Like many freelance waterfowl hunters, I cut my teeth by walking in to hunt public hunt areas. No matter where you are in the country, one of the most accessible ways to target ducks is simply walking to your spot. Whether you’re hitting prairie potholes, a wood duck hole, or a national wildlife refuge, you can—and should—get into good wingshooting on foot.
But while doing so is accessible, it’s not always easy. The best walk-in opportunities often require being quick enough to beat other hunters to the spot—or going farther than your competition. And also, you’ll need to lug all of your equipment, including decoys, in with you. So, when considering the best waterfowl gear for this type of hunting, one thing takes precedence: portability. The lighter your setup, the better. Beyond that, it’s important to consider durability, because carrying gear to and from your truck means it will take a beating. Period.
I’ve been a serious walk-in waterfowl hunter as both a refuge rat in California and the harsh winter conditions of Western Montana. These are my picks for the best lightweight but tough waterfowl gear on the market today.
Best Pack: Rig’Em Right Refuge Runner Decoy Bag
Refuge Runner Backpack
There are essentially two common ways of bringing gear into the field as a walk-in hunter: a cart or a backpack. While some people opt for the cart, which can be easier on your back, I favor the backpack method, which can be used on more variable terrain and is less finicky.
The main packs for hauling waterfowl gear are simple mesh packs. While in many scenarios, these work just fine, there are some serious drawbacks: they don’t have specific compartments to organize your gear, the mesh can tear, and there’s no back support. The Rig’Em Right Refuge Runner Decoy Bag fixes those issues and more. It comes with padded straps and a waist belt to ease the strain on your back. The main compartment is plenty big for your dekes, and there are specific side pouches for spinners and your shotgun. Compression packs help secure your gear, and the fabric is significantly more durable than standard mesh. If you’re serious about walk-in hunting, this is the pack for you.
Best Alternate Carrying Method: Eagle Claw Jet Sled 1
Jet Sled
You’d be hard-pressed to find a walk-in hunter that doesn’t own a Jet Sled. And for good reason. These can be super helpful for hauling your gear in a variety of scenarios. If you’re walking flat paths, like levee trails, you can affix these to wheels to create a makeshift cart. More importantly, though, these float, offering an easy way to walk into a marsh with as many decoys, and other gear, as you need. Finally, these can simply be dragged, especially over snow, to offer yet another way to bring your gear into the field. Made with rugged, thermoformed polyethylene, these are durable as hell. They also come in discrete color options such as camo and black.
Best Decoys: Heyday Hydrofoam Mallards
Hydrofoam Mallards
The bulk of the weight of your walk-in hunting gear comes from your decoys—which are, after all, one of the most important components of your duck hunting setup. Thankfully, Heyday makes an uber-light all-foam deke that just won the Best Lightweight category of our 2025 Best Duck Decoys test.
These floaters can be used in most scenarios without keel weights—and when doing so, a dozen decoys weigh just under 11 pounds. That’s nearly impossible to beat, and the decoys look pretty darn good to boot. I’ve used these for several seasons, and while the paint can get damaged in places, they’ve held up remarkably well for an all-foam option.
Best Motion Decoys: MOJO Butt Up Rippler
Butt Up Rippler
Incorporating motion is one of the best ways to level up your spread. For the walk-in hunter, my favorite way to do this is with a MOJO Butt Up Rippler—several of them, ideally. These are small and light. You can certainly fit them in your pack. They add good motion to the water, and you don’t have to worry about them flaring birds, as spinners can sometimes do. Pack a few to fill out your spread. You won’t regret it.
Best Portable Blind: Tanglefree Flight Series 360 Solo Blind
360 Solo Blind
In an ideal world, you can find a good hide at a walk-in spot without lugging in a blind. But that’s not always possible. Having a lightweight, portable option can make a big difference when you’re in a pinch—and it can also allow you to setup in the middle of a marsh—where ducks often want to be—than on the edge of it.
For such instances, I’ve used the Tanglefree Flight Series 360 Solo Blind, which weighs around 17 pounds and has its own carrying handle and shoulder strap. The circular panel is versatile. The 600D fabric is light and durable, and there’s a built-in dog door for your retriever. While this is ideal for a solo hunter, it is possible to squeeze two hunters into one of these, too.
Best Utility Pole: Hella Dry Wingman G2 Utility Pole
Wingman G2 Utility Pole
One of the more frustrating parts of walk-in hunting is finding a good place for your gear without a dedicated blind or boat to stash your stuff in. For this, a utility pole comes in clutch. The Hella Dry Wingman G2 is a great option for a couple of reasons. First, it’s ultralight at just 2.7 pounds and telescopes from 28 inches up to 5.5 feet. The foot press stake is easy to setup and is stable. Finally, there are three hooks so you can hang a blind bag, shotgun, and birds all at once—or whatever combination of gear that suits you.
Best Waders: Sitka Delta VentLite Zip GTX Wader
Delta VentLite Zip Front GTX Wader
Lightweight—and durable—waders are a must for walk-in hunters. While I’m hesitant to recommend $1,500 waders, they might be worth it if you’re really putting in miles and trudging through mud to get to your hunting spot. Where the Sitka Delta VentLites differ from the brand’s other offerings, not to mention other brands’ waders, is the boot. The VentLites are made with a breathable GORE-TEX boot that will keep your feet dry without them overheating. These also cut weight compared to your standard waders, aiding your endurance and keeping you nimble in the field. The rest of these waders are made with top-quality and durable GORE-TEX that should last significantly longer than your average wader.
Best Gun Sling: Heyday Bare Sling
Bare Sling
When you’re walking into a duck hole, you likely need a convenient hands-free way to carry your shotgun (that is, of course, if you aren’t using the nifty Rig’Em Right Refuge Runner Decoy Bag, which has a built-in shotgun pocket). There are two ways to carry your gun into the field: with a case or a sling. Unless the risk of dunking your gun is significant, a sling is a less bulky and more convenient method.
Heyday makes a bare-bones and durable option. I’ve often used rubber slings and while they work well, I’m often disappointed by their durability. The Heyday Bare Sling is one that you can beat up without worrying about cheap parts breaking. Plus, the wire strap doesn’t snag easily and won’t get in the way when you’re ready to shoot.
Best Gun Case: Hella Dry Zippered Waterproof Shotgun Bag
Zippered Waterproof Gun Bag
For walks in, serious inclement weather, or where there’s a significant risk of getting your gun wet and muddy, consider using a carrying case. Hella Dry makes one of the only fully waterproof zippered carrying bags on the market. It’s made with heavy-duty, durable fabric and has a rip-stop membrane on the inside that helps limit moisture that’s tracked inside of the case. There’s an additional compartment that’s also fully waterproof to story your choke tubes, cleaning kits, and anything else you might need in the field. The OD Green color pattern makes the case easy to stash discretely once you’ve reached your spot and are actively hunting.
The Final Word on Walk-In Duck Hunting Gear
If you’re putting in miles through rugged terrain to reach your duck hunting spots you should make sure your gear is working just as hard as you are. What that means is thoughtfully designed, lightweight, and rugged equipment. Every product on this list fits that bill. Snag what you need and get ready to hit the marsh on foot.