The 10 Best Elk Hunting Backpack in 2023 – Top Models Reviewed

Last Updated on March 1, 2023

Elk, the largest species in the deer family, is one of the hot favorites among the hunters. Elk hunting was always a popular mean of adventure for the adventure enthusiasts, but the rise in the popularity of Elk hunting in the last two to three decades is noticeable and impressive.

At one time, it was a medium of recreation for hunters of a specific region. However, nowadays, more and more people are interested in Elk hunting. It is entertaining, filled with excitement, and needs several pieces of equipment. Because hunting of any sort, be it Elk hunting or any other, requires high-quality gears, guns, and bows.

Then, one will also need other necessities like food, water, first aid kit, apparels, variety of essential hunting gears, and so much more. And to carry all of these, one quite obviously needs to spend on the best Elk hunting backpack available in the market. Here, we are going to review some of the best hunting backpacks in details.

Quick Answer – Elk Hunting Backpack

1. Tenzing 6000 Back Country Hunting Pack

2. Badlands 2200 Camouflage Hunting Pack

3. ALPS OutdoorZ Traverse EPS Hunting Pack

4. Eberlestock Team Elk Pack

5. Sportsman’s Outdoor Hunter Backpack

6. ALPS OutdoorZ Commander + Pack Bag

7. Badlands Superday Hunting Backpack

8. ALPS OutdoorZ Extreme Commander Pack

9. SITKA Gear Ascent 12 Pack

10. Horn Hunter Full Curl System

Reviews of the Best Elk Hunting Backpack

Hunting backpack is a shield to all the essentials carried for hunting for days, in extreme weather conditions. Not only that, but it is also used as a carrier of the meat and other valuable body parts like the head, horns, skin.

Keeping all these body parts as souvenirs is prevalent among the hunters, so they are priceless and requires utmost protection. Thus, the best Elk hunting backpack is that which has several easy-to-access compartments, pockets, and ports and offers supreme comfort with maximum loads on your shoulders and back.

It is durable, gives comfort and secure hold with padded foam, high-quality buckles, and comfortable straps. The sturdy internal frame, adjustable torso, and suspension system also make the heavy-load carrying smooth and easy. Most of the Elf hunting backpacks have freighter shelf or freighter pack frame for easy transportation on the hardest of terrains.

1. Tenzing 6000 Back Country Hunting Pack 

Tenzing 6000 is a well-designed hunting backpack with two rigid internal aluminum frame stays. Frame stays are comparatively lightweight and bend according to the shape of the back. The sturdy frame is also responsible for almost zero shoulder fatigue.

The backpack is large enough to store a variety of gears and a generous amount of meat and other body parts of the Elk. It has a total of 20 compartments and pockets which includes meat pocket, and that is expandable.

With 4400 cubic inches of storage, the backpack can be expanded up to 6031 cubic inches. Even after that much space, it weighs very less, thus easy to carry even with heavy loads. Torso suspension is fully adjustable and keeps the right balance and stability in the torso area of the body, even with the heavy loads.

It is responsible for not feeling the load on the shoulder as the suspension system is not restricting the movement of the shoulder and hip. For the comfort of the back and hip area, it has channeled, air-cooled back pad and padded hip support.

2. Badlands 2200 Camouflage Hunting Pack

If you are into both bow and rifle hunting, this imported Badlands backpack is the best Elk hunting backpack for you. Due to the Approach Camo pattern, blending with the surroundings become easy.

Made from Badlands patented KXO-32 fabric, this backpack is not only waterproof but also DWR coated. It suppresses odor and withstands moisture, dirt, and blood.

The comfortable carrying of heavy loads results due to several features. Firstly, the sturdy T-6 Aircraft Aluminum internal frame offers a solid base for all the heavy loads. And the frame with the help of the load lifter straps shift the weight to the hips and diminishes fatigue.

Then, the backpack fits the contours of the body perfectly due to the ThermoMold Suspension. It utilizes molded foam ergonomically, at all the right places.

With 8 pockets and 2200 capacity which includes a built-in meat shelf, a zippered rear entry panel, and internal scope and tripod pockets, it organizes things beautifully. You can be in the harshest of conditions, but this backpack withstands every hurdle. Thus comes with an unconditional lifetime warranty.

3. ALPS OutdoorZ Traverse EPS Hunting Pack

ALPS OutdoorZ Traverse EPS Hunting Pack is capable of carrying heavy loads effortlessly, and that ease comes due to its unique “H” frame design. The frame base is made of solid tubular aluminum. The frame base is made of solid tubular aluminum.

A backpack can carry heavy loads for a few reasons, and among them, a sturdy frame is extremely crucial. And the next is the adjustable torso suspension. With just those two features, the backpack has grabbed a solid spot among the most advanced internal-frame backpacks.

The padded shoulder harness also plays its part in carrying the load with ease. It has several compartments and pockets, including main compartment, side pocket, and internal pocket. For carrying the weapons safely, it has a drop-down pocket and two front-zippered wing pockets.

The side compression straps allow attaching extra gears. There are two pockets on the waist belt as well. If you need to add more loads, there are extension lashing straps.

It is versatile and accommodates bow, rifle, and handgun with ease. Also, the Hydration pocket and port make it hydration compatible, and it includes a blaze orange rain cover as well.

4. Eberlestock Team Elk Pack

Eberlestock M5 Team Elk Pack is unique, quiet and special. An apt backpack for both day trips and multiple day trips, it possesses best-in-class features.  The Intex-II tubular aluminum frame helps to provide much-needed stability.

Importance of the steadiness increases when the backpack gets loaded with heavy stuff, and when it is about Elk hunting, the load will generally be heavy. It is specially designed for both front-loading and top-loading access and has a massive 3100 cubic inches storage capacity.

The former will keep the gears within reach, and the latter will allow you to load as much stuff you need, that too with ease. It includes fold-away rifle scabbard and built-in bow carrier, and both of these work as enclosed pockets when not in use.

The dual full-depth spotting scope and hydration pockets can be accessed top-to-bottom on both sides of the pack. Last but not least, a portion of the revenue is donated to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, so basically investing on it results in relating oneself to a good cause.

5. Sportsman’s Outdoor Hunter Backpack

Horn Hunter Full Curl System Backpack is built on a sturdy, rigid, yet lightweight H3 Tubular frame. The aluminum frame structure can carry heavy loads and fulfills every requirement of an Elk hunter.

The whole backpack package includes an HH13 Hybrid Full Curl Frame, an HH12 Full Curl Bag and an HH11 Full Curl Pack. It has a total of 5000 cubic inches of storage and several compartments, pockets, and ports for proper organizational purpose.

The gear, weapons, and other necessities can be well-organized and quickly found when needed.  The day pack is attached to the frame and has a capacity of approximately 1500 cubic inches. And the main bag is slid from the top in the frame and has a maximum capacity of roughly 3000 cubic inches.

The wings and the hip belt has several pockets including the dropdown storage pocket which can fit a scope easily and also a bladder pocket. There is a moderate-sized bag at one side of the backpack as well, which allows more things to take during the hunt.

6. ALPS OutdoorZ Commander + Pack Bag

This Elk hunting backpack from ALPS OutdoorZ is made with durable nylon Ripstop fabric. The fabric is known for lasting for years, even after combating harshest of weather conditions and elements.

It has a commander frame, and the bag is detachable so that the hunter can use just the frame to haul out meat. The specialty of a commander frame lies on three features- torso adjustments, lashing system, and freighter shelf. It has torso adjustments of 17-23 inches.

The range allows custom fittings to any body types. For providing maximum support to the loaded meat, the backpack uses the freighter shelf. The load can be lashed on both sides of the freighter shelf and adjusted with the straps.

Then there is the lashing system which is unique and includes three extensions straps for larger loads. There are two side accessory hinged pockets, a main, front and spotting scope pocket, drop-down rifle pocket and hydration pocket and port.

The hip belt offers a comfortable fit around the waist while carrying a heavy load. The clip-style holster and drop-down rifle pocket allow the simultaneous carrying of rifle and handgun.

7. Badlands Superday Hunting Backpack

Badlands backpacks are well-known and well made, and this one is no different. It is an imported product and made of 100% Polyester as well as KXO-32 fabric. ThermoMold Suspension allows the molded foam to fit the contours of a body perfectly, and the load lifter straps shift the load to the hip, reducing shoulder fatigue.

It is a backpack of Approach camo pattern with a neutral color palette. The design is known to blend seamlessly with any surrounding and lighting, making it easy to hide and hunt. Then, there is the patented KXO-32 fabric, which is the quietest. The fabric is waterproof as well, thus apt for using in heavy rain.

With a storage capacity of 1950 cubic inches in total, the main compartment of the pack has a storage capacity of 1440 cubic inches. It has seven pockets for storing basic items and essential equipment.

For attaching or carrying the gear and guns, it has built-in pistol holders and five compression straps. The versatile pack allows carrying a rifle, bow, and pistol. The bag is compatible with 2-liter hydration systems.

8. ALPS OutdoorZ Extreme Commander Pack

For any backcountry hunter, the Commander X + Pack is a complete system. It is made of 1680D nylon ballistic and Robic nylon fabric, thus durable and reliable. It is a combination of an internal frame meat hauling pack and a pack bag.

The pack has a storage capacity of 4000 cubic inches, so it can pack every possible gear and essentials you need for hunting. At the end of the task, you can haul out the meat. The suspension system utilizes the molded foam in such a way that the backpack follows and fits every contour of the body comfortably and ensures a perfect fit.

Added to that are the Lycra soft-edge shoulder straps and adjustable torso. Carrying the heavy load becomes easy, and the straps don’t start hurting the skin during long term carrying.

The backpack includes a removable fanny pack, LED Light, internal divider, spindrift collar, drop-down pocket, fleece-lined spotting scope pocket, pockets in the waist belt, rain cover and hydration pocket.

9. SITKA Gear Ascent 12 Pack

SITKA Gear Ascent 12 Pack is an apt Elk hunting backpack for bow hunters. The management of the weapons, especially arrows, becomes easy with its toggle bow suspension system. This new lightweight system secures the weapon efficiently. The backpack is available as one size fits all, thus versatile.

While the backpack is on your shoulder, you are not going to feel the load. Because Ascent 12 is built in such a way on purpose. It is a stripped-down, dialed-in daypack which allows the hunter to move swiftly.

The main section of the backpack has a storage capacity of 1200 cubic inches. Organizing and finding the gear and other items becomes easier due to the three internal mesh pockets.

Then, there are the external bungee compression doubles which come handy to store weapons and keep it within reach. The hydration bladder sleeve and suspension hook add more to make it a complete backpack.

10. Horn Hunter Full Curl System

This one is similar to the previous Horn Hunter backpack but with a slight difference.  The whole thing is a combination of a frame, a pack, and a bag and has a storage capacity of approximately 5500 cubic inches. The frame is an H3 tubular frame which is used for heavy loads.

The benefit of suck backpacks with frames is that you can easily remove the large bag and go hunting with the frame and day pack. During multi-day trips, one need to carry many things which can be left in the camp and not necessarily be taken while hunting.

You can keep your food, sleeping bag, apparels in the bag, fully organized and protected. Moreover, you are safe from carrying extra loads. The compression straps are well placed and long.

Attaching the bags and the other gear securely becomes simple with such straps. The wings and the hip belt also has compression strap to lock the back comfortably.

Final Words

Elk hunting is a grueling task because it doesn’t end at just killing the Elk. Peeling the skin, cutting the meat, packing the massive amount including the head and antlers of the Elk, all of these are too much work. Moreover, you will have to walk quite a distance in the long terrains to reach your destination.

Then, the gears and weapons you use for hunting are not any low-cost items. They are expensive. So, not only you need protection, organization but also you will have to carry the heavy load. For that, you will require the best Elk hunting backpack.

The best one will not only provide an efficient hunting experience, but also the tasks which are a must to take the trophy and meat home will be easier. Our review was an attempt to let you know about some of the best ones. Hopefully, it will be helpful for you to buy one soon.

10 Best Elk Hunting Backpack

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Campbell John

Hi, I am John Campbell, an outdoor enthusiast. Just like you, I value the habitat, heritage and tradition of great outdoors. I do my best to make sure the correct research, writing, and photo are shown on Tacticalgearslab.com. Indeed, I am committed to preserving a great online experience for you.