Wilderness Pack Question??

[windygorge]

a frame is a must.  i truly believe that.  a pack against your back is not good, especially when your hauling heavy loads a long way.   frames keep them off your back.  the meat will be tied up on the "outside" of your pack so it can breath.  a shelf to help support the weight on the frame would be even better.  it boggles my mind to see people not getting a modern day external frame backpack.  it really does.  if there is anyone who is reading and can add to what i am saying please do.  if you are posting to counter what i am saying, then you need to have experience hauling meat and heavy loads with an external before you do.  as for internal framed packs, if you want to just be "hiking" through the woods and have something to carry your stuff, then get one.  i know you can put a quarter inside some of them, but why.  the mission is to get the animal your hunting out of the woods without loss of meat, not to be bop in the woods with the latest and greatest because it looks cool.  ....thats all i gotta say about that

I have to say I strongly disagree with this. Imhave packed out a bear small bear with an external frame pack and multiple large bears with my internal frame pack and I will never go back to external frame.

The comfort of an internal frame compared to any external frame I have ever used is incomparable. Additionally an external frame ways far more than an internal frame pack and is just so much bulkier when hiking through the woods. Having the heavy load close to your back makes you much more mobile and comfortable with a heavy load. I have ever had any problems with meat being ruined due to being too hot and imhave packed out a bear on a 90 degree day.

I have never seen any reason to have an uncomfortable and heavy external frame pack over an internal frame.

By the way. A good deal for a light pack is the GoLite Pinnacle. 4400 cubic inches, 1lb 15oz. I got it on clearance for $70.

thats probably fine, but how many trips?  i have a buddy who shoots bears and he carries the whole dang thing out at a time, with an internal.  not saying a bear isn't heavy, but that aint happenin with an elk.  i am not saying i won't look at internal frame packs, but for me, if i have to put blood dripping quarters into my pack to haul it out, then it aint for me.  i want it on the outside of my pack away from all my essentials.  i want to be able to put an elk rear and front quarter on my pack and carry it out.  at least to my bike trailer that will be waiting. .  i guess im stuck in my old ways that have always worked for me.   i am always looking for the latest and greatest, but they always seem to fall short, or are way too expensive.  if i ever do find the ultimate pack, you bet i will be ranting on here about it.

[MDGrand]

Mystery Ranch crew cab! Seriously.. Its the best of both. Worth every dime. Check it out.

[JPhelps]

Windygorge,

I am a firm believer in using whatever works for you.  We are all built different and different packs fit/feel different for everyone.

I use a Dana Design Terraplane (external) and my partner has a Dwight Schuh pack.  My pack is ten times the monster load pack that his is.  The waist belt on the schuh is not stiff enough to transfer the weight to his hips.  The load lifters are not high enough on the fame to be effective.  Plus the frame flexes with heavy loads causing stability issues.  My partner also could not cinch the waist strap tight enough without the main buckle letting loose.  If it works for you then by all meansuse it.

I also have a comment on your use of a meat shelf.  If any weight is supported by the meat shelf it creates a torque or moment that has to be supported by your back which becomes very uncomfortable.  You want all of the weight to be transferred into the frame as close to your back line as possible to minimize the distance between your back and center of the mass you are carrying.

If you haven't tried packs like Kifaru, Mystery Ranch, Dana Designs, Barney's or the Old Kelty's I suggest you do.  These are proven LOAD MONSTERS.

[carpsniperg2]

I really looked at these packs a lot. They are very nice packs! I bought a badlands 2800 instead and its a great pack as well. I had 130+ pounds in a wilderness pack at the portland trade show in sand and weights. I was very supried on how well it packed and felt.

[colockumelk]

Mystery Ranch crew cab! Seriously.. Its the best of both. Worth every dime. Check it out.

I'm thinking that this is gonna be my Afghanistan deployment present to myself. Along with 1 large and 2 small load cells.

[halflife65]

Well, I see that a lot of military people have it.  I called and talked to the MR guys and the military personnel are the ones most buying the packs.  Great packs - and they can carry a lot of weight.

[MDGrand]

Mystery Ranch crew cab! Seriously.. Its the best of both. Worth every dime. Check it out.

I'm thinking that this is gonna be my Afghanistan deployment present to myself. Along with 1 large and 2 small load cells.

May I humbly suggest the day pack lid as well... I only got the cells at first and ended up outfitting the whole thing.

[actionshooter]

I'm a gear whore bigtime and I have tried a bunch of packs, I ALWAYS went back to my Dana Design Archflex Terraplane until it got to ratty and smelled really bad (13 years) 

 I bought a Mystery Ranch grizzly to replace it and couldn't be happier. Worth the money and I know I'll get at least that many years again.

[halflife65]

Mystery Ranch crew cab! Seriously.. Its the best of both. Worth every dime. Check it out.

I'm thinking that this is gonna be my Afghanistan deployment present to myself. Along with 1 large and 2 small load cells.

May I humbly suggest the day pack lid as well... I only got the cells at first and ended up outfitting the whole thing.

Yeah, I did, too.  Actually, with a tarp as a shelter, I was able to get everything into the Crew Cab for two days, including sleeping bag, with just using the lid and not the load cells.  Any longer and I'd have had to add a cell or two, though.

[blackveltbowhunter]

Just curious, For the guys using the MR, dana designs etc... . Are you using this pack for everything. Or changing up if you make multiple trips? eg you down a bull several miles in. Take out a load to the truck or camp, then return with the same pack or switch up?

[MDGrand]

Well, the beautiful thing about the Crew Cab from MR is that it can convert to basically anything depending on the situation.

So, here is what I use it for:

1. mainly daypack. It compresses down to a 1900 ci pack without the cells. It has a hibrid internal.external frame, so if I down an elk or deer, I can cut it up and pack it out.

2. If I go on a long 5 day back pack trip, I can get all the load cells, 1 large, 2 small and the daypack lid full of all my gear, hike into base camp, set up camp, take off all the load cells and day pack lid and compress that pack back to a 1900 ci pack to use around the mountain.

This is what makes the MR so unique.. its ability to expand/contract and load full quarters, etc out.

[halflife65]

Pretty good answer from MDGrand.  I was using as a daypack this year and stuck almost an entire deer in it and carried it out.  Could've easily fit all of it but had a hunting partner that helped with the head, cape and backstraps.

With just the daypack lid on and out for two days I could fit an entire deer in it pretty easily and walk out in one load, assuming I could carry the pack.  It expands plenty big enough to do that.

The Crew Cab is good for everything - use the same pack as daypack, overnighter or packboard.  Plus, it's just comfortable.  A little heavy but it carries so well you don't notice.  I LOVED the fact that I didn't have to come back after I shot the deer.  Several miles out and it was great to not have to return to it.

[Hornseeker]

I"ve hunted 2 years now out of the Crew Cab and there is no other pack on the market I'd trade it for...if there was, I'd trade it/buy it. I want the best pack I can get my hands on...and the Crew Cab is that!

I have bivy hunted with it for up to 6 days. I can leave the truck at about #40 including 3/4 gallon of water. This is hunting 8500 feet in Montana where I have to be prepared for any weather possible. I hunt 3-8 miles from the truck on these ventures. I can also pack out 55-70# of boned out meat along with my gear if need be for the first trip out...then come back empty and pack out however much I think I can handle (usually about 80-100 pounds, depending on my testosterone levels that day!! ))

I also use it for packing in base camps. We pack in about 65# of gear each and setup a nice camp. Then I hunt with the CC on my back all day long with maybe 8# of chit in it...the pack is not light, so you are hunting with upwards of 25# when you get some water in there too. Never a prob. The packs really are bomb proof, no others are made as sturdy. The guys that designed and built this pack are back country hunters and have access to the best materials and build methods around...

Get the CC... Get the "top pouch" too...it help with really big loads and when packing in a base camp.

Good Luck

[actionshooter]

I really wanted the crew cab but at 6'-5 my torso length is just to long for what that pack is designed for. I called MR and spoke directly with Dana and he talked me into the grizzly, basically the same pack as the one I had before.
 As far as packing meat with my gear, yes I do and thats the one downside of this style of internal frame pack. I always carry a heavy trash bag and then wash the inside of the pack out asap and it works pretty well. The comfort level of a internal vs the external is completely worth it to me.

[shanevg]

I really wanted the crew cab but at 6'-5 my torso length is just to long for what that pack is designed for. I called MR and spoke directly with Dana and he talked me into the grizzly, basically the same pack as the one I had before.
 As far as packing meat with my gear, yes I do and thats the one downside of this style of internal frame pack. I always carry a heavy trash bag and then wash the inside of the pack out asap and it works pretty well. The comfort level of a internal vs the external is completely worth it to me.

I do the same. As long as you have some garbage bags you have no worries about getting blood on your gear.