Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Knee/Back support for hiking/hunting

I'm headed on my first elk hunt in a couple weeks and am trying to figure out last minute items I might want or need. This is for a guided deal, but I'm figuring on hiking as much as needed. Middle aged (52) back and knees from years of blue collar work. Not blown out, but I take Glucosamine for my kness and see a Chiropractor for regular maintenance. Bought a basic neoprene back support this spring which helped a good deal for cutting, splitting and stacking firewood. I'm reasonably fit and actually underweight so I'm thinking the limiting factor for the week would be stiffening up. I can take the back support just to have it but I'm really wondering if a couple knee braces would be worth picking up. I can also try them out grouse hunting behind my dogs a few times before heading out but figured I'd ask first.

Does anyone get any benefit from either of these in the field?

I have a bad knee and I wear a small sleeve and a fairly substantial knee brace over the top of the sleeve. The sleeve reduces chafing. The brace provides some stability, and frankly peace of mind. The brace has a metal hinge on each side and Velcro "flaps" and Velcro straps.

Thanks, fortunately I don't need a brace.

For anyone interested, I did buy a couple elastic knee supports from Wallyworld last week and used them bird hunting Saturday and a couple days this week at work. For $3 each it was worth trying. Turns out they help quite a bit, not magic but significantly less fatigue and stiffness at the end of the day.
They've been comfortable in temps to the low 60's, not sure how they'll be in summer heat. I won't have an idea on durability for awhile but for now they stay in place well. I had faced upland pants on Saturday so briars weren't an issue, but these are thick enough that they should afford a little protection as well.

I should have thought about trying these a couple years ago, definately worth taking on the trip.