Badlands OX

I am looking at buying a new pack and was wondering if anyone is using the OX by Badlands. I am planning an Alaska hunt and was thinking that this would be a great pack for hauling out a moose. Thoughts.

Have you actually picked up one of those things? You are already starting with an anchor and then you want to add more weight to it? I'll never own one. Good luck on your hunt.

Like anything else you are not familiar with....go try as many different ones you can before buying or you might end up buying two

THWAK1 said:

Have you actually picked up one of those things? You are already starting with an anchor and then you want to add more weight to it? I'll never own one. Good luck on your hunt.

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Not much heavier than any other pack that is built to pack out a moose. From what I've heard the Ox is comfortable under very heavy loads, and if thats the main goal, all other aspects considered equal, I'd trust it as much as anything else.

CabinFever said:

Not much heavier than any other pack that is built to pack out a moose. From what I've heard the Ox is comfortable under very heavy loads, and if thats the main goal, all other aspects considered equal, I'd trust it as much as anything else.

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Why not just go with a Mystery Ranch? You can find dozens of guys on this site who have packed out huge loads, in "relative" comfort, and will attest that the Mystery Ranch products are the last packs they will need to buy in their lifetime.

You are making things more difficult than they need to be.

JoseCuervo said:

Why not just go with a Mystery Ranch? You can find dozens of guys on this site who have packed out huge loads, in "relative" comfort, and will attest that the Mystery Ranch products are the last packs they will need to buy in their lifetime.

You are making things more difficult than they need to be.

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I've tried MR's plenty and don't agree with many on this site. But that's just me.

CabinFever said:

I've tried MR's plenty and don't agree with many on this site. But that's just me.

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That's heresy! Quick, let's form a mob and stone this this guy before he can offend us any more

CabinFever said:

I've tried MR's plenty and don't agree with many on this site. But that's just me.

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Have you driven over and asked them why they don't fit you?

On Badlands Ox, well there is one major problem, they send the weight straight out behind you forcing you to bend over every time there is a load on it. The frame itself looks cool in the store, but when it comes down to it your back won't like you after a few miles bent over.

MR Nice frames that aren't part of an Expedition labeled pack don't provide shoulder lift. For a tall guy like me, well that was a non sale. If you get the Expedition type pack they have functional load lifters, but the Crew Cab and Long Bow do not. The absence of functional load lifters will pull hard on the shoulders with just about any weight and create a lot of discomfort.

The Crew Cab also has a tendency to shoot the weight straight back when too much meat is loaded up, and the idea of placing the meat between the frame and the bag on the longbow does the same thing.

The only frame that fit that bill for me was the Longhunter frame from Kifaru. I also bought the Cargo Panel which does the same thing as the Crew Cab with one major difference. The Duplex frame has 26 inch stays which transfer the weight properly to the hips and not the shoulders. The Panel also transfers the weight up, rather than out which provides for a steady trip out without the bending over.

JoseCuervo said:

Have you driven over and asked them why they don't fit you?

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Yes I've been in their shop twice, as well as 2 other times at shows, once with Seacat himself, as well as messed with a friends crew cab for a week, and another friend's longbow for several weeks. No doubt I like there stuff and its built to be bombproof, and likely more durable with better customer service than any other pack out there, I just think for heavy loads I like to be able to relieve my shoulders of some weight, and the NICE frame doesn't do that for me as well as other packs do. Other people my size and even taller don't seem to mind though, although I know those 2 friends of mine I mentioned agree with me.

CabinFever said:

I've tried MR's plenty and don't agree with many on this site. But that's just me.

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And be ready for the "you're opinion doesn't matter, anyway" comments!!

See, that is just it, every forum has their brands of choice. As a MR sponsored site I would expect that there would be a very large following of people who love their packs. They are great quality, and great customer service, but that does not provide the buyer with objectivity necessarily after the sale. If we spend that much money on any piece of gear we are proud of it! Then when something better comes out, how many times have we read about the former piece of gear being nothing like the new one?

Just my take, fwiw.