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Best Saddle Hunting Packs and Backpacks? - 2023 Guide

June 27, 2023 5 min read

2023 Saddle Hunting Packs and Backpacks Guide

We all have them, we all use them, and we are always looking for the best of them, hunting packs. When you’re a hunter using a saddle, stand, blind, or even just running and gunning from the ground, you need a pack that compliments your situation or at least "does it all". When is the right time to go small, go big, or in between? What about a frame? How about a lumbar design? We have broken everything down into points to consider. After weighing those points out, we organized our saddle hunting pack and backpack systems, taking those all into account. Hopefully, we can help you get on the right path to carrying all of your saddle hunting gear!

Comfort

This is where it starts, plain and simple. If the pack isn’t comfortable for you, it won’t make the cut. Pack comfort has variables like venting, load capacity, size, and adjustability. All of these play into comfort.

Minimalism vs Maximalism

These two aspects are the second thing most people take into account with a pack, but their importance cannot be overstated. Some folks want the smallest possible package, going into the woods very spartan, while others want everything for every situation they may encounter. Some folks like to have a little of both. There is a pack for every style.

Mobility

Some hunters are walking out to a fixed box blind, while others are belly crawling on a stalk but no one wants to feel hampered or burdened by their pack. Mobility, the ability to jump, sneak, run, and gun and shook and jive easily with no movement or agility degraded by your pack is important. Good mobility can make the difference between a shot opportunity and a missed opportunity just because you can get to the right shooting position unimpeded

Frame or Frameless

This is simple, do you need a pack with a hard frame or one without? Most folks can pack everything they need into a Frameless pack. Some hunters plan on carrying heavy loads through challenging terrain and in those cases only a frame will do. There are frameless packs that carry like a frame pack as well, providing a nice middle ground.

Protective Padding

Do you film your hunts? Put out trail cameras? Carry Ozone generators or other devices like that? Some protective padding is a great way to protect those valuable investments. Some packs offer added padding in compartments to help you keep your expensive add-on gear safe.

Customization

Do you have moments where a bit more gear is needed? Are you making long runs where pack adjustability might really come into play? Customization really matters. You can take a pack and make it the most efficient tool for your hunting.

Saddle Hunting Packs

CAYS 2.0 Backpack

Our CAYS pack is the OG in our lineup. Built with superior comfort ad customization in mind, all in a frameless design. Tipping the scales at 3.6 lbs and 1950 Cubic Inches, this is a great all-around hunting pack. There are some strategically placed padded compartments and Molle Strips to support your high-end gadgets and any sort of customization you might need. With a fully adjustable strap setup, it handles mid-weight hunting load outs without sacrificing mobility.

Palisade Backpack

If there was ever a middle ground between Frameless and Frame Packs, the Palisades is it. With an EVA foam body and bucket design, this pack excels in the Padded Compartments and Comfort departments. The semi-rigid construction carries more like a rigid frame pack without sacrificing the pliability and flexibility of a frameless design. This pack is great for a person filing hunts or someone who likes to reach down into a bucket for their gear. The Palisades is 3.9 lbs and boasts a 1600 Cubic Inch capacity.

Sumpter Frame Backpack

Saddle hunting meets western hunting with our Sumpter. This frame pack is built for challenging whitetail hunts where a heavy, stable and durable bag will shine. This bag is comfortable with heavy loads. Even pack your trophy out on your back with a built-in meat shelf system. With load lifters, an adjustable belt, and a sternum strap, the Sumpter is very mobile even when it’s filled to the brim and beyond. With its robust build and abilities that none of the other bags have, this maximalist backpack tips the scale at 5lbs 15 oz and 2600 cubic inches.

Sling Pack

Going from our maximalist pack to our minimalist pack, our Sling Pack is our answer for a comfortable minimalist set-up with the preset hunter in mind. There is plenty of pockets for all of your gear and lots of Molle for customization. With saddle hunting the top consideration, this pack is a great Turkey hunting and Scouting Option. Some of us even use it for fishing and waterfowl hunting. Don’t let the small size fool you. At 1 lbs 2 oz this little behemoth punches well above its weight class. If you’re headed to a pre-hung set, or maybe a blind, this pack will carry everything you need.

Platow Pack

A favorite among the Trophyline team, this Lumbar Style pack has it where it counts. With a minimalist principle in mind, the Platow carries all of your saddle hunting gear and then some. With dedicated straps and Molle, this pack has a few different options for carrying your platform and stick setup, even while supporting your extra layers on cold days. This pack is extremely customizable with multiple adjustment points. Its 1200 cubic inches are plenty enough for all of your all-day hunt needs. And at 2.6 lbs, it is not as heavy as our full backpack models while still checking all of the boxes for a true all-day hunting pack.

Woodlands Backpack

The newest pack in our lineup, the Woodlands backpack, was built for any mobile hunter looking for a balance of simplicity & customizability without limiting capability or storage. With a removable sheet frame, this pack can be either 2.4 lbs with the frame or 1.9 without. 1900 cubic inches of very customizable, very comfortable, and purpose-built design presents you with a durable top-load bag that is meant to stand up to whatever you can dish out. This is, again a nice middle ground for the modern saddle hunter. It will hold all of your mobile hunting needs without making you less agile or clunky. Much like the Platow, the Woodsman checks all of the boxes for a saddle hunter.

We hope this rundown helps you pick the best possible pack for your upcoming hunting season. If you want more info, please dive into our new series "PACK DUMPS". We dive into specific hunts - specific builds all revolving around carrying saddle hunting gear on packs and backpacks.