Purchasing the best hunting duffel and hunting pack is very important as there are many hunters who think it may be okay to use a hard suitcase; on the contrary, a suitcase is a bad idea as they’re rigid with no flexibility for packing things around them, smashing them into corners of charter planes or in the back of pickup trucks; in fact, most outfitters won’t allow suitcases at all!
I have put the Filson Large-Wheeled-Duffel to the test. Where I’ve taken it all over the world, the true test was when I flew commercially to Cameroon, then caught a tiny charter plane deep into the heart of the jungle, drove it through the rain, rolled it across the mud to my chalet and everything inside was in perfect order! This bag held up beautifully and all of the contents were perfectly preserved!
For the day pack there isn’t another backpack better for the in-field situations as The Haversack. It’s quiet with leather buckle flaps and zippers, it’s palatable and makes for easy organization. Many of the world’s top-professional hunters tote this pack into the field because the primary compartment provides a lot of room with suitable protection for binos, cameras and valuables. Furthermore, it’s been constructed to provide comfortable balance of weight with padded shoulder straps (incorporating snap over pockets) that adjust easily and quickly.
A bag must be sturdy to endure what it goes through in commercial airports, charter planes, backs of horses, rain, snow, etc… and these bags are the best! They’re a bit pricey (roughly $450 for the Filson and $325 for the Haversack) but I won’t have to replace either one for a long time -if ever! As the saying goes: “price is what you pay; value is what you get”!
What’s your favorite bag(s)?
