Thread: Bush Huntng Pack Mod

So here's an option if you have a fantastic backpack and are looking to convert it to a bush hunting. Rusky sensibly inspired me to look at getting a decent pack after my pikau just fell apart under load. And, to be honest, I've realised at my tender age, I can't get away with packs that don't carry weight well, nor bum bags and fold our meat bags that have straps like tooth floss under loads. I needed something that I could compress down, make quiet and convert when I needed to carry out load.

I've got an Exo Mtn Gear back pack which has a meat shelf off the pack frame and a separate bag that straps on. Most of the US mountain packs run this option and we will start to see more brands bring this to NZ. It really is the shiz when it comes to carry out heavy loads as you can strap your meat bag to the pack frame which centres the weight against your back and keep all the blood and mud away from your main bag. Most importantly it carries much better than the traditional meat in the very bottom of main pack. But, it is made of Cordura which is noisy in the bush and has heaps of compression buckles and straps that catch.

So, enter a 22 year old Ridgeline long sleeved top that (a) refuses to die and (b) I refuse to get rid off, and my amazing wife's sewing machine skills. The result, a removable pack cover and waist straps. About 100grams. Took about 20 minutes to design and sew up, with a bit of elastic from Spotlight. I cannibilised the vertical strap and clip from an old pack cover to keep the top section secure.

It's been awesome. It feels stealthy and allows me to use my mountain pack in the deep jungle:

1. Designed with a bit of stretch, the fleece helps compress down and protects my pack from catching
2. It's quiet. It's knocked out all of the sound from rubbing cordur and straps in the bush
3. Dare I say it, it looks mean.

I've used fabric glue and off cuts of fleece to repair old holes (it's incredibly robust fleece). And have subsequently improved the sleeve design for the next sewing session.

Note the old sleeves work really well as sleeves!


Cannibalised pac strap


The pack. Compressed down from 60 odd litres to nothing:

Nice work, and such a simple idea. I was in the clothing/equipment manufacturing business for about 15 years, and fleece is an incredible fabric. I made gaiters and puttees that had a light canvas inner, and fleece stitched to the outside and have had some last longer than 250 recorded days on the hill. Thats cos the fleece just doesnt want to wear out when it is incorporated in to a 2 layer system. And it doesnt freeze when its wet, so on those frosty high altitude hunts, you could pout your gaiters on first thing in the morning.

Great idea, I'll be making something similar next days off, my macpac fabric is very frustrating in the bush think this will solve the issue

I have used a fleece top before...arms of top go over the pack straps and the body over the main pack... vip up neck and it stays up,the body of top hangs down and covers pack completely..stops it being all scratchy n noisy.

Man that's a good idea - thanks for sharing!

What a great idea!

Really interested in knowing a bit more about how ya did it mate. Looking like a good weekend to make something similar myself. No good with designing. Cheers

I use a stony creek sleeveless vest over my exped lightning,another mod I made was to use old seatbelt on my right side shoulder strap while hunting with only light load in the pack so my rifle shoulders nicer ,no thick pack strap keeping the butt of the gun way off my shoulder,once animal shot and boned out into the pack I use the original pack strap for carrying heavy load,works really well.

That's a really cool conversion to do to minimise the sticky outy bits of your pack for crawling through the bush.

I never throw away old fleece gear, can always convert it to something else. Swazi microfleece pants worn out in the crotch?? Converted to lamb jackets when mum is down with twin lamb disease and can't look after them for a week...

Thanks for sharing. That really is a brilliant solution. I’ve got a few old fleece tops with grinder/welding burns which I now have a use for. Cheers

So buy some elastic from spotlight or your local sewing store. They even sell fleece by the metre. But old swazi/Ridgeline tops are much better. The lighter stuff is fine. If you get the odd hole in it you just glue a piece of excess fleece you've saved on it with fabric glue. Next loop the elastic around the circumference of the back of the pack to give you a rough guide as to how much elastic you need. Next drape the fleece you've cut from your old top over the back amd and stretch it over the pack. Cut to fit. You want some stetch and give in case you have a full pack. But not too saggy. Then sew the elastic on the zig zag stretch stitch (note this is the exact stitch name on a Brother sewing machine). When you stitch it you have to pull the elastic as tight as it xan go but not the fabric For the sleeves just cut them off then put them on the waist band on your pack. I cut a hole in mine for my garmin gos which sits in a twin needle pouch on the left side. The fleece doesn't rip so it's easy to work with. I used fabric glue to close off the sleeve cuff so it just fit over the belt buckle. Doesn't have to look professional. Just has to work. For an A+ cut off the elastic strap and clip off an old nylon rain pack cover and sew it on two thirds of the way up the pack cover. This saved me a few weeks again when the cover was nearly pulled off in a Kaimai bush bash

Please note my wife did all the sewing. I drank coffee and pretended to watch. If you aren't a gifted sewer, take it in to a sewing alteration shop and they'll sort for you

A quick note for the sleeves. These too have elastic bands to help hold them to the base of your pack. Again, make sure that you stretch the elastic out and not the fabric when "you" sew them on (or so I've seen).