sheep pack weight ?????

[RJ]

I appreciate the info guys, definitely some food for thought.

[Devilbear]

I was almost killed when climbing in Evans Creek Canyon while solo trekking across the Valhallas in 1975, this was while carrying my Fjallraven Expedition Frame Pack and that was then THE finest pack available of it's type. That was the LAST time I used an external frame pack in really steep country such as the West Kootenays, I prefer to come home alive.

I have owned and used packs of various types made by the best American, Canadian and European makers, made my living fitting them and have over 50 years of carrying packs all over BC and some of Alberta. NO pack I have ever seen is ideal for every situation and some compromise is always part of the equation.

I am very well aware that the Barney's is a much more solidly built rig than the frames it was derived from, I was just talking to Bob of Barney's a week or two before Christmas. But, the basic design issues are the same and the MR NICE and, especially, my almost 8500 cu. in. BDSB internal from MR ride closer to your spine and are thus more stable in really difficult climbing situations.

As I posted, the best idea is to have both and use them as you find they work best in your hunting; I would buy a Barney's tomorrow, but, at my age, what I now have will work for my remaining years of hunting and other mountain activities. If, I were to buy another pack, it would be an Inex Expedition "full Dyneema" pack custom built to my specs by Dan Mchale in Seattle, but, given the cost, it would be a foolish extravagance at this time of life.

If, anyone has a Barney's and would like to let me check it out and even do some gear trading and I have gobs of top stuff, let me know by PM, this is one pack I would really like to use as so many knowledgeable guys here and on other worthwhile forums are so happy with theirs.

[bighornbob]

I guess with the experience of the Barney, I should try out a MR pack for an extended trip I have always thought the MR was a great pack but once beyond 7-8 days, I get skeptical.

I'm open minded but having used and seen the other packs except the MR on a trip, its a tough sell to convince me to change packs right now.

Maybe you should kill sheep in the first week instead of waiting to the last minute

When are you going to leave the tiny sheep of the north and come south and hunt with the big boys

BHB

[BCrams]

Devilbear .... for what its worth, I had one of those old camptrails pack years ago that "swung" with weight if you were not careful. Needless to say, I had a fall on a sheep hunt that after I extricated myself from the bent pack, broken pins and all, that I was just happy I had nothing broken. It was that incident that caused me to start packing ski poles and the eventual transition to the hiking poles when they came on the market.

The Barney is definatly way more solid and does have adjustable should straps as well but as with any heavy load with any pack, get on the wrong side of momentum or a miss-step and you'll fall.

[troutseeker]

I guess with the experience of the Barney, I should try out a MR pack for an extended trip I have always thought the MR was a great pack but once beyond 7-8 days, I get skeptical.

I'm open minded but having used and seen the other packs except the MR on a trip, its a tough sell to convince me to change packs right now.

Simple way to make this happen, I'll just tag along on your and SSS's hunt this coming August! You can try my Mystery Ranch then.

[BCrams]

Maybe you should kill sheep in the first week instead of waiting to the last minute

When are you going to leave the tiny sheep of the north and come south and hunt with the big boys

BHB

One of these years I'll change it up and try for a rocky. Love that north country!

[bigwhiteys]

but as with any heavy load with any pack, get on the wrong side of momentum or a miss-step and you'll fall.

Very true... We've been in situations, with loaded packs where the country is so steep, you are climbing on your hands and knees as you lunge forward to the next foothold the pack is hitting the rocks above you before you can get a good hand hold, you've got your hiking poles in one hand, trying to climb with the other... Those ones make my heart beat 50 times really fast as you scramble to get hold, or then the shale gives, the rock moves etc... Danger Bay!

Carl

[vortex hunter]

Very true... We've been in situations, with loaded packs where the country is so steep, you are climbing on your hands and knees as you lunge forward to the next foothold the pack is hitting the rocks above you before you can get a good hand hold, you've got your hiking poles in one hand, trying to climb with the other... Those ones make my heart beat 50 times really fast as you scramble to get hold, or then the shale gives, the rock moves etc... Danger Bay!

Carl

Hey Carl

Were in the lower mainland can you buy the mystery ranch packs ?

[troutseeker]

Ive been looking for a pic of the basic mr6500 without all the extra's to see what you get. Any one have a pic of there's they could show me .
What im tryng to find out does the pack have a regular type bag that you can load you gear in or do you need the nice load cell's

Ok, here is a MR6500. It has a large main compartment over a smaller compartment in which I put my sleeping bag, Exped Synmat 7 and some other stuff too. The outside of the pack has two long pockets, one gets my spotter and the other my tripod and the tent poles, plus raingear and other stuff. The main compartment is large, no need for load cels (they were designed for the Crewcab anyways), I use silnylon bags to keep my clothes, food, and stuff organized. As a bonus they can be used to transport and store water.

It's tough to take a decent picture of the inside of the pack but I hope you get the idea.


This one is of the pack loosely loaded (still lots of room to stuff gear into it). That is a 5 gallon bucket beside it and my Remington 700 Titanium .300WSM (24" barrel) to give you an idea of scale:


Side view:


The harness side:


I am getting long pockets to attach to each side of the pack for added storage and versatility in accessing stuff I use all the time.

Hope this helps!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

TS- You must be expecting to see lots of game taking a big bucket of bullets like that. I try to limit myself to one full ice cream pail.

SSS