Mystery Ranch load lifter attachment observation

[Movadius]

I had recently ordered a terraframe 50 pack, and have a pintler on the way with the intention of keeping one or the other. I noticed one small but curious difference between my pack and the site's pictures of the Pintler. Despite using the same yoke and frame setup, on the Terraframe I received, I have buckles between the shoulder straps and the frame that allow you to detach the load lifters without changing their length/tension. This allows you to adjust the torso height or access the frame without having to unweave any strapping from the load lifters and without having to readjust them afterwards.

On the site pictures of the pintler, and even on the replacement yokes that you can buy from MR, this is not the case. You just have the tension lock things that you would have to completely pull the strap through in order to undo them.

This is a minor difference but it could be annoying for some people and I wasn't sure how many people are aware of it. I'm not sure why Mystery Ranch chose to omit this feature from other packs, as it seems like it's an all around positive change. I can't think of any reason why you wouldn't want those buckles there.

Even stranger, when you look at Mystery Ranch's site, the images of the terraframe do NOT show the buckles. They show the same tension locks that are on the Pintler. Below are images from Mystery Ranch's site of the pintler and the terraframe 50.





Notice the buckles on the back side of the frame, but tension sliders on the front side of the frame on the official pictures...

However, the bag I received has buckles on both sides of the frame: (Color is slightly off due to the lighting, ignore that)



Does anyone know anything about this? Is this a new feature they didn't advertise anywhere? Are those buckles removable? Could a person order them and add them to their frame?

I have a pintler that's about to arrive in the mail (should be today), I'm curious now to see whether it will have this feature as well.

Just thought I'd share this observation and see if anyone else is aware of the situation.

 

[justinspicher]

I have a guidelight frame that came with the new gen buckles and the slide lock fasteners. I didn’t like either of them and switched everything out with standard ITW buckles. Those slide lock fasteners are a real pain in the ass to use, especially when they freeze up.

 

[Dos Perros]

The buckles are an upgrade at a very slight weight penalty. I don't think the buckles would be removable without physically breaking them, but they make replacement buckles (and ladderlocs) so no biggie if you want to be able to swap back and forth.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Interesting I wonder what the purpose is? Maybe to make adjusting the torso length a bit easier? Neither of my packs have that (Selway and Pop-up) but just at a glance that is the only benefit I see.

 

[Movadius]

Yeah its a shame I otherwise prefer the pintler. There were features on the pintler that outweighed that.

For example, on the terraframe the Velcro strap loops are not sewn onto the end of the strap. So they can fall off and be lost pretty easily.