Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Mystery ranch packs

Looking for a new pack to use hunting. Mainly used to carry spare clothes, and assorted items. Have started boning out the whitetail deer where they fall and carrying the meat back to the truck. Have been looking at these packs. Question I have is does the pop up series work as good as the guide light frame packs. Thinking either the mule pack or pop up 28. Both packs are plenty for what I carry. Thanks

The pop up 28 is a great pack, would be ideal for what you are looking for. I've used mine for elk, you'll have no issue with deer.

So far I've packed a couple mule deer out with the sawtooth 45 and it worked well......enough storage for day hunt and a pretty straight forward meat shelf setup.

I have the popup 18. It works for me for day/afternoon hunts. The 28 may be better depending what you want to put in it. The main compartment on mine has: knife, game bags, snacks, 2 boxes of bullets (mine and wifes). Not sure a sweatshirt would fit for example, but I just strap that on the top when I am not wearing it.

I've packed out 3 antelope and no issues, carries the load well. I will probably have a whitetail in it this weekend (hopefully). My plan for elk was (over now with no elk) pack out the first load on the MR pack, then swap it for a straight frame/shelf pack I also have.

Another vote for the PU28. Carried my boned pronghorn very comfortably last month. Sorry, have no experience with the guide light frame.

The guide light is absolutely more comfortable under load than the popup. I find I use my popup about 75% more during the season, and pack animals with it about 3:1 over the guidelight as well. You get 75-80 lbs in. The popup and you will notice that it won’t handle a load like the guidelight will- but it’s never been an issue. I’ve packed 8 deer a pronghorn and a couple elk with my popup. I prefer actually hunting in the popup to actually hunting in the guidelight.

All the animals in my thread “an accounting of 4 Idaho bulls” were packed out using a Mystery Ranch Mule.

It’s simply an awesome day pack.

Dave

I've been told by multiple people at Mystery Ranch that they're going to be switching all the Guide Lite packs to the Guide Lite MT frame that the Beartooth uses. I've packed a lot of animals with the Guide Lite frame and it does a good job, but the hip belt on the Guide Lite MT frame seems to be much improved. I'd hold out a few months if you can.

Not in a hurry as will just strap onto outside of current pack like always have done this season. Just isn't comfortable and sometimes have to stop and resecure the load how I've been doing it. Just looking to improve on the way I do it. Luckily is just a usual pack out to road and less than 1 mile.

I also have the Sawtooth 45 and recommend it.

^ Same

look at pintler

lC

Best packs made

Same here running the Mule. Had a few long pack outs with deer and elk last year. Big improvement over my aluminum frame I’d used for years.
😎

I'm a complete Kifaru slut, but don't think there's a damn thing wrong with Mystery Ranch packs. They've got a following for a reason.
I've played with a popup (that kind of pop up too) and while I'm not totally sold on the reliability of the popup load lift system, for a whitetail deer as well as the occasional bigger critter I think you could make a lot worse choices.

I tend to be pretty cheap when it comes to some gear, but I pried open the wallet a few years back to get a Mystery Ranch Longbow with the load sling. The comfort and ability to haul heavy loads without a problem sold me. The only thing I don't like about MR is that they change up their offerings too frequently to keep up with.

No questions they're high quality. I'm looking at a Pop Up 28 for my hunting.

Obviously it has worked, but had the same thoughts on the old pop up system. The newer system seems pretty good and may have to give it a try.

Don’t call if you need help packing a Barbary, I’m sure I’ll be busy.

Noted.
I think you'd be more of an extra hassel while "helping" than anything else anyhow.

Drinking your beer and watching is what I meant by helping so your probably right.