As the spring grows into the dog days of summer, we begin thinking about the new gear we want to acquire for our hunting, fishing, hiking and backpacking adventures. Over the next several weeks we will look closely at different equipment possibilities.
This is what we envision. Loaded down with fresh meat and if possible, a decent trophy.
ALPS OutdoorZ Pursuit Bow Pack, First Take:
Strapping my brother’s bow into the Pursuit bow holder and just walking to the backyard made me feel giddy. Although mid spring, the feeling of having a bow and pack on my back sent shockwaves of primal bowhunting desires through every synapse in my brain. Whether you are heading out back behind the barn for a quick evening hunt, are gearing up for a long day trek, or just heading out for a recreational hike, the Alps Outdoors Pursuit Bow Pack provides space, ample pockets and compartments with a handy way to secure your gun or bow for the duration of the hike.
Hanging off of the HAWK™ GoGadget™ here, it it easy to envision this same scene in late fall in the deer woods.
Specs:
With 2700 cubic inches, the Pursuit allows one to store key day trip essentials. Included in the Pursuit Pack is a water bladder compartment and port to snake a bladder hose non-intrusively out the top and clip onto the shoulder strap.
Food, clothing and other supplies store pack comfortably. Extra clothing, portable cooking stove, game bags, and other accessories fit well in the main compartment.
The front compartment is slightly smaller yet contains several mesh pockets perfect for storing and transporting small accessories. There are six total individual pockets in the front pack including an elastic gear holder like you see in a turkey vest. Use these to keep your pack organized by storing small flashlights, knives, ammo, food, calls and optics.
Treestand hunters will also appreciate the adjustable straps in the front pack. These straps allow you to create an open and flat surface for ease of storing and reaching gear in the stand. Instead of digging around and making noise, this essentially allows you to have a small table in the tree with you.
Having my key in stand gear readily accessible without having to dig around is save on time, frustration, and noise.
For those needing to hike long distances to their areas, the Pursuit Pack comes with a bow and gun holder. Straps attached to an elastic protective covering, tighten to secure your gun or bow. The bottom cam or butt stock of the gun are secured in an adjustable lower pocket. The adjustable lower pocket is one of the elements of this pack I love since it keeps dirt out of my bow cams increasing the lifespan of my bow cams and strings. Even fishermen wishing to hike into remote locations can benefit from this system.
The Pursuit preformed well on a deep woodland trout fishing trip. I was able to store extra gear and secure my flyrod in the bow holder for long hikes.
Who isn’t looking forward to this?
While the majority of the time I spent with the bow in the holder, I realized that this could also be useful for hiking in after turkeys. Not every big gobbler is converniently located right in your neighbors field. It is easy to envision filling the pack with gear, strapping a shotgun into the holder and hiking into deep woodland hollows and distant mountain draws after weary old toms.
Don’t let distance stay between you and the gobbler of your dreams. Pack in and tag out..
This feature allows your hands to stay free for glassing and keeping balance while traipsing over terra firma. For hunters, especially archers, the waist belt supports a pocket compartment compatible with many of today’s range finders.
Materials:
Knocking into objects will no longer result in extra noise. The material of the Pursuit is a soft, almost fleece like material. For those whose adventures take them into the thickest haunts of the animals they chase, this material will improve your stealth.
Excellent padding, especially on the lower lumbar area.
Since the best days to hunt are often times during periods of weather, the Pursuit comes with a blaze orange rain cover. The blaze cover can be used during survival situations to alert rescuers and is also key during firearms seasons.
But everything else aside, what makes or breaks a backpack? The way it feels on your back. The Alps team has designed this pack with luxurious padding as well as an aluminum stay for back support. This small piece of aluminum helps keep the pack from sagging and putting extra pressure on your shoulders- one of the best unspoken aspects of the Alps Pursuit.
The Pursuit is also built with excellent padding. I love how comfortable it feels while sitting on my back, especially the extra padding built into the lower lumbar area.
This flexible aluminum stay not only relieves pressure off your shoulders, but gives support to the overall pack keeping it upright while in the stand allowing you to keep your gear organized.
With the Alps OutdoorZ Pursuit Pack, you are placing ingenuity, convenience, stealth, and support on your back. The Pursuit has an MSRP of $129.99 and can be purchased at major retail locations.
Read more about the Pursuit Pack and all of Alps OutdoorZ fine products here.
http://www.alpsoutdoorz.com/outdoorz/products/packs/pursuit
Pushing The Wild Limits,
Jason
Pushing the Wild Limits 