Yes.Well.... Will it fit in a pack?
For everybody wondering my thought process behind this, here goes.
Healthy Nutterbuster is usually around 170-180lbs and likes bolts and a ring of steps. Last year Healthy Nutterbuster started morphing into Chunky Nutterbuster at around 200. This summer Chunky Nutterbuster evolved into Fatazz Nutterbuster at 230.
Fat Nutterbuster had a come-to-Jesus moment when he started messing with his gear around mid-July. Gear that never made sense started making sense. I can't climb with bolts. I dang sure can't stand on them comfortably at this weight. Can't do a lot of hunting-related stuff actually, which sucks. Went on a scouting trip yesterday and for probably the first time in my life quit because I was whupped.
So, I need fat man gear. 4 mini sticks because I'm definitely not used to climbing fat and need it as easy as possible. Platform because 230lbs on feet built for 170 on a ROS gets old quick.
Specifically speaking about the decision to chop a mission, even at a healthy weight the predator and ambush flex underfoot. At my current weight they feel super sketchy to me. The mission I bought on the classifieds is a beast of a platform but remarkably solid. Almost as solid as a treehopper (kinda small for chonkerbuster). I chopped the platform to make it basically the same size as the EDP. I also removed the ridiculous "foot rest" on the post and chopped the post to make it level with the front of the platform when folded and relocated the batwing and button. So now I basically have a platform that is right between the predator and edp in size and weight and very, very sturdy underfoot. It's fugly and goofy, but I honestly like it more than any other folder I've tried. I think the lack of flex and top-post pulling makes it feel bigger than it is since you can utilize all the room without feeling like you're about to break it or slide off. Probably in my head.
I'm finally committed to losing weight and should be back in hunting shape by season, but this is a "hope for the best and plan for the worst" setup. I now have 3 packs with 3 hunting setups. One for skinny nutterbuster to climb trees if he shows up (bolts), one for nuttybuddy (sticks and The Mession), and one for ground hunting (pac seat and fleece backpack). I can now move on.