mystery ranch versus eberlestock

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pseshooter300

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Like to get some opinions on these two looking at a mystery ranch crew cab or a eberlestock pack this pack would be for meat hauling and pack in for hunts for deer and elk
 
If you only looking at those two I would go with the Mystery Ranch. I had a brand new Eberlestock J34 and broke she suspension strap 1mile into an 6 mile back-country hunt. I had to use some parachute cord for a short term fix, I returned it as soon as I got back. I now use a Badlands 4500 and have been real happy with it.
 
LAST EDITED ON Jan-20-13 AT 02:25PM (MST)[p]I would go with Mystery Ranch between the two. However, I wouldn't buy either. I have owned 3 MR packs, including a crew cab. I have also used a friend's Elberlestock.

The best pack I have ever owned was a Kifaru Timberline 1. I am thinking about selling it to get the new Kifaru Highcamp though.

MR Crew Cab = 7lbs 11 oz (5000 CI) $592.00
Kifaru Timberline = 5lbs 9oz (7200 CI) $636.00
Kifaru Highcamp = 4lbs 8 oz (7000 CI) $601.00

Just like the CC the HC is an external frame, and you can buy multiple bags.

My sleep system being a tarp, bivy, and sleeping bag only weighs 4.18 lbs. The CC weighs 3 lbs 3 oz more than a HC. So, for just under one pound, I am carrying a whole sleep system. You also get 2000 more CI for just $9.00. Just my opinion.
 
>If you only looking at those
>two I would go with
>the Mystery Ranch. I had
>a brand new Eberlestock J34
>and broke she suspension strap
>1mile into an 6 mile
>back-country hunt. I had to
>use some parachute cord for
>a short term fix, I
>returned it as soon as
>I got back. I now
>use a Badlands 4500 and
>have been real happy with
>it.

I have had just the opposite experience with Badlands and Eberlestock. My Badlands 2200 would break buckles and zippers under little to no stress, and my Eberlestock Dragonfly has packed heavy loads of elk meat with no problems. My Dragonfly has been on 25+ 3day+ trips and has never failed my expectations. You have to have confidence in your equipment when you are going in deep for extended periods of time. I can tell you that my friends owned Badlands, but the Eberlestock is now their go to. I don't have any experience with the Mystery Ranch packs so I can't help there.
 
Hello there, I cannot speak for the mystery ranch packs, but I can offer some information on eberlestock. We are an authorized dealer of eberlestock and are quite familiar with them. The dragonfly is an excellent pack for packing/hunting for three and four day outtings, as well as numerous other eberlestock packs. Please feel free to give us a call or email us at [email protected] and we will be glad to help, thank you.

Eric Santana
www.SantanaOutdoors.com
"Premium Hunting Gear"
 
Mystery Ranch CC has been very good to me for various hunts. Its a touch on the heavy side but very tough pack to beat.
 
I think that people get carried away thinking you need 6000ci to do a week long hunt. That is a smart way for Mystery Ranch to market and set themselves apart. My experience is that you take everything you need for a 4 day hunt, and add 3 pairs of socks. and another set of clothes, and 4lbs of food. My Dragonfly has done that the last two years for 6 and 7 day hunts. This year it will be going on a mid November hunt for 7 days. I have no hesitations using it. It is such a versatile pack. The only thing I would change is to buy the BlueWidow instead of the Dragonfly, just because it is a lb lighter and I have bow hunted the past 8 years much more than rifle hunting.
 
I have owned both the J104 and the MR 6500. Both are durable packs, however the MR is hands down a better pack for carring heavy loads. One thing I discovered to be a problem with the Eberlstock is the rifle scabbard and the hydration pocket are right against your back. It seems like that would be the best place to have them, as your rifle and water are your heaviest items.However, I found that those voids force the weight (aka meat) in your main compartement to pull out and away from your back creating an unbalanced load that puts to much strain on your shoulders. I used my MR 6500 on an 18 day combo hunt in AK. We packed out 2 sheep, 2 moose, and a grizzly and the pack was head and shoulders better than my J104.
 
I cant speak about the Mystery Ranch. I have an eberlystock J34 "just one" and have had it for over a year now and feel like I have enough experience to finally comment on it.

I love it. I was worried that it would not carry a heavy load well and my intent was for a good day pack that I can carry some meat with if I have to. I still have my cabelas outfitter pack frame which is better for packing a heavy load, but I bring out the first load with my eberlystock and it has exceeded expectations. (Only have to go back if its elk sized)

What I have done with it:

I have packed out 2 deer (on separate days). Both were boned out meat plus head and cape. This is enitire deer in one trip, plus what I was carrying initially.
I have packed out a bone in elk shoulder. I was not the hunter so I carried the hunters gun because it was easier for me to do it.
I just got back from a hunt where I packed in and stayed for 10 days (9 nights). This was something that my pack frame would be preferrable for, but the advantage of how the bow secured to the eberlystock made it a better choice for both the pack in as well as daily activities once there. When I came down from the mountain my pack weighed 86 lbs and performed very well.

I carry way too much stuff and I know my basic day pack is 30+lbs without gun. Adding an elk quarter to that and coming out, or a whole deer, was really not as big of deal as I had anticipated.

I love the eberlystock because of the ability to carry the gun so well. Carrying a gun or bow is the absolute worst part of hunting to me and for this reason, this has become my go to pack.

With the compression straps you can keep the meat tight to the body and high between your shoulders if you prefer.
 
I have a Mystery Ranch Wolfpack, 4200 CI but the same frame as the 6500. They are almost indestructible but they are heavy. I would also look at Kifaru if I was getting another one.

When you are comparing Kifaru and Mystery Ranch to Eberlystock you really aren't comparing apples and apples, You are comparing $600 packs to $350 packs.
 
So taking the arguement that those who compare Swarovski vs Nikon optics...Is there a $250 difference between the packs? I am a firm believer that you get what you pay for. I personally buy the best I can afford and get my hands on (Swarovski). I haven't touched a Kuiu or M.R pack so I can't give a fair assessment. I can say that if my body feels better after packing out an elk, then heck ya buy the pack that makes a difference. It is trial and error.

On another note, the type of hunting that you do has to play into your pack choice. I hunt vertical terrain, the adjustment features of the Eberlestock allows me to place the weight on my hips (I don't believe you have nearly as much adjustment with the other packs). So I never get tired shoulders, or a pinching pain between the shoulder blades because my pack doesn't fit right. Maybe if I packed in more flat terrain it would change my mind. Not sure. To date, the farthest that I have gone to set up base camp is about 6 miles, and my Eberlestock has worked great.
 
I have been using my J104 for 6yrs now and still love it and have no need for another,except my Cabellas Alaskan freighter frame I take for extra trips or pack out help...
I even use the j-stock scouting and day trips.It carries the load where you put it,doesn't shift,even crosscountry thru the bush stuff.My shoulders and back don't get fatigued,as I place the load on my hips.
No rips or tears or failures of any kind,just some small mouse chews on zipper cover I sewed up.
 
If you are going to the expo in SLC check out MR. The guys are great and you can try all their packs out. I don't know if Kifaru will be there. KUIIU will also be there. They have a new smaller pack they just announced. They're pack system is amazing as well.
Eberlestock isn't in the conversation with these other packs.


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