Pintler debacle

[vthokee]

I bought a Mystery Ranch Pintler last month and got it for a great deal. Now my hunting plans have changed and I am worried that I won’t have enough bag to do 2-3 night trips up the mountain. My original thought was it is the perfect day pack and maybe a one night trip. Now I’m going a different route with my hunting plans and second guessing my decision. How can I make this pack work for 2-3 day trips?
My hunt will be early September, shelter is a Mountainsmith LT tarp, going to be using a VIAM quilt with a BA sleep pad.

 

[marktole]

Run a dry bag between the frame and bag with all your camp gear. Easily adds 3,000 cubic inches of hauling capability to your setup. Then when you get where you're going to set your camp, drop the dry bag with camp gear. Now you have a good sized pack to day hunt with from your bivy.

 

[vthokee]

Run a dry bag between the frame and bag with all your camp gear. Easily adds 3,000 cubic inches of hauling capability to your setup. Then when you get where you're going to set your camp, drop the dry bag with camp gear. Now you have a good sized pack to day hunt with from your bivy.

I didn’t think about doing this. I don’t know why because I’ve seen it mentioned on almost every post about packs.

 

[MidGAHunter]

Couple of options...

1) Use a dry bag to carry camp in the overload shelf (not ideal though if you have a suceesful hunt and also have to pack out meat)

2) Keep the Pintler for day hunts and add one of the bigger packs designed for 2+ day hunts

3) Call MR, explain your situation, and beg them to sell you a bag only bigger bag for your Pintler frame (such as the Metcalf) and then you can interchange them.

 

[vthokee]

Couple of options...
3) Call MR, explain your situation, and beg them to sell you a bag only bigger bag for your Pintler frame (such as the Metcalf) and then you can interchange them.

I have talked to them a couple times and the only bag options they sale is thePintler and the Cabinet. They will not sell the bigger bags. Even though the customer service rep says they get multiple calls a day asking to buy different bags to interchange with existing frame. He said they keep a log and pass it on to their sales and marketing team. I have flooded every avenue that Mystery Ranch has requesting a Metcalf bag only option.

 

[MidGAHunter]

I have talked to them a couple times and the only bag options they sale is thePintler and the Cabinet. They will not sell the bigger bags. Even though the customer service rep says they get multiple calls a day asking to buy different bags to interchange with existing frame. He said they keep a log and pass it on to their sales and marketing team. I have flooded every avenue that Mystery Ranch has requesting a Metcalf bag only option.

Gotcha. In that case, sell the Pintler and buy a Beartooth (or the new Selway). Then next year when all their bags move to the new guidelight MT frame, pick up the new Pintler bag-only and you will be set for whatever the hunting trip dictates.

 

[vthokee]

I’m just keeping an eye out for a Metcalf or Marshall bag only to pop up. I’ll make this one work somehow. I wish I would have spent the extra $30.00 and got the Metcalf.

 

[Austink47]

I am in the same boat. The dry bag in the overload shelf works pretty well. I have been thinking about trying to put a daypack lid on mine. I have also begged them to sell me a Metcalf, no luck. Kind of makes me question their customer service.

 

[Kevin Dill]

Unless you enjoy the mental flagellation of what might have been....my strongest suggestion would be to buy a lightweight 3L load cell to carry on the Overload Shelf. This is the best way to achieve additional volume while still having a pack which excels at day use. If desired, you can also add external pockets or pouches to the Pintler. You've got a superb pack. Just figure out how to add capacity and you're ready to go.

 

[juan trueno]

I use the pintler for 2-3 day trips spring in the southeast through mid oct in Idaho no worries and cherry pick it after that from a weather standpoint or run a larger bag. But if you layer and sleep and eat smart- it’s easy with that bag. I’ve spent a lot of 2 night 3 day trips out of the old longbow as well- in Alaska all times of year with a weather window. Pintler is a killer early season pack- Pack your stuff in it and go kill one. If your september packing list anywhere in the USA requires you to use the overload shelf for anything other than food for a 2 night 4 day (including infill and exfil) trip- with optics etc, and your thinking about spending more money anyway- you need at least to re-evaluate what your carrying because it’s too big and there’s more compact and highly user friendly stuff available, or you are possibly carrying too much stuff in order to support not finding game/not filling a tag- like a deck of cards, a book etc “in case of bad weather” etc which is counterproductive as it’s often times easier to read or play cards
than it is to hunt.

 

[vthokee]

JuanTrueno I’ll be PMing you my list of what I’m taking and see if you can give me pointers.

 

[juan trueno]

Most guys like to see what Aron Snyder packs- but then he doesn’t carry that Pack. Happy to PM but the gist of it is, once you’ve packed for a 24 hour cycle, the only thing that changes for a 72 hour packing list is food- generally- and that’s obviously not a rule and subject to everyone’s individual taste

 

[Kevin Dill]

I will add: I've carried a Metcalf on a backback (to spike camp) caribou hunt. The bag was great for the load carrying aspects of the trip. It was far too much bag and way too strappy for my preferences as a daypack in hunting use. Sure, I collapsed it down some. It was still a big wrinkled bag with straps going everywhere. That's part of the reason I changed to the Pintler.

I would rather have the Pintler plus a 2-3L load cell versus a bigger pack to carry every day on the hunt. I can easily add a sleeping bag and rolled pad externally to the bottom of the pack, thus saving valuable internal space.

 

[vthokee]

Thanks for all the help. I have already started looking at getting a load cell to carry on the overload shelf. I guess I was just overthinking things.

 

[Clearedhot1]

Thanks for all the help. I have already started looking at getting a load cell to carry on the overload shelf. I guess I was just overthinking things.

I snagged the stone glacier one from Black Ovis for my pop up 28. Very lightweight and with the “rokslide” discount code it was $30 shipped. It’s a tick tall/wide for the 28 but should work great with the pintler.


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[Young Blood]

I snagged the stone glacier one from Black Ovis for my pop up 28. Very lightweight and with the “rokslide” discount code it was $30 shipped. It’s a tick tall/wide for the 28 but should work great with the pintler.


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Was that the load cell dry bag? Every time I look on Black Ovis it shows out of stock.

 

[THBZN]

Lots of good advice here, and basically echoing what others have said; the Pintler can be stretched from a long day hunting option to 3-4 days. I have used it with a load cell for a four day elk hunt in mid-Sept. No problem at all. Sleeping bag, food and a few layers went in the cell. A really good option is this sack from Sea to Summit. 32L at 2.8oz.

Good luck and have a great hunt!

 

[Clearedhot1]

Was that the load cell dry bag? Every time I look on Black Ovis it shows out of stock.

Yes. Looks like it is out of stock now. My order was about a month ago


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[PSUBowhunter]

I easily lived out of my pintler on a 7 day trip in Colorado this past fall. I didn’t use a load cell, I just placed my tent, sleeping back, and a dry back between the bag and frame and never had any issues.

 

[prm]

I packed in for 3 days in November with a MR Mule. Just use one of these bags. Works great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00WZIGA6S/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1