The good news and the bad news are the same: If you are looking for a new backpack, there are so many great options it can be hard to make a decision. How do you find the perfect pack for next season’s hunts?

Tip 1: Define the Problem.
As with all gear, you need to determine your needs, wants, and resources before you start. What does your pack need to do? A pack for a once-in-a-lifetime backcountry elk hunt will be something different than a day pack you will use three times a week in your nearby archery stand. Do you have a budget to buy a small, medium, and extra large pack for different uses, or will one pack need to fill multiple requirements? Are you willing to pay more for features you want, but don’t really need?

Tip 2: Size Matters.
Backpack capacity is commonly measured in cubic inches or liters. Being a nonmetric kind of guy, I base my evaluation on cubic inches, because that’s what I understand. For me, about 1,500 to 2,200 cubic inches (24 - 36 liters) is good for a day pack, and about 3,000 cubic inches (50 liters) is good for cold-weather hunts where I’m hauling extra, bulky clothes and additional gear. If you are always stuffing your pack full, you likely need to go up a size.

Tip 3: Make Sure it Fits.
Proper fitting is not terribly important for a small day pack to carry a few pounds for a short amount of time. However, the more weight you carry, and the longer you have it strapped to your back, the more important it is to properly fit the pack to your body so the waist belt can properly take up the load. Measure between your C7 vertebra (the bony lump at the base of your neck) and a line across your back between the top points of your pelvis (the iliac crests) to determine your size. Two people the same height can have very different torso lengths.

Tip 4: Do You Need Fast or Secure?
Many packs are designed to carry a rifle or bow, with a wide variety of designs. Some are more accessible and allow faster access, while other models may hold the rifle/bow more securely, but will make it harder to get to. If the rifle/bow is strapped to the side of the pack, it will need to be balanced on the other side to prevent the loaded pack from canting to one side, which will be uncomfortable. If the rifle/bow is located at the center of the pack, it will be more balanced side-to-side, but the farther it is from your back, the more it will pull your shoulders; the closer it is to your back, the slower it will be to get it into action.

Tip 5: Internal or External Support?
The larger the pack, the more likely it is to have a frame. Packs with external frames are generally less expensive, provide ventilation between your back and the pack, can attach gear to the sides, and often have multiple compartments, allowing you to organize your gear. However, they may be louder and get hung up in brush, and sit farther away from your back, affecting balance and comfort. If you need to haul meat, hides, or oddly-shaped gear, it can usually be strapped to an external frame, with or without the pack attached. Internal frame packs often have more capacity, are lighter, quieter, and fit closer on your back so as to provide better balance.

Tip 6: Make a Good Choice.
The backpack I use almost daily is driving me crazy, because I made a bad choice without evaluating it thoroughly. I really like everything about it, except one shoulder strap. The right one keeps slipping off my shoulder, regardless of how much weight is in it. I don’t know what the problem is – if it is my posture, the way I walk, the strap material, the angle the straps are sewn, or some other factor. While it is a minor irritant, if I had just put some weight in it and walked around for a few minutes, I would have made a different choice, and avoided the problem.

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