Mystery Ranch Pop Up 28

[juan trueno]

I got you 6-8” more strap would make getting the padding where it belongs and the tension proper easier or possible in the bigger sizes.


I’m 6’4 185 for reference. 33-4 inch waste. Which puts me at the top end of the medium belt. And alledgedly would have me in a large yoke but I don’t know anyone whose put together like that. The medium yoke fits me great, the large is ok but not perfect when I have it completely stuffed/ retracted into the frame.


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[juan trueno]

Here’s my only real area of concern in the frame, I think the attachment points for the Pack at the top of the popped up frame are the most likely point of failure on the system. Here’s a few pictures illustrating the issue and how it was addressed on the guidelight.

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[jdvanstar]

I just got this pack and love it.

This review was the first one I had seen: Blog — Bowga

 

[cowboyarcher]

I just laid hands on one. I'd recommend sizing up on the belt if you are on a cutoff, not down. I have a 34" waist and can barely get the medium belt buckled.

 

[Gumbo]

I like MR a lot but this seems like a major gimmick to me. I might be wrong but I just can't imagine this system is rigid enough for a real heavy load. Once I tried a Kifaru I realized how much even my NICE frame flexed under massive weight. Also, load lifters are good, so why not have them in use all the time? I used to run my NICE frame with the lifters down a lot but realized that is was far more comfortable even at small/medium loads with them up.

 

[juan trueno]

Dang dude. Where was that insight before we threw our money away. You could’ve saved me $300


I’m just busting your chops. It doesn’t sound like it would make any sense for you to buy one though. I wouldn’t get one if I were you


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[Kevin Dill]

I like MR a lot but this seems like a major gimmick to me. I might be wrong but I just can't imagine this system is rigid enough for a real heavy load. Once I tried a Kifaru I realized how much even my NICE frame flexed under massive weight. Also, load lifters are good, so why not have them in use all the time? I used to run my NICE frame with the lifters down a lot but realized that is was far more comfortable even at small/medium loads with them up.

While in no way arguing your thoughts, I'll add a couple of my own. Mystery Ranch doesn't really have a history of putting out packs which fail under the loads they are designed to haul. To my eye this pack isn't going to be intended for hauling 100+ pound meat loads. I mean, it's primarily a low-pro daypack with the ability to go to lifter mode and handle moderately heavy loads. If MR tells me it will handle 80 pounds then I'm personally certain it will. And while I agree with you that load lifters are great, there are a lot of guys out there who definitely don't want or need them deployed for normal hunting-daypack use. When my pack is carrying under 20 pounds total I basically get no subjective benefit from lifters while stop-and-go hunting. If I had to put it on and go 3 miles with 20 pounds that would be different of course.

All this is why I have enjoyed my Guide Light frame so much. It has enough frame/lifter height to do a superb job for me with big loads (think moose) but the lifters aren't sticking up like rabbit ears. I can use it for slow hunting in cover and for packing massive bags of meat and not feel compromised. I figure the Pop-Up will make a lot of guys happy. I'm likely not in the market for one at this time.

 

[juan trueno]

And what you get is “lifter mode” (and not much else) to be sure. As I mentioned earlier- it lacks the lateral/torsional stifffness to stabilize a heavy load to haul cross country though it has the vertical stiffness to transfer a significantly heavy load to the hips and off the shoulders and spine.


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[mtwarden]

agree w/ Kevin; after speaking at length to a rep from MR, it is NOT meant to replace 100+ # haulers, but should handle loads in 70-80# range- will it be as comfortable as a heavy hauler w/ the same loads? probably not, but 70-80# on my back is never overly comfortable

this was targeted for folks who primarily day hunt and to haul a load out of lucky, but with the addition of a dry sack could easily squeeze a few days in if need be

I would have loved to have this pack on dozens of occasions hunting deer/antelope in Eastern Montana

 

[Desk Jockey]

Jumping in here. Different tools for different tasks IMO. Like a V6 truck that is really Designed for light hauling and gas mileage but can pull your boat in a pinch. I think of this on a spectrum of napsack day Pack to 120L hauler as being a lighter duty rig that can haul when needed but not as well as a big pack.

I own a pop up now though only have a little time under it with no more than 45 lbs. it carries well and feels as good as my mr guidelight in terms of fit. It sure isn’t going to replace a guide light / Nice / Kifaru frame as a big hauler. It does carry nicer than my woodsman on A 22 inch frame imo, which was my northeast woods hunting Pack last season. It carries as well as my mr crewcab on a nice frame and is easier to load and Pack.

I think you have to consider the balance of function, compactness, weight and price.

Pop up gives me a pack that will spend 90% of its time in Day Pack mode and be very compact in that role. On the rare occasion when I haul a bag of corn, or a bulky item or a quartered deer, it will handle it. It probably wouldn’t be my pack of choice for a multi day hunt in the back country.

It also does that at 5lbs and $300. That is about 3lbs less than my woodsman on a 22 inch frame with three pockets and a water bladder holder and 4lbs less than my mr Crewcab on a nice frame. Last point is that at $300 the pop up all in cost only slightly more than just a guide light frame at $275 and a Kifaru frame @ $336 before you buy the pack. Just one man talkin but you may be expecting a bit too much from a small, light, cheaper Pack.

 

[juan trueno]

This one is simple. If you don’t know exactly where this fits in your equation- don’t try to make it work. I shoot a few deer every year in a few mountain ranges in a few states almost all day hikes, and a couple black bears, and a couple hogs. and I hate with a passion to drag, and even my crew cab comes in at the end of the day “empty” with broken branches crammed all in the meat area between the bag and frame, and all smashed into the area between the yoke and frame. Just because it’s real thick and nasty in a lot of places.

I’d say that on 50-60 % of my hunts a day pack that isn’t compromised in that role, but allows me to extract all of a quartered deer, a bear hide, skull, and hind quarter, a quartered pig etc is an irreplaceable asset. The other 40-50% of my hunts it can sit in the top of my closet harmlessly


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[WV Mountaineer]

It was meant for a day hunter that has to pack meat when he kills something. I was going to buy this pack but, bought a KUIU instead, for a couple reasons. Maybe it will be a "two birds with one stone" kinda thing. Time will tell. If not, I will have one of these shortly. MR read my mind on what would be practical for what I do here in my home state. I talked with MR about the fit and design on the pack and, they have made it abundantly clear it was not meant to haul 100 pound loads and be as adequate as their Guide Light frame. Which is fine by me since my boned out whitetail packs weigh in around 60-70 pounds with gear and deer when not carrying a stand.





It will never replace my Kifaru for what it does. Nor was it meant to. Only fill in a big blank hole in my hunting pack arsenal. I used to use a nimrod wilderness system for the same reasons I'd use the pop up. I just can't get enough gear and food in a fanny pack pack, when carrying it for a 6-8 mile hunt. While I'm an American made kind of guy, I do not see this kind of offering from any of those pack makers. I think MR hit this one out of the park. God Bless men

 

[BluMtn]

This one is simple. If you don’t know exactly where this fits in your equation- don’t try to make it work. I shoot a few deer every year in a few mountain ranges in a few states almost all day hikes, and a couple black bears, and a couple hogs. and I hate with a passion to drag, and even my crew cab comes in at the end of the day “empty” with broken branches crammed all in the meat area between the bag and frame, and all smashed into the area between the yoke and frame. Just because it’s real thick and nasty in a lot of places.

I’d say that on 50-60 % of my hunts a day pack that isn’t compromised in that role, but allows me to extract all of a quartered deer, a bear hide, skull, and hind quarter, a quartered pig etc is an irreplaceable asset. The other 40-50% of my hunts it can sit in the top of my closet harmlessly


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I would have to agree with a lot of the above. I see this pack as perfect for my type of hunting and hiking. I have the advantage of being able to hunt from my pickup and do 5 to 10 mile hikes everyday and get into some rugged country. I want a pack that is a low profile pack that is not getting hung up in the brush, light and handy. The popup fits that profile. This pack will allow me to also bring out my first load comfortably back to my pickup where I can switch to my heavyhauler and finish packing out the rest of what ever I am bringing out. For summer hikes I can haul in a small camp and unload and have a light weight pack to haul a spotting scope and tri-pod along with some extra clothing. I am in the process of ordering one. If I had the capability to design my own pack, this is what I would have designed.

 

[Randle]

Thanks for taking time to do this. I am really interested in this one

 

[Randle]

Would you mind posting a with it on to show extended and collapsed ?

Thanks

 

[juan trueno]

It’ll be later tonight. And I can put on the pintler/guidelight and a longbow / nice too for comparison. How low profile or not each is


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[GPool1842]

Awesome review. Thanks for putting in the time! Gotta go crack open a cold one now!!

 

[Downeaster]

Disclaimer first: I have not handled either the 28 or the 18. In my mind, the 18 is like a fanny pack that can carry a load, which in turn will make my subsequent loads that much lighter. If I need the capacity of a 28 ill carry my pintler. For my needs, the 18 is gonna be the perfect companion to my heavier hauling packs. I'm personally excited for it, think its gonna fill a real niche.

 

[THBZN]

Fantastic review. Thanks for the level of detail on this one!

 

[mtbshark]

I really like the idea of this pack however the bag is kinda off, in my eyes. First off there is no front compression straps to carry a bow, to me that’s a big deal! The new tree stand bag they have is much closer in my opinion. Would be in like flyn if treestand came on pop up frame!!!


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