I am needing input on a new hunting pack! Please help!!

[8xmidge]

Don't forget about Kifaru. They are on the same quality level as MR, but not quite as heavy.

They have some good deals going right now on their older GI stuff. If you have compact lightweight gear, I'd recommend the Late Season or the Pointman (mil version if you want pals).

I'm currently running a Siwash and an Express.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I sure like MR...I'm a convert from mountaineering style packs from Arc'teryx, Mammut, and Lowe Alpine. They are still great packs and get plenty of use, but for hunting purposes I generally like what the Crew Cab and Behemoth have to offer.

 

[Seacat]

I love this thread!!!

Rest assured if you wear out a Mystery Ranch pack... We'll send you a new one.

Mark Seacat/Mystery Ranch Backpacks

 

[shoots-straight]

You have obviously never hunted or worked with Buzz.

Oak, my friends don't let me barrow their stuff, because they say I'm way to hard on things I don't take mine out over 200 days as Buzz, but the days it does go out there tough ones.

Things just seem to age quicker in my possession.

 

[elk_hunter]

Bought a Badlands 4500 last year and packed out a muley from the NV wilderness -- after 8 hours of hiking with a deboned animal and all my gear, I was extremely sore and had some pretty nasty abrasions on my lower back -- in short, the suspension aspect and comfortability sucked. I returned the Badlands and switched to a MRCC and have enjoyed it ever since and I've carried heavier loads than I did with the Badlands. Of course, mileage varies across individuals, but that's my 2c. I really love the MRCC.

 

[Grizzley]

This may sound stupid but my Badlands pack is noisy! It squeeks! Since there are so many MR users here (you know if you are in education that last sentence just isn't right)...would you mind writing your thoughts about the longbow verses the crewcab?

 

[Seacat]

Longbow vs. Crew Cab

...would you mind writing your thoughts about the longbow verses the crewcab?

Both are extremely versatile packs... I've hunted pretty much exclusively with a Crew Cab (outside of the occasional longer trip using a 6500) for the last four seasons... This season I spent over 60 days wearing a Longbow.

The Longbow was born directly out of the experiences using a Crew Cab... I wanted a simple bag that could easily handle all of the gear necessary for an "Optics Intensive" hunt... and give you quick access to all of that gear via our 3 Zip design... Your gear is always protected inside the main bag (a nice feature when you don't want dirt all over your optics). The Longbow also handles all of my gear for superlight bivi trips.... perfectly. It's small (2200 cubic inches) and if you don't fill it up, the pack compresses great for day hunts. When filled completely with boned-out meat, around a 75 pound total load... With all the compression straps (8 total) you're looking at about the most stable/secure system in our line for carrying boned-out meat. We also experimented with detaching the pack bag from the frame and reattaching around an elk hindquarter... this worked perfectly giving you the option of getting a serious load out on the first trip while still carrying out your gear... pretty cool.

The Crew Cab is still my go to pack for carrying really heavy loads and for going on lightweight day hunts where I'm not carrying a tripod/spotter and a bunch of extra gear... light fast, get in get out, type of hunts. It doesn't get much better than a Crew Cab... and used in conjunction with a Daypack Lid and/or Load Cells can really extend the versatility to longer trips...

Both great packs... I know of a ton of hunters who have both in their arsenal.

If it comes down to weight on the Crew Cab vs. Longbow... your choice is the Longbow... it's over a pound lighter and designed to be a simple, no frills type of bag.

Hope this helps.

Mark Seacat/Mystery Ranch

 

[Seacat]

Longbow vs. Crew Cab

oops double posted...

 

[The Hedgehog]

Seacat's summary is perfect. I used the crewcab for 4 seasons and loved it. This year I put the longbow on my frame in July and it never came off. For longer trips ( I didn't have any this season) a bigger bag is necessary, but for short day and possibly overnight trips, the longbow bag rocks. I packed 2 pronghorn, all of my elk, one load of another friend's elk, all of my mule deer out. It's a great little pack, even when packed to the point of exploding with boned out meat.

I really liked the Badland lifetime warrenty. I have a daypack, used it 1 season for an archery hunt, it ripped, I sent it in, they sewed it up for me. But they didn't replace the digital camera that fell out that day. I've yet to have a MR pack rip open on me.

 

[upper deck]

Greenhorn and Seacat

great posts on the MR packs. I think that sums it up perfectly.