Mystery Ranch SATL pack VS Kifaru Ultralight 3700?

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kfgk14

Joined
Jun 18, 2010
Messages
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Here is my dilemma:
I have looked at both of these packs very seriously for the last two months. The Kifaru Comes in at about $500, give or take.
The Mystery Ranch has slightly less storage space and is heavier by two and a half pounds, but is $100 cheaper, and made of tougher material.
On the Mystery Ranch, there is webbing and a few internal pockets I'd have removed. The Kifaru would go unmodified, but I would likely purchase accessories to it.
I don't know whether Mystery Ranch would mod the pack for me, and whether they'd mod it for free or charge me for the changes.
Is the extra weight of the SATL worth the cost savings and durability?

Can anyone weigh in on this? Any other factors I'm not addressing?
Thanks.
 
It sounds like you answered your own question. If Kifaru is only $100 more, and it sounds like it comes with everything you want (right amount of space, lighter, no modding), then that sounds like the right choice. 2.5 lbs is alot but it all depends on the type of activity you are doing. In the grand scheme of outdoor gear, $100 isn't that big of a jump (depending on finances).

But I really can't weight in on either, I have not used them. Just my two cents from reading your post.

I use Osprey Packs for my gear hauling. I have hiked all over Arizona with it (Grand Canyon, etc) and I have had no issues with it.....Plus it is way less expensive than what you are looking at. Kifaru seems like a good idea, but some of their stuff seems way overpriced. Once again, just my opinion. If you are unsure, I'd consider continuing your search for other options out there.
 
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I found a review of the new UL Kifaru's and a guy got a hole in his pack from some gear rubbing internally. He fixed it and still says it is his favorite of all his Kifaru packs. I have Kifaru tactical packs and love them but I don't think I would spend that much on gear if it could fail easily.
 
@ absolut, I had a really bad experience with Osprey, frankly. The bottom of the frame on my Osprey Atmos 65 wore at me for nine days on an AMC hike. 50 pound pack for that long? It was brutal. I literally had sores worn across my lower lumbar region, they bled for the last three days on the trail. This led to an infection which led to another two days in the hospital, which was miserable. The nurses weren't even pretty :thumbdn:
 
You seen my story about my 3700, if you question the UL material, go with a Zulu with belt. But seriously the 3700 is a great feeling/ carrying pack. If you were anywhere near local I would let you try mine out to decide, but I will say I am more than happy with every Kifaru purchase I have made to include the EMR, ZXR, Mex, 3700 way to many pouches, pockets, and accessories. I also own 3 sleeping bags (slick 20 and 0 and MOB 0) as well as the woobie (2 of them), and then the supertarp, paratipi, sawtooth, and 8man and a few stoves. Yes it cost more but the stuff is really well thought out. The KU lineup is 11 years into the making. Searching the Kifaru forums will yield Patricks story into how they came about, trials errors and other stories.

In my post you read I mentioned how I was very concerned with how the 3700 would hold up due to the how thin, and fragile the pack has felt but after putting several dozen miles on it and not having any issues I would recommend it to anyone. I say spend the coin at Kifaru, more so that your research is already leading you that direction. Trust ones own instincts, its a lesson I learned early, yet even question on occasion myself. Im sure you will be happy with the 3700.
 
kfgk14 said:
@ absolut, I had a really bad experience with Osprey, frankly. The bottom of the frame on my Osprey Atmos 65 wore at me for nine days on an AMC hike. 50 pound pack for that long? It was brutal. I literally had sores worn across my lower lumbar region, they bled for the last three days on the trail. This led to an infection which led to another two days in the hospital, which was miserable. The nurses weren't even pretty :thumbdn:
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Damn, sorry to hear that. I can't complain about mine. I've had no issues like that. Maybe it was just how you were wearing the pack. Good luck with your pack hunt. Is there somewhere you can actually test those out before you buy? I have a tough time buying online if I can't try it out at a shop first.
 
Can't speak for Kifaru, but I'm a HUGE fan of Mystery Ranch, all the way back to when they were Dana Designs. Their packs were bombproof even then - I can only salivate at the changes/improvements they've made since.
I was on FaceBook for quite some time today talking "live" with one of their customer service gear reps, trying to figure out if their "RipZip pockets" could be fit to my Camelbak TriZip pack without interfering with the zippers or the existing pockets. I've no way to prove this, obviously, but I got the impression the guy was there in the shop with a pack and two of these pockets as we talked and as I tried to describe what I needed. Good stuff.
If money weren't an object, I'd go with the Mystery Ranch.

Good luck!
KD
 
kfgk14 said:
Can anyone weigh in on this? Any other factors I'm not addressing?
Thanks.
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You're hardly addressing ANY factors. Don't even say what the pack is for.
You need to give this a lot more thought. It's like you just picked these two packs because of their brand names, and 60L capacities.
The SATL is a military pack made for wearing over body armor. You gonna have them leave off the BVS, and customize the hipbelt(edit: lumbar pad), too? They won't even sell you a pack in a non-standard color...
I'll ASSume the Kifaru fits your use. A more comparable MR would be the Trance XXX. For that matter, a REI Flash 65 has more features than either, and great reviews.

The Atmos is just one Osprey pack, and was very poorly chosen if you were hauling 50lbs. in it, even if it did fit you. That's your fault, not the pack's. I hate the Atmos, myself, but it's because it doesn't fit me, not that something is wrong with the pack.
You seem to choose, or discount, packs for all the wrong reasons.
This isn't a great place to get pack advice to begin with, but if you want recommendations that are even worth reading, you're going to need to give a lot more info than brand names.
 
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It's for fall-winter hiking, two-three day trips.
I don't necessarily need bells and whistles. I need something that carries weight well, and doesn't fall apart. Kifaru and Mystery Ranch have reputations for being very comfortable.

Also, I expect a pack to perform when I load it up. I didn't know that we were going to be carrying fifty pounds. We were told we'd carry forty. Well, I couldn't run and buy a new pack now that the load changed, could I?
I chose the Osprey because the guy at EMS told me that it would work for what I was going to do, that plenty of guys on AMC trips use them. I was invited on to the AMC trip on short notice, I had no bag for the purpose, so I ran the only place I could: EMS. I took the only pack that wasn't a 6000 cubic inch monster: the Osprey Atmos 65. It didn't carry the load well. It ruined the trip for me.
And even if the bag wasn't meant for fifty pounds, I read that it should be well capable of taking a forty plus pound load. When they said that we were gonna carry the extra weight, I just figured forty plus, well it should work with a few extra pounds right? Wrong. I've used it in the twenty, thirty pound range. It's fine with a light load. but i put more than thirty pounds in it, and it starts to ruin me. I like the capacity. I like the ventilation. That's all fine. It's the fact that I can't trust the bag with a heavy load.
 
Hi Kfgk14. I'm new to this forum. I haven't tried Kifaru, so I can't speak to that end of your dilemma. However, I am in LOVE with Mystery Ranch Packs. I've hauled some ridiculously heavy loads (packing out meat, 90lbs +) and can't believe how well it balances. I've got a Crew Cab that goes from day pack (1500 cu inches I think) to about 7 days worth of stuff for me (5200?). There are a lot of options there. I'd call 'em up and just pick their brains about your trips and needs. They're super friendly and knowledgeable. Good luck with your decision!!
 
oruacat2 said:
Can't speak for Kifaru, but I'm a HUGE fan of Mystery Ranch, all the way back to when they were Dana Designs. Their packs were bombproof even then - I can only salivate at the changes/improvements they've made since.
I was on FaceBook for quite some time today talking "live" with one of their customer service gear reps, trying to figure out if their "RipZip pockets" could be fit to my Camelbak TriZip pack without interfering with the zippers or the existing pockets. I've no way to prove this, obviously, but I got the impression the guy was there in the shop with a pack and two of these pockets as we talked and as I tried to describe what I needed. Good stuff.
If money weren't an object, I'd go with the Mystery Ranch.

Good luck!
KD
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Dana Designs are now Mystery Ranch? I bought a Dana Designs 17 years ago, and it's still going strong! I was wondering what happened to that company. A company that makes equipment that good just doesn't disappear.
Thanks for the info.
 
Yeah - Dana Gleason, the founder, had to wait until his "non-compete clause" expired after K2 purchased Dana Designs (and then was later itself bought by Marmot, I think) - and then he started Mystery Ranch, out of Bozeman, MT.
 
I just want to offer this. I've had several MR packs and with heavy loads, the frame systems flexed so much that the suspension wasn't working for me. They use wire rods (vertical or x-pattern) vs solid composite or aluminum stays from Kifaru. I don't mean to "knock" MR. They build a quality product but my loads tend to be heavy and they don't work as I would like them to. YMMV.
Of the two you mentioned, I'd go with Kifaru and their solid stays. There are other brands that use solid stays so don't limit yourself to just the two you mentioned.
Check out Kelty's biggest packs also.
 
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oruacat2 said:
Yeah - Dana Gleason, the founder, had to wait until his "non-compete clause" expired after K2 purchased Dana Designs (and then was later itself bought by Marmot, I think) - and then he started Mystery Ranch, out of Bozeman, MT.
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Thank you very much for the info; greatly appreciated.
 
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