Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting MR Crew Cab in Classifieds?

Well it's better late than never getting to the party. I did in no way try to read through all these pages, but did see where I had been quoted so feel like I at least have a ticket to the game.
There are deff. some beasts-of-men on here that can deff. haul what they claim, and obviously like the packs that they haul it in. Buzz is deff, a man who knows what works for him, as many others do as well.
My deal with the MR CC was not with the durability as there has never been a doubt that MR packs are bullet proof. My problem and my problem alone, even after spending much time on the phone and internet w/ MR shooting pic's back and forth was with, how on my long torso the loadlifters just could not take the load off my shoulders. Now they would snug the load up tight against my body just fine, but this over a long haul with a laod was not working for me. I'm 5'10, 185# and feel I can stay with the majority when in packing shape, ( which seems to be changing more these days )
SOOOO with all this said, I am not challenging anybody to see who is the biggest and baddest, but when looking at the pic's of the MR CC and see the load hung and slung low with the weight pulling off shoulders, this was the deal breaker for me.
There are many packs out there that will haul way more weight than I could ever think of hauling, but for me my hauling pack has got to be able to switch the weight back and forth off my shoulders and hips. My hat is off to all those beasts like Buzz that can do what he's doing, but I'm just not able to do it over long distances w/o it being able to alternate the load.
Not chest beating, but this forum was alot of fun. I don't hang out here as much as I used to because this sort of thing started happening more and more, but do like to still check-in and see whats up from time to time and see what some of the old faithfuls are up to.
OH, trying out equipment is some of the funnest(is that a word ) stuff there is. Some works for some and not for others, that's why we TRY it out. Best of luck...........Allen

Tx Trapper that was about the same report I gave. With that said and I still say MR makes the best built stuff hands down! I sent Mark Seacat an email the other day and have not heard back yet. I wanted it to work for how much I spent. I have even thought of getting another frame and trying the 6500 bag. As you said, some guys are just that tough............

TX Trapper expressed my sentiments also. I REALLY wanted to love my NICE/Crewcab/6500 because of it's modularity, craftsmanship and materials---------MR gear is the definition of Bomber. But for me, it just didn't fit. A complete no-go with the NICE/Crewcab, and only "better" (in relative terms) with the 6500 bag attached. Packs are like boots. If they don't fit, it doesn't matter how well built they are.

Good luck and I am waiting also.
Do you remember the GOOD-OL-Days when the discussions were alot more civil ?

Thanks for your civil and informative post Tx Trapper. Good to see there are some true gentlemen sportsman out there. I have been discussing these packs with Seacat today. I am 6'3" 210 and just wonder how something like these would work with my long torso. Regarding my Blue widow; When I ordered it, I payed for the pack, and assumed it would be shipped the next day. Well, the packs in Max 1 are back ordered until mid July, so I requested my $$ back today as I can just buy it then, instead of having someone using my $$ for 30 days while I have no pack. My dealer was cool and apologized for not letting me know they were on back order. All due to their warehouse fire.


I carry my Lone wolf tree stand, 6 lone wolf climbing sticks, rattling antlers, grunt tubes, in and out each and every time I hunt. I never leave my stands out and am a mobile hunter when whitetail hunting. I do approx 60 setups a year, and I am usually back in too far to consider dragging a deer so I have been boning out whitetails for some time, we have a liberal limit each year, and I arrow 5-6 a year. Now that I have a heated UL tipi, I am going to do a 5-7 day go in, don't come out for 5-7 day whitetail hunts, but a flat bottom boat will be implemented a lot, so I DON'T have to carry everything in one trip for these outings. Things are getting simpler with my kids, lifes schedule, so I am planning on doing an elk hunt every year in CO. Live out of my UL tipi, UL wood burner, so it all has to go back in for 5-7 day hunts. I feel that my iowa, mo, and mn whitetail hunts, I could just use the NICE frame, and longbow or crewcab(this is where I don't know which one to get). Remove the long bow /crewcab and use the 6500 for the one time a year western hunt?? Maybe I should just stick with the Blue Widow too? My dealer shot me a price of $297 for the pack, rain cover, and spike duffle, which I know is as good as price going.

I'd get a G2 Longhunter myself.

Just like 222Rem, I really wanted to love the NICE frame set up, but it did not work for me. It is great gear and i love the different bags for the frame. I just did'nt like the fit and feel of it.

I was going to try the day packs, like the big horn and such, but i am happy with my Kifaru gear. Mabye thats why i don't like MR stuff, i am to use to the fit of Kifaru packs and compare everything else i buy to it. I did buy a Dragon Slayer for my mom, i let you all know how she likes it when it get's here.

oh, and MR does not make packs in OD green, the best color for the western part of the PNW i think.

HCH - 6 climbing sticks and the hangon? Great Scott, what altitude are you hunting from?

I pack my stand(s) in and out every time I go out also, even on private land as thieves are just rampant in the upper midwest it seems. I started with 4 sticks and an Alpha, then went to three and the Assault, and now I either use my trimmed down LWHC or my TreeSaddle with sticks if I'm up in the air. After a great year on the ground, though, I'm loosing even more weight and just going to a Shaggie and a seat pad. Packs down smaller too.

I know they've got all kinds of things to carry stands in and out , I've seen guys use NICE frames (why, I'll never understand). For a while when I was pack poor and overly thinking, I put the hipbelt/shoulder straps off a dead frame pack on my Alpha, ran a strap through the seat to make a shelf, and made the stand into a pseudo frame pack.

It worked, but at 11#, it was the heaviest frame pack I ever messed with.

While I don't know if you've been soured with the banter over MR's NICE system, I really think you should give it a try.

The local Scheel's has the Eberl DragonFly (the gun version of the BW), and the one thing I didn't care for about it was how far the pack was away from the frame. Just adding more than 50# into it, it started to pull back and away. I cinched it down as tight as I could, but it still felt awkward - TO ME - for some reason.

I love the concept and the expandability of the Eberl packs, but the execution doesn't work, for me.

There was a member on here earlier (I'm terrible with names, forgive me) that was using the Spike Duffle in combination with the NICE frame and a home-made load sling. In my eyes, it's near perfect! Of course, I also think the Kifaru Duplex Frame with a POD or two is also a "perfect" solution, so take it for what it's worth.

I wish MR would create something similar to the McHale system that would allow risers to the NICE frame when using the load sling. Come to think of it, if you've got the money, that whole McHale system is just killer for the weight. But man are you going to pay for it.

NXP

Sounds like we hunt with the same equipment and style. I played with a tree saddle last year too, and a small gorilla platform. I also go with a Rancho safari G suit now and then. I don't always use 6 sticks, sometimes I use 5..it all depends. I just like being up high, seems to give an edge to concealing movement and reducing scent, but sometimes there is better concealment lower. Heck, sometimes you can only get 3 or 4 to work.

I'm thinkin' the same thing myself, I'm trying to convince myself it'll be worth it.

What kind of $$ do these cost?

Around a $1,000 for the higher end ones, can go up toward $2,000. You feel silly for saying MR is overpriced gear now?

nah...All my gear is high priced, mostly top of the line. Good stuff costs $$.

The guys that feel the need for a pack like that, I am sure feel they are worth every penny.

I think I made a good buy tonight fellas. I bought a generation 1 Kifaru Spike camp in very good condition with no blood ever on it, for $150, and he threw in a GPS pouch with it.

If I was a young man I'd think about a McHales, doubt I'll go over 90 lbs again, what I got works.

That does sound like a good buy on the Kifaru...

Kent

That's fantastic. Should work great in Iowa.


Travis

I have the Spike camp and it's a great day pack.

The Spike is a great pack, and you should get some good use out of it. After that POS "Wolf Pack" broke its buckles on my LW climber, I packed a boned out doe, the LW and the damnable Wolf Pack out of a TN gulf that I hunt in frequently. I can't say that it was comfortable with the weight, but I got out in one trip. You might want to consider adding the cargo chair.

Enjoy and report back on some of your experiences with it.

David

The Spike Camp is a great day pack! There are pics on Kifaru with guys carrying elk hind quarters with it. The price was even better!