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Joined: Feb 2014
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Joined: Feb 2014
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So the title says it all.
I’m looking for a day hunt pack that can also carry either a bag of boned meat or at least one deer hindquarter. Back to wherever my larger pack is. Are the telescoping sections sturdy enough for regular duty? How is pack fit in general?
I’m 5’11” athletic 195lb broad chest & shoulders. Kifaru is the only pack line I’ve used since the late ‘90’s so I don’t have a clue about other packs but the popup seems interesting & id like to learn from those who’ve used them.
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,444
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 8,444 |
So the title says it all.
I’m looking for a day hunt pack that can also carry either a bag of boned meat or at least one deer hindquarter. Back to wherever my larger pack is. Are the telescoping sections sturdy enough for regular duty? How is pack fit in general?
I’m 5’11” athletic 195lb broad chest & shoulders. Kifaru is the only pack line I’ve used since the late ‘90’s so I don’t have a clue about other packs but the popup seems interesting & id like to learn from those who’ve used them. Hindquarter ... bwah hah hah hah!!! Hindquarter he says. Are you trying to be funny? If so, you missed. The MR popup will bring out a whole quartered deer in one load if you're man enough with legs enough to do your part. You don't need a "larger pack" for hauling meat. If you're after just a day pack with the ability to haul a quarter of a deer, you need something a lot smaller / lighter duty than the MR popups. Dead serious. You asked about pack fit ... I like it ... mostly. The padding is so heavy that carried empty or with a "day pack" load, some of the padding pushes funny against my hips / back. That same padding is incredibly welcome when the pack is loaded. It's an acceptable tradeoff. For me, because I don't use the overload straps to control the pack bag when empty, it will try to ride off-center a little sometimes .. obviously I know how to fix it, just been too lazy.
Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.
Here be dragons ...
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,621
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
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Ha! I had no idea of the 28’s capability and am excited to hear that I can stack meat & head home in one trip as long as it’s packed correctly of course. Sounds like the pack can handle the weight. Thanks T O M!
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 111
Campfire Member
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Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 111 |
I have the MR 18 and I packed out a quartered whitetail doe last season in one load. There wasn't much room for much else, but it did the job, and was pretty comfortable actually. I kind of wish I went with the 28 just for a little more room.
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Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 2,264
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Joined: Oct 2013
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I’ve been eying buying a popup
Would love to get a 18, but will probably just end up getting the 28 as it’s available
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Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,648
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,648 |
I had an 18 and it was just too small for hauling the gear I like to carry; 28 would probably be a lot closer. It will handle 60-ish lbs without too much drama; it's pretty well designed frame setup 
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 14,458
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 14,458 |
I used a pop up to pack out a caribou in 80 lb loads.
It worked great and far better than I thought it would.
I like it!
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Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,657
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 11,657 |
I have a Pop-up 18 that I really like. For me it is the perfect size day pack and will easily handle a quartered boned out whitetail. I have packed out five deer with my PU18 and have zero issues. It is very comfortable with 70-ish pounds I have carried in it. My pack outs are in rough steep timber country and run from 1/2 - 2+ miles.
Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,218
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,218 |
I have a Pop Up 28 for 3 years now. Hell of a great little day pack. It's built like a tank and a very capable little hauler. MR rates it to haul 80#, but I've seen stories of guys packing 110# and more! I try to stay at 60# or less, but I'm 65y/o and would rather do an extra trip these days, than risk hurting myself.
My heart's in the mountains, my heart is not here.
My heart's in the mountains, chasing the deer.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,912
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 4,912 |
I got the Pop Up 38 a few months ago.
I keep 99% of my gear in the two pockets on the top with rain gear and water in the main compartment. The Pop Up 28 lacks the side-zip access of the 38, which lets you get to the contents of the main bag far more easily than a top-loader.
I avoided the Guide Lite MT frame because I hunt in very thick brush and sometimes I need to lean down to get a shot through a gap in the trees. That frame sticks up high enough behind my head that if I lean over, I can’t lift my head enough to see very far forward and shooting is out of the question. The Pop Up doesn’t do that, plus it will hold more weight than most people can carry.
Okie John
If Montana had a standing army, a 270 Win with Federal Blue Box 130's would be the standard issue.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,450
Campfire Regular
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,450 |
I have a Pop-28. I've been lusting after a pop-up from when they used the tent-pole arrangement. I felt it would be good for the "go in light, come out heavy" philosophy...and the online reviews were great.
Sad to say, it's not working out for me. In typical MR fashion, the hip belt and shoulder straps are heavily buttressed and padded. Great if it fits you...not so great if it doesn't. The stiffeners and padding poke me in the wrong places. Not exactly great for sneaking and peeking. Under a basic load (about 25#) it's a 2 out of 5.
Deployed with weight (I use a 60# sandbag for training) it's a 3/5. Works ok, but I've got packs that do it much better. The pop-up 28 is a weight on my back that doesn't move with me if that makes any sense.
I liked the concept of the pop-up line and really wanted it to work. But sadly for me, the execution is lacking. I got this a few months before a hunt, and shook it down intending to take it on the upcoming hunt. In the end, I benched it and brought old faithful; my Seek Outside Evolution. Bigger pack, but filled the pop-up niche better than the pop-up did. Five day hunt, four deer, was able to get into bow distances with the pack on my back, no aches or pains.
My advice is to try one if possible before you buy. I can see it working well if it fits you, but in my case it did not.
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,621
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2014
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Great advice, fellas! Thank you!
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,390
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,390 |
I have a Pop-28. I've been lusting after a pop-up from when they used the tent-pole arrangement. I felt it would be good for the "go in light, come out heavy" philosophy...and the online reviews were great.
Sad to say, it's not working out for me. In typical MR fashion, the hip belt and shoulder straps are heavily buttressed and padded. Great if it fits you...not so great if it doesn't. The stiffeners and padding poke me in the wrong places. Not exactly great for sneaking and peeking. Under a basic load (about 25#) it's a 2 out of 5.
Deployed with weight (I use a 60# sandbag for training) it's a 3/5. Works ok, but I've got packs that do it much better. The pop-up 28 is a weight on my back that doesn't move with me if that makes any sense.
I liked the concept of the pop-up line and really wanted it to work. But sadly for me, the execution is lacking. I got this a few months before a hunt, and shook it down intending to take it on the upcoming hunt. In the end, I benched it and brought old faithful; my Seek Outside Evolution. Bigger pack, but filled the pop-up niche better than the pop-up did. Five day hunt, four deer, was able to get into bow distances with the pack on my back, no aches or pains.
My advice is to try one if possible before you buy. I can see it working well if it fits you, but in my case it did not. I just bought a Pop Up 38 yesterday thinking I wanted a smaller pack than my Seek Outside Paradox. The SO works well for me but is a bigger pack than I need most of the time. The Pop Up feels fine empty but sounds like I need to wear it around the house with different loads before using it in the field.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,318
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,318 |
I started out with the original tent pole style pop-up 18, and later sold the 18 and switched to the newer 28. Both are ideal daypacks in that they're compact and carry daily essentials but can haul a load. I've had no problems carrying up to 90lbs with them. Short of hauling moose quarters, they're the best option I know of for rough country day hunting where you'll have to pack an animal out while hunting for the day from a camp or vehicle.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,390
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,390 |
I have a Pop-28. I've been lusting after a pop-up from when they used the tent-pole arrangement. I felt it would be good for the "go in light, come out heavy" philosophy...and the online reviews were great.
Sad to say, it's not working out for me. In typical MR fashion, the hip belt and shoulder straps are heavily buttressed and padded. Great if it fits you...not so great if it doesn't. The stiffeners and padding poke me in the wrong places. Not exactly great for sneaking and peeking. Under a basic load (about 25#) it's a 2 out of 5.
Deployed with weight (I use a 60# sandbag for training) it's a 3/5. Works ok, but I've got packs that do it much better. The pop-up 28 is a weight on my back that doesn't move with me if that makes any sense.
I liked the concept of the pop-up line and really wanted it to work. But sadly for me, the execution is lacking. I got this a few months before a hunt, and shook it down intending to take it on the upcoming hunt. In the end, I benched it and brought old faithful; my Seek Outside Evolution. Bigger pack, but filled the pop-up niche better than the pop-up did. Five day hunt, four deer, was able to get into bow distances with the pack on my back, no aches or pains.
My advice is to try one if possible before you buy. I can see it working well if it fits you, but in my case it did not. I just bought a Pop Up 38 yesterday thinking I wanted a smaller pack than my Seek Outside Paradox. The SO works well for me but is a bigger pack than I need most of the time. The Pop Up feels fine empty but sounds like I need to wear it around the house with different loads before using it in the field. Now that I've had the Pop Up for a few days and have carried it around the house with a 50 lb load, I just picked up a Pintler and will be comparing the two. I have a feeling I'll be returning the Pop Up and keeping the Pintler - though not as compact, the hip belt is far superior. I had a hell of a time getting the Pop Up hip belt tight enough to keep the weight on my hips/off my shoulders. The Pintler is about the same height as my SO Paradox but narrower at the bottom and feels smaller from a mobility/maneuverability standpoint.
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,621
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
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How durable is the pop up feature?
I'm buying my new son-in-law a pack for Christmas. Have been looking at several online. It will be a general purpose camping, hiking, hunting pack. Probably 40-50lbs at most but with the ability to pack out large game as well. This will be his only pack.
Was thinking the pop up 38. He is young and will carry more stuff than he should.
Are they durable for long term hard use?
I have a MR Selway but don't abuse it like my Kifaru.
Don't just be a survivor, be a competitor.
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,218
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 2,218 |
How durable is the pop up feature?
I'm buying my new son-in-law a pack for Christmas. Have been looking at several online. It will be a general purpose camping, hiking, hunting pack. Probably 40-50lbs at most but with the ability to pack out large game as well. This will be his only pack.
Was thinking the pop up 38. He is young and will carry more stuff than he should.
Are they durable for long term hard use?
I have a MR Selway but don't abuse it like my Kifaru. Go ahead and abuse your MR packs, including the Pop Ups. They're built like tanks and can take whatever you can throw at them. In the 3 years that I've had my PU 28, it's been on a western antelope hunt and spent 4 weeks each year on my back pursuing NE whitetails in the Catskills and Adirondacks. It has packed out one pronghorn and 5 whitetails, and aside from some stubborn blood and mud stains, shows zero signs of wear. Now, having said that, you mention that it will be his only pack. That being the case, I would suggest going for the versatility of the Guide Light MT frame with a Sawtooth 45, a Pintler. You can then switch out to whatever MR offers as a bag only option in the future. That frame can haul bigger loads in better comfort and either of those bags has larger capacity and excellent organization compared the the Pop Ups.
Last edited by eaglemountainman; 10/27/21.
My heart's in the mountains, my heart is not here.
My heart's in the mountains, chasing the deer.
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,450
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,450 |
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Last edited by ChrisF; 10/27/21.
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Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,390
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,390 |
Now, having said that, you mention that it will be his only pack. That being the case, I would suggest going for the versatility of the Guide Light MT frame with a Sawtooth 45, a Pintler. You can then switch out to whatever MR offers as a bag only option in the future. That frame can haul bigger loads in better comfort and either of those bags has larger capacity and excellent organization compared the the Pop Ups. Yep - for a one only pack, a full size frame would be a must for me. I actually had the Pop Up 38, Pintler and Sawtooth at home today to compare. I'm keeping the Pintler and returning the others due to it being the smallest bag option on the full size frame. If I need a bigger pack, I have the bag only option for another MR bag for the Guide Lite MT frame, or my Seek Outside frame with whatever size dry bag I need.
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