Elk Pack Performance!

[thecrittergitter]

Well, you guys have my curiosity up on the MR, where do you put the quarters on the pack? I've seen photos of them but not with meat on them. Does it have a separate pouch away from your inside items & food?

For all-day hunts I like a smaller pack like the X2, it's under 2000" but with 100 oz bladder & all daily items it weighs 19#---When an elk is down the built in seat unfolds & the provided straps there will secure a good load of meat with no extra tying, it's loaded in seconds & you're on the way out! It's got a lower profile therefore in heavy timber & brush it never gets hung-up on branches or low hanging debris, that's a fairly important feature to me as a bowhunter!

On the MR what's the closest pack to 2000" to 2500" I'd never use a pack larger than that, at least I haven't to date! Thanks!

ElkNut1

maybe this picture will show you where the meat goes best By the way, i was the one who bought Bambistews 2200, and i used it for two seasons until i used the Crew Cab and turned around a day later and sold the Badlands. Its ok for a day pack if you don't plan on shooting anything

 

[Lawnboy]

Critter that shot of you with the Buffalo head is classic. I've got to believe that you are the first to have a Buff skull in a CC.

 

[Bambistew]

Critter... that trail sucks empty, can't imagine with that load. The worst part about a MR pack is you load it up and put it on and think... this isn't so bad. Then you realize you have about 20-30% more on your back than with an average pack.

 

[Wapiti Warrior]

What about noise? are these packs you hunt with or do you drop them when sneaking on the animals?
I too am in need of a new pack. some good info on here.

Thanks,
John

 

[thecrittergitter]

Critter that shot of you with the Buffalo head is classic. I've got to believe that you are the first to have a Buff skull in a CC.

You must mean this one

 

[thecrittergitter]

Critter... that trail sucks empty, can't imagine with that load. The worst part about a MR pack is you load it up and put it on and think... this isn't so bad. Then you realize you have about 20-30% more on your back than with an average pack.

Yes, yes it does, specially since we went down the face on the south side of the mountain where there was no trail The trail would have been easier

 

[Drake4]

I love my MR..far and away the best pack I have owned.
My only 2 complaints are:
1) Mine is squeaky. I have tried everything, and I cannot get the squeak out of it. One of my buddies' packs is the same way.

2) I wish the two bottom straps were on the inside/other side of the zipper. That way when you cinch down a load you can still get into the outside pockets. When those straps are cinched down, it is a pain in the ass to get inside the pockets without loosening your load.

That being said..it is still far and away the best pack I have used/seen. In my opinion they blow Badlands and Eberlestock out of the water. I couldn't imagine packing a heavy load on a Badlands.

 

[SDHNTR]

Another MR CC fan here. Simply better than anything I'e ever tried. I had both a BL 2200 and 4500 for years and never knew what I was missing. Sold em both.

Mine is quiet, but I do agree with Drake4 on point #2. All in all, it's a very small issue.

 

[Lawnboy]

Ditto on the second thing Drake mentioned. I thought I remember Randy talking to me about this on a hunt. I thought he had an idea that would of solved the problem. Something about relocating some buckles or straps. Maybe he remembers.

 

[Drake4]

Ditto on the second thing Drake mentioned. I thought I remember Randy talking to me about this on a hunt. I thought he had an idea that would of solved the problem. Something about relocating some buckles or straps. Maybe he remembers.

I talked to a guy at MR about this. He said they would move the straps for me, but it would void the warranty on the zipper. Sounds like they had looked at relocating them on this years design, but felt it would put too much strain on the zipper.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Funny true story:

I took the "Bull Hearse" to Mexico last week for vacation. Stuffed full of clothes and flip flops for the week as we didn't want to check bags. The CC works pretty slick as a carry-on if you wrap the waist belt around the back of the pack and click it together.

Anyway of course the bell boy is eager to help take our stuff to the hotel room, he grabs the pack and throws it on, stops and in broken english says "this is a very nice backpack". Should have taken his picture wearing it.

 

[Lawnboy]

I used my CC last year as my carry on to Alaska and on the way home soon realized that I hadn't gotten all the caribou blood out of it. Man there were some smells coming from under my feet. I was praying that nobody would smell or say anything about the dead animal smell

 

[Horn Seeker]

Paul, all I have to say is that if you like the 2200 with 100#'s in it....then you will really love the MR's... I used a badlands 2800 for about 6 or 7 years and did just fine... I also use a nice internal frame Dana Design when I needed to haull bigger loads. This Crew Cab is heads and tails above both....period.

 

[Dinkshooter]

This year I watched Khunter making rounds for donations/items for the Colorado Bowhunters Association banquet. When Khunter asked if Mystery Ranch would be interested in donating something, MR set him up with a sweet pack for the live auction. It sold nicely as well.

Let's just say he didn't get the same response from another pack company mentioned above.

 

[Bambistew]

The CC works pretty slick as a carry-on if you wrap the waist belt around the back of the pack and click it together.

I've been using my for carry on since I bought it. The first time I used it, my carry on had everything for a week long back pack hunt in it, minus a few bukly items... it was pushing 60lbs and a PITA to get in the overhead.

 

[Dinkshooter]

Trick to the CC carry-on besides the waist belt is to fill the top pack as well. Keeps it from getting to thick and you can unhook that part and put it under the seat in front of you just like most of you do with your purses on most trips.

 

[elk_hunter]

LOL, yeah that buffalo head is outstanding. Hey TCG, how much meat weight did you 2 have in those packs?

 

[ElkNut1]

Ernie, & others thank you! I just looked up the CC & saw they run 500.00 or so, wow! I'd have to have that pack come with horses or something to pay that much for a pack! (big grin) I don't doubt you guys for a second on the packs quality & all but am concerned when ones act like the 2200 or Blue Widow isn't adequate for carrying heavy loads when I personally know different. Just makes me wonder is all. (grin) Thanks for all the comments but I would like to see one in person & test it before I could shell out that kind of dough!

ElkNut1

 

[Lawnboy]

Elknut you mentioned I think that you were coming to hunt in Montana this year? When and where and if I can make it work you can try mine. Just tell your wife it's like her anti aging cream. This is an anti aging pack. It will add more years to your back.

 

[sweetnectar]

I got a really good deal on a J34. I ended up buying the extra spike duffel that zips on to it. When I got the order I found the pack had way too much room with the extra duffel. The best I could figure was I guy was suppose to crawl into the zip on duffel bag in stead of use a tent.

Long story short the few times I've used it it worked great. I used the gun scabbard to hold my tripod with the scope still mounted too it. That way I could just reach back and pull it out with out having to take the pack off.

I haven't packed any elk with it yet but it makes me feel good that Elknut thinks it will do fine....I value a veterans opinion. I'm sure a MR would work like a machine for packing meat based off of what all the die hards on this cite have to say about them...does make me nervious about the squeak comment though. My regular camping backpack with an external frame has a squeak as well....drives me nuts.