Jack Pyke Maxi-Decoy Rucksack

Some time back, Jack Pyke impressed the shooting community with their innovative new camo design called English Oak Evolution. A design that’s based on and is also an advancement of their longestablished English Oak camo.

Initially, the company launched this more versatile pattern on key items of clothing but now it adorns some popular pieces of their shooting luggage. Some haven’t previously been looked at in detail, others are firm favourites that need little introduction. However, I’ve cherry-picked two very useful and, depending on your hunting discipline, vital pieces of luggage.

Numero uno

First up is the Maxi-Decoy Bag. Manufactured from hard-wearing 600D Cordura, it measures a very manageable 75cm in length and shows a 43cm diameter.

The bag has obviously been designed for those who require extra storage for associated pigeon shooting equipment and of course, decoys. It features a huge main compartment with an approximate 120L capacity and its waterproof, wipeable lining is also very useful for carrying bagged birds off your permission at the end of the day.

For any other related kit, there are 2x 7 litre zipped side pockets as well as a dedicated pocket for carrying hide poles. The bag can be carried with a top grab handle or on your back, thanks to the well-padded adjustable shoulder straps. To keep everything stored safely inside during transportation, there’s a top cover flap positioned under the strong toggle cord closure. If that isn’t enough, there are also elasticated cartridge holders to hold 20x cartridges, which further increases the bag’s versatility and practicality. Incidentally, there’s also a standard size Decoy Bag and Mesh Decoy Bag available.

The next one

The 25-litre rucksack is a staunch product on the company roster and it has been modified and upgraded since its first launch. The main pack measures 52x32x20cm, while the 2x double zipped side pockets each measure 28x15.5x5cm.

Manufactured from the same robust material as the Decoy Bag, the top has an over cover that is part elasticated at the sides for a snug secure fit, plus has extra padding to protect anything stowed in the PVC lined, drawcord toggle fastened main compartment. This cover fastens down using two strong ABS clip-buckle fasteners on adjustable webbing straps. It features a zipped top pocket with MOLLE system on the upper face of the hood, while on the front of the pack there are 4x ABS D-rings for attaching extra accessories.

Interestingly, on the outer/back face, there are 2x accessory loops (one Velcro fastening) for attaching extra kit, such as a medium height bipod or closed shooting sticks.

Behind the well-padded shoulder straps of the carrying harness, is the ‘Airjet Back Ventilation System.’ This keeps air circulating in hot weather and retains warmth in colder weather, therefore offering a high degree of wearer comfort.

On both items of luggage, all zips are fitted with strong and quite lengthy pull assists