Letter Re: Bug Out Bag [Baloney] by RS

I too am in agreement on the weight of packs. Most people I know base their “ability” on how much they can carry over a short, flat distance and they have little practice at judging that distance. If I can brag a little, I was graced with shooting a nice bull elk this last fall. I went in on foot about three miles that was steep, rough, and covered with brush and dead fall. Coming out it started to snow. I had a small pack that day, my rifle, the head, antlers, and cape. It took me three hours to go the three miles back to the truck. I was wiped out. At home I weighed the load– seventy five pounds. Since I weigh one fifty, I felt pretty macho. The next day with a friend along, I carried out fifty four pounds, then thirty eight. His loads were a little lighter. The third day I brought out the last by myself at forty two pounds and forty six pounds. (This was just meat– no bone or hide.) It was rough hiking, loaded one way for three days, and I was sore, tired, and limping though happy about the elk meat. My point here is this: if I had to carry a pack all day for several days and still function, it wouldn’t be more than thirty five pounds, and I really would try to make it less. Also a word about zippers. I have noticed and experienced that many hunting packs, day packs, and backpacks have been made with materials that hold up quite well, other than the plastic zippers. When they fail, you are left with a really good pack that is worthless. I have taken the time to replace the failed plastic with heavy brass zippers on two of my packs, and it has worked out well. – B.S.