Top 5 Best Bowhunting Backpacks – [Ultimate 2024 Reviews]

If you’re anything like us, your compound bow is worth its weight in gold. For this reason, it’s critical to transport it in the best bowhunting backpack. A good bowhunting pack allows you to easily secure your bow, quiver, optics, and other accessories without hassle. Better yet, it gives you the peace of mind of knowing your bow will never touch the ground. Since we focus on optimization, tactical advantage, and minimalism, we’re 100% confident that you’ll land on the best backpack for bowhunting here in our guide.

With this in mind, this guide will help you learn how to choose the right pack for your compound bow and give you an idea of what’s currently available. Certainly, there are brands that outshine the rest, and we prefer to stick with those brands. Ultimately, a good bowhunting backpack should last you for many seasons of even the most hardcore abuse. Yes, you might be able to save some bucks upfront by choosing a budget brand, but do you want to be one of those guys who can’t haul his meat due to bag failure? Of course, you don’t.

So, it’s time to see what each of our top picks has to offer.

Reviews: Best Bowhunting Backpacks

Before we get started with #1, here are a few of the key features we considered while creating this guide:

• Weight
• Built-In Bow Carriers/Holders
• Capacity
• Materials/Durability
• Quiet
• Frame Types
• Hydration Compatibility
• Zipper Quality
• Functionality
• Warranty
• Hunting Scenarios

Those are just the key factors. As you know, you also have to factor in your preferences and planned uses. Also, we always look for those x-factor features that set a good hunting pack apart from the rest.

#1) Eberlestock M5 RMEF Team Elk Pack

Eberlestock’s Team Elk Pack is the jack of all trades, meaning it’s ready for any bowhunting mission during any part of the season. As the name suggests, the Team Elk Pack is built with the elk hunter in mind. Consequently, if you landed here today looking for the best bowhunting backpack for big-game hunting expeditions out West, this is the one. First, it sports both a supportive bow bucket and integrated rifle scabbard for hunters who do both bowhunting and rifle hunting.

Next, the Intex-II aluminum tube frame is built to hold as much weight as you can throw at it. As a result, you get one of the best hunting packs for packing out meat when you choose the Team Elk pack. Third, we really enjoy the easy access this pack delivers because it gives us the ability to open it from the top or at the front. In other words, there’s never a need to reach down into the bag to grab your gear. Plus, if you hang it in a treestand or in a blind, you’ll have easier access to your supplies.

Finally, the large side zip pockets function like butter and provide you with enough room to stow your spotting scope and other optics. Inside the bag, you’ll find clever organizational touches that prove this bag was actually field-tested before its release. Regarding suspension, the extra-wide hip belt, padded shoulder straps, and compression system ensure that you’re able to haul heavy loads with even weight distribution.

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#2) Mystery Ranch Beartooth 80

Alright, if the Elk Pack wasn’t big enough for you, and you were let down about not being able to separate the bag from the frame, here’s your solution. With a 5185 CI capacity, this pack gives you more than 2000 CI of additional storage space. Plus, the Beartooth 80 sports Mystery Ranch’s awesome Guide Lite frame with the Overload feature. Essentially, the Overload feature allows you to separate the frame and bag a full 180º, then easily compress the bag down above your meat after packing it out.

Next, securing your compound bow to this pack is as easy as strapping it down to the outside of the pack. Typically, we look for a designated holder, but since this is a larger pack, it’s advantageous to cut down on weight by including only what’s necessary. As a result, this pack weighs 6.7 lbs, which is only .2 lbs heavier than the Elk Pack. For one thing, the Beartooth is definitely light for its size.

A couple of final highlights are the 270º opening that allows you to access your gear from just about any angle, and the five-point waist belt is one of the best on the market. Having said that, expect even weight distribution no matter how heavy your load is. Also, the telescoping yoke makes it easy-peasy to adjust the Beartooth to fit your torso. All in all, this is the top premium large bowhunting backpack for long hunts in our guide.

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#3) Sitka Fanatic Pack

Now, if you’re looking for a top bow hunting backpack for treestand hunting, the Fanatic is worthy of your consideration. For us, it doesn’t get much more optimized than a Sitka pack for deer hunting from stands and blinds. To emphasize, Sitka’s treestand packs are clearly field-tested and designed by savvy veterans. First, the Fanatic pack is one of the quietest bowhunting packs on the market. Science dudes at Sitka found a way to cut the audible distance in half with the Fanatic pack.

Second, the combination of compression straps, silent hooks, and the bow hanger side pocket gives you plenty of options to secure your bow to the bag. Plus, the side pockets allow for rapid access to your bow once you’re nestled into your stand. Third, Sitka even added a designated stow-away bow strap for added security and even weight distribution during transport.

Regarding materials, the Fanatic takes a different approach by employing ultra-quiet & comfortable Berber fleece. Additionally, there are no dangling buckles or clips for the stealthiest movements. Instead, the Fanatic features silent hook & loop closures. Overall, the Fanatic pack is the stealthiest bowhunting backpack in our guide, yet it’s also one of the smallest with a 2166 CI total capacity.

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#4) Badlands Superday

This guide wouldn’t be complete without a Badlands pack, and our current favorite for bowhunting is the Superday. As the name implies, this is a daypack, and it’s very bow-friendly. First, the integrated bow boot cradles your compound bow like a newborn baby while the compression straps keep it tight against the pack. Second, the durability department is where this bag truly shines.

Badlands built the Superday with its latest in-house KXO-50 fabric with flexible Hypalon and Aramid fiber reinforcements. To put it simply, this bag is built to withstand even the harshest conditions without tearing at the seams or showing premature wear. In fact, Badlands is so confident in the durability of its packs that it backs them with a transferrable lifetime warranty. Comparatively, other top brands offer non-transferable lifetime warranties.

After durability, this pack utilizes upgraded premium YKK zippers for quieter performance, and a suspension system that would impress your grandfather. Finally, we’re big fans of the zip pockets in the waist belt with the integrated pistol holders tucked neatly behind them. At the end of the day, if you want a fully-functional bowhunting daypack that stands the test of time, then give the Superday a whirl. You won’t be disappointed.

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#5) Insights The Vision Bow Pack

Last up is a pack that’s specialized for bowhunting, and it also happens to be the most affordable pack in our guide at the time of this writing. First, it’s important to consider that The Vision is one of the best ways to protect your bow while in transit. Its unique clamshell design neatly wraps your bow between the bag and the back panel. Personally, this is the feature I like the most because it protects my bow better than just about any bag on the market, completely shielding the cam from dirt.

Next, Insights added what it calls its “TS3 technology” to this pack, which makes it great for treestand hunting. This TS3 tech allows you to use The Vision as a shelf or basket while in your stand. Third, for the money, The Vision impressed us in the durability & materials category. Overall, the materials resist moisture quite well, and there’s enough reinforcement at stress points to ensure this pack stands the test of time.

Lastly, it’s important to note that the core specs of this pack aren’t the best. To clarify, it has a total capacity of 1789 CI, and it weighs 4 lbs 10 oz. Comparatively, Badlands’ Superday is more durable, has more capacity, and it’s lighter. All things considered, The Vision is an excellent budget bowhunting pack with unique features for the bowhunter that helped land it on this list.

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Final Thoughts

We’re confident that our guide led you to the best bowhunting backpack for your needs because we supplied options for every scenario. Whether you need a daypack, bowhunting pack for stand hunting, or a multi-day pack for a big-game hunt out West, there are packs here. If we had to choose just one pack, we’d stick with our #1 pick by Eberlestock because it’s field-ready for day hunts and longer.

For long hunts and hauling big loads, Mystery Ranch set the bar high with its Beartooth 80 pack, especially because of how well it distributes heavy loads. Finally, in the daypack category, we prefer what Sitka and Badlands bring to the table. Sitka’s Fanatic pack is the quietest bowhunting pack for hunters who treasure stealthiness in the field. As for utility, Badlands’ Superday and Insights’ The Vision are both great choices.