Quick answer: After every hunt, empty and shake out your pack, brush off dirt and spot clean with cold or lukewarm water and a mild soap. Hand wash only (never machine wash or tumble dry) and air dry fully open in the shade. Before each hunt, check the zips, buckles, stitching, straps, frame, rain cover and hydration bladder.
Your pack carries everything that gets you through the day, and on a good day it carries meat out. A strap that lets go or a zip that blows on the walk out isn't just annoying. It can end a hunt. A few minutes of care after each trip and a quick check before you head off keeps your pack reliable for years.
Know your pack
Our Drover packs come in two outer fabrics, and they need slightly different care:
- 500D nylon with a DWR finish is tough, abrasion resistant and sheds light rain. Scrub it gently with a soft brush.
- Brushed tricot is a soft, silent fabric that won't give you away in the scrub. Like fleece, it can snag and pill, so use a sponge or soft cloth rather than a stiff brush, and pick burrs and grass seeds out by hand.
Every pack in the range comes with a blaze orange rain cover, and many have removable parts that should come out before a deep clean:
| Pack type | Parts to remove before cleaning |
|---|---|
| Hauler Pack + Frame | Alloy Hauler frame with meat shelf, removable hood, rain cover, hydration bladder (if fitted) |
| Pro Pack | Hydration bladder with its detachable hose and mouthpiece, rain cover |
| Hydro Pack | Hydration bladder with its detachable hose and mouthpiece, rain cover |
| Bino Pack | Connecting straps (if fitted), rain cover |
| Waist Pack | Rain cover |
Check your pack's product page for its full feature list.
After every hunt
- Empty it completely. Check every pocket for food scraps, wrappers, spent cases and damp clothes.
- Shake it out upside down to get rid of grass seeds, dirt and debris.
- Brush off dried mud once it's dry.
- Deal with blood straight away if you've been hauling meat. Rinse the area with cold water. Hot water sets blood, and smells left behind will attract pests in storage.
- Hang it open to dry in the shade, with all zips and pockets undone.
How to deep clean your pack
Do this a couple of times a season, or after a messy meat haul.
- Empty the pack and take out any removable parts (see the table above).
- Fill a bath or large tub with cold or lukewarm water and a small amount of mild soap or a technical gear wash.
- Scrub gently, paying attention to the back panel, shoulder straps and hip belt, where sweat and salt build up. Use a soft brush on nylon and a sponge on brushed tricot.
- Rinse thoroughly with clean water until no soap remains.
- Hang it upside down, fully open, to dry in the shade. Make sure it's completely dry before you store it, as trapped moisture leads to mould and mildew.
Don't: machine wash, tumble dry, use bleach or harsh detergents, or dry it in direct sun or near a heater. These damage the fabric coating, foam padding and stitching.
Meat bags are machine washable. Wash them after every use, rinsing out blood in cold water first, and dry them fully before packing them away.
Zips
Zips are the most common failure point on any pack.
- Brush dirt and grit out of the zip teeth with an old toothbrush.
- Rub a sticky zip with a zip lubricant or a candle. Never use oil, as it attracts dirt.
- If a zip separates behind the slider, the slider is usually worn and will need attention.
- Don't force a stuck zip. Back it off and clear whatever's caught.
Buckles, straps and stitching
- Rinse the buckles to clear grit that stops them clicking in properly.
- Check the straps for fraying, particularly at the load lifters and where the hip belt meets the pack body.
- Look closely at the stitching around the shoulder strap anchor points, haul loops and rifle carry points. These take the most load.
- Trim loose threads carefully. Don't pull them.
The Hauler frame
The Hauler frame is alloy, so it's light and won't rust, but it still takes a pounding with a full load of meat.
- Take it out of the pack before a deep clean. Wipe it down with a damp cloth and dry it before refitting.
- Check for bends, cracks and damage around the joins and mounting points.
- Check the meat shelf and all straps and fixings are secure.
- If a frame looks damaged, don't load it. Contact our team.
Hydration bladder
- Empty and rinse it after every trip.
- Clean it with warm water and a little bicarb soda, and scrub the hose with a brush kit. Use the push-button breakdown to separate the hose and mouthpiece for cleaning.
- Dry it fully, propped open or hanging upside down. Some hunters store their bladder in the freezer to stop mould growing.
- Check the cap, hose connection and mouthpiece for leaks before each hunt.
Rain cover
- Shake it out and rinse off mud after use.
- Dry it completely before packing it back in its pocket.
- Check it for tears. The blaze orange isn't just for rain. It also makes you more visible to other hunters.
Storage
- Store your pack clean and completely dry.
- Loosen all straps and compression to take the stress off the webbing and foam.
- Keep it somewhere cool, dry and dark, off the floor and away from rodents. A pack that's hauled meat is a magnet for mice if it isn't clean.
- Don't store it in the back of the ute or in a hot shed. Heat breaks down fabric coatings and foam.
Pre-hunt pack checklist
Run through this the night before you head out. It takes five minutes.
- ☐ All zips run smoothly and close fully
- ☐ Buckles click in firmly and release cleanly
- ☐ Shoulder straps, hip belt and load lifters adjust and hold
- ☐ No fraying webbing or pulled stitching at the load points
- ☐ Hauler frame and meat shelf secure, with no bends or cracks
- ☐ Rain cover packed, dry and in good condition
- ☐ Hydration bladder filled, with no leaks at the cap, hose or mouthpiece
- ☐ Rifle carry system (scabbard, barrel loop and straps) secure and adjusted
- ☐ Bino pack tethers attached and working
- ☐ Meat bags, knife, sharpener and game processing kit packed
- ☐ First aid kit stocked and in date
- ☐ Headtorch and spare batteries
- ☐ Emergency beacon (PLB) or satellite messenger charged
- ☐ Pack fitted and loaded, with the heaviest weight close to your back
Backpack FAQs
Can I put my hunting backpack in the washing machine? No. Machine washing can damage the frame, foam and water-resistant coatings. Hand wash it in a tub instead. Meat bags are the exception. They're machine washable.
How do I get the smell out of my backpack? Deep clean it with a mild soap, rinse it well, then air dry it fully in the shade. For lingering smells, a light spray of diluted white vinegar or an enzyme-based gear deodoriser before rinsing helps.
How do I clean a brushed tricot pack? Use cold or lukewarm water, a mild soap and a sponge or soft cloth. Avoid stiff brushes and Velcro, which can snag the brushed surface.
How do I fix a sticky zip on my pack? Brush the teeth clean and apply a zip lubricant or a rub of candle wax.
How should I store my pack between seasons? Clean, dry, straps loosened, in a cool dark place off the floor.
If something on your pack fails that shouldn't, check our warranty page and get in touch with our team.