By: Zach Lazzari
I’m a gear junkie. That’s a problem because I live on the road
full-time. Saving space in my camper is critical, which is why choosing
the perfect backpack is so important to me. I can only carry one
backpack and prefer something that will handle ultralight overnight
trips but also has the capacity for a week-long hunting or fishing trip.
Finding the perfect pack to handle those miles requires a good amount
of research and testing. I sat down with MYSTERY RANCH ambassadors Becky Switzer and Lindsey Davis and Director of Sales, Ben Nobel, to better understand what makes the ultimate backpack.
Know Your Load Requirements and Understand the Features
Choosing a pack off the shelf requires an understanding of capacity.
You’ll want to start with your longest trip and work backward. You’ll
need a pack capable of handling your most extensive trip but also one
that’s not overkill for simple overnighters. The load you carry will
also influence your pack choice, but all MR packs are designed for
hauling weight
.
Capacity varies by model, but the new BRIDGER series and TERRAFRAME
are great all-around lines for overnighters to longer-haul trips and
everything in between. Nobel says, “For shorter, lightweight trips, the BRIDGER series checks all the boxes, but a Terraframe will be your new best friend if you’re going deep.”
After settling on capacity and narrowing down the pool of contenders,
it’s time to examine features. Nearly every pack on the market boasts a
list of features, but savvy shoppers will pay special attention to
zipper construction, lashing points, access to the main compartment and
external pockets. Detachable lids are also excellent for breaking off
from basecamp with a lighter load. Peak bagging, fishing and short
exploratory trips from camp are all the better with a simple day pack.
Switzer says, “I enjoy packs with useful lids, and if the lid can
detach and become a day pack, even better. I also enjoy having a couple
outside stuff pockets for things like snacks and my BeFree bottle.
Eating and drinking on the go is how I operate, so having those items
easily accessible is key.”
For Davis, the ultra vest-style harness on the BRIDGER
backpacks allows quick access to gear, which is particularly important
when time is of the essence. “Having so many smart, accessible pockets
means fewer stops to take my pack on and off to grab necessities. It’s
great to have bear spray, sunscreen, snacks, and my camera all stashed
in front for easy access.”
Photographers, anglers, hunters and anyone wanting access to gear
throughout the day will benefit from MR designs. The external pockets
and multiple access points make for a convenient and highly-customizable
setup.
Finding the Perfect Fit
In the world of backpacking, fit is everything. Blisters, injuries
and stress from a poorly fitted pack quickly sour a trip. Hip straps
riding too low will wear on your muscles, and sagging shoulder straps
will leave you sore.
Not everyone has the same build, and Switzer recommends fitting your
torso first. She explains, “Although I’m an average height for a female,
my torso length is quite short. For most unisex pack styles, even if
they’re small, many companies use small/medium if they are only making
two frame sizes, and they are too long in the torso for me. So my first
rule when pack-fitting is to find a pack that fits my torso length.”
This is no simple task with the standardized sizes available on the
market – too many backpacks are designed for a limited range of common
body types. MR excels with adjustable torso lengths that create an exact
fit. I’m also short in the torso and have owned packs that never quite
settle the load correctly. The fine-tuning options in the MR pack’s
adjustable Futura yoke makes all the difference, especially when I’m
hauling a heavier load.
Nobel understands the importance of designing backpacks for as many
people as possible. “Every suspension frame on the market is curved,
which is fine if your spine is the perfect fit for that curve, but it’s
challenging if you’re slightly off.”
Instead, MYSTERY RANCH designs the straight frames where the shaping
is done in the harness. “For 40 years, we’ve done load carriage and fit
studies, and what we found is every spine is a bit different. By fitting
the person through the harness, we can get a perfect fit for a much
larger spectrum of people. This way, you don’t have to be a perfect fit
for that pack for it to fit perfectly.”
Davis appreciates the speed and simplicity of pack fitting that the
BRIDGER series offers. “The Endurance Yoke on the BRIDGER packs takes
the guessing game out of pack fitting. This system is so quick and easy
to use that nothing is there to keep you from finding the perfect pack
fit.”
Nobel confirms the MR approach to pack-fitting. He says, “Our focus
is, and always has been, to build the best load-bearing packs on the
market. So for anyone who has ever suffered through a trip with a pack
that didn’t carry its weight well, switching to MR will change your
life.”
Airflow
Airflow is a final consideration when deciding what makes up the
ultimate backpack. A backpack can meet your load requirements, have an
excellent feature set, fit correctly, but if it’s a hot, sweaty mess,
you’re likely to grab a different bag. One thing to know about airflow
is that it often works inversely with load capacity; the more load
capacity, the less airflow. At least that’s the case with most packs on
the market.
Nobel says, “Most packs out there feel fine until about the 30-pound
range, which is when they start to buckle. So it was a big deal for us
to get to the 40-50 pound range with a ventilated body panel. We’ve come
a long way with body panels to become more breathable in terms of
ventilation and breathability. Our packs feature both vertical and
horizontal channels airways.”
Davis enjoys the bi-directional airflow in the BRIDGER packs. “MR has
rethought and streamlined this harness to cut the bulk and create space
in the lumbar for open airflow, which is comfortable on long, sweaty
trail days!”
Testing Off the Shelf
Backpackers struggle to find the right pack off the shelf because
everything looks good, and there are no options for field testing. Other
than testing a friend’s pack with a full load, ordering online or
shopping in the store limits your ability to really feel load
distribution. Pay extra close attention to the fit in the store and
choose a backpack designed for your body.
When Switzer fits a pack, she pays close attention to positioning.
“The waist belt will be appropriately situated at your hips versus your
waist or lower down your butt. The lumbar support should be hitting your
lower back, and the shoulder harness should be wrapping your shoulders
and meeting the pack body for appropriate load distribution and
manipulation.”
This simple system for store fitting is essential. MR takes things a
step further by providing detailed sizing based on the adjustable
yoke design. It still helps to see and feel the backpack in person, but you can get the sizing right sight unseen.
Nobel is confident in the unique sizing system designed by the team.
He says, “Fortunately, MYSTERY RANCH has taken all the guesswork out of
pack-fitting. Simply match the pack to your jacket size, adjust the
yoke, and you’re done. We build the easiest packs to fit on the market.”
Finding the right fit is flat-out easy with MR, and the features are
designed and implemented based on feedback from the most adventurous
backcountry experts around. The durability, comfort, and performance
create the ultimate backpack for your next adventure.
