Tested True: BOG Packs & Bags

Though the "game-changing" phrase is used loosely regarding outdoor gear, some products live up to the mantra.

One of those products is BOG's DeathGrip Tripod. The first model I used showcased aluminum construction, but more recently, I've switched to the lighter, more robust Infinite - Carbon Fiber. I don't go on a big game hunt without a DeathGrip. I even packed my carbon model to the Dark Continent recently, even though I knew the PH would have shooting sticks.

When a hunter finds a product they can't live without, it's a game-changer.

BOG is a kingpin in the shooting sticks arena. However, like any forward-thinking company, they continue to innovate and develop new, purposeful products. After spending a week testing BOG's Backs & Packs, a category relatively new to the manufacturer, I can testify that no stone was left unturned in the creation process. These packs and bags were built for serious, hardcore hunters who put a premium on comfort, durability, and functionality.

BOG Inception & Helix 6000

I could've started this review with any of the BOG packs I received. My Western eyes went immediately to the Inception & Helix 6000. A multi-day western pack that weighs a mere 5 pounds 11 ounces, the Inception carbon fiber frame is bulletproof. The fabric is one of my favorites in any pack I've tested — 420D ripstock nylon. This fabric resists wear and tear. It holds up when the pack's surface scrapes against rocks, is rubbed against trees and is tossed to the forest floor at the end of a long hunt. It will resist poking tines when you're successful, and the zippers are second to none.

The large top opening of this 6,000-cubic-inch pack opens wide, and the drawstring is easy to manipulate. It sucks down tight when necessary. The backpack's front face sports MOLLE webbing for additional gear attachment, and a small pocket is located directly under the lid attachment buckles. I found this pocket ideal for my knife and sharpener. The next pocket down allows a zippered entrance into the pack's main compartment, allowing the user to get inside the main and grab specific gear without pulling everything out. I also appreciate the removable, single zipper top lid pocket. This lid provides additional storage and covers the top main compartment entrance when closed.

Zippered side pockets on each side of the pack make excellent locales for additional gear like a spotter and DeathGrip Tripod. I appreciate the open duo pockets on the outside of the side zippered pockets. These open-style pockets are excellent for water bottle storage.

Lumbar support is second to none via the thick, removable, no-slip center pad and padded waist belt. The waist belt showcases more MOLLE webbing, and, thank GOD, BOG added waist belt pockets. Waist belt pockets are essential for need-right-now gear, and like all zippers on the pack, waistbelt zippers are YKK.

The Quick Attache buckle system separates the pack from the frame and reattaches it easily. You don't need an MIT degree to operate this pack. BOG included an internal meat shelf so the meat can ride in a game bag between the back and frame. Load lifters and compression straps suck loads down tight, and the Velcro-on shoulder straps are ultra-comfortable.

With this pack loaded down, I took a 10-mile hike. It rode like a dream. This pack is a solid choice if an extended-day western hunt is on the horizon.

The pack is available in M/L options fitting waist sizes between 28 and 36 inches and XL options for 34- to 44-inch waistlines.

BOG Inception & Helix 3500

Perfect for overnight trips, and if you are a savvy western backpack hunter who knows how to save space in a pack, even longer, a 3500-cubic-inch pack is a hunting staple.

With an empty fighting weight under 5 1/2 pounds, the Inception & Helix 3500, like the 6000, features a robust carbon frame, meat shelf, and 420D ripstop nylon fabric build.

A smaller version that mimics the 6000 in almost every way minus the top lid, I found the pack to be as comfortable. Plus, simply due to the pack's lesser volume, it feels less bulky on the back and allows for increased mobility when in tow.

Like the 6000, the backpack is hydration-compatible, fully adjustable, has a bow/rifle holder in the furthest pocket on the bottom, and is interchangeable as a complete system or standalone meat hauler.

I often use this type of western pack, especially when hunting pronghorn, mule deer, or elk. With the pack on my back, I shot my Hoyt compound from 20 yards to 120 yards, which felt incredible. The pack hugs the body, and the many adjustment points allow for the just-right customization. I also went for a five-mile stroll in the rain. BOG brands the 420D ripstop nylon fabric as being water-repellant, and like most things BOG claims, the fabric stood up to Mother Nature.

With the 6000 and 3500, you can confidently roam the West in search of big-game nirvana.

The pack is available in M/L options fitting waist sizes between 28 and 36 inches and XL options for 34 to 44-inch waistlines.

BOG Agility - Stay Day Pack

As a western hunter, I've tested several packs during my outdoor tenure, and none are more comfortable than the Agility - Stay Day Pack. Why?

The build, of course, but the light aluminum frame with an ideally situated vented back mesh support makes this pack ride like a dream. Also, like all of BOG's packs, I appreciate the attention to detail the manufacturer put on the straps. Each strap rolls up quickly, and Velcro tabs hold them in place so they are not flopping around.

This 2900-cubic-inch capacity tote is a multi-purpose pack that works well as a Western day pack but is also the right size for whitetail ventures. The total empty weight is 3.7 pounds—up to 25 percent more capacity by weight—and the pack comes with a 150D Micro-Ripstop Rain Cover. You must feel this backpack on your back to know how airy and good it feels.

The Agility is crafted from 420D Micro-Ripstop Material, striking an ideal blend of toughness and get-close quietness. Like its larger cousins, I cheer the padded waist belt and zippered pockets. Also, I've yet to touch on this feature; all zippers are covered with a grippable rubberized tab.

The pack easily stores a 3-liter hydration bladder in the main compartment and sports mesh zippered pockets for proper gear organization. Two smaller zippered side pockets grace each side of the pack, and each side pocket has two Retractable Bottle Pockets sized to fit 32-ounce Nalgene bottles.

The pack features compression straps, a detachable Gun/Bow/DeathGrip Carry Boot, and Hypalon-Reinforced Clinched Molle Straps.

Kinetic - Lightweight Day Pack

BOG created the 2,400-cubic-inch capacity Kinetic to give hunters increased options, and I'm glad they did. With a fighting weight just north of three pounds, the Kinetic gives hunters ample storage space in a backpack that doesn't feel too heavy.

The Kinetic looks and feels much like the Agility, but this Limited Lifetime Warranty build doesn't feature the lightweight aluminum frame. Still, you get all the other features of the Agility, and I found the pack rides nicely on the back.

It's the dead of summer in southeast Colorado. When I tested the Kinetic, it was 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Though the backpack sat flat against the back, which decreased air ventilation, its lightweight feel made carrying weight in extreme temperatures tolerable.

Opting for the light, comfortable, and spacious Kinetic gives you a top-tier daypack without the sticker shock.

Before We Move On

While a litany of things impressed me about BOG's new Pack & Bag line, one I really want to call to the forefront is the similar, purposeful design each of the four packs above shares. I've never understood why a backpack manufacturer that believes in a particular design would want to make such drastic changes between packs. Those who choose the BOG Pack lineup will find similar design and function, which boosts ease of use and familiarity when swapping between backpack types.

I also appreciate that BOG didn't add nonsense features to their pack designs. Each feature serves a purpose. If a backpack sports a single pocket, zipper, cord, etc., that doesn't serve a purpose; it gets in the way and reduces the end user's ease of use. Well done, BOG.

BOG Ultimatum - Lumbar Fanny Pack

Minimalist hunting is popular. Recently, I've started hunting elk closer to roads and trailheads. Not because I'm lazy but because too many elk hunters are walking past elk to get to elk. If I mark between eight and ten spots on my favorite digital hunting app, I can quickly bounce in and out of these spots, and typically, I bump into a bull or three. When I'm hunting this way, I like a minimalist pack, and when chasing whitetails from a treestand or ground blind, the more minimal, the better.

Enter BOG's Ultimatum - Lumbar Fanny. Made from 420D Micro-Ripstop material, this 1100-cubic-inch capacity pack weighs 2.7 pounds and has six outside pockets.

The main pocket is spacious, and a black buckle system inside allows for customization of the padded harness. The waist belt pockets are a win, and I appreciate the mesh storage compartments inside the middle bottom pocket and those on the outside of the twin vertical pockets. Hypalon-reinforced cinched MOLLE straps are located in three different locations on the fanny pack.

I loaded the pack with all my whitetail gear: calls, headlamps, knives, wind checker powder, rain gear, face paint, etc. I even added my rattling antlers and attached them to the side of the pack using the bottom straps. This thing is a whitetail hunter's dream, and I appreciate that it takes up very little room in the tree. The waistbelt wraps around the trunk for in-the-tree storage.

BONUS: BOG Vigilant - Bino Bivy

Someone asked me recently to name one piece of hunting gear I couldn't live without. Of course, this is an exaggeration, but if my house was on fire, I'd grab my bino harness before anything else.

A well-made bino harness hugs the chest comfortably and keeps optics ready. Users shouldn't have to fight with the flap, and the bino holder should have a pocket system.

BOG's Vigilant - Bino Bivy's main binocular compartment utilizes a hook and nylon strap system, which is sufficient, and I appreciate the zippered rangefinder pocket below the main optic compartment. This pocket keeps a rangefinder ready without adding a separate rangefinder pocket. The all-in-one design is excellent. The vented back pocket is perfect for a smartphone and bowhunters who uses a handheld release; I love the vented, stretchable nylon side pockets. They hold a handheld release perfectly. I use one for my release and one for my wind cheek powder.

Bino attachment is a breeze via the straps, and I like that BOG included a Micro-Fiber Lens Cloth. The shoulder and chest straps are comfortable and adjustable, and when wearing the harness, even with the rangefinder pocket on the front, it doesn't feel too bulky.

Final Thoughts

BOG wins again! It won't be long, and its fine lineup of packs and bags will be a staple for hunters worldwide.

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