Grakksaw Game Bags Review: Two Deer, Zero Tears

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Two mule deer, zero tears. After hauling meat on horseback and running these Grakksaw game bags through the washing machine, I’ve found my new go-to reusable game bags. Here’s how the 7-ounce Ultralight XL stacks up against the tougher Bone-In system.

I’ve used these Grakksaw game bags on two different mule deer, and they’re my new go-to lightweight, reusable game bags. Two deer, zero rips or tears, and they washed up nicely afterward.

Grakksaw Game Bags: Why Meat Protection Matters After the Shot

Game bags don’t get much attention, but they matter. Once an animal is down, the next few hours determine what you bring home. Bags need to keep meat clean, let it cool, and keep flies and debris out without trapping moisture. Grakksaw builds two different systems depending on how you plan to pack out.

For backpack hunters counting every ounce, there’s the Ultralight XL system. For hunters hauling whole quarters on horses, mules, or shorter pack-outs, there’s the heavier Bone-In system. Both are reusable, both pack down small, and both are designed to protect the meat you worked so hard to bring home.

Grakksaw Ultralight XL: 7 Ounces, 300 Pounds of Meat Capacity

Grakksaw Ultralight XL Game Bags: $70 MSRP
View Grakksaw Ultralight XL Game Bags

The Grakksaw Ultralight XL system packs six game bags into just 7 ounces total, less than half a pound. Each bag measures 14″ x 33″ and is rated for roughly 50 pounds, putting total system capacity around 300 pounds of boned-out meat. That’s enough to hold a full boned-out bull elk.

The material is a breathable synthetic ripstop, built to allow airflow for cooling while keeping dirt and insects out. The bags compress down into a stuff sack small enough to disappear in a pack until needed.

This is the setup for backpack hunters counting ounces, whether that’s elk, high country mule deer, or sheep and goat. When every ounce matters on the hike in and every pound matters on the pack-out, having a full six-bag system weighing just 7 ounces makes a lot of sense.

Grakksaw Elk Bone-In Game Bags: Tougher Bags for Whole Quarters

Grakksaw Elk Game Bags, Bone-In: $80 MSRP
View Grakksaw Elk Bone-In Game Bags

Also a six-bag system: four quarter bags at 24″ x 40″ sized for whole elk quarters, plus two 14″ x 33″ bags for backstrap, neck meat, and trim. Total weight is right around 1 pound.

The Grakksaw Elk Bone-In game bags use material that’s roughly double the denier of the Ultralight XL, trading a few extra ounces for more abrasion resistance.

This is the system for hunters packing quarters intact rather than boning out, whether that’s horses, mules, or a short pack-out where weight isn’t the limiting factor. You’re carrying a little more weight, but you’re getting a tougher material for handling whole quarters and the demands of a meat haul.

Grakksaw includes reflective cord for locating bags in low light and recommends rib-rolling instead of packing ribcage halves, since serrated rib bones are more likely to tear through the material. That’s worth remembering when deciding how to break down an elk before loading the bags.

Grakksaw Ultralight XL vs. Bone-In: Which Game Bags Win?

Both Grakksaw game bag systems are designed to keep meat protected during a pack-out, but they’re built for different jobs. The Ultralight XL saves weight for hunters carrying boned-out meat, while the Bone-In system adds tougher material and larger quarter bags for hunters bringing meat out on the bone.

The difference comes down to how you’re hunting and how you plan to get the animal back to camp or the truck.

Grakksaw Game Bags Specifications and Price Comparison

Feature	Ultralight XL	Bone-In
Price	$70	$80
Weight	7 oz	~1 lb
Primary use	Boned-out meat	Whole quarters
Material	Lightweight synthetic	Heavier ripstop synthetic
Capacity	6 bags, ~300 lbs total	Sized for full elk quarters
Best for	Backpack hunting	Horse packing, shorter pack-outs

For the hunter who bones out an elk miles from the trailhead, the Ultralight XL is the obvious weight-saving choice. For the hunter who uses horses or wants to carry whole quarters, the Bone-In system offers the extra abrasion resistance without taking up much room in a saddlebag or hunting pack.

Two Mule Deer, One Kit: How Grakksaw Game Bags Held Up

Both systems are washable and reusable, not single-trip disposables. In fact, the photos that you’re seeing of the Bone-In bags are after having hauled out two mule deer in them and washed them in a washing machine.

I hunt on horses a lot, and I carried the Grakksaw Elk Bone-In bags in a saddlebag. The entire system is tiny, and with two mule deer down on the same day, I used four of the bags in the kit.

I put a bone-in hind quarter, bone-in front quarter, and the backstrap and tenderloin all in one 24″ x 40″ quarter bag. Then I did the exact same thing for the other side.

Repeated for the second deer, and one Bone-In kit worked for two complete mule deer with two bags left over.

If I knew I only needed them for one mule deer, I could have just carried two quarter bags and cut the weight in half. That’s a nice option when you already know how you plan to pack an animal out and don’t need the entire six-bag system.

After hauling two complete mule deer, the Grakksaw Bone-In game bags held up with no rips or tears and washed up nicely afterward. No need to throw them away and start over with a fresh set for the next hunt.

Grakksaw Game Bags Pros and Cons: Weight vs. Durability

After using the Bone-In bags on two mule deer, the biggest advantage is how much meat the system can handle without taking up much room before the hunt. The choice between the two kits really comes down to your pack-out strategy rather than one system being better across the board.

• Pros: Lightweight and compact systems, breathable synthetic material, washable and reusable construction, multiple bags for separating meat, and no rips or tears during my two-mule-deer test of the Bone-In kit.
• Cons: The Ultralight XL is intended for boned-out meat rather than whole quarters. The heavier Bone-In kit weighs more, and sharp rib bones can tear the material, so Grakksaw recommends rib-rolling rather than packing ribcage halves.

Bottom Line: Grakksaw Game Bags Earn Their Place in the Pack

Grakksaw built two separate game bag systems, and the use case for each is clear. Ultralight XL for backpack hunts where every ounce counts, Bone-In for horses or shorter carries where durability matters more than weight.

For my style of hunting, especially when horses are involved, the Elk Bone-In kit makes a lot of sense. One kit handled two complete mule deer with two bags left over. The bags held up, kept the meat protected, and cleaned up nicely in the washing machine afterward.

If I were headed deep into the backcountry with a backpack and planning to bone out an elk, the 7-ounce Ultralight XL system would be the one I’d carry. For hauling whole quarters, I’ll stick with the Bone-In bags that have already proven themselves on my hunts.

Game bags aren’t the most exciting gear in a hunting pack, but when there’s meat on the ground and a long trip back to the truck, they’re a whole lot more important than they looked that morning.

Watch: Grakksaw Game Bags and Hunting Gear Video

Watch the accompanying video for more on the Grakksaw game bags featured in this review.

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