Elk Pack Performance!

Theres no doubt the MR packs arent cheap...but back surgery isnt either.

Further, I break things down to how long will I have the pack. If I were to only have it 10 years, thats $50 per year, if I have it 20 years...$25 dollars per year of use.

Chump change in the long run.
 
Buzz---That's really a good way to look at high ticket items we need. If they are well made and taken care, they will last almost a lifetime and sometimes can even be passed down to the next generation. Your back surgery analogy was a good one!!!
 
One thing you have to recognize about the price of a MR is where it is made. They are made here by people who are trying to pay their bills as well. Most if not all others are being assembled by Vietnamese or Chinese kids that really don't have a choice. They certainly aren't even making minimum wage. Whether that makes them better or not is probably debatable but I have to believe that something being produced and sewn in a relatively small warehouse locally has better quality control than somewhere overseas. The materials are totally different on MR packs versus others. Like mentioned before the buckles to zippers to strapping materials are all higher quality and guaranteed.

I'm sure some of the other packs fit the bill for most. I think the defining reasoning for most that have a MR pack is that no matter what they had before they made a invaluable upgrade over their previous pack.

I totally understand the price scare. Mine was picked up used and I know that you can find them on occasion. I haven't used the big packs for any of the Alaska hunts I've done and have survived using a Kelty, North Face, and Gregory. Ignorance is bliss I guess. As long I don't try one I won't know what I'm missing :(
I still like my 2200 for a short close to the vehicle hunt. They are quieter and comfortable without a massive load. If I know that I'm going a ways back then the CC goes because I know that I can save myself at least 1 extra trip hauling out a big load on the first one.
 
Lawnboy, that's a great offer! You seem like a great guy & it's appreciated! You never know I may look you up! (grin) I'll be out of Missoula 40 miles or so South of there in later Sept.

Being I have basically nothing in photobucket I can't share too much photo wise with our packs & backs in use! (grin) Here's a youtube clip with us with a Kelty Pack a Blue Widow & a X2 all loaded with elk quarters, I'm not in photos as I'm taking the pictures! But you can see that the meat goes on with no issues & the pack out of 2 miles was effortless! I've never used a MR so cannot compare but these are not hard on your back! Not sure where that thought comes from, as mentioned I've packed a lot of quarters out & for many miles. My sons elk last year we packed him out in two trips for a total of 18miles, that's just for the one bull, we did it with the X2 & would use that same pack in a second!

But I will take your folks word for it that the MR is a very good pack! I have no reason to doubt it! For those reading this that own a Blue Widow or Badlands 2200 or X2 don't be too concerned, they will haul any amount of weight you can! If budget is tight they will do the job & keep on ticking!

ElkNut1
 
I know my eberlestock J34 will haul more than I can.

My Wyoming bull from this year. Just a little raghorn, but that's his head strapped on the back and one of his front shoulders in the pack. I shot him at 8:00 opening morning so there is also almost everything I had packed for the day plus my rifle is in the scabbard. I ended up with the head pretty low but that was more a tribute to my packing skills than anything else. Plus I didn't want to get blood all over my pack on day 1.
n_elk_packout.jpg


I don't have a picture with it on my back, but there is a boned hind quarter and a front shoulder in there. Thankfully I only had to carry it a little over 1/2 mile!
n_elk_fullpack2.jpg


I ended up packing out most of my friends elk as well that he shot a few days later but didn't get any pictures of that.

Here's my New Mexico bull from this year. Again, not the best packing job and this sucker was HEAVY. I was very liberal in cutting the cape and should have probably fleshed it a bit better too. I only got 1/4 mile before I gave it up and left it for the guys I hired to pack out the rest of him the next morning.
2010_NM_Elk_Packout.jpg


This was the only way I could get the pack on and get stood up.
2010_NM_Elk_Packstand.jpg


I've since bought some extra straps and think that I could probably do a little better job packing next time. Hopefully I'll get a chance this year.

I really do like my pack. I won a Outdoorsmans Pack in a contest on MonsterMuleys this year and I just can't see switching out my J34 for it. The frame on the Outdoorsmans pack looks really impressive, but the waist belt and shoulder straps aren't near as nice as my eberlestock.

For you Mystery Ranch guys, where do you carry your rifle? That is a big seller for me on the J34, I regularly spend an hour or more hiking into where I want to be with the rifle in the scabbard and that really makes a big difference for me.
 
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A lot of guys will buy the Kifaru gunbearer http://www.kifaru.net/gunbearer_hunt.html It attaches to your waist belt and up on your shoulder strap. My mom sewed us some very similar to it for our Alaska hunt last year and it worked great. Your right it is real nice to have place for your gun. I hate carrying it or shouldering it when your hiking in the dark or up a rock slide.
 
npaden said:
For you Mystery Ranch guys, where do you carry your rifle? That is a big seller for me on the J34, I regularly spend an hour or more hiking into where I want to be with the rifle in the scabbard and that really makes a big difference for me.
Click to expand...

See this video from Mystery Ranch.

http://vimeo.com/channels/mrall#14016458

This is similar to what I do with mine. Difference being that I thread my straps underneath the scope, so I put no pressure in the scope itself. I cinch the bottom strap right below the trigger guard. Once you have it in that position, it is not going anywhere.
 
That just looks so awkward. Does it interfere with using your binoculars or rangefinder or anything like that. It seems like you have to reach around your rifle to do anything with your right arm.

It does look like you can get to your rifle super fast though. I end up pulling my rifle out of my scabbard on my eberlestock and putting it on my shoulder if I'm in an area where I think I may need to get to it quickly.
 
Thanks for the video links Randy. I just watched a few of them and learned a couple more things. I didn't know they had those videos.
 
warmer said:
How do you carry a bow?
Click to expand...

Pretty much the same way as shown in the rifle clips. Go to their Vimeo page and they have videos of how to cinch down a bow.

I do it a little different if I am in an area with less brush and the trails are wider. See the second photo in Post #1 in the link below. I have my bow across the top of my pack. if you look at the silhouette photo below that, you will see what it looks like from afar. Very slick when you are looking to cover ground and know you will not be hunting on your way in/out.

http://onyourownadventures.com/hunttalk/showthread.php?t=244117


npaden said:
That just looks so awkward. Does it interfere with using your binoculars or rangefinder or anything like that. It seems like you have to reach around your rifle to do anything with your right arm.

It does look like you can get to your rifle super fast though. I end up pulling my rifle out of my scabbard on my eberlestock and putting it on my shoulder if I'm in an area where I think I may need to get to it quickly.
Click to expand...

No interference at all. It is further back from your right arm and provides lots of clearance.

And yes, if I am in an area where I think I will be hunting for a critter, I will have my rifle at the ready.

When packing in before dark, or coming out in the dark, it is a huge value to have both hands free. Or, when packing out a heavy load after punching a tag and I want to have free hands to maintain balance, I can put the rifle in that position and all works great.
 
elk_hunter said:
LOL, yeah that buffalo head is outstanding. Hey TCG, how much meat weight did you 2 have in those packs?
Click to expand...

A friggin lot!! Zach's was heavier than mine, but it was his elk so it should have been:D lol

Don't know what they were exactly but I would guess mine was right around 75 and his was about 90-95lbs.
 
Randy 11, yes it's an archery elk hunt in your neck of the woods, my Son & I are heading to 270, I live just over the mountain from you in Idaho & will be coming over Lo Lo Pass.

ElkNut1
 
The Kifaru sling works slick. Personally I like it better than having the rifle attached to the pack.
 
ElkNut1 said:
Randy 11, yes it's an archery elk hunt in your neck of the woods, my Son & I are heading to 270, I live just over the mountain from you in Idaho & will be coming over Lo Lo Pass.

ElkNut1
Click to expand...

Cool. good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
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