Which Mystery Ranch pack?

[cdods]

I've decided on getting a mystery ranch for this year. I was leaning seriously to the Metcalf, but the more I look into their offerings I'm really liking the Beartooth 80. I understand the volume and weight differences between the two, however looking into feature preferences etc. I hunt deer, elk, and antelope with the heaviest emphasis being on elk. Generally I will road camp with overnight trips and the occasional multi day hunts. I'm wanting to get more into the multi-day hunts more, probably a week being on the longer end of my trips. Also, rifle has historically been my focus but I've been getting into archery the last few years. What are the pros and cons that you guys have run into with either. If you'd go with another Mystery Ranch pack which one and why?

 

[Randy Newberg]

I have every pack MR makes. Most of them could be used as my "go to" pack, if need be.

My hunting days are pretty similar to what you mention, with the majority of days spent hunting being day hunts from a base camp. Given that, I find myself using my Metcalf 90% of the time. If I didn't need to hauls so much production gear around with me, I might even step down to a slightly smaller volume pack. If I did more multi-day hunts, I would surely go with the Beartooth 80.

I used the Beartooth on a 10-day Alaska sheep hunt and it worked great. Loved everything about it. I've used the Metcalf on three-day elk and deer hunts and it worked great.

For the generalist, such as I am, the Metcalf is hard to beat. It will stretch to work well for 3-4 day hunts, it will comfortably haul more elk meat than my legs can carry, it compresses very flat as a day pack, and the new frame and slight improvements in the bag make it even more applicable for this generalist application.

 

[cdods]

Thanks for your prompt reply Randy. You definitely seemed to reinforce my thoughts.

 

[justinspicher]

I have used a marshall, pintler and a longbow for big game hunts. I enjoyed them but they didn't have all the features I was looking for. I had a bag built for my NICE frame by rugged stitching, a rokslide guy out of Colorado. So far he has built me three different packs to my exact specifications. Not really the answer you were looking for, but this will give you the ability to find out what you do and don't want in a pack and build it your way for your hunting style.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Echo what randy said and he has far more experience than I do.

I swapped my Metcalf for a beartooth last year. Mainly to do the upgrade to the new frame.

Beartooth vs Metcalf is a push IMO. Similar volume. Same frame this year. A few pockets on the beartooth. the big difference is panel loader vs top loader style. Top loader scan be over stuff thru the snow collar to add volume. Panel loader lets you access the contents more easily if you lay your pack down. Apart fro that, they are very similar. Both are very easy to do 2-3 days from. Longer up to 5. For me, +5 day trips require a bit of rigging, usually a consumables bag strapped to the outside somehow. A lot depends on weather and how much and what kind of gear I pack.

If the mystery ranch gods are listening, a Metcalf sized bag (70-80 liters) with the terraplane/Marshall torpedo pockets would be the bees knees...@randy - have some Dairy Queen gift certificates if you can make this happen.

 

[Farmingdale's Finest]

Echo what randy said and he has far more experience than I do.

I swapped my Metcalf for a beartooth last year. Mainly to do the upgrade to the new frame.

Beartooth vs Metcalf is a push IMO. Similar volume. Same frame this year. A few pockets on the beartooth. the big difference is panel loader vs top loader style. Top loader scan be over stuff thru the snow collar to add volume. Panel loader lets you access the contents more easily if you lay your pack down. Apart fro that, they are very similar. Both are very easy to do 2-3 days from. Longer up to 5. For me, +5 day trips require a bit of rigging, usually a consumables bag strapped to the outside somehow. A lot depends on weather and how much and what kind of gear I pack.

If the mystery ranch gods are listening, a Metcalf sized bag (70-80 liters) with the terraplane/Marshall torpedo pockets would be the bees knees...@randy - have some Dairy Queen gift certificates if you can make this happen.

They already make a pack that you would like in the Terraframe 80 in the expedition line it was introduced the year before last. I am running the Glacier and love it but I wish I had gotten the Terraframe to be able to pack my tree stands easier.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Kenai_dtracker]

As a northeast guy, I was very ignorant on what is considered a quality hunting pack. When I whitetail hunt in northern Maine and NH, everything I wear is wool, including my fanny pack, because it's quiet and sheds water. This limits what I can carry, but since I usually only track or still hunt, I carry the necessities in my fanny pack, which are 1 liter of H2O, couple of powerbars, space blanket, fire starter, and a couple other small items. When we get a buck down, we drag and drag and drag to the truck. I've come out to my truck sometimes in the middle of the night dragging a buck under the stars and there's no place I'd rather be!

I went on my first western elk hunt last fall and thought I was making a great leap in hunting packs by buying the Badlands 2200. This pack was great until I had an elk down on my first day, and packed out my first load about a mile in. Luckily I also had an external frame pack in the truck, so I quickly switch to that for the rest of the haul out.

Long story short, I'm hooked on elk hunting! I ordered a Metcalf last Friday and it'll be here at the end of the week. Had it sent to work so my wife doesn't see, haha.

 

[Whiskey Bizned]

In the market for the Metcalf... been looking and researching for a couple weeks... Kifaru, Seek Outside, Stone Glacier, Exo, Kuiu... The MR Metcalf looks awesome.

I really like that MR has many options with the GuideLite frame and overhaul feature on 7 different packs from 2,685 cu.in. up to 6,408 cu.in. I agree with the few on here that mention it would be nice to have a few bag-only options. I almost went for the Marshall pack and the Pintler bag-only, but just don't have the $$ to do it. After comparing sizes to what I already have (non-hunting packs, no meat hauling) and reading reviews on sizes, the Metcalf is the easy choice. Plenty of easy straps to cinch it down with day-hunting, and big enough for multi-day.

 

[Challis]

I went through this two years ago. Best thing I did was take my time and was able to settle on 4 packs and made a point to visit their manufacturing or store and try the pack with weight in it.

 

[Jac]

I have the MR Marshall and pintler. I really like them and love that you can buy the pintler bag only and use on the guide light frame!!

 

[jolmaco]

Pintler is a nice compact pack.

 

[CGA]

Very good info.

 

[limited686]

Super helpful thread! I'm a fan of the Metcalf myself.

 

[stonewall]

I have personally used a tenzing 5000 and the old metcalf on nice frame (my current pack). like it a lot, but mine developed a squeak a couple years ago. it's annoying, but hasn't cost me anything. my dad just got a new metcalf on the guidelight frame - this version is an improvement over mine. great pack, not sure i'd change anything on it

 

[Jmcmicken]

The mystery ranch asap is my go to daypack and a little extra if needed

 

[Jeremyc_1999]

I bought a metcalf and then ended up picking up a pintler bag for it. I found that I used the pintler almost exclusively. Most of my hunting were day hunts based out of a truck camp.

 

[Jmcmicken]

Maybe when I can save up some money I will try a Pintler

 

[snowranger]

For what it is worth, I was looking hard at a Pintler and just bought a Terraftame 50 for $230 shipped on Steep and Cheap. Fabric is lighter but so is the pack. Similar volume and layout. I think the Terraframe has the guide light frame too but cannot confirm. I am not a hard core elk guy but thought it was the right option for me. I would love to hear opinions on my decision either way...

 

[Wedgie]

My Terraframe 80 does have the Guide light frame.

 

[snowranger]

My Terraframe 80 does have the Guide light frame.

Great thanks for letting me know! Should have it tomorrow.