Best Blind Bags of 2023

When I started waterfowling in 1974—and back then, it was simply known by the all-inclusive term “duck hunting”—we didn’t have blind bags, the modern day equivalent of carry-on luggage for duck and goose hunters. What we had were pockets…lots and lots of pockets. And we filled those pockets to overflowing with what we needed, which, to a 10-year-old, was 4.73 metric tons of 20-gauge ammunition.

My Old Man packed a pseudo blind bag. It was, if memory serves, an olive-drab heavy canvas military style shoulder bag—something, I believe, he brought back with him from Vietnam in ’66. Inside was a spare pack of Camel Lights, a Hershey chocolate bar (with almonds), a bottle of 7UP soda, and some toilet paper wadded up in a sandwich bag. He may have had a few 2-3/4-inch No. 5 shells for his Remington 1100, but not many, those he carried in his old-school Montgomery Ward shell vest.

While I resisted the idea of carrying a blind bag afield for quite a few years, I’ve since seen the proverbial light. Like hunting backpacks, they serve me well during the season and are also a place to store all my gear during those not-so-nice off-season months. When it comes to blind bags, today’s choices are many; the designs and layouts, the bells ‘n whistles, even more so. Here’s an in-depth look at what makes the best blind bags … well, the best.

Best Overall: Rig ‘Em Right Lowdown Floating Backpack 

Best Waterproof: Filson Sportsman Dry Bag

Best Budget: Banded Air II Blind Bag

Best Multi-Purpose: Alps Outdoorz Pit Blind Bag

Best Sling-Style: Sitka Sling Choke

Best Roll-Top: Dive Bomb Dry-Line Blind Bag

How We Picked the Best Blind Bags

I’ve been using the same blind bag for over 20 years now, and while it a little tattered and torn in a couple spots, it still serves me well. I could replace it with any of a dozen bags here the house, so…why do I keep paddling it into Washington’s tidal marshes season after season? For the same reasons I’d to carry any of the bags listed here. Those are: 

Quality construction that enables it to stand up to day-to-day abuse 

Good zippers that don’t separate or break after Season One

A PVC or similar waterproof bottom that doesn’t leak

Strong, sturdy handles and straps with rugged attachment points (D-Rings)

A zippered waterproof interior pocket 

Side and/or end pockets, preferably zippered

Enough storage space for what I’m bringing

Room for a full-size thermos…coffee is very important

Best Blind Bags: Reviews and Recommendations

Best Overall: Rig ‘Em Right Lowdown Floating Backpack

Specs

Dedicated thermos holder (a crucial feature, in my opinion)

Full foam flotation

Molded water resistant bottom

Built-in sunglasses case

Incredible amount of storage space

Interior clear zippered pockets

HUGE #550 paracord handle

Front and right-side handles

Pros

Year-round multi-species/multi-purpose use

Solidly built

Multiple handles equal convenience

Good strong zippers

Compartmentalized

Makes for a great travel bag

Cons

I looked hard; couldn’t find any 

Matthew and Heather Cagle at Rig ‘Em Right make damn good stuff. Period. One of the nicest things about their gear is it’s incredibly well thought-out; made BY duck and goose hunters FOR duck and goose hunters. The stuff just flat works.

Their new Lowdown Backpack is a case in point. It has roughly 1,180 cubic inches of storage inside, plus front and side pockets and a mesh/elastic pouch with a lock strap to the right—a thermos holder! It’s plenty big enough, but not so big you’ll be tempted to pack it with tons of unnecessary gear. I’m not a fan of dedicated sunglass cases on blind bags; but you can put something else you don’t want busted up in there, like Pop-Tarts or hard-boiled eggs.

I am, though, a big fan of multiple handles, and the Lowdown has them, meaning you can pick it up securely and easily regardless of how it’s laying. Zippered pockets, safe-storage interior pockets, a beefy paracord top handle, a padded-foam back, a water-resistant bottom, good stitching…and it’s good-looking enough to be used as a travel/computer bag. It even has a laptop pocket for that purpose. Well done, Rig ‘Em Right.

Best Waterproof: Filson Sportsman Dry Bag

Specs

900 Denier polyester build

Heavy-duty waterproof zipper top with quick-clip buckle

D-rings

Removable padded fully adjustable shoulder strap

Top flap locks down via dual buckle/snap system

Roughly 915-cubic-inch capacity

Welded seams

Pros

Built incredibly tough

Undeniably keeps gear dry, IF used as instructed

T-handle zipper pull is very handy

DIY interior divider system

Clear zippered pocket inside top lid

Fantastic camera/video bag

Cons

Expensive

You’re looking at a blind bag that’s going to run you well north of $300. Is the stuff you’re putting inside worth that much protection? Maybe; maybe not. That’s up to you.

That said, this is an absolute tank of a blind bag. Think the Fort Knox of Blind Bags, and you’re getting close. There’s plenty of interior room, and while the dividers are a nice touch, especially for packing photography/videography equipment, I’d yank them out and stuff the inside full of gear I didn’t want to get wet. 

Inside, you’ll find a zipper pocket at one end, and a pouch at the other…plus a tube of Tizip zipper lubricant, along with instructions on how to use it. Nice touch, Filson. The D-rings on the lid are also well done, as is the heavy-duty padded shoulder strap – a departure from the cheap nylon bite-into-your-flesh straps found on 99 percent of today’s bags. The quick-clips are big and easy to undo while wearing gloves. The T-pull interior zipper makes it easy to open and close.

Spendy? Yes, but the Sportsman Dry Bag might just be the definitive all-season bag.

Best Budget: Banded Air II Blind Bag

Specs

900 Denier fabric

Adjustable padded shoulder strap

Zippered side pouch

Closed-cell foam flotation

“Armored” bottom

Zip-lid covered interior

Pros

Great for walk-in hunters

Plenty of interior storage, unless you plan on bringing furniture

Good looking bag; reasonably tough and rugged

Cons

Hook ‘n loop secondary lid closure can fill with debris, rendering it useless

Relatively small, if you’re looking to pack a ton of gear

Questionable zipper quality on side pouch

I’ve used an earlier generation of what looks like Banded’s Air II bag for many years now. It started showing its age several seasons ago, but it still works just fine. Hopefully, this latest version is as long-lasting.

Banded makes a huge range of outdoor gear, among it a variety of blind bags. With a cost that’s less than $30 for the Max5 pattern, the Air II is one of their least expensive models—and unless you want to haul a water buffalo with it, it’s more than adequate. A bare-bones interior, front pouch, zippered side, zip-top lid, and a handful of camouflage options make this bag definitely worth consideration. No, it’s not the Rolls Royce of blind bags, and it has a couple of downsides, such as the hook-and-loop secondary lid closure filling with junk and becoming almost immediately ineffective. But all in all, and especially for new hunters looking to cut costs a bit, the Air II is a great choice for a bag.

Best Multi-Purpose: Alps Outdoorz Pit Blind Bag

Specs

Pop-Top zippered lid 

Four zippered interior pockets, plus end pouches

Optional hook ‘n loop inside divider included 

Two large “stay open” front pouches with grommeted drains

Exterior end pouches

Molded waterproof bottom

Large exterior full-length rear pouch with strap closures

Adjustable padded shoulder strap

16 elastic shotshell loops inside

Two interior dog-style clips 

Pros

Rear pouch can hold a full-size thermos

Shotshell loops keep various shot sizes handy

Large interior

Useful for other purposes

Top opens wide allowing easy access to gear inside

Cons

Corner-to-opposite-corner shoulder straps disliked by some

Full-length rear pouch has no drain holes 

End pouches are a bit snug

If I’m going to pay more than $50 for a blind bag—which isn’t a terrible price for a bag of this quality—I’d like to be able use it for more than 107 days. Enter the Pit Blind Bag from Alps Outdoorz. Duck season ends, and you just swap those calls and gloves and boxes of shotshells for a selection of hand tools, tape measure, hammer drill, safety glasses, and work gloves, and you’re good to go for the remaining 258 days on the calendar.

The only thing I don’t care for with the Pit Blind Bag is the corner-to-corner style shoulder strap; I always find they’re in the way, regardless of how long they are. The ‘Open Wide’ zippered top is great for access, and there’s a goodly amount of room inside. I would have made one or two of the interior pockets waterproof instead of mesh for stay-dry gear, but a plastic bag will solve that. I applaud the person responsible for designing the front pouches with grommeted drains, but drains in the rear would be helpful as well. The waterproof molded bottom is rock-solid, and comes up a full two inches on the sides, providing ample protection. Overall, it’s a very nice multi-purpose bag.

Best Sling-Style: Sitka Sling Choke

Specs

Innovative sling design

Integrated duck strap 

Water repellent finish

Beverage sleeve

Front quick-clip cinch strap

Padded carry handle

Comfortable back padding

Pros

Comfortable and fully adjustable

Doesn’t interfere with shouldering a shotgun/shooting

Circular zipper pulls work well with gloves

Top and side carry handles

Cons

A little on the spendy side for a blind bag

Relatively low capacity, but it’s not meant to pack a ton

When Sitka first came out with their waterfowl line years ago, it was immediately obvious to me that the gear hadn’t been designed by a duck hunter. It looked good, but it wasn’t very user-friendly where it needed to be user-friendly. Fast-forward to 2022, and that’s all changed. Sitka’s doing a fine job of outfitting waterfowl hunters with gear that works well in the field.

The Sling Choke bag/pack shines during those occasions when you’re don’t need an entire arsenal of gear (early season teal hunters and walk-in hunters come immediately to mind. No, there’s not 2,000 cubic inches of storage here, but the 700 CI is plenty if you’re packing light. In my opinion, the Sling Choke ranks way up there in comfort, with the padded back allowing air to circulate between you and the pack, thus keeping you cool. I do have a Stanley hot bottle for coffee that fits perfectly in the bag’s “beverage sleeve,” so that’s a plus. 

A bonus: The Sling Choke would work well as an angler’s bag in situations such as winter steelhead fishing.

Best Roll-Top: Dive Bomb Dry-Line Blind Bag

Specs

Radio frequency (RF) welded seams

Roll-Top with heavy-duty buckle

Expandable exterior pocket

Zippered/waterproof exterior pocket

D-rings and molle loops for add-ons

Padded/adjustable shoulder strap

Pros

Keeps stuff dry, like it’s supposed to

Three different color options 

Clear zippered pocket inside top flap great for paperwork and maps

Excellent price point

Year-round applications: camera bag, fishing gear, electronics

Cons

Limited capacity, but, then again, it’s not a suitcase

Dive Bomb introduced their first decoys in 2011, and they had such a good reception that it’s been a whirlwind ride ever since. Today, Dive Bomb features a lengthy list of hunting products, including their top-notch Dry-Line Blind Bag. It’s waterproof like the Filson, mentioned earlier, but it’s cheaper and features a roll-top closure, which some of you may prefer. 

There’s really nothing complicated about this bag at all, and that’s one of the reasons I like it. You put your gear inside, seal and roll down the top, secure the sides, and you’re waterproof. The see-thru pocket on the underside of the lid is great for paperwork, while the front zippered pocket holds “need it now” gear like calls, training remotes, cell phone, chemical handwarmers, and/or multi-tools. There’s a second zippered pocket in the rear. 

The interior of the Dry-Line is simple. No dividers or compartments, just a couple of mesh pouches to hold necessities secure and at hand. It’s old school combined with 21st century technology designed to keep stuff dry. And it works. I drop my small camera bag into the Dry-Line, where it always stays moisture-free.

What to Consider When Choosing a Blind Bag

No, buying a blind bag doesn’t rank right up there with buying your first house in terms of details and specifics. That said, if you look at just a handful of variables, finding the bag that will best suit how and where you hunt becomes much easier. Here are four key considerations.

Style of Hunting

The biggest factor here is how you get yourself and your gear to your hunting area. Are you a walk-in hunter? Do you take a boat or an ATV? Do you have a short walk to a permanent blind?

If you’re a walk-in hunter—say, a refuge waterfowler—you’re likely going to want a small, lightweight bag that’s easy on your shoulder, or a backpack style bag that distributes the weight more evenly. If you’ll be using a boat or an ATV, get a bag as big as the mountains; after all, all you have to do is heft it into the sled, and off you go. 

Amount of Gear

Duck and goose hunters are notorious for packing a LOT of stuff into the field…and the bigger the bag, the more stuff you’re going to carry, and the heavier the bag will be. Do you really need a hardcover book and a battery operated Keurig coffee maker? Well…maybe the Keurig. Take a look at the gear you use. Will it fit in a 600-cubic-inch bag, or do you need an 1,800-incher? They’re out there, along with everything in between.

Floating or Non-Floating

Put your gear into a floating blind bag, and there’s a good chance you won’t lose it all when the bag goes in the drink. But floating blind bags are heavy and bulky. So think: Do you need something that floats, or will you be okay when…not if, but when…your stuff goes over the side?

Camouflage Pattern

Blind bags come in every camouflage pattern that’s on the market: Mossy Oak, Realtree, Optifade, old-school Woodland, and others. Or—and some may cringe—you can get a non-camouflage bag. My thought is this: If a mallard gets close enough to see that my blind bag isn’t bedazzled in the latest camouflage pattern, it’s close enough to shoot.

FAQs

Best Blind Bags: Final Thoughts

Best Overall: Rig ‘Em Right Lowdown Floating Backpack 

Best Waterproof: Filson Sportsman Dry Bag

Best Budget: Banded Air II Blind Bag

Best Multi-Purpose: Alps Outdoorz Pit Blind Bag

Best Sling-Style: Sitka Sling Choke

Best Roll-Top: Dive Bomb Dry-Line Blind Bag

Almost without exception, waterfowlers carry with them a mountain of gear. And because there’s often so much, getting it all to your blind and keeping it organized can be a challenge. Blind bags help greatly with the organizational aspect of any waterfowling adventure by keeping gear, especially those smaller easy-to-lose items like calls and headlamps, all in one conveniently located spot. And if it weren’t for blind bags, where would we ‘fowlers put our most important pieces of equipment—our trusty old thermos, and our toilet paper?

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