartment contains a couple of smaller zippered pockets, and I used this space to hold a Tethrd Predator platform with plenty of room to spare.
Two compression straps on the front of the pack hold extra gear like climbing sticks or additional layers that you don’t want occupying necessary internal space.
Comfort
Though I wasn’t logging serious mountain miles, the Venture Divide 3000 does a great job of balancing weight, thanks to the internal polycarbonate frame. The adjustable shoulder straps and mesh on both the straps and pack are comfortable and breathable. Even on days that I covered several miles with this pack, I never felt like my back overheated. That way you don’t have to sweat on the way to the stand and then freeze for the rest of your hunt.
Where the KUIU Venture Divide 3000 Excels
KUIU designed the Venture Divide 3000 as a daypack, so the emphasis was never on counting ounces, though it still comes in at a lower weight (4 pounds, 11 ounces) than a lot of whitetail-specific packs. This favors whitetail hunters who need plenty of storage for all-day hunts but aren’t worried about shedding pack weight.
The Divide’s storage compartments and side access closures make it convenient to access gear, while the adjustable tension straps keep its footprint to a minimum and your gear snug. I especially appreciated the divide storage, which I used to store my rifle for long treks before and after shooting hours. Though, you can also use the side stuff pouches and compression straps to secure your rifle if the rest of your pack is stuffed with gear (which I did occasionally).
The 330D HT and waterproof HT CORDURA are plenty durable for the whitetail woods. Even through a couple of rainy sits, I didn’t have to worry about my camera gear getting wet.
Where the KUIU Venture Divide 3000 Can Improve
Knocking the Venture Divide 3000 for its shortcomings in the whitetail woods wouldn’t be fair since it’s designed for Western hunting. But even as a whitetail pack, the Venture Divide 3000 hits the sweet spot of price, comfort, and storage capacity. Like all one-size packs, this one won’t be as comfortable as one that’s fitted to specific measurements. Hunters with really long torsos might have comfort issues, especially if you’re hauling a ton of gear.
Though this pack has plenty of overall storage space, more, smaller pockets would provide optimal gear organization and keep other items from rattling around.
Final Thoughts
Plenty of Western gear (merino wool, for instance) has trickled into the whitetail woods. The KUIU Venture Divide 3000 definitely fits that crossover. The 3,000 cubic inches might seem like overkill for most treestand hunters, but if you plan to log several miles and pack your kill out, this pack fits the bill.
