Mystery Ranch NICE 7500 - some FWIW thoughts

[1hoda]

After 6 trips and packing out 2 animals this season I've had enough experience with this pack to share some quick thoughts for those of you considering it.

There is enough info on the major points of construction, etc. so I won't plow that ground again here other than to say that everything you've heard about MR's top quality is spot on.

I love the pack and would definitely buy it again. Here's why...

Fit - I'm shorter and broad shouldered, so this pack fit me. While I was doing my homework I tried a friend's Kifaru - it just didn't fit. It felt too top heavy and built for tall, slim guys. The MR center of gravity was right for my build. With a partially loaded or fully loaded pack it worked great. It did take some time to get it adjusted but after lots of tweaking, on the 2nd trip I had it dialed in. I bought my first backpack in 1973 and this is the best one yet.

The 10 pound weight scared the snot out of me. Aside from my better judgement and after talking to MR a few times, I decided to try it anyway. I figured in today's ultralight crazed world, they couldn't sell a single one that heavy if there wasn't some reason. Carrying a heavy load is well, heavy no matter what. But the suspension on the MR and extra weight made up for it in comfort on the way in and way out. I don't even think about the pack's weight now I have found it to be so comfortable.

6500 vs. 7500 was a challenge for me. I bought both and sent the 6500 back. Being a geezer, I tend to carry more stuff than the ultralight crowd because I enjoy being comfortable and safe. I don't like any stuff hanging on the outside of my pack either. The 7500 is a whopper, but even when I didn't have it filled to capacity it was easy to compress and rode well.

I'm not saying this is better or worse than any of the other packs on the market, it just works for me.

 

[mmw194287]

Thanks for your thoughts--my experiences this season were similar. I picked up a 6500 this spring for a steal and used it for summer backpacks, an early high country hunt, moose, antelope, and deer--everything from day hunts to 5 days. With the bag totally cinched up and using only the lid, waistbelt pockets, and the two long pockets, I found that I had a really functional daypack in terms of organization and comfort. Although it is undeniably heavy, I never found it overly burdensome. I've made my peace with the fact that I'm going to carry a few extra pounds on my pack and rifle until I am ready to spend the big bucks. I love that I never have to strap anything to the outside (except for my foam sitting mat)and that if I'm set up in day-mode I can unbuckle the compression straps and pack out a whole antelope or deer in the bag. There are a few downsides in my mind (mostly weight), but it's got a number of qualities that I really, really like.

FWIW, the OV lumbar pad really made a huge difference for me with heavy (100 lb+) loads. With the lumbar pad, I never had any issues with the belt slipping or putting excessive pressure in any particular spot. I would also add that OV gave me one of the most exceptional customer service experiences of my life--I called to see when they'd have more pads in stock, as the website showed them backordered. When I told him that I had a week-long hunt coming up the next week that I was hoping to have the pad for, he said he would see what he could do. I got a call back within an hour--they had managed to find a factory sample of the foam they use that was big enough for their pattern. He fabricated a single unit in the color of my choice, and had it in the mail by the end of the business day. All that trouble for a 20-something dollar sale, and it ended up making a huge difference on my trip.

In any event, for guys on a somewhat limited budget you can really find good deals on these packs on ebay. I watched for about a month, and saw a half dozen sell for around 400. I got a totally unused one in coyote for 345+shipping (although I did have to buy a different sized waistbelt from MR. You don't really see the 7500 on there, but the 6500s in coyote are pretty common.

 

[Flyrod]

MMW….. for your OV lumbar? Are you using all the supplied foam inserts? I've scaled mine down to just the one thick insert, found it pushes the load too far out. Love the grip it provides though!
Get the belt power pulls!..total game changer for getting that belt tight.

 

[mmw194287]

MMW….. for your OV lumbar? Are you using all the supplied foam inserts? I've scaled mine down to just the one thick insert, found it pushes the load too far out. Love the grip it provides though!
Get the belt power pulls!..total game changer for getting that belt tight.

I don't know if it's because I got a "custom" pad, but I don't remember there being a bunch of foam inserts in the package I received--I believe I just strapped it on and it worked for me. It definitely pushed the load out a little bit, but I liked that as it kept the bottom edge of the nice frame from putting pressure on the top of my hips with really heavy loads.

And X2 on the power-pulls...