hi guys anyone here ever use or own a mystery ranch crew cab? i'm looking for a pack that will haul everything 5 day spike hunt . i like the wide range of this pack . but i figured i'd ask first at this price it should have legs
mystery ranch
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pyroducksx3
Well-Known Member
From what I gather these are pretty good packs but limited to people with a torso of 20". If taller than that or just as another option look at the duplex frame at kifaru, they also have a dublex timberline which seems pretty nice. I have the regular kifaru timberline 2 ,a couple lbs lighter than the duplex version, and nothing I have ever worn carries weight better.
pyroducksx3
Well-Known Member
I think on REIs website they have instructions on how to measure, hopefully this link works Backpacks: Finding Your Torso and Hip Size: Expert Advice from REI
but in short yes probably worth it. I know my kifaru was super expensive but worth it. My torso is 21" I think and when I tried on the eberlestock packs with weight up to 50 lbs it really got uncomfotable. I have had over 70lbs in my kifaru and it felt so much more comfortable than the eberlestocks with 50. Now that I am thinking about it I think the mystry ranch packs are designed up to an 18" torso length. Im 6'2" so I wasnt even close and the kifaru was my only real choice. Also the regular timberline on packs are lighter than the mystry ranch, eberlestock or kifaru duplex style. Spend the money on a good pack you wont regret it. Im not sure if the mystry ranch has loadlifters or not I am thinking not, which is why the duplex timberline is being so highly recommended on rokslide.com
but in short yes probably worth it. I know my kifaru was super expensive but worth it. My torso is 21" I think and when I tried on the eberlestock packs with weight up to 50 lbs it really got uncomfotable. I have had over 70lbs in my kifaru and it felt so much more comfortable than the eberlestocks with 50. Now that I am thinking about it I think the mystry ranch packs are designed up to an 18" torso length. Im 6'2" so I wasnt even close and the kifaru was my only real choice. Also the regular timberline on packs are lighter than the mystry ranch, eberlestock or kifaru duplex style. Spend the money on a good pack you wont regret it. Im not sure if the mystry ranch has loadlifters or not I am thinking not, which is why the duplex timberline is being so highly recommended on rokslide.com
cowboy
Well-Known Member
One of my sons has had a Mystery Ranch CC (Crew Cab) for about 5 years now. I have seen him pack loads that are not even human. If you can lift and carry it a CC will do it. I might add that this guy is just not a week end warrior, he has used this pack through thick and thin. At the end of the hunting season he just soaks the whole pack in a bath tub full of soap/water, takes it out and hoses it off on the driveway and hangs it up to dry.
Another son and I are using the Mystery Ranch Longbow. Same frame but is designed to have more compartments and easier access.
I have never heard about Mystery Ranch not fitting certain size people. I am 6'2" and am only using their medium frame/belt. I did have an advantage of going right to Mystery and getting fit and adjusted.
After using an Eberle Stock for 5-6 years and going through 2 different Badlands 2200 I can not believe the comfort and carrying difference of the Mystery. When you're my age and can carry a half of an elk out at a time the pack better fit.
I have heard nothing but positive things on the Kifaru but have never had any personal experience with them. All three of us use the Kifaru gunbearer rifle holders on our Mystery Ranch's and after all the years I used a Eberle with the rifle scabbard there is no comparison and I'll never go back.
Another son and I are using the Mystery Ranch Longbow. Same frame but is designed to have more compartments and easier access.
I have never heard about Mystery Ranch not fitting certain size people. I am 6'2" and am only using their medium frame/belt. I did have an advantage of going right to Mystery and getting fit and adjusted.
After using an Eberle Stock for 5-6 years and going through 2 different Badlands 2200 I can not believe the comfort and carrying difference of the Mystery. When you're my age and can carry a half of an elk out at a time the pack better fit.
I have heard nothing but positive things on the Kifaru but have never had any personal experience with them. All three of us use the Kifaru gunbearer rifle holders on our Mystery Ranch's and after all the years I used a Eberle with the rifle scabbard there is no comparison and I'll never go back.
As most of the guys stated above both the MR and the Kifaru are excellent packs, I don't know as much about the Kifaru as the only experience I have with them is through my hunting partner and he loves his I believe its a timberline, with over 5 years on it I believe. I've worked with MR for a number of years in the fire world and last year ponied up and bought a CC for myself, I'm 6'1" and the large yoke works great for me load lifters and all and my torso is in the 21" range. It is worth it with the CC to get at least one load cell to help organize small stuff since there is less fully enclose cargo area than the longbow or other nice frame based packs, but you should have no problem putting more weight in it than is humanly possible to carry for a 5 day hunt. The other nice feature of the NICE frame is that it is possible to swap the pack on it if for a somewhat reasonable price instead of buying a whole new system.
The nice frame is 20" from bottom to top. There is no lift on a Nice frame/CC combination above that point as the lifters are attached to the frame. If you set the waist belt above the hip bones as MR recommends you can get some lift that way and in addition, that location will prevent the belt from sliding down past those hip bones. Most other pack makers suggest wrapping the belt around the hip bones and that setup will allow the pack to slide down.
MR makes several bags that have lifter extensions sewn onto the bag itself such as the 6500.
MR makes several bags that have lifter extensions sewn onto the bag itself such as the 6500.
I took my Remmington model 770 chambered in 30/06 with a Night Force 5.5x22x56 into the Absaroka in 2010, along with my Barrett model 99 50 BMG, we did a drop camp up there with an outfitter, so they did the heavy lifting to get us into the back country, then I put it on my back and humped it up (and I mean straight up!) out of camp to a ridge at about 9000 feet, (camp was around 8000 feet, a mile away as the crow flies) We set up a secondary camp for the "Fifty position" overlooking a burn area where we could see for about 1200 yards. We did not get the opportunity to use the Barrett, I ended up shooting my elk on opening day with the 30/06 at 300 yards. It was an early season rifle hunt up there...bugled him in from around 1200 yards way up on top of a ridge (around 10,000 feet) Satellite bull all by himself, the only elk we ended up seeing on our trip. Beautiful country, here are some pics.
Sorry, newbie to the forum, I thought I was putting these in a different spot...
Sorry, newbie to the forum, I thought I was putting these in a different spot...
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Last year we did a trip into the Bridger Teton Wilderness area in Wyoming, I just took the 30/06 as space was limited and we had a lot of gear to get in there. My cousins have pack stock and they go in there every year. We had a great time, saw alot of elk, I did not harvest anything, but my cousins got a few raghorns, and a spike. (out of 6 of us hunting we took out 3 bulls) We saw Griz, wolves, Moose, deer, bald eagles.
We had a great time and saw some amazing country, I would be going back this year but didn't draw a tag. I got my Montana combo tags though, and it looks like we are doing a drop camp in the Bob Marshall Wilderness area for the early season rifle hunt up there....here are some pics from last years hunt...
Sorry I am a newbie to the forum, I thought I was posting these somewhere else...oops
We had a great time and saw some amazing country, I would be going back this year but didn't draw a tag. I got my Montana combo tags though, and it looks like we are doing a drop camp in the Bob Marshall Wilderness area for the early season rifle hunt up there....here are some pics from last years hunt...
Sorry I am a newbie to the forum, I thought I was posting these somewhere else...oops
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