Mystery Ranch pack noise

[slonstdy]

I used my MR popup 28 yesterday for the first time and found it to be very noisy, both the material and the zippers.

I never thought it was loud when I was home filling it up with my stuff and walking through the woods to my hunting grounds it was silent but all that changed once I was in the tree. The zippers had me cringing while I was opening them and every time I reached inside to grab something and rubbed against the bag material it sounded like I was digging in a potato chip bag. I read reviews stating it was noisy prior to purchasing it but I thought they were exaggerating for the most part.

So for those who use MR packs or have owned them in the past, does the bag material need to be broken in and will it quiet down over time? Other than being noisy the pack did a phenomenal job packing out a bone in quartered deer plus the load of hunting gear I brought in. Fully loaded it had to be 70 pounds and it carried it very well. I do like this pack very much but as of right now I'll only use it for my deep hunting areas where packing a deer out is my only option unless it will quiet down with repeated use.

 

[Jwiggins762]

I've noticed mine has quieted down some since I bought it last year. I wet the straps between my shoulder to the pack walking in cause it makes this creaking noise until I get a good sweat. I just washed it a few times this past week from packing out a deer and I'm hoping that will help with the noise. I think it just has to be broken in.

 

[redsquirrel]

The cordura will quiet down as it breaks in. I don’t really notice that anymore. Zippers are zippers though. Pull slowly lol. I think this is my 4th season with my pop up. Love it.

 

[slonstdy]

That's a relief knowing it will quiet down because other than being noisy I really believe it's the perfect pack and I want to put it to use.

Yeah, going slow on the zippers for sure. I'm not a fan of the elastic pull strings on them and am going to replace them with paracord for now. I think because of the stretch it makes it difficult to control the initial movement of the zipper.

Now how can I get one of my sons to walk around with a loaded pack for a couple of weeks...

 

[raisins]

I used my MR popup 28 yesterday for the first time and found it to be very noisy, both the material and the zippers.

I never thought it was loud when I was home filling it up with my stuff and walking through the woods to my hunting grounds it was silent but all that changed once I was in the tree. The zippers had me cringing while I was opening them and every time I reached inside to grab something and rubbed against the bag material it sounded like I was digging in a potato chip bag. I read reviews stating it was noisy prior to purchasing it but I thought they were exaggerating for the most part.

So for those who use MR packs or have owned them in the past, does the bag material need to be broken in and will it quiet down over time? Other than being noisy the pack did a phenomenal job packing out a bone in quartered deer plus the load of hunting gear I brought in. Fully loaded it had to be 70 pounds and it carried it very well. I do like this pack very much but as of right now I'll only use it for my deep hunting areas where packing a deer out is my only option unless it will quiet down with repeated use.

it's hard to judge noises like that when you are in quiet woods and you are paranoid about noise and you are really close to the noise maker

although deer have way better ears than us, try having someone lightly make noise with the bag while you are 20 yards away, you won't hear it

sound drops with the inverse square of the distance, that's why the hunting public can whisper to themselves and the camera with a buck 20 yards away and it doesn't hear them.....the chance of a buck hearing gentle pack noise 50 yards away is pretty slim, especially if there is any wind or woods noise at all and there usually is at least some

according to the inverse square, if you double the distance then you cut the noise by a division of 4 (1/10 squared vs 1/20 squared). so, the difference between 1 yard away and 20 yards is huge (1/1 squared which is 1 versus 1/400).

just don't do anything super noisy and crazy and you're fine, the woods have tons of natural sounds and a pack rustling isn't that foreign to it...now a zipper pulled quick or metal clanging is a bit different

also human cough or sneeze.....here's a random tip....carry a plush hand towel in the woods....if you have to cough, sneeze, clear your throat, or blow your nose....then wad it up and push it hard into your face....seriously muffles it, plus a towel is handy so long as you keep one side for the boogers and the other more clean....always carry my towel

edit...one more tip, i keep the stuff i'm most likely to use either on my tree strap or i keep that part of the pack unzipped but flapped over to keep light rain out and keep stuff from falling out....my top flap of my pack is open and i can pretty easily get something out without zipper noise and if i move slow then the pack noise is close to zero...and i use a noisier pack than one made of cordura...mine is a nylon hiking pack from mystery ranch (the scree)

 

[slonstdy]

I'm used to my old pack being so quiet that I was able to reach in for something or drop my phone in there with a deer right under the tree without any concern of being heard, these same things I wouldn't dare do with my Popup, not yet anyway.

Once I'm set up at the beginning of a hunt I have everything I need hanging and readily available so I don't need to mess with the pack really, but I'm also very weary of rubbing up against it wheras again with my old pack I could literally jab a knee on it or have my leg rub against it while I walk around my steps and not have to worry about it making a sound.

That is very interesting how sound dissappates that much over distance and I will test that theory out today and give you my results.

I had a good laugh that you mentioned sneezing and coughing because there have been a few times where I've gotten a tickle in my throat and I buried my face in my extra clothing and pressed it firmly to my head to suppress my coughing fit. I'm paranoid about every single sound I make when in the woods, even when I'm not hunting.

 

[thedutchtouch]

i've read that bow string was (or likely any wax really) helps to quiet zippers. i'm about to do this with my relatively new 38 as well, will return with results (or lack thereof)

 

[TreeCreep]

I primarily use my pop up once I’m carrying layers or hiking to where I’ll pack out.
are you pop up users hanging this like any other pack, once in a tree? Or trying to hang on a neighboring limb/ tree?
i’ve been trying to set it up out of line of sight/ where I may move for a shot.

I know this was discussed somewhere but couldn’t find it.

 

[raisins]

I'm used to my old pack being so quiet that I was able to reach in for something or drop my phone in there with a deer right under the tree without any concern of being heard, these same things I wouldn't dare do with my Popup, not yet anyway.

Once I'm set up at the beginning of a hunt I have everything I need hanging and readily available so I don't need to mess with the pack really, but I'm also very weary of rubbing up against it wheras again with my old pack I could literally jab a knee on it or have my leg rub against it while I walk around my steps and not have to worry about it making a sound.

That is very interesting how sound dissappates that much over distance and I will test that theory out today and give you my results.

I had a good laugh that you mentioned sneezing and coughing because there have been a few times where I've gotten a tickle in my throat and I buried my face in my extra clothing and pressed it firmly to my head to suppress my coughing fit. I'm paranoid about every single sound I make when in the woods, even when I'm not hunting.

i wish they made more quality (strong, adjustable, good frame and straps) that were a heavy fleece and quiet

if mystery ranch is reading this.....

 

[raisins]

i've read that bow string was (or likely any wax really) helps to quiet zippers. i'm about to do this with my relatively new 38 as well, will return with results (or lack thereof)

i heard the same thing with candle wax, tried it and all it did was make a mess

 

[GeoFish]

Now how can I get one of my sons to walk around with a loaded pack for a couple of weeks...

Get him a hunting buddy?

 

[raisins]

I'm used to my old pack being so quiet that I was able to reach in for something or drop my phone in there with a deer right under the tree without any concern of being heard, these same things I wouldn't dare do with my Popup, not yet anyway.

Once I'm set up at the beginning of a hunt I have everything I need hanging and readily available so I don't need to mess with the pack really, but I'm also very weary of rubbing up against it wheras again with my old pack I could literally jab a knee on it or have my leg rub against it while I walk around my steps and not have to worry about it making a sound.

That is very interesting how sound dissappates that much over distance and I will test that theory out today and give you my results.

I had a good laugh that you mentioned sneezing and coughing because there have been a few times where I've gotten a tickle in my throat and I buried my face in my extra clothing and pressed it firmly to my head to suppress my coughing fit. I'm paranoid about every single sound I make when in the woods, even when I'm not hunting.

ps...if you like STEM stuff, think of sound dissipating out in all directions and forming a growing sphere as it moves, the energy of the sound wave is spread out over the surface of this sphere, being spread thinner in a sense as the sphere grows, and the surface area of a sphere is area = 4 x pi x square of the radius of sphere....so that's where the squared term comes from....the 4 and pi don't change but radius does

if you double the distance from the sound, which is the center of the sphere, then you quadruple the surface area upon which the original sound energy is distributed

surface area of a sphere - Google Search

www.google.com

 

[Nutterbuster]

About noise...

I vividly remember one morning walking back to meet my dad at his big ole diesel work truck. I got to where I could see it off in the woods and was a bit surprised that I didn't hear it rumbling since he usually beat me back to the truck and I knew he would definitely have it on and the heater running if he was sitting in it.

I was about 40-50 yards from it before I heard the rumbling on a crisp winter day. And no, I'm not deaf.

 

[redsquirrel]

That's a relief knowing it will quiet down because other than being noisy I really believe it's the perfect pack and I want to put it to use.

Yeah, going slow on the zippers for sure. I'm not a fan of the elastic pull strings on them and am going to replace them with paracord for now. I think because of the stretch it makes it difficult to control the initial movement of the zipper.

Now how can I get one of my sons to walk around with a loaded pack for a couple of weeks...

I guess they switched to the elastic, mine doesn’t have that. If you want to break it in quicker, take the bag off and wash it a few cycles. You may have to cut the ends of a few of the pieces of webbing. I did on mine but I needed to wash it cause I packed a whole coyote out in it lol.

 

[Nutterbuster]

I packed a whole coyote out in it

Nasty!!

 

[redsquirrel]

Nasty!!

The hide looks great. Worth it!

 

[Nutterbuster]

The hide looks great. Worth it!

I did one for my dad. Joker was rank. I've shot 2 myself and can't make myself do another one. Nastier animal than any hog I've shot.

Stalked up on this one Saturday and shot him at 10 yards while he was asleep. Went to pick him up and got a whiff and couldn't do it.

 

[Topdog]

I primarily use my pop up once I’m carrying layers or hiking to where I’ll pack out.
are you pop up users hanging this like any other pack, once in a tree? Or trying to hang on a neighboring limb/ tree?
i’ve been trying to set it up out of line of sight/ where I may move for a shot.

I know this was discussed somewhere but couldn’t find it.

When I use my pop up I carry a small light all fleece pack and leave the pop up on the ground and put the essentials in the fleece pack for being up in tree, snacks etc., Rancho Safari makes some nice, cheap, light, made in the USA all fleece packs for this.

 

[Topdog]

Nasty!!

You should see the dead coyotes that get carried out in a plywood box on the back of my snowmobile all winter, I took it back to the dealer once for warranty work and the thing thawed out in their heated garage, the dealer had a squeegee out washing the floor in the garage LMAO the whole place stunk, I’m pretty sure they weren't impressed.

 

[TreeCreep]

When I use my pop up I carry a small light all fleece pack and leave the pop up on the ground and put the essentials in the fleece pack for being up in tree, snacks etc., Rancho Safari makes some nice, cheap, light, made in the USA all fleece packs for this.

Thanks, that’s helpful. stashing the pack seems best for my set up.

Just when I thought I was done buying packs!