Mystery Ranch Packs

cabinfever

Very Active Member
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Looking to try one of these packs out, but I'm unsure which one would be the best for the type of hunting I do. Looking at 5 day trips with 50 lbs of gear going in and 100+ lbs coming out. Looks like the crew cab or 6500 would do the job, but would love some advice from hunters who have used these packs for 5+ day trips.

thanks, Mike
 
I have both and for what you are looking for the 6500 would definately be the way to go. You could do it with the CC but with that much gear and weight the 6500 rides way better in my opinion. Since getting the 6500 I do not use the CC that much anymore. The 6500 has so many straps to tighten things up that you can condense it down just as much as the CC. 6500 no question.
 
it makes sense to go with the 6500. My current pack is 7000 cu inches and I about need it all to get my gear and animal out. Thanks for the info. How well does it handle heavy loads? Is it comfortable?

thanks again, Mike
 
I got the CC and have used it now for the past 3 years. I have absolutely loved the pack and would recommend it to anyone. I have friends who own the Eberlestock J-107 packs and Badlands packs and after hunting with me on our pack hunts all admit their packs are inferior to the mystery ranch. I cannot speak to the 6500 pack. All I can say is the CC offers the benefit of a 6000 cu pack, including the flip top lid, as well the diversity of a day pack at only 1900 cu once its fully collapsed. For me this was the perfect fit for how and where I hunt. I have a large 6000 cu pack to get all my gear into to where I hunt and then once there, I can collapse the pack down to a 1900 cu day pack so I am no longer carrying the bulk and the weight of a 6000 cu pack. Also, I have hauled 2 deer and an elk off the mountain with this this pack. It works! I would not consider another pack or brand for a guy who backpacks in miles away for days at a time. Well worth the $$. Good luck.

Fever
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-10-09 AT 05:53PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Nov-10-09 AT 05:50?PM (MST)

To see what the 6500 can do I have included these two pics. After getting to where we set up base camp I cinched up the straps and condensed it down to this:

4afa095118928770.jpg


That is not a whole lot different than what my Crew Cab condenses down to.

This is my pack with 96 pounds of bear hide, skull, and meat and camp and I still had room to expand to more but I had 9 miles to go with that and that is all I wanted to handle. It rode on my back great. I know for a fact that my CC would not have felt as nice or rode as nice with that:

4afa09dc1ad3cdd9.jpg


Go with the 6500.
 
i got the nice 6500 and absolutely love it! i spent 4 weeks backpacking in the alaska range and brooks range in alaska (three 10 day trips) and would not want any other pack! so comfortable its not even funny, i spent 30 days in a row with over 60 pounds on my back (couple days with over 100) and i was never uncomfortable. its pretty pricy but it was worth every penny.
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-10-09 AT 09:05PM (MST)[p]LAST EDITED ON Nov-10-09 AT 08:57?PM (MST)

I'm a little jealous of Marley. He has both pacs. I have the Crew Cab and love it. I do have a review of it on my site. Just thought I would share a couple pics with my testimonial. My pack weights from 45 to 50 pounds daily. Trust me I would love to shave some weight out of it. Here is a pic with 45 pounds of I don't know what. I can walk all day with ease in this pack with this weight
4afa338d2566a93c.jpg


Here is my pack a few hours later. We weighed the packs when we got to town and mine weighed in at 151 pounds. It was heavy and thank goodness I only had to pack it about one mile. The pack held up and saved me from having to make another trip. However, next time I will make the extra trip it was only one mile. No sense in hurting myself.
4afa34e82ed9d4c6.jpg

Just get either pack, I think you will be very impressed. I know I was.

Steve
www.muledeercountry.com
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-10-09 AT 09:12PM (MST)[p]Might check out this new Barbarian Featherlight pack by Blacks Creek. We are taking pre orders on my website now if interested. check out the specs on this pack. i used it on my sheep hunt this year and they are awesome.
4afa395548bfab43.jpg



Travis
www.RidgelineOutdoors.com
Blacks-Creek Packs Dealer
 
thanks for the pictures and testimonials. I have heard good and bad about the eberlstocks and badlands but never heard anything negative about the MR. I think I'm going to get one. I almost wouldn't mind getting the nice frame with the crew cab and the 6500 for different applications.

Just curious.... how big are some of you guys who are packing 150+ lbs? Jeesh, I only weight 158 lbs dripp'n wet.
 
LAST EDITED ON Nov-11-09 AT 06:39PM (MST)[p]well i am 6'6" but only 200 pounds. the large straps and the small waist belt fit me perfect.

i'm on the left with my 6500 and 2 rear elk quarters, its huntmancam's bull from this year.

P1000258.jpg
 
Hey Cabin, don't worry about how big or small you are. It's how well your brain works that matters. Work smarter, not harder. Lots of ways to make that load lighter on the way out without killing yourself and your knees.

Better to make an extra trip than cut your hunting life shorter because your knees and back go out before you're 55.

DBD
 
Marley,

I think after hearing your testimonial I would go with the 6500. After all, you have both. I thought the 6500 and the CC were both on the nice frame? You had said that your CC would not have carried your bear out as comfortably as your 6500. Why is that? I would think with both being on the nice frame, they would carry about the same. Let me know. I may be picking up a 6500 at the show in February if it really is that much better than the CC.

Fever
 
They are both on the nice frame so the shoulder straps and belt will feel the same but the weight is distributed much better in the 6500 and kept closes to your body. Even Mystery Ranch guys will tell you the same thing. I do like the CC too but in my opinion it is a great pack for 2-3 days, any more than that and the 6500 is the way to go and the crew cab doesn't condense down much more than the 6500 does as you can see in my 1st picture. You won't regret it. And you can always get the CC later.
 
I borrowed my bro the j105 and he put an elk quarter in it. He said it was the worst ride of his life. LOL
 
If I can make it to the Expo this year I'm going to try one out.Sounds like the 6500 may be better suited for my style of hunting.

deerbedead I
I think the smart thing to do is take a buddy who also has a MR pack so he can carry half your animal out. Heehehe!

thanks again for everyones help

Mike
 

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