Mystery Ranch Backpacks

[llholmes1948]

A link to an article on Mystery Ranch backpacks which are made in Montana. They don't sound like lightweight items. Does anyone use them for hiking?

http://billingsgazette.com/business/art ... 002e0.html

[lcrans]

As you say, not particularly light, but there are some interesting goods....

http://www.mysteryranch.com/

[llholmes1948]

Larry,

Thanks for posting the link to their site. Too bad the newspaper article didn't include it. They sound like great durable packs but not light or cheap. Maybe when my kids get jobs they will buy me one. (I won't hold my breath however.)

Lyman

[Marmotman]

Mystery Ranch is the re-incarnated "Dana Design" backpack. You can see the similarity. When Dana sold out a couple of years back he started getting itchy again and started this new company. If they are anything like Dana Design they are definately "bomb proof".

[grizzlyguy]

I love mine!!!!! I often carry a 60-70 pound pack for work and it rides great. It is not lightweight or cheap. It has the suspension and support to really carry a lot of "stuff". The service that Dana provides is superb. When you pick your pack up they custom fit it to you. I had a small tear in one of the internal pockets in the support system and took it back to have it checked out. Dana himself took it into the shop and sewed in the newer heavy duty pocket style. A few years later the hip belt was giving me some trouble. It had compressed unevenly from the way I packed my gear. They put on a new and improved hip belt, no charge. Dana does packs for the navy SEALS and sells the civilian version. Dana is a big guy who carries a big pack. I suspect if you went in there to get fitted for some sort of ultralight pack you might get tossed out on your ear<gr>.

[ND Sol]

Mystery Ranch may custom fit when you come in to pick up your pack, but they are not custom packs in my opinion. McHale makes a custom pack that can carry the loads you want. It takes some time to get the right fit and it takes some coin, but it will last a long, long time.

http://www.mchalepacks.com

[Kathy]

So....I guess it's just like almost everything else...it's just a matter of what your individual goals and circumstances are that will determine what you're looking for...

Is someone simply looking for a good pack that fits correctly (I wonder how many actually do??---Hmmmm.......I don't know if mine does or not, but I do know for me, it's comfortable and it doesn't matter to me if it's "correct"---I'm able to do/accomplish what I want)....or are they looking for/need/want/can afford a custom pack for their purposes? I imagine there are folks across the spectrum. (Heck, I've seen folks hiking in/with the oldest and simplest hiking equipment/clothing, and they are out doing what they love and accomplishing their goals.)

So....I guess it can be something different for everyone. Thank you grizzlyguy and ND Sol for the info. on each alternative!! Y'all are a wealth of information!!!!

[grizzlyguy]

"....but they are not custom packs in my opinion...."

NDsol is correct. You order the pack and they make it for you but the packs themselves are not custom made. The fit and adjustments are personally adjusted. For example, the height of the shoulder straps is adjusted to your torso but there is no adjustment for width.
Once it is perfectly adjusted I don't really dink around with it too much.

I think packs and pack fit are one of those very personal items, different for everyone. I will let you have or borrow almost anything I own.....EXCEPT for my pack.

--SamT

[Marmotman]

I'm still waiting for the antigravity models to come out. Mine is always too heavy.

[ND Sol]

I'm still waiting for the antigravity models to come out. Mine is always too heavy.

And that is why on I am working on Jen to sherpa some of mine (well at least the pizza and keg of beer).

As for Mystery Ranch, Dana has done some great things in the backpack industry over the decades and continues to put out a great quality pack. In no way was I at all putting down what a great backpack he makes.

I started with an external in high school (which would still work just fine for the trails in Glacier) and when it finally died I moved on to internals. Went through a few, but then decided that I would get something for what I exactly wanted. I decided on a McHale and part of the blame for that can be attributed to Glacier. In 2004 we were near Hole in the Wall and we met a couple with McHale packs. I already knew about McHale, but hadn't seen one in real life. Over the winter I thought about it further and ended up buying one. I like how it is flexible enough for taking as a carry-on on an airplane or for an overnight climb, but then expanded with the upper bayonets to pack what I need for being out a week. Though it is not ultralight, it does feel better with weight than anything else I have had and it has proved durable as well.