Slumberjack Pursuit Vest Pack Review
Russ Chastain 09.17.18
When it comes to packs, I’ve spent most of my hunting career as a one-trick pony. By that I mean I generally use a pack as a carrier for miscellaneous hunting gear that I think I’ll need while I’m in the woods for a deer hunt, and I never wear a pack while I’m on the stand. But all that is about to change.
Enter the Slumberjack Pursuit vest pack. I’ll admit that I had this nifty little pack for quite a while before I put it to work… but once I did, I don’t know why I ever lived without it.
It was a hot-weather hunt… as in, 90+ degrees in the afternoon. Naturally, I wear light clothing and not a lot of it in those conditions — which means a shortage of pockets. High temps also mean I need to drink more water, which usually entails a lot of movement as I retrieve a water bottle, uncap it, raise it for a drink, recap it, and stow it again. I needed a better solution if I was to have any stealth at all.
That’s when I remembered this handy little vest pack, and a HydraPak Shape-Shift 3L water bladder I’d been needing to try out. I combined them — the Pursuit’s rear compartment almost holds the fully-filled bladder, which can hold a whopping 3 liters of water — and found that I had handy water and convenient chest pockets for toting goodies like deer calls, face mask, bow release, phone, battery and charging cord, etc.
Here are some specs from the manufacturer:
- One size fits all
- Volume: 468 cubic inches
- Weight: 1 lb. 3oz
- Height: 21″
- Width: 16″
- Depth: 5.5″
- Four chest pockets with internal organization keep high-use items within reach.
- Adjustment straps tuck away into hidden pockets for snag-free movement.
- Main compartment easily fits 70-oz. reservoir or layers when temps change.
- Highly adjustable fit system provides 8 points of adjustment.
- Worn, not carried. This low profile pack fits snugly against your body, allowing you to stalk, shoot, ride or cast with ease.
- Ventilated mesh materials provide temperature control & evaporative cooling.
- Utilizes cutting-edge Kryptek® Highlander camo pattern.
- Hydration reservoir not included.
- YKK zippers
- MSRP: $89.95
Although it only mentions 4 chest pockets, you get a couple bonus pockets as well. Each of the top zipper pockets has an open-top pocket behind it. I found this perfect for holding a grunt tube while keeping it handy.
The sides also have MOLLE attachment points. I really like how cool I can stay while wearing this pack.
The interior of the rear pouch has a divider and a couple clips. There’s a port at the top for routing a water bladder hose.
I have enjoyed hunting with the Pursuit pack and I look forward to many more pleasant trips to the woods. The straps allow a wide range of adjustment for those who wish to wear it high or low, tight or loose. It’s well-made and should last for many hunting seasons.
About my only complaint is noise-related. The zippers and fabric are both fairly loud in the stillness of the woods, so keep that in mind as you move. You might need to unzip pockets when you first get on stand to avoid spooking critters later on, and take care in your arm & hand movements so you don’t brush up against the pack too much.
That said, this is a quality pack/vest and I have no qualms about hunting with it. It’s currently listed for $78.75 on Amazon.
