Back in my dad’s day, heading out for a hunt meant grabbing a knife, a shell belt, a canteen and maybe a sandwich or two stuffed in a coat pocket.

Every year, the load of gear I need to carry afield while hunting seems to increase. Hunting knives, elk calls, gloves, binoculars, snacks, camera gear, phone battery banks—all of it needs a place.

Elk hunting is hard. They’re big animals that cover a lot of ground in steep country, and elk hunters need to carry a lot of gear to aid in the pursuit, like clothing for unpredictable weather, food, ...