Mystery Ranch on camo fire

[tcg144]

Lots of Mystery Ranch stuff on camo fire today including Popup 28

 

[bowhuntr09]

Bump, this sale is running again today and they dropped prices a little more. A Pop Up 28 can be had for $189

 

[Heath]

Once again, a bunch MR on CamoFire. I could no longer restrain myself. PopUp 28 on the way.

 

[Plebe]

Bump, this sale is running again today and they dropped prices a little more. A Pop Up 28 can be had for $189

So you got yours and are liking it better than your Stryker XL? What's the scoop?

 

[bowhuntr09]

So you got yours and are liking it better than your Stryker XL? What's the scoop?

I actually am. It’s lighter overall, makes me stop carrying too much stuff. The load shelf is easier to access/manipulate. The straps are easier to cinch down, they just move better. I was really surprised by it.

 

[Plebe]

I actually am. It’s lighter overall, makes me stop carrying too much stuff. The load shelf is easier to access/manipulate. The straps are easier to cinch down, they just move better. I was really surprised by it.

Hmm, guess I'll see soon enough. I have one arriving tomorrow.

 

[bowhuntr09]

Hmm, guess I'll see soon enough. I have one arriving tomorrow.

Let me know what you think.

 

[Plebe]

Let me know what you think.

So I've only had it (pop-up 28) since midday, but from my initial impressions:

The 28 has a legitimately small profile. I like that. I was hoping I could drop the .5 and outer-layers in the meat shelf, then detach the whole bag and have a stand with no straps blowing about underneath and a regular size bag hung from the tree. It does that.

But, while I agree that the 28's compression straps pull tight easier than the Stryker setup, the forward-pull belt doesn't budge, at all, unless I grab right in front of the plastic (ladder lock sliders). It sucks compared to the Kifaru belt in function as well as comfort.

As well, the compression straps on the 28 only pull from the rear of the packs's zippers. I like that you can set the Kifaru straps up for either front/or rear of the zippers, or both.

There is less surface area against the back than I expected with the 28, which was a pleasant surprise. I was worried about sweat management. It still doesn't vent as well as the Duplex Lite, nor the .5 stand with LWCG straps. But it doesn't appear to be the issue I thought it might.

For me, the lumbar pad on the 28 is too thin or rides a touch too high because of the belt design, whereas the Kifaru is a touch bigger than necessary but sits correctly.

The nylon pocket inside the 28 is NOISY. I don't know why they didn't use mesh there like they did for internal pockets elsewhere. Overall, the 28's cordura material is noisier than the Stryker's, but it's not a big issue. That interior pocket is the worst of it.

I loaded both packs (Kifaru & MR) with stand and sticks, bibs, and coat. MR wasn't bad at all. But I needed to put weight on my shoulders to get a proper ride. The whole thing just felt much lighter with the Kifaru rig. I could loosen the shoulder straps and the weight stayed on my hips.

All in all, the 28's price and slim profile are attractive and it's a pretty good pack on the whole for whitetails, imo. There's some minor tweaks that I'd like to see; but it's the belt that's my biggest disappointment, I don't like anything about it.

 

[kyler1945]

but it's the belt that's my biggest disappointment, I don't like anything about it.

MR Popup 28 mod

Made it into my run & gun pack (well...archery...but same concept). I needed it quieter and not flopping around so much and that MR belt just did not fit my body. Yes I could have sold the whole pack but I had alot of spare parts laying around and a couple of ideas so i went at it. It carries...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Topdog]

So I've only had it (pop-up 28) since midday, but from my initial impressions:

The 28 has a legitimately small profile. I like that. I was hoping I could drop the .5 and outer-layers in the meat shelf, then detach the whole bag and have a stand with no straps blowing about underneath and a regular size bag hung from the tree. It does that.

But, while I agree that the 28's compression straps pull tight easier than the Stryker setup, the forward-pull belt doesn't budge, at all, unless I grab right in front of the plastic (ladder lock sliders). It sucks compared to the Kifaru belt in function as well as comfort.

As well, the compression straps on the 28 only pull from the rear of the packs's zippers. I like that you can set the Kifaru straps up for either front/or rear of the zippers, or both.

There is less surface area against the back than I expected with the 28, which was a pleasant surprise. I was worried about sweat management. It still doesn't vent as well as the Duplex Lite, nor the .5 stand with LWCG straps. But it doesn't appear to be the issue I thought it might.

For me, the lumbar pad on the 28 is too thin or rides a touch too high because of the belt design, whereas the Kifaru is a touch bigger than necessary but sits correctly.

The nylon pocket inside the 28 is NOISY. I don't know why they didn't use mesh there like they did for internal pockets elsewhere. Overall, the 28's cordura material is noisier than the Stryker's, but it's not a big issue. That interior pocket is the worst of it.

I loaded both packs (Kifaru & MR) with stand and sticks, bibs, and coat. MR wasn't bad at all. But I needed to put weight on my shoulders to get a proper ride. The whole thing just felt much lighter with the Kifaru rig. I could loosen the shoulder straps and the weight stayed on my hips.

All in all, the 28's price and slim profile are attractive and it's a pretty good pack on the whole for whitetails, imo. There's some minor tweaks that I'd like to see; but it's the belt that's my biggest disappointment, I don't like anything about it.

I’ll add one more thing after owning both as well, I agree with all of the above exactly, I know this is being picky, but the belt on the popup was so stiff that loading the meat shelf was kind of a pain, when you lay it down flat to load it up that belt keeps pushing the frame up in the air, every time I would start with my bibs or something turnaround to grab something else and that sucker would spring back up launching my bibs off, the Stryker lays flat on the ground while loading it, I’m just being fussy..

 

[Plebe]

I’ll add one more thing after owning both as well, I agree with all of the above exactly, I know this is being picky, but the belt on the popup was so stiff that loading the meat shelf was kind of a pain, when you lay it down flat to load it up that belt keeps pushing the frame up in the air, every time I would start with my bibs or something turnaround to grab something else and that sucker would spring back up launching my bibs off, the Stryker lays flat on the ground while loading it, I’m just being fussy..

I hunted with the Stryker XL some in MD this past weekend. I ran the OOAL Ridge Runner XL and TN C1 sticks, bibs and coat in the meat shelf.

Anyway, once set up I positioned the wings of the Duplex Belt contouring around the tree (and the near wing worked surprisingly well as a knee pad.)

The way the MR is set up it might be hard to wrap those wings around the tree, and certainly to fold them inwards, which either way is contrary to achieving a small pack profile in the tree.

 

[Plebe]

MR Popup 28 mod

Made it into my run & gun pack (well...archery...but same concept). I needed it quieter and not flopping around so much and that MR belt just did not fit my body. Yes I could have sold the whole pack but I had alot of spare parts laying around and a couple of ideas so i went at it. It carries...

www.rokslide.com

Thanks Kyle.

I plan to try my Seek Outside belt, which should slide right in, but this was an impulse buy that I had intended to pass on to my brother to make his hunt easier this past weekend. Took longer to arrive than Camofire let on. I'm not sure how far I'll go with it, but there is enough potential that I'd consider the Exo belt maybe.

It wouldn't take much to transform this design into about the perfect middle distance whitetail pack.

 

[DB4x4]

Bump, this sale is running again today and they dropped prices a little more. A Pop Up 28 can be had for $189

Were they really $189?

 

[Plebe]

Were they really $189?

+ tax and shipping

 

[bowhuntr09]

@Plebe are you cinching your StrykerXL from the face of the bag or the rear loops? Using the rear I can never get it fully tight because of the width of the clips.

 

[Plebe]

@Plebe are you cinching your StrykerXL from the face of the bag or the rear loops? Using the rear I can never get it fully tight because of the width of the clips.

Is that without anything in the load shelf?

 

[bowhuntr09]

Is that without anything in the load shelf?

No, sticks and platform Im able to cinch, but it takes a good bit in the load shelf to get it tight. Do you move the clips based on load all the time or do you prefer one over the other?

 

[Plebe]

No, sticks and platform Im able to cinch, but it takes a good bit in the load shelf to get it tight. Do you move the clips based on load all the time or do you prefer one over the other?

Hmm.

I ran them from the face of the bag last weekend, but I didn't put much thought into it. I needed to compress the pack because I didn't have much gear filling it out on this particular hunt.

I measure a 4.5" separation between the frame and pack with fully compressed straps run to the rear loops.

If you dump a .5 and outerwear in the meat shelf, you won't be able to draw those compression straps anywhere near all the way in. So it's an option that offers unimpeded access into the pack if you do something like that. It's probably the preferred way when carrying meat.

You can easily set up for both scenarios if you get a couple extra clips and leave them in place rather than switch back and forth. Options are good.

 

[bowhuntr09]

Hmm.

I ran them from the face of the bag last weekend, but I didn't put much thought into it. I needed to compress the pack because I didn't have much gear filling it out on this particular hunt.

I measure a 4.5" separation between the frame and pack with fully compressed straps run to the rear loops.

If you dump a .5 and outerwear in the meat shelf, you won't be able to draw those compression straps anywhere near all the way in. So it's an option that offers unimpeded access into the pack if you do something like that. It's probably the preferred way when carrying meat.

You can easily set up for both scenarios if you get a couple extra clips and leave them in place rather than switch back and forth. Options are good.

That’s probably a good idea. I did buy the extra clips bag. I’ll dig it out and add some clips. One thing about the Kifaru is they are infinitely configurable.

 

[Plebe]

So I've swapped to a Seek Outside belt. I haven't loaded it down yet, but already it's far, far better.

It's an interesting belt. Not as structured nor as big as belts on Kifaru and Exo and the like. But it tensions smartly and effectively with lots of adjustment and seems really comfortable.

The Seek belt doesn't have a velcro back, so I'll add that if I run it. And cut those stiff wings off the MR pack.

I ran the Popup's shoulder straps to the straps on the Seek belt. It seems to align the shoulder straps better for me, but I'll have to run a trial against the MR connection. Those will get rolled into some keepers until I decide.

I can pull my Duplex belt as another point of reference for improving the pack, but It's really a massive pain to pull a belt through the Popup's lumbar slot even with carding over the velcro. So tight that I could probably get away without velcro on the Seek belt...maybe not.