- Joined
- May 19, 2019
- Messages
- 343
I don’t know what has happened to me as a hunter. I now wear a tree diaper and carry a man-purse. All I can say is, this system works, and works very well. Meet the Helikon-Tex Bushcraft Satchel.
Like many others, I’ve gone through my series of packs to find something that works perfect for me and my style of hunting. Backpacks like my HPG Connor work very well for hauling a set of sticks, a platform, or a bow, but it’s downfall is you have to take everything off at the base of the tree and hang everything from your saddle to ascend the tree. There’s also a considerable deal of time spent packing everything back up together at the end of each hunt. I also love and hate sticks. The more I use them, the less I love them—especially my full length lone wolf sticks that hang on everything in the woods. For this reason, I’ve gone to steps for this coming season. Fanny packs allow you to store a few steps and deploy them easily while climbing, but their downfall is limited capacity. You still need somewhere to put your clothes, gear, and platform (if you use one).
So...after diligent searching and time trying things in the field, I have settled on my ideal pack: a satchel. I learned I needed a bag that was big enough to hold all my stuff and allow me to walk straight up to a tree and begin my climb without taking my pack off. Below is my review of the HT Bushcraft Satchel:
Size: 12”x12”x7” Very roomy.
Perfect size to hold more than a dozen Cranford steps, my predator platform, linemans belt, back strap, tether, bow hanger strap, headlamp, water bottles, and some clothes.
Features:
1. molle webbing on both sides and on bottom of pack allow for modularity. You can even run a bungee or cinch strap (not included) across the bag from the molle loops to secure extra clothing.
2. Also there are two exterior pockets under the molle webbing on each side of the bag—one of which has a closed bottom and one with a pass through bottom (created to hold a hatchet). There is a cinch strap over these pockets to secure their contents. The closed bottom pocket is perfect for holding a grunt tube, keeping it handy while walking or in the tree.
3. Zippered exterior pocket (~12”x8”) perfect for stuffing gloves, a balaclava, and a beanie.
4. Interior mesh zippered pouch perfect for storing wallet, keys, cellphone, milkweed, release, rangefinder, etc.
5. Two interior elastic, deep cup holders which work great for storing straps, belts, headlamps, etc.
Comfort:
The removable carry strap is 2” adjustable webbing and is very comfortable—even weighed down! After a mile or so, I may feel some pressure, though not really discomfort. In those cases I just put it on my other shoulder. I can walk many miles with this bag comfortably.
Noise:
The fabric of the pack is 500D cordura, known for its durability, not its silence. If you scratch it with your finger nails, it will make some noise, but it is not bad. The way i rig it keeps everything I would need access to (once in a tree) on the exterior of the bag, keeping me from having to rustle in the bag itself. So the slightly noisy fabric is a non issue completely for me.
The zippers are pretty dang quiet! Much quieter than the ones on my HPG Connor. Very pleased.
Quality:
EXCELLENT stitching. YKK zippers. 500D cordura. This bag feels bombproof.
Final thoughts:
If you hunt with sticks, I’d probably stick with a backpack. If you hunt with steps or need a turkey hunting bag, or hunt on the ground then you should definitely give this satchel a try! About $55 on Amazon. Lots of colors to choose from. Mine is Adaptive Green.
This IS my go-to, ideal pack. The only improvement I would like to see made is a hunting version made from fleece instead of cordura, but as I said earlier, I’m not the least bit concerned about the slight noise of the fabric. This is a high quality pack that suits my needs perfectly. I load it with everything I need in usable order: in the bottom I load any clothing layers, my predator pack down the back of the main pouch closest to my body, throw my Cranford steps in beside the platform, and put my linemans belt on top of the steps since that will be the first thing I need when I get to the tree. My tether, backband, and headlamp go in the water bottle pouches for easy access at any time. The great thing is, on my way down after a hunt, I don’t even have to roll my steps back up; there’s enough room to just chunk them in and roll them up later. The quick set up/pack up, everything in one place, comfort, ease of access to everything, and its light weight are the main reasons I love this thing. Also, if it gets stinky ever, I can just toss it in the wash. However, since your back is not covered like a backpack, I don’t see this thing getting bogged down with sweat...another positive feature.
Sorry for the long post. If you have questions/comments, hit me up or reply below!
Last edited:
