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Mystery Ranch vs. Eberlestock

I have an Eberle J34 that has worked just fine, but like Miller said with heavier loads it leaves much to be desired.

I am looking to upgrade but its not likely to be a MR.
 
Mystery Ranch and Kifaru packs are both top notch and in a completely different class than Eberle. Both have excellent customer service.

Buy the best you can afford. If it's MR or Kifaru, you'll be happy. If the best you can afford is Eberle or a Walmart special, do the best you can with it and hunt.
 
I will take all into consideration. If i go with the MR I will likely wait till I can get one used from someone looking to upgrade or part with theirs.

Has anyone used a KUIU backpack?
 
Here are my thoughts, take it for what its worth. I tried on the Crew Cab and LOVED the quality. Problem is that even with the right yoke/waist belt there is no way for me to achieve shoulder lift to transfer the weight to my hips at my height. The NICE Frame is built for guys who aren't my height so the load is a little less comfortable. The less comfortable of a NICE frame is still going to be worlds above most others though. If you go with say the 6500 bag you will be able to change the lift, but with the CC it's pretty tough.

Compared to my buddies Eberle, well the MR would win out every time IMO. The Eberle is heavy, has lots of cool features, but just plain won't carry as well. He has never broken it, and quality isn't an issue, but when the load is in the 100lb range, comfort is worth the price.

But, I went with an EMR frame from Kifaru because it has the 26 inch stays that provide lift for me at 6'4". The other advantage the Kifaru had for me personally was that the back isn't covered completely in padding. For a guy who sweats a LOT this provides a more comfortable ride. Kifaru's frames are also curved to match the anatomy of the back, which for me personally provided a more comfortable ride.

With the EMR I also had the option of the cargo panel with whatever pockets I wanted. The cargo panel functions very similarly to the MR CC but places the load on your back closer and up, rather than out. The EMR frame also allows for 8 different bag options between the EMR bag, Longhunter, and Duplex Timberline series.

However, I wasn't impressed with the Kifaru offerings for Top Lids so a MR Daypack Lid rides on top and I love it. A Duplex Timberline 3 is going to get ordered soon, and we will find out how the lid fits on that as well. I am still trying to decide what to get my wife from MR as she likes the color options that I can get there and not at Kifaru.

If you are set on MR you won't be disappointed in the quality, and you will have a GREAT pack from a great company.
 
Well living in Nevada I am not sure the next time I will be near Bozeman, been there once though. Hope maybe I can find one used on a site maybe next month. We shall see. Like I was saying want to keep the price down but it looks as if I will have to go with an MR pack but it will just be cost that is the question. Been using Google to search the net for a used NICE Longbow with a Medium waist belt and a small yoke. I wear a 34 inch waist belt so I was going with the larger size, but do you guys think that they are a little generous on the size and I should go with a small and a small?

I have a 34 inch waist and definitely got the correct waste belt in small. It was the only way to keep 80 pounds propped up on my hips versus the dreaded waist belt slip you get on a poorly fit belt that puts the weight on your shoulders as you walk. Only difference between a small and medium waist belt is the pad size. Belt is identical.
 
I've tried on the MR Crew Cab several times hoping it would feel good to me, but can't seem to get it right. I agree with what sreekers said about the NICE frame, however I'm only 6'1" and can't seem to transfer weight as much as I'd like to to my hips. I don't understand why they don't have longer stays. I've tried it on with 80 plus pounds at their main office, with their pro staff at shows, and in my own home and can't get it to work. I tried it next to Eberle's new Battleship and Destroyer packs and they both felt much better to me.
 
I had a Eberlestock J104 and I replaced that last spring with a MR crew cab and longbow (couldn't decide which one would work better for me, so went with both. Thinking I like the longbow better after a year of use though).

The J104 was nice, but never did carry above 40 lbs all that great. The J104 always felt like it was pulling away from my body when loaded down. It felt better when a rifle was loaded in the scabbard to give the weight (and added support) up against the back and cinched down tight, but then you couldn't get the rifle out very easily without loosening all the straps. The heaviest load I carried in the J104 was 85 lbs (weighed) for about a mile, and it sucked. I will say though, I liked the Eberlestock pack and thought it was a good pack. I debated for a while about selling mine, but after it sat around unused for about a year, I figured I wasn't going to use it anymore.

I've carried 70 lbs (estimated) while packing out the head and horns of my bull and other gear and it was heavy, but rode well. I've done several training hikes with one and two bags of salt on my pack and while heavy, the pack rode well and didn't feel like it was pulling me backwards. The MR NICE frame hugs your body like a kid clinging to your back. It feels a part of you.

I'm 5'9" and I normally wear the hipbelt above my hips and can adjust the pack to get the load on my waist/hips and not my shoulders. I can see why some taller guys may not like the fit. I was a 34" waist when I got it and went with small waist belt pads. I'm glad I did as it fit great.

MR%2520Pack%2520Pictures.jpg


Ron
 
Thanks for the pictures, its nice to see the equipment in action. As well as the comparison review from someone that has used both.


I had a Eberlestock J104 and I replaced that last spring with a MR crew cab and longbow (couldn't decide which one would work better for me, so went with both. Thinking I like the longbow better after a year of use though).

The J104 was nice, but never did carry above 40 lbs all that great. The J104 always felt like it was pulling away from my body when loaded down. It felt better when a rifle was loaded in the scabbard to give the weight (and added support) up against the back and cinched down tight, but then you couldn't get the rifle out very easily without loosening all the straps. The heaviest load I carried in the J104 was 85 lbs (weighed) for about a mile, and it sucked. I will say though, I liked the Eberlestock pack and thought it was a good pack. I debated for a while about selling mine, but after it sat around unused for about a year, I figured I wasn't going to use it anymore.

I've carried 70 lbs (estimated) while packing out the head and horns of my bull and other gear and it was heavy, but rode well. I've done several training hikes with one and two bags of salt on my pack and while heavy, the pack rode well and didn't feel like it was pulling me backwards. The MR NICE frame hugs your body like a kid clinging to your back. It feels a part of you.

I'm 5'9" and I normally wear the hipbelt above my hips and can adjust the pack to get the load on my waist/hips and not my shoulders. I can see why some taller guys may not like the fit. I was a 34" waist when I got it and went with small waist belt pads. I'm glad I did as it fit great.

MR%2520Pack%2520Pictures.jpg


Ron
 
So today I went and tried on a badlands pack, some other randoms and a Eberlestock blue widow. Did like the blue widow but wasn't blown away by it. I will see if someone in the area has an MR pack and maybe actually get to see the real thing before I decide. You all are making it very hard to buy anything for me other than an MR longbow.
 
I have had both the Kifaru Long Hunter and the Mystery Ranch Crew Cab, 6500 and just got the Longbow for this year. I use some Kifaru pockets on the inside Pals and Also use the Kifaru GunBearer on the MR Waist belt (works great and would not use anything else) Both Are great packs but I really like the Modularity of the MR plus the Pack Designs. The Kifaru Timberline is an upgrade but it is hard to beat the Tri Zip plus the ability to haul meat between between the Frame and the longbow, which sold me on the pack. I also have an extra top lid in blaze and a Blaze Load sling which is no longer made so it is nice to add those during rifle rather than drape a fleece vest on your pack
 
Kifaru and MR in action. Kifaru was stolen while Blacktail hunting so figured I'd try MR. No regrets
 

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My. .02 cents...MR hands down. I had an issue with the yoke on my nice frame pinching my shoulders and cutting off circulation to my hands with heavy loads. (I am 5'8" and the online size chart said to buy a medium) Talked with Ben Noble and he immediately got me hooked up with a large size yoke and had it custom trimmed so I could still get the load up high enough to transfer the wieght. Plus offered me insights to other things I could add to my CRewcab to make it an even better pack( zippers waistbelt pockets and extra clip on style webbing for securing rifle/bow with the pack loaded to the gills)

Not only do they offer the best quality packs at any price point, you CANNOT beat this level of excellent customer service.
 
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