I walked outside a few minutes ago to spray some Permethrin on my McHale pack, and what do I see laying there but a gift from the mail person, a Molly Mac Pack. :D So, I canceled that spray job, to be sprayed on the Molly.

It is kind of an ugly rascal- looks like I need to strap my M-16 to it, plus ammo. I love that look!

It is a very tough and military looking looking solid camo. I don't remember what the weights were supposed to be, but it totals 2 lb 11 oz including a whole bunch of ( 16 total) straps with plastic clips. I'm assuming that I will usually leave most of those off, but will be adding one to several stuff sacks of various weights.

There is also a sack/bag of some type attached on the back from top to bottom. I'm not sure what exactly this is for, I don't remember reading about it? I mean, obviously other than it is one supplied sack, but placed in a vertical position other than the expected horizontal position that I figured the sacks supplied by me will be placed in. But I figure it must have some rather specific function? Spreader bars, tent :scared: poles, shovels? Something else entirely?

Congrats BillyBob! That may be the new water bladder pouch Mac has been talking about?? Does it look like it may fill that bill? If so, it will probably hang behind your stuff sacks.

Ken

I need to take another look at one of these things at Hot Springs. I'm getting that old familiar itch for new gear.

I need to take another look at one of these things at Hot Springs. I'm getting that old familiar itch for new gear.

Hey Shrek...let me know if you can find an ointment or cream that will cure that itch. We can sell it on this forum and get rich lol

Glad one was sighted, BillyBob... now I'm keeping one eye on the front porch. :jj:

Congrats BillyBob! That may be the new water bladder pouch...
That's it! After you strap on your stack of stuff sacks, you strap the water carrier to the load.

It's got a halyard and a downhaul, as well as two horizontal reef ties. :lol:

Let me know if you have any questions!

- MacEntyre

P.S. Don't forget to read the Tips page on the web site. There is at least one thing you do not want to do, but anything else will work.

Congrats BillyBob! That may be the new water bladder pouch Mac has been talking about?? Does it look like it may fill that bill? If so, it will probably hang behind your stuff sacks.

Ken

I'll bet that is it! I've never used a water bladder, now I may have to get one. Wonder what kind would work best in that sack?

I do have a nearly zero weight flexible, fold up, soft water bottle( can't think of the well known brand right now). I think it had a narrow mouth opening instead of the usual wide mouth on my hard plastic water bottles. Wonder if some one macks a hose that will fit on that which would make it effectively a water bladder? I think it is 2 liers, I'll have to go dig it out. I've also got to go back and read the threads and reviews on how to best use and load this thing, even though it looks pretty obvious.

I do have a nearly zero weight flexible, fold up, soft water bottle( can't think of the well known brand right now). I think it had a narrow mouth opening instead of the usual wide mouth on my hard plastic water bottles. Wonder if some one makes a hose that will fit on that which would make it effectively a water bladder?

Do you mean a Platypus (http://cascadedesigns.com/platypus) bladder? If so, yes there are hoses available (http://www.rei.com/product/768135) for their regular bladders.

Do you mean a Platypus (http://cascadedesigns.com/platypus) bladder? If so, yes there are hoses available (http://www.rei.com/product/768135) for their regular bladders.

Yes, I believe that is the name of it, pretty sure. I'll check out the tubing, thanks!

The mailman dropped off a gift for me yesterday, the MMP is very nice indeed! Instead of camo I chose to just continue the green theme that I have apparently fallen into (it seems that all the gear that I get ends up coming in green). Also, my pack came with some ink- a "3" tattoo on it. Now I just need to find packs 1 and 2 and off them. Then my pack will be #1!!!



P.S. MMP #3 will be making a visit with me to Hot Springs, so anyone interested can check it out there.

...Also, my pack came with some ink- a "3" tattoo on it. Now I just need to find packs 1 and 2 and off them. Then my pack will be #1!!!

Jes' sittin' here by the door, waitin' for #4!!! :D

I would get some rubber tubing and a cap that fits cut a hole glue on the tube then figure out a mouth piece.

Hey Guys,

Congrats on receiving your MMP's!

I am patiently waiting on #1 and #2 done up with Black on Black.
( AKA shadows on night) :thumbup:
Should have them in hand by this time next week.
Pictures.......We need pictures!

Cheers.
Darrel:D

Noisy Frawg, Molly Mac Packs 1, 2, 4 & 5 will be shipped tomorrow. :rolleyes:

The black pack looks very good! :cool:

- MacEntyre

Hey Guys,
Maybe we can talk the board administrators into creating a "What Pack do you use" detail under our Avatar such as they have with the other gear.
Seems a fair request.;)

What say you ?

-Darrel :D

Noisy Frawg, Molly Mac Packs 1, 2, 4 & 5 will be shipped tomorrow. :rolleyes:

The black pack looks very good! :cool:

- MacEntyre
Ribbit!! :lol:

Noisy Frawg, Molly Mac Packs 1, 2, 4 & 5 will be shipped tomorrow. :rolleyes:

The black pack looks very good! :cool:

- MacEntyre

Mine is a lowly number 6, but I think I got mine 1st, so that should count for something! :tongueup:

Hey Guys,

Congrats on receiving your MMP's!

I am patiently waiting on #1 and #2 done up with Black on Black.
( AKA shadows on night) :thumbup:
Should have them in hand by this time next week.
Pictures.......We need pictures!

Cheers.
Darrel:D

Better keep a watchful eye on MMPs 1 and 2.
MMP 3 is trying to move up the ladder!!!

Better keep a watchful eye on MMPs 1 and 2.
MMP 3 is trying to move up the ladder!!!

Hey Capital Bill,

Now I just need to find packs 1 and 2 and off them. Then my pack will be #1!!!

Yes, I saw that ! :scared:
We will have to be carefull where I set them down.:laugh:

-Darrel :D

What a great idea. I see an order in my future (after remorgaging the farm for all the hammock/DIY bells and whisltes). Love to see some pics as well when you guys are set up.

1 vote for the added avatar bag detail.

I got mine yesterday too! Nice fit, thanks Mac!

So I had some unexpected free time today, and decided to try her out. I spent some time tryin to figure out which stuff sacks I should use, then started pulling gear out of my McHale pack and trying to load things up with this new and quite dif system.

All went pretty smooth except for the heavier bag I decided to put stoves and extra water bottles and such into. This was the heaviest bag, so I put it on the bottom. But it was tricky, this oddly shaped metal stuff was awkward, and I wanted to avoid direct strap tension on the wood burning stoves, as they might bend. I'm sure there is a better way of doing this, but I wasn't quickly getting it! :( Then I put her on and all the bottom stuff slipped off to one side, so I had to redo it. I think I might have said something negative about this part, but I figure it's a learning curve. Finally, I threw a full nalgene water bottle in the hydration pouch.

So I hit the trail, and hiked in about a mile and set up my hammock. It really seemed to carry pretty good with this light load. I'm not going to say for sure that it carried as well as my McHale, but still quite good. And after all, thE Mchale IS MEANT FOR 70 LB LOADS, and was at least 2 1/2 lbs-3 lbs heavier just for the pack. But as I hiked, the bottom part that gave me so much trouble was bouncing up and down hitting me in the behind. This was driving me crazy, but I already had an idea about how to deal with that, and finished the first leg of the hike.

After about a 1/2 hour hang and much water, I rearranged things on the pack. I put my JRB hammock on the bottom, and put the odd ball shaped stove/water sack on top of that, another stuff sack with soft odds and ends on top of that, and finally my tarp on top, snake skins and spreader bars strapped down together.

Worked like a charm. Every thing was now tight and quiet for the hike back. And weight distribution seemed more than adequate, even if not quite up to the standards of the large McHale. However, the weight savings should do more for me on a tough hike than a slight comfort increase, I suppose. Especially if I am staying below 30 lbs. Plus, strap on options are almost unlimited.

I think I am really going to like this approach, even though it is going to take some getting used to. (Getting used to not just stuffing every thing down into one big sack, vertically.) Especially I'll like it if I get some stuff sacks more suited to this pack, though what I have worked OK anyway. I only have one sack with webbing on the side for tying to the pack. But this is preferred, as you don't have to worry about tightening down so much trying to make sure nothing slips off. Although, nothing did slip off.

Enquiring minds want to see pictures of loaded packs!!!;):laugh::cool:...and more first-hand experience reports!

yep, all you mac owners need to show us less fortunate folks some pictures. Lets see MacEntyre's handy work.

yep, all you mac owners need to show us less fortunate folks some pictures. Lets see MacEntyre's handy work.
My camera's at the ready... will show as soon as it gets here. :D

Great report, BillyBob!

You solved your butt-bumping problem just as I would have recommended, by moving the bulky sack to second place, just above the bottom.

One thing I'm trying to perfect is a somewhat solid cylinder for those things that cannot be compressed. There are many adequate ways to do it yourself. I'm going to try using MacEntyre's Portable Pulk Sled (http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/showthread.php?t=6910&highlight=portable+pulk) as a stuff-sack-sleeve. I'm also thinking about making a Tool Roll (http://www.calibex.com/tool-roll/zzcalibex2zB1z0--search-html?nxtg=5bd70a280514-8112071BECF6F5F4) for my kitchen. The rollup bag would double as a ground cloth for the cook.

I look forward to getting help with more ideas, as you folks get used to using your Molly Mac Packs!

- MacEntyre

One thing I'm trying to perfect is a somewhat solid cylinder for those things that cannot be compressed.

How about an insert for a stuff sack made of aluminum sheet. It could be rolled to a diameter to match the sack or left out when not needed. Like one of the bear sacks has in it(can't remember which one). It shouldn't add much weight.

Uh...ya...just use your stove windscreen or Caldera Cone! (lightbulb comes on!)

Jerry

How about an insert for a stuff sack made of aluminum sheet.
That's just how I want to use the portable pulk sled, which is a stiff plastic sheet.

It has to be something flexible that won't crush or dent easily. Aluminum would need significant wall thickness, which would be heavy.

- MacEntyre

Enquiring minds want to see pictures of loaded packs!!!;):laugh::cool:...and more first-hand experience reports!

yep, all you mac owners need to show us less fortunate folks some pictures. Lets see MacEntyre's handy work.

Well, OK then. I went out to the back porch and snapped a few. Light was fading though, but you get the idea.

The light green sack ( a Sea to Summit dry sack) looks pretty sloppy because I only had it cinched down on one end, while I had the cinch strap running through the roll top buckle on the other end. This pack is identical on both sides, except the hip belt and shoulder pads are attached on one end and whatever you decide to strap on ( or, if you don't, then nothing except straps) is on the other side.

I went ahead and weighed it: this is a 17 lb load, including 2 3/4 pound pack with all straps( I didn't bother to remove any yet), and water pouch, 2 full Nalgene water bottles, misc. stuff like pillows/insect spray, JRB Bear Mtn. Bridge Hammock and bars, a 10x11 tarp in skins, two wood stoves/alky stove, etc. This is the all the day hike stuff I had in my McHale pack, except that would have been about a 20 lb load due to extra weight of the pack.

Though this carried quite well, it was generally a sloppy set up, just throwing random stuff sacks on there and seeing if they would come close to working. I'm sure it will get better looking( and feeling?) as I get sacks that will be more fit for this set up. Still, it was more than comfy enough with this 17 lb load.

On the next to last pic, I'm showing the set up with the water pouch out of the way, next pic with water pouch in place. I wonder if it matters how that water weight is placed? Should it be as low as possible? I'm going to buy a hose and place my Platypus in there. If I can find a nearby Army surplus, I might buy a couple of Molle bags to play with.

Looking good, BillyBob! You will get a lot better at packing the Molly Mac Pack as you learn how to squeeze one stuff sack against another, and cinch everything up tight, so that nothing moves. It's like building a wall out of stones. A well stowed load will provide the structure that you need for comfort on a long hike.

Thanks for the pics Bill. Keep us updated. Seems like there are a lot of possibilities with this system. My blood pressure is rising just thinking about trying to get to something in the bottom of my Lowe Alpine internal.

Looks good, BillyBob! Very helpful information. You've got me cogitatin'. :)

Camo looks nice, BillyBob! I'll try and snap some photos tomorrow of my Green Man MMP.