backpacks
- Thread starter daniellybbert
- Start date
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Mystery ranch blows everything out of the water.
Here is a ram and a mystery ranch 6500
You search just ended. Good luck with the ram
Here is a ram and a mystery ranch 6500
You search just ended. Good luck with the ram
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bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
I have a Camp Trails Moose external frame pack I've had since the mid 80's. Lots on here will probably laugh as it's not an expensive one (about $100 new IIRC), but it's hauled out many moose and caribou over the last 25 or so years. I have some friends of mine that also use the same for sheep,goat,etc. The bag is removable from the frame and made of a nylon type material, but still tough. easy to rinse in a lake,etc The whole pack is very light, not more than a few pounds. I'm not sure if it's still being manufactured.
I've also looked at some new packs lately, but few are external frame and most seem pretty heavy with entirely too many pockets, buckles, zippers and sh!t hanging off them to snag on brush. I was pretty disappointed actually. Maybe someone on here knows of a great lightweight external frame pack that doesn't play to the urban commando or wannabe soldier.
I've also looked at some new packs lately, but few are external frame and most seem pretty heavy with entirely too many pockets, buckles, zippers and sh!t hanging off them to snag on brush. I was pretty disappointed actually. Maybe someone on here knows of a great lightweight external frame pack that doesn't play to the urban commando or wannabe soldier.
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
The MR is a little on the heavy side but built to haul tanks. It's the choice of a lot of sheep guides in the NWT, Yukon and northern bc. Some of the other guys I work with run kifaru packs that have less pockets than the MR.
Kuiu make a pack but I don't have any hands on experience with them. They are lighter because of carbon fibre frame.
Eberlestocks packs suck, and any one who has actually hauled a ram out will tell you that. If you need a gun scabbard or simalar get the kifaru gun bearer and play around with it till you find a good spot for it.
Kuiu make a pack but I don't have any hands on experience with them. They are lighter because of carbon fibre frame.
Eberlestocks packs suck, and any one who has actually hauled a ram out will tell you that. If you need a gun scabbard or simalar get the kifaru gun bearer and play around with it till you find a good spot for it.
Not all eberlestock packs have a gun scabbard. Personally I am not a fan of that feature. I use a Blue Widow. I haven't packed sheep with it but I have packed other creatures.
I would rate it as a good-very good(ish) pack...but not great. If you can find a Blue Widow for a good price it's worth it I'd say.
- Location
- AB foothills
For a bombproof pack, Mystery Ranch is hard to beat, heavy but indestructible. I have been hunting with Dana Gleasons packs for about 20 or so years and am on my third one. My newest one(Grizzly) is packed and ready to roll in a few days from now.
I had a pack very similar to yours almost 25 years ago, same brand but cant remember what model. I wouldn't say they are very comparable to today's new, more purpose built packs but if it works for you and you like it that is all that matters. Maybe take a look at Kifaru's new lightweight series, lots of good things being said about them since they came out from some pretty serious hunters.
I had a pack very similar to yours almost 25 years ago, same brand but cant remember what model. I wouldn't say they are very comparable to today's new, more purpose built packs but if it works for you and you like it that is all that matters. Maybe take a look at Kifaru's new lightweight series, lots of good things being said about them since they came out from some pretty serious hunters.
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- Location
- AB foothills
Yes, and their first generation got very some bad reviews and had quite a few problems. I know a few guys who are glad they waited. They have a second generation now but again, I would wait until it gets put to the test for at least season or two.
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
Crazy Davey, I heard the same thing about kuiu packs, I'm glad I went MR on my packs. Kuiu will get it figured out and have a quality product like their clothing line.
Great pictures as well
Great pictures as well
For you guys running the MR's with the NICE frame, what's your build like? I use a MR daypack for general purpose uses...work stuff, light hiking and scouting trips and I really like it...I think the frame system in that one is called the Futura or something like that.
I really would like to try out a larger pack from them but I have been apprehensive to shell out the bucks for one of the NICE frame set-ups without ever even touching one...
What are your feelings on the adjustability of the NICE frame?
I really would like to try out a larger pack from them but I have been apprehensive to shell out the bucks for one of the NICE frame set-ups without ever even touching one...
What are your feelings on the adjustability of the NICE frame?
Sask_Hunter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Saskatchewan
I'm 6' and 215. They have different sized yokes and waist belts. I'm sure MR can get you fitted up
My feeling is that the diffrence between properly and improperly adjusted is the difference between bliss and hell. When you do the adjustments you want to have 75 pounds of lead in it and be on a hill. When you get it right you will know! I went all last season hunting and half the winter training thinking mine was properly adjusted it was only when I upped the wieght and started playing with adjustment that I figured it out. Once properly adjusted 55 pounds went from feeling like something to feeling like nothing.
Just a side note on MR NICE frame/load sling usability. This year I started using sealable 1 gallon plastic buckets on the bottom of the pack to carry food in. Two of them fit side by side and they increase the useable pack volume immensley. (We have found that 2 gallons is the right amount of space for 2 hunters to eat well for 8 days)
When not in the pack they are appreciated seats, hangable bear caches, submergable meat chillers (i.e pack with packstrap and chill in creek) etc.
Lots of new packs hitting the market these days so hopefully there are a few more options than there used to be. Baney's of Alaska makes without question the best external frame packs. Mystery Ranch has definitely owned the internal/internal-hybrid market for years. While they are a great pack, they are far from perfect IMHO and hopefully some of these new manufacturers offer up some options for serious sheep hunters.
Kifaru makes a nice pack but it seems and bit narrow and sits a bit too high for my liking. The first generaltion Kuiu was a disaster so hopefully generation 2 has addressed those issues. I'd keep an eye on this one. Stone Glacier has an interesting looking pack but it's a bit small for my liking and has no external pockets.
Kifaru makes a nice pack but it seems and bit narrow and sits a bit too high for my liking. The first generaltion Kuiu was a disaster so hopefully generation 2 has addressed those issues. I'd keep an eye on this one. Stone Glacier has an interesting looking pack but it's a bit small for my liking and has no external pockets.
Totally agree, if you need to carry dense heavy loads like car batteries , rock cores or ammo cans the nice frame and load sling is great but there is something very 'wrong' with the load sling it's self. most of the wieght ends up hanging on the two top straps and lord forbid the load extends above the top of the pack frame, then everything goes to crap.
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I agree, the Nice Frame is definitely not for me. I went with a true internal frame from MR. It's still too heavy in my opinion, the suspension system could be better, it's over priced and I've got a terrible squeak in mine that seems common but at the end of the day, it is still one of the better options out there right now. I've carried some very heavy loads for very long distances with it.
Mystery Ranch. Hands down.
However, if budget is an issue at all, some other good options are out there. Arcteryx, Used DD or MR, surplused ILBE...
Hopefully some of the newer companies start turning out viable options here soon as well.
when it comes to packs and especially packs that are gonna be loaded FRIG thinking budget. Morgtage your house, rob little old ladies, cash in your kids RESPs, steal the nieghbours empty beer bottles in short do what ever it takes to protect your spine. A couple days or even an afternoon in the wrong pack with 100 pounds and rough terrain could literally leave you never doing it again.
This coming from Mr " a trapper nelson was good enough then it's good enough now" who suffers for it daily.
I have a NICE Crew Cab and my wife has a NICE 6500. I like to say they are heavy when empty and light when full! DD has it right that they require proper fitting but the fuss is well worth it. The video Mystery Ranch has online will get you 99% right.
With any luck I will have photos of my wife carry a load of goat in hers soon.
With any luck I will have photos of my wife carry a load of goat in hers soon.
