Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Mystery Ranch Longbow Review

I had a chance to try out the new MR Longbow over the weekend on a scouting trip, and in the interest of gear heads everywhere, thought I might share my thoughts. First off, I am not a paid spokesman, affiliate, field staff, pro, or anything of MR. I bought this pack with my own money (in fact I had to sell my CC to get it). So these observations of the LB are mine, and mine only. YMMV.

Initial Notes:
Well made. No surprise there. MR has been doing this for a while and know what they're doing. They list the pack at 2200 ci, but it feels more like 2800 to me. With my bivy gear I could easily do a 5 day trip with this pack. There are 6 pockets located in the main compartment, all very useable. 2 of the pockets work well for a spotting scope and tripod. One of the pockets, located at the top, has a zipper. THANK YOU THANK YOU for the zippered pocket! Now I don't have to worry about my keys and wallet getting dump-out, pulled out, whatever-out, again. My setup (medium waist belt with zippered pockets, medium shoulder yoke, NICE frame, and LB pack bag) weighs 6 lbs 9 oz on my scale.

My Goal:
As a high country mule deer hunter I had 3 needs for the pack to fill -
1. Be useable as a daypack for hunting.
2. Be able to haul a boned out muley plus my bivy gear in one, albeit heavy, load.
3. Be useable as a general use backpack for hunting and scouting trips, or recreational backpacking.

What I don't like:
It doesn't have compression strapping over the top. I may modify the pack to allow a couple of straps to go over the top for strapping on those massive antlers I'll be carrying this fall. :-) A daisy chain on the top pocket would solve this problem.
This pack bag uses the NICE frame, so the load lifter straps, for me any way, are more just load stability straps.

Conclusions:
After using the LB this weekend I can easily say goals 1 and 3 are accomplished. I feel confident goal 2 can be accomplished as well by detaching the LB pack bag from the frame and using it and its strapping as a load sling. My Kifaru meat baggie fits nicely in this configuration and will place the heaviest part of the load (the boned out meat) next to the frame. This will allow my bivy gear to remain in the pack bag. There are some photos on Bowsite showing this setup.

I was a little nervous about the (3) zipper access design, especially the top 2. Most packs I have attach the top pocket with straps, not zippers. I was pleasantly surprised at how functional these zippers are. In fact, they allow access to the pack more efficiently than the strapped on top pockets I was used to. The downside is a zipped on top pocket does not allow expansion and compression using the top pocket's straps.

Overall, I am very pleased with the LB and expect it to be my go to pack for the foreseeable future.

LB versus CC:
I have used the CC for my last (2) fall hunts. While I like the CC, I have always felt it was too heavy for my needs. With the CC pack bag, NICE frame, Day Pack Lid, and a couple of strapped on pockets the whole setup weighed close to 10 lbs. With the LB I feel like I am getting better pack bag functionality and sufficient heavy load capability for only 6-1/2 lbs.

IMHO the CC remains the champ for heavy and awkward load hauling (think elk quarter(s)). The middle compartment on the CC with its design and bottom reinforcements is a better load hauling setup. But for my uses and needs, the LB is a better fit.

Great review. Thanks. So where do you envision hauling a rifle on the pack while you have meat in the pack? Just in your hand?

Thanks

Great review, thanks for taking the time. Do you really feel that you can do a 5 day bivy hunt from this pack? I have a BL2200 and 3 days is about the max for me and I have small lightweight everything.

I can't believe a 2200 cubic inch pack weighs over 6.5 pounds. Lmao.

alaska_lanche
I am going to make a holder for my rifle that will attach to the side compression strapping.

Foxtrot
While I haven't done a five day trip out of it yet, I have one coming up in 2 weeks, based on my overnighter I feel very confident 5 days are doable. Worst case is I strap on an accessory bag onto the side or bottom to extend the capability.

tuff
No doubt 6.5 lbs is a lot for a day pack, or even a general use back pack. However, 6.5 lbs is reasonable for a pack that can carry 90+ lbs.

The Manticore, (same style of pack as the LB) weighs less and hauls more than a 100 lbs.
Vol:
4200cu-in
Wt:
3lbs 1oz
Hauls:
120lbs
http://www.mysteryranch.com/packs/85/cbmr-manticore.html

CBMR Manticore

The Manticore is part of our CBMR product line, providing Mystery Ranch quality at a lower price than our Bozeman built line. The Manticore is the largest pack we offer with the 3Zip design. The 3Zip is an ingenious design that makes accessing your gear quick and easy by effectively working as a top-loader and panel-loader in one. Hooking a finger under the lid flap allows you to tear open the top for quick access to necessities, and a full-length front zipper opens the bag wide for complete access to all your gear. A zippered panel allows you to cover the frame completely for traveling.


More bulk, but only half the weight of the LB.

I'd wager a lot that the frame weight isn't included in the 3 lb 1 oz weight. They both use the same NICE frame, which is almost 4.5 lbs itself.

That be it for sure

Foxtrot,

I just loaded my gear for my upcoming Boy Scout 5 day backpack trip and I will need to strap an accessory bag on to accommodate all my gear. I am taking a few things I wouldn't take on a bivy hunt, but I would probably need to do the same; maybe an extra 1000 ci strapped onto the sides/bottom. Once the food is reduced after a few days, everything will fit inside.

One thing I forgot to mention in my review that may or may not be significant to everyone is that there is no hydration sleeve. I found this to be a little surprising and unusually for this type of pack. There are PALS webbing and (2) rope loops at the top on the inside next to the frame. I have been able to attach my hydration sleeve directly to the loops and hang it inside the pack bag. Some hydration units may not work as well.

Thats what the loops are for to hold hydration bags. You can hang two 100oz bladders from them.

The longbow was built to be simple. No bells and whistles.

do you have any pics from your trip that show the pack fully loaded
or can you take some pics of the pack when its fully loaded for the longer trip.

im interested in this pack, but do not want to purchase one if its not exactly what i need

thanks

keystoneguy you have a PM

With rradams mention about the lack of strap going over the top of the pack, I set out to rig up my long bow to solve this problem. Stopped in the store on Saturday and had the guys scrounge up the parts for my idea. Everything went together really simple, it took about ten minutes tops. The straps the I made to go over the top also works as an extender for the top straps on the crew cab.

tenex198,

That's very similar to what I expect to do with mine. In the off season I may send my pack bag back to MR and have them add a daisy chain across the top. This would allow these new over the top straps be be stabilized at the top of the pack.

I have been using my LB weekly for the last couple of months and I couldn't be happier.

That is a great idea, I would love to have that done to mine as well! Wonder what they would charge if I sent mine to them to do the same to it?

Harv, I sent the photos to Kenzie at MR today, so they have an idea of what the conversion looks like if anyone asks. I did most of the work myself, they just sewed up the two straps and supplied me with the buckles. The male buckles that are attached to the daisy chain on the pack were done me me. I just made a cut in the back of the male buckle with my band saw and then fished the webbing through the cut in the buckle. If you are not hell bent on having daisy chain sewn into the top of the pack, this works really slick. And if you have a crew cab, you can also stretch out the top strap for a xl load.