A Lighter Weight MR NICE Frame Pack Concept

[Haisen]

I'm researching some packs. I really like how lightweight the Kifaru UL 3700 & 5200 are, but I am worried about the durability. I love the Mystery Ranch Crew Cab's design and versatility, but it is rather heavy weighing at 7 lbs 11 oz. Kuiu also has good design, but is not going to fit my 28" waist.

I'm about to buy the Mystery Ranch Nice Frame & Load Sling combination, which weighs in at 5 lbs 3 oz. Then I'm going to use a Sea-to-Summit Small Ultra-Sil Pack Liner (3,000 cu in/2.6 oz.), Large Ultra-Sil Stuff Sack (960 cu in/1 oz), and a Medium Ultra-Sil Pack Cover (4 oz). The pack will weigh a total of 5 lbs 10.6 oz with about 4,000 cubic inches of storage space inside my stuff sacks and room to strap down my tripod, hydration bladder, and other misc. items. This set-up keeps the weight below many other popular hunting packs on the market.

The MR Load Sling will make it very easy to train with during the off-season. I plan on buying a heavy duty 5-gallon water jug or jerrycan to fill with sand, which should weigh somewhere between 50 and 80 lbs. The jerrycan will quickly and easily strap in and out of the load sling for training.

Does this set-up sound like an effective and somewhat lightweight set-up and concept for extended backpacking trips?

 

[Montana]

Money.... I did something similar with another pack. I actually have 4 color coordinated stuff sacks. Each sack is 1.8-4ozs. Water proof and the color helps my organization.

I say do it... Great idea.

 

[Haisen]

The pack should only cost $315 plus shipping, which is not too different from the Blue Widow. So, it is not a super expensive pack. I will end up spending less than $500 on the pack and its accessories.

 

[brandenbowhunter]

You will like the comfort of the NIce system...do it...I have the whole Crew CAb...have to say..the extra 1 1/2 lbs that I have it not that bad!

 

[Haisen]

Update 2-26-12

I just received my Mystery Ranch Nice Frame with the Load Sling. My first impression of it is that it does not feel quite as comfortable as my Badlands 4500, but has a perfect fit. I'm 6'1", 158 LBS, 28" waist, and an 18.5" to 19" torso length. I got the Nice Frame with the XS waist belt and Medium yoke. The fit is perfect for me and allows the load lifters to function effectively by giving enough of an angle to pull and secure the load to my back.

The next amazing thing about this pack is the versatility. It can do anything and everything, because of the infinite ways you can customize. You can literally set it up for use as a day-pack one day and then switch it up for a week long backcountry hunt. I even attached a thing to it to carry my 20 month old daughter in it easily and comfortably (as in comfortable for the both of us).

I have not had an opportunity to throw a heavy load in it yet to find its maximum comfortable capacity. However, I will be testing that soon enough and will provide an update on its performance.

Thank You,

 

[brandenbowhunter]

that is funny...I have pics of my son at 3 years old in mine...he is too big now...he still fits..just not as comfortable for him now

 

[MontanaElk]

I purchased a Mystry ranch 5600 with a Nice frame a few years back for a Dall sheep hunt. I noticed right away on the hunt that every one else was taking their packs off every chance they got. I did not feel the need for it. When it really shines is when you got that 100+ lbs. pack on. Comfort is everything. I have now packed Sheep and elk with it. I highly recommend it. I think you will too.

 

[Bitterroot Bulls]

Welcome to Eastmans Forum, Montana,Elk!

 

[Drhorsepower]

I just received my Mystery Ranch Nice Frame with the Load Sling. My first impression of it is that it does not feel quite as comfortable as my Badlands 4500, but has a perfect fit. I'm 6'1", 158 LBS, 28" waist, and an 18.5" to 19" torso length. I got the Nice Frame with the XS waist belt and Medium yoke. The fit is perfect for me and allows the load lifters to function effectively by giving enough of an angle to pull and secure the load to my back.

The next amazing thing about this pack is the versatility. It can do anything and everything, because of the infinite ways you can customize. You can literally set it up for use as a day-pack one day and then switch it up for a week long backcountry hunt. I even attached a thing to it to carry my 20 month old daughter in it easily and comfortably (as in comfortable for the both of us).

I have not had an opportunity to throw a heavy load in it yet to find its maximum comfortable capacity. However, I will be testing that soon enough and will provide an update on its performance.

Thank You,

What setup do you have for your kid. That could be the money ticket for me to convince my wife I need one!

 

[Montana]

You could okie rig something like this

60lbs off season conditioning, fun for the family and comfortable for all. A tie down and camping chair is all it takes.

 

[sticknbiggens]

Haisen- I'd like to see a picture of your set up when it's done. I've been trying to figure out a way to shave some of that weight off.

 

[High Country]

You could okie rig something like this

60lbs off season conditioning, fun for the family and comfortable for all. A tie down and camping chair is all it takes.

View attachment 2823

Way cool....

 

[Kevin Root]

You could okie rig something like this

60lbs off season conditioning, fun for the family and comfortable for all. A tie down and camping chair is all it takes.

View attachment 2823

Very nice Montana!

 

[Haisen]

I finally began loading the NICE Frame with weight. I tested out 65 and 90 lbs and encountered a problem. The bar that runs down the center of the frame is digging into my back, unless I hunch over excessively. I searched the web to see if this is a common problem, but have not found a single review discussing any issues at all with the NICE Frame. I have tried wearing the pack higher and lower than it should be worn and also loaded the weight both higher and lower to see if that would solve my issue, but the frame still dug into my back leaving small bruises along my spine area wear it was jabbing into.

I know this is not a common issue, but it is still a serious issue I must resolve to achieve the proper performance. I plan on contacting Mystery Ranch this week to see if they can help me. If not, I will try and rig a lumbar pad, similar to the Badlands 4500's, that will rap around and pad the frame from potentially hurting my back. If anyone else has encountered the same issue, please let me know. I will also comment on what Mystery Ranch's Customer Service has to say if no one knows how to correct this issue.

Thank You,

 

[Haisen]

I spoke with a Mystery Ranch Customer Service Representative yesterday and they were very knowledgeable, friendly, and willing to help. As I suspected, this is not a very common issue; however he had me "cant" the waist-belt and that made a noticeable difference. It was not a perfect, so I proceeded to experiment further. The "yoke" was positioned almost perfect, but needed raised about an inch to assist my load lifters in performing to the maximum. After fine tuning the fit, the problem was not entirely solved.

I was using a 5-Gallon Jerrycan filled with 55 pounds of sand, which created a very heavy and dense load on the very bottom of the frame. The 55 pounds placed directly at the bottom of the frame made the load lifters pretty much useless and caused the pack to pull away from riding along my back and dig the bottom of the frame into my lower back. The solution at this point was simple, use a small sleeping bag or something lightweight and bulky to raise the jerrycan up to allow the load lifters to function properly. Taking the time to really pay attention to how the pack rides on your, so you can make the proper adjustments, no matter how minor the adjustments are, can make significant improvements to the pack's performance. Another critical error I made was not loading the pack properly.