Caribou Gear: The World’s Only True Game Bag Fabric

Anyone could buy a roll of fabric and sew it into a “game bag”. At Caribou Gear, we didn’t just buy a fabric. We invented one.

Caribou Gear makes the world’s only patented game bag. We use a proprietary fabric that was formulated specifically for meat care. Truly, it’s the only purpose-built game bag fabric on earth. No matter how they try to spin it, every other look-alike game bag is just nylon that was purchased off the shelf. Nylon fabrics have serious limitations for anyone who cares about bringing home the best wild game meat.

Here are 5 reasons why our proprietary fabric matters...

1. Breathability

Perhaps the most important aspect of caring for wild game meat is air circulation and breathability. Unfortunately, this is where all other nylon game bags fail. And it’s a bad place to fail. Lack of breathability inside a nylon game bag creates a greenhouse effect. Moisture is trapped on the surface of the meat. This is a breeding ground for bacteria. We’ve seen big game quarters in average nylon game bags become slimy in under an hour. That’s not a good thing – unless you’re used to gamey-tasting meat.

With proper circulation and airflow, big game quarters should form a dry “rind” on the outside. This is a sign of proper meat care. It is the same type of rind you’ll see on dry aged meats. Out in the field, this allows you to keep meat hanging in camp for days or even weeks, depending on temperatures. In fact, Caribou Gear founder, Ted Ramirez, has kept moose meat in great condition on long float trips in Alaska for up to two weeks. 

When Ted initially began designing the Caribou Gear Game Bags, he tried every fabric that he could find. None of them offered the breathability needed for proper meat care. Any fabrics that were breathable simply failed in other areas like durability or cleanliness. No amount of fabric suppliers, trade shows or searching led to a fabric that met all the standards for a quality game bag. 

So in the end, a fabric was developed from scratch – a fabric that meets ALL the aspects of quality meat care. First and foremost, the patented Caribou Gear game bags are extremely breathable. They allow proper air circulation so that wild game can form that perfect dry rind while in the field – and meanwhile, protecting the meat from dirt, insects and other contaminants.

Other synthetic game bags that claim to be “breathable” simply don’t measure up. They are made with off-the-shelf fabrics, none of which met the Caribou Gear standards.

2. Durability

While breathability is a highly important quality in a game bag, there are other critical factors to consider. One of those is durability and longevity. When testing his first game bag designs with other fabrics, Ted discovered that durability was a major issue. Not because durable fabrics are hard to find. But durability usually comes at a cost. Durable fabrics usually aren’t lightweight. And durability usually impedes breathability. It was a challenge finding a fabric that met all of the needs of a quality game bag.

Not only are Caribou Gear Game Bags breathable. They are also insanely durable. When developing our proprietary fabric, strength was a major consideration. And that’s not only strength in the fabric itself, but also the fabric’s ability to hold strong at the seams without slipping.

In case you haven’t seen it, check out the strength test videos on the Caribou Gear YouTube Channel, where we fill a Caribou Gear Game Bag with water to over 400 pounds. No matter how much weight we added, the seams would not break.  

3. Protection

Another critical attribute of any game bag must be protection from dirt, insects and other contaminants. When considering the importance of breathability, some hunters might consider those airy, cheesecloth style game bags. While these cheap mesh bags do offer breathability, they have serious drawbacks. First and foremost among them is cleanliness. Dust and dirt will easily come into contact with your meat when using these bags. And flies can easily gain access to your meat through the gaps. We’ve seen this happen and it’s not pretty.

Caribou Gear Game Bags offer complete protection from outside contaminants, while still maintaining excellent breathability.

4. Lightweight

Game Bags built for backcountry hunters need to be light enough and compact enough to carry in a backpack. The Caribou Gear proprietary fabric is surprisingly lightweight for the amount of durability it provides. Along with outstanding breathability and total protection for your hard-earned wild game, this makes it an unstoppable game bag for western hunting.

Just be sure to remember, lightweight isn’t everything. The lightest weight game bags available are pure nylon. While it might feel good in your backpack, these are a nightmare for meat care. A big game quarter inside a pure nylon bag creates the worst kind of greenhouse effect, quickly leading to slimy meat. We’ve seen it first hand. Lightweight is good – but if it’s terrible for meat care, what’s the point? 

5. Washable

Finally, the proprietary Caribou Gear fabric is very washable. In fact, we have game bags that are close to ten years old – and you might never know all the work they’ve seen. They are easy to clean and can be used year after year, looking practically new. When cared for properly, a set of Caribou Gear Game Bags should last you a very long time.

For some tips, check out our video on how to wash your Caribou Gear Game Bags.

More About Caribou Gear’s Patented Game Bags

Want to learn more? Be sure and check out some of our other articles on the subject: 

• Game Bag Comparison: 3 Reasons Caribou Gear Bags Are Better
• How to Choose the Right Game Bag System for Your Next Hunt
• Tips for Using Caribou Gear Game Bags
• The Science Behind Caribou Gear Game Bags
• The Real Cost of Cheap Game Bags vs. Caribou Gear Game Bags

If you have questions or need help finding the right set of game bags for your next hunt, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are a family-owned and operated business, headquartered in Colorado. We’d love to help you prepare for your next hunting adventure!