I spoke with them back in 2015, very nice, helpful and enthusiastic guys. I seriously considered one of their packs, but, went with my SO Divide and customized an older, mint Dana Design Terraframe, as I knew these work for me.
This frame seems *inspired* by Patrick Smiths Kifaru frames as do some of the other new packs on the market. If, I were younger, I might try one as spending the coin to obtain the BEST pack for YOU, as with boots, is money well spent, IMHO.
SO works SO well for ME, that I wont now try another pack, but, we have options now that we could not have dreamed of when I started.
Well quality products cost money just like anything else. Can't really compare a pair of swaro binos to your entry level nikons and the same thing can be said about packs. It is just harder to wrap your mind around when you think that it is just a frame and some 500 cordura fabric like 'other' packs that are a lot less expensive. Same argument can be made about how all binos have just plastic with some glass and a little metal but this is clearly not the case.
It is how the item is designed, the quality of the frames and the function of the product in the field that make it worth the money.
I love my SG pack and have no intentions of jumping ship.
I'm with Dewey on this. A good pack and a good pair of boots are worth the money.
That said, spending more money doesn't guarantee a good fit. I really tried to love my Mystery Ranch pack but couldn't get the damn thing to fit me comfortably.
I'm looking forward to hearing about the SG packs after guys have some time under them.
Is Justin Competent, or just incompetent?
This is BS. There are a lot of products out there that are being sold for way more than they are actually worth. Look at most luxury cars or designer clothes. While i don't doubt that this is an EXCELLENT pack, the point here is that there are other excellent packs that DON"T cost $900.
Comparing Swaro to a Tasco is no contest. Of course this $900 pack is better than an entry level Cabela's pack for $120. But is it that much better than mystery ranch or badlands to warrant an extra $400 cost on top? I don't think so.
Bud, NO offence, but, I have had five complete Bozeman-made MR packs and even more original Dana Design packs from 1978 to now.
My complete NICE rigs, two of them, sold here recently and my BDSD, sold here 2-3 years ago, ALL cost MORE than $900.00 CDN, landed in Vancity.
I have had two BL packs, one probably the first Utah-made BL 4500 ever sent to BC, FINE pack, stolen at Christmas, 1999 and even it was NOT up to MR-Bozo quality.
You should be able to get an SO REvolution rig for about $750-800 and it IS WORTH IT, and NO Cabalas or other such entry level pack comes even close.
Maybe you just overpaid? You can get a Mystery Ranch pack for under $600 from Grouse River in Kelowna on sale. Even now on their site they are just over $600. Still a far cry from $900 (and the $900 does not include potential taxes they could charge you for over the border, which they probably would for an item of that value!).
READ more carefully, I bought mine when Dana, was running MR in Bozeman and was among their best customers as their then sales manager, Andrew Crow, told a guy I know there. I have used Dana's packs for almost 40 years and worked in the business, I would NOT *overpay*.
Now, after some issues with a defective product last August, I will never deal with GR and IF I were to buy another MR I KNOW where to get deals on gear that might amaze you.
That said, after inspection, I do not consider the current off-shore MR packs equal to the Bozo-made ones. So, call MR and order a Bozo-made one which they were offering and pay the price landed here and then get back to me.
JMHO, use whatever you prefer, I have no problem spending big coin on gear, but, detest spending my pensions on trendy electronics, trailcams and so on, YMMV.