Mystery Ranch Pintler vs Cabinet

Joined
Apr 8, 2018
Messages
6
Location
Harrisburg, PA
I’m in the market for a new pack that will mostly be used as a day pack with the ability to pack out meat. And possibly be used for a 2-3 day hunt. I think I have it narrowed down to the MR Pintler and Cabinet. Does any one have the pros and cons of these two or have experience with both?
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,824
I have a crew cab and a pintler. Both are good.

With the crew cab I find myself doing a lot of strapping and unstrapping to get at gear. That makes me like it less as a day Pack. I tend to prefer the dump it all in one bag of the pintler.

They both haul loads quite well. I find my crew cab requires periodic readjustment of the load and straps. More so than my pintler.


If I was hauling a bunch of whacky shaped stuff like Ammo cans or fire fighting gear, I might prefer the crew cab. For a pack that is going to be primarily a daypack with meat hauling capability, I would preference the pintler.
 
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
1,098
Location
Fort Worth, TX
I would look at the Mule too. I used to have an Crew Cab and I like the mule 100x more and it’s much lighter


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elkyinzer

WKR
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Sep 9, 2013
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1,257
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Pennslyvania
When I realized my Metcalf was more versatile at securing odd loads via the load shelf, even if it takes a few more seconds, and is half the weight of my Crew Cab, I sold the CC. That is the whole selling point of the CC and I found another pack did it better at half the weight. It's a neat design but that's my take on it. Not sure if they cut any weight with the rebrand to cabinet?
 
Joined
Jan 26, 2016
Messages
1,098
Location
Fort Worth, TX
When I realized my Metcalf was more versatile at securing odd loads via the load shelf, even if it takes a few more seconds, and is half the weight of my Crew Cab, I sold the CC. That is the whole selling point of the CC and I found another pack did it better at half the weight. It's a neat design but that's my take on it. Not sure if they cut any weight with the rebrand to cabinet?

My Crew Cab was heavy! I felt like the whole back part that has the sleeve for the frame and water bladder as well as the wings with the hard plastic (can't remove) liners was all too much.

The mule has more room in that bag part and none of that unneeded stuff.
 
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Messages
5,824
How much bigger is the pintler in overall dimensions? I’m a small guy (only 5’3”) and I don’t want a pack that will stick up real high over my head or below my waist.


Pintler is taller. 30 inches tall vs about 20 for the cabinet. Neither will hang too low because of how the attach to the frame but the pintler will be a little lower. Both are about 2500 Cui or 40 liters.

FYI - the cabinet is the non-military version of the crew cab. I don’t have a cabinet but knowing what I know about their hunting designs vs their military designs, I am sure it is a heavier bag. Hard to say how much heavier as they are on different frame size -nice bs guidelight. Listed weight is 5.7 pounds for cabinet and 7.4 for crew cab.
 
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
4,807
Location
Colorado
I am on the opposite side of the camp on this matter. I love my crewcab and use it more than most of my other bags combined. I feel that I have a spot in or on this pack for everything I carry to the woods, whether its a day hunt, or a few days. I don't find it to be too heavy, but it carries well for me and fits me better than any other pack I've owned. Sometimes I will use a lid on the CC, but its rare because I will have the tendency to have to put something in the lid because its on there.
 

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,885
Location
ND
I myself liked the Pintler between the two. Pintler is the do all whereas the Cabinet(Crew Cab) is probably better for awkward loads like tree stands, bait, sheds, etc.

I actually bought a Metcalf because it seemed like the 30-06, good at everything. This year I bought a Pintler bag only so I can swap bags as needed. I will be using the Pintler for treestand hunting and hiking/scouting.
 

Trial153

WKR
Joined
Oct 28, 2014
Messages
8,187
Location
NY
I currently have a pintler. I had a crewcab on the nice frame in the past. The layout of the pintler is night and day more user friendly for most hunting applications.
 

UtahJimmy

WKR
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
884
Location
SLC, UT
I was between these two packs last year and settled on the Pintler. I really like it for the hunting style I do. I can get 4 days worth of camping out of mine before using the load sling. I was able to get all 4 quarters of a mulie on the load sling last year, no problem (but that will be the case with either bag).

Fully loaded it does not rise above the head and I can sit down on flat ground without it pushing me over. Unless my bow is strapped on the back, then neither of those statements is true!

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Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
1,086
Location
Chico, California
I’m in the market for a new pack that will mostly be used as a day pack with the ability to pack out meat. And possibly be used for a 2-3 day hunt. I think I have it narrowed down to the MR Pintler and Cabinet. Does any one have the pros and cons of these two or have experience with both?

In my opinion the pintler is the smallest you would want to go for 2-3 days...:and honestly it is smaller than I would be comfortable with, especially if weather was cold. I have a few MR packs and the pintler will be my new goto day pack but it if I am spending more than a night I will need my metcalf. They have a new one out too called the Selway... which clearly I need to buy now also... just because... but it might be a better minimalist multi day pack


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Joined
Aug 26, 2014
Messages
3,158
I think there's a tendency to overlook the Pintler capabilities. The main bag isn't large of course, which makes it a superb hunting pack. For carrying additional gear it is no-brainer easy to add a sizable load cell, gear bag, compression bag etc on the Overload shelf. No problem adding another 2000-2500 cubes to that equation.
 

NDGuy

WKR
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
3,885
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ND
I think there's a tendency to overlook the Pintler capabilities. The main bag isn't large of course, which makes it a superb hunting pack. For carrying additional gear it is no-brainer easy to add a sizable load cell, gear bag, compression bag etc on the Overload shelf. No problem adding another 2000-2500 cubes to that equation.

That's why I bought both ;)
 
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
1,086
Location
Chico, California
I think there's a tendency to overlook the Pintler capabilities. The main bag isn't large of course, which makes it a superb hunting pack. For carrying additional gear it is no-brainer easy to add a sizable load cell, gear bag, compression bag etc on the Overload shelf. No problem adding another 2000-2500 cubes to that equation.

I use my lid from my metcalf on my pintler also to add a few more cubic inches


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Joined
Sep 23, 2017
Messages
630
I used the crew cab until the longbow came out- I preordered one of those before they Came out actually. I got the pintler this year and it’s damn good. But I’m not doing more than 3 days out of it or the longbow. To me if your using the overload shelf on the pack in- you’ve really really limited your options for getting meat out. If it’s just a sack of food, that will be expended that’s one thing but once your gear takes up your external space you A) look like a yard sale B) have no place left to carry meat. Internal frame packs were amazing in there ability to carry a moderate load comfortably. Moving the internal frame outside of the bag and beefing it up was finally brilliant- because you no longer have to make the one bag work for everything.

Buy the bag / frame combo that you will use the most and then buy a metcalf or a Marshall or a custom bag down the road for that 7-10 day back country hunt that Everyone talks about.

It’s an external frame. Don’t feel like you have to make one bag do it all. Also, most guys never live out of rucksack long enough to learn how to do it- so they constantly chasing their tail about “better systems” “more versatile” “better organized” etc almost all of which is based on an expectation level that is too high/ unrealistic coupled with a lack of familiarity that leads to constant state of learning/ frustration as opposed to a lifetime of trouble free and intuitive service.

So whatever you get. Use the crap out of it so that it’s all second nature. In the dark/ wet/ cold/ side of a mountain etc.


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Lockster

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Jan 10, 2014
Messages
276
Location
Sydney, Australia
I used the crew cab until the longbow came out- I preordered one of those before they Came out actually. I got the pintler this year and it’s damn good. But I’m not doing more than 3 days out of it or the longbow. To me if your using the overload shelf on the pack in- you’ve really really limited your options for getting meat out. If it’s just a sack of food, that will be expended that’s one thing but once your gear takes up your external space you A) look like a yard sale B) have no place left to carry meat. Internal frame packs were amazing in there ability to carry a moderate load comfortably. Moving the internal frame outside of the bag and beefing it up was finally brilliant- because you no longer have to make the one bag work for everything.

Buy the bag / frame combo that you will use the most and then buy a metcalf or a Marshall or a custom bag down the road for that 7-10 day back country hunt that Everyone talks about.

It’s an external frame. Don’t feel like you have to make one bag do it all. Also, most guys never live out of rucksack long enough to learn how to do it- so they constantly chasing their tail about “better systems” “more versatile” “better organized” etc almost all of which is based on an expectation level that is too high/ unrealistic coupled with a lack of familiarity that leads to constant state of learning/ frustration as opposed to a lifetime of trouble free and intuitive service.

So whatever you get. Use the crap out of it so that it’s all second nature. In the dark/ wet/ cold/ side of a mountain etc.

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Good insight and advice, particularly re using the load shelf for carrying additional gear...
 
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