ALPS OutdoorZ Commander + Pack Bag vs Horn Hunter G3 Treestand Pack
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Quick take: The Horn Hunter G3 Treestand Pack costs $10 less; the ALPS OutdoorZ Commander + Pack Bag carries more (86 vs 36 liters); the Horn Hunter G3 Treestand Pack is lighter (4 vs 7.3 lbs).
| Spec | ALPS OutdoorZ Commander + Pack Bag | Horn Hunter G3 Treestand Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $150 | $140 |
| Rating | 4.5★ (1,400) | 4.4★ (33) |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 86 L | 36 L |
| Weight | 7.3 lbs | 4.0 lbs |
| Max Load | No official rating (owners routinely lash 100+ lb loads to the frame) | No published load rating — a 2,200 ci treestand day pack on a foam belt, not a hauling frame |
| Torso Fit | 17-23 in adjustable | One size, non-adjustable; 23" x 15" x 7" overall |
| Material | Ripstop polyester | Quiet brushed polyester and ripstop with vinyl wipe-clean scent pouch |
| Back Panel | Padded straps and waist belt on an aluminum external freighter frame with fold-out freight shelf | Molded foam back panel and molded foam hip belt (no stays or tubular frame) |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | No |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | Yes |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | Yes |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | No |
| Warranty | ALPS limited lifetime warranty (materials and workmanship defects) | Horn Hunter limited lifetime warranty |
Pros & cons
ALPS OutdoorZ Commander + Pack Bag
- ✓The undisputed budget pack-out king on Hunt Talk and Rokslide — owners report hauling multiple elk and deer over five-plus seasons from a system that often sells under $150.
- ✓The bag detaches in minutes, leaving a dedicated freighter frame with a fold-out shelf and full lashing system that carries a lashed elk quarter more securely than most internal-frame meat shelves.
- ✓True adjustable suspension with a 17-23 inch torso range and 33-60 inch belt — it fits nearly anyone in camp, which is why it's the most-loaned elk pack on the forums.
- ✓At 5,250 ci (86 L) the bag swallows a full multi-day camp plus a spotting scope in its dedicated pocket, capacity that costs three times as much from Mystery Ranch or Stone Glacier.
- ✓For pure weight hauling it outperforms same-price internal-frame day packs like the Badlands 2200 class — the rigid external frame transfers triple-digit loads to the hips instead of collapsing.
- ✓The drop-down rifle holder and front organization pockets earn consistent praise from Amazon reviewers as genuinely usable rather than gimmicky.
- ✓Simple clevis-pin frame construction means field repairs need nothing more than hardware-store pins — a durability advantage forum users cite over welded or carbon frames.
- ✓Reviewers consistently describe the ripstop fabric and zippers as holding up beyond what the price suggests, with several multi-year owners reporting zero blowouts.
- ✗At 7 lb 5 oz empty it is one of the heaviest systems in its class — nearly three pounds more than modern bag-and-frame hybrids like an Exo K4 3200.
- ✗The clevis pins and metal rings jingle as you walk — a known out-of-the-box annoyance that owners silence with cotter pins and electrical tape.
- ✗The tall, rigid external frame snags brush and treestand ladders constantly; Rokslide users are blunt that this is a hauling rig, not a stalking or timber pack.
- ✗Padding is thin by modern standards — hunters who carry 80+ lbs more than a mile say the shoulder straps and belt get punishing compared to premium suspensions.
- ✗ALPS's limited warranty draws complaints — one long-term owner had every strap failure after four years dismissed as normal wear, a sharp contrast to Badlands' unconditional policy.
- ✗No hip-belt pockets or modern ergonomics — rangefinder and calls end up in bag pockets you can't reach with the pack on.
- ✗The 33-inch-tall bag rides high above your head when stuffed, making the loaded pack top-heavy and a sail in open-country wind.
- ✗Stiff ripstop and a creaky frame make it audibly noisier than brushed-fabric packs — bowhunters on Archery Talk generally pass on it for close-range work.
Horn Hunter G3 Treestand Pack
- ✓The flip-top design genuinely works hanging in a tree — you can reach all 20 compartments while it dangles from the included hook instead of hauling it into your lap.
- ✓A pull-out rain cover is included at $140, which is unusual in this tier; the Tenzing Hangtime at $250 and the Insights Vision at $230 both make you buy one separately.
- ✓It ships with a 25 ft bow pull-up rope and treestand hook, so the accessories you'd otherwise buy à la carte are already in the box.
- ✓The deep front-access compartment is sized for camera gear, which made it a default recommendation for hunters filming their own sits.
- ✓Gear grippers with a pull-out rifle/bow pouch let you carry a compound or gun hands-free on the walk in, and the pack accepts Horn Hunter's quiver straps for rattling antlers.
- ✓Hip-belt pockets actually fit a full-size rangefinder, radio, or GPS rather than being token slots, matching what the bigger Main Beam XL offers.
- ✓The wipe-clean vinyl scent pouch is a real whitetail-specific touch — you can carry scent wicks or a drag rag without contaminating the rest of the pack.
- ✓It holds 4.4 stars over 33 Amazon ratings and carries Horn Hunter's limited lifetime warranty, which owners on Archery Talk repeatedly say the company honors.
- ✗At about 4 lbs empty for only 36 L it's heavy for what it holds — the Tenzing Hangtime carries 26 L of similar treestand organization at less than half the weight.
- ✗There is no frame or stay of any kind, just molded foam, so despite the internal-frame label it cannot put meaningful weight on your hips.
- ✗No meat shelf and no external load-hauling system means a deboned deer requires a drag or a second trip.
- ✗The 15-inch-wide profile is bulky against your back on a climb and snags on climbing sticks and tight timber entries.
- ✗Horn Hunter's direct site is effectively gone — hornhunter.com now redirects to a GoDaddy parking lander and hornhunterpacks.com no longer responds — so there is no first-party spec page, and buying, warranty, and parts all run through retailers.
- ✗Color choice is down to two dated camo patterns (Mossy Oak Infinity and Realtree), with no solid or neutral option for hunters who prefer camo-agnostic gear.
- ✗The design has gone essentially unchanged for over a decade, so the harness and materials feel a generation behind current packs in the same price band.
- ✗Discussion is old and thin — the substantive threads are years-old Archery Talk posts rather than current reviews — so the honest evidence base here is retailer reviews plus the archived brand spec sheet.