Hey everyone,

So I recently worked on the details of an ultralight model of the MMP from MacEntyre, and I've been putting it through it's initial trail paces over the last few weeks. That culminated this weekend with a 3 day bushwhack over rough terrain in which the pack performed beautifully!

I thought that instead of boring everyone with a stat-laden review, I'd just give my impressions of actually using the pack in the field. So in my own words...the good, the bad, and the ugly...

The good -
Comfort, modularity, flexibility, and minimalism.

The Model 10 is a very comfortable pack in every configuration I've tried. It has ample padding where needed without any extra bulk that adds needless weight. I feel that MacEntyre used a *very* careful eye when he chose both the thickness and width of padding on both the shoulder straps and belt. Also, because the panel itself is made of a very soft and extremely flexible mesh substrate the pack molds to the contours of your back and hips as you move through a variety of positions when hiking. Even when climbing over downed trees, contorting through tedious briar fields, or sidestepping along rock faces the pack rides smoothly without any hints pinching, chafing, or uncomfortable rigidity. It also carries up to it's 25lb weight rating in complete ease.

The modularity and flexibility of the MMP is it's greatest strength. The pack is actually hard to define in that respect. It functions equally well when configured to carry a light backpacking load or when reconfigured as a day-hike pack. Need to carry more food for a longer trip? No problem, just strap on a larger stuff sack. Need to hike to a basecamp for further exploring? Solved..just unstrap everything you don't need when it's time to leave camp. Need to fetch an item from your load quickly? Done..just reach into the correct stuffsack without disturbing the rest of your load.

Aside from the elegant simplicity of the flat panel itself, I find that the procedure of packing into stuffsack compartments encourages the spirit of organzied minimalism. Unlike other packs with fixed volumes and pockets, I'm not at all tempted to take unnecessary items at the last minute just to fill existing space. Because there aren't any random pockets to speak of (at least I'm not going to add any), there is no temptation to take along distracting or excess items.


The bad -
Packing forethought needed.

The MMP isn't just another stuff-and-go ruck. It takes some practice to get used to tying on a stack of sacks, but also I had to get used to the idea of packing into individual sack compartments instead of one larger ruck container. I spent a couple of days trying out different stuffsack arrangements as well as different stacking orders to find what suited me best. It's not awkward or difficult, but it does require more effort than cram and run... I think my whole packing procedure has a few minutes added to it with the MMP, but I'm rarely in a rush on the trail.


The ugly -
Me. I'm just about the worst possible looking model to use for promotion of any product, including a backpack... I apologize for my ugly mug distracting from the action shots.

postscript - I've tried all sorts of tweaks and mods to the pack (straps, cordage, bags, pouches, etc), but in the end I keep changing back to the simplicity of the original design. My Model 10 AS is 20oz, including two 1 liter bottle holders and 3 sets of cinch straps (4 sets are provided, but for my own purposes only 3 will conceivably ever be required). The actions shots are taken at various times over the course of 3 days, carrying ~16lbs total.

Questions? I'm happy to provide feedback...

"organized minimalism" -- great thought, succinctly wrapped! :)

That's a pretty clean looking load.

Are those REI Sahara trousers, btw?

Nice, very nice. But we need some close up shots man, C'MON! :D

I think MacEntyre may be on to something here...

OK, Sam, what's in each of those bags? How do you have the weight distributed? Also, in the first pic you show the green bag with 2 cinch loops and subsequent ones, it looks like the loop has shifted off the bag somewhat. Was that an issue at all?

Are those REI Sahara trousers, btw?

I think they are made by Mountain Hardwear. I don't recall the model name offhand.

OK, Sam, what's in each of those bags? How do you have the weight distributed?

top bag - underquilt, top quilt, hood
middle bag - kitchen, food, water filter, toiletries, misc
bottom bag - clothes, hammock, tarp, stakes

Also, in the first pic you show the green bag with 2 cinch loops and subsequent ones, it looks like the loop has shifted off the bag somewhat. Was that an issue at all?

The pics weren't taken in series, but over the weekend with me in and out of the bags in between. The latter pictures show one loop around the green bag, but the other loop is tied to the 'top' of the roll top closure which is hidden in the pic. The only times that anything loosened up I feel was due to my own packing error. Considering that I was bumping into trees, climbing bluffs, sliding over deadfall, etc...it worked quite well.

That being said, both the black and orange bags had webbing loops on them to thread the cinch straps through, and I plan to replace the green bag with the same.

Either you are making the pack look good or vice versa, either way, looking good, Sam! Did those Outdoor research sacks come with those webbing loops on them? That would be handy for this type of pack.

Are they dry sacks?

Is this as comfortable as your ULA Ohm with a 16 lb load?

No front pack yet? Not really needed with these size loads. But, might make the carry even more comfortable, and is really handy.
Bill

Did those Outdoor research sacks come with those webbing loops on them? Are they dry sacks?

Yes they come with the webbing loops, and yes they are dry sacks. They are OR Durable Drysacks (http://www.outdoorresearch.com/site/durable_dry_sacks.html) (10L size, I think). I already had them before the pack, for kayaking purposes.


Is this as comfortable as your ULA Ohm with a 16 lb load?

Yes, I think it is. I wear both of the packs very similarly, though, with the belt cinched tight to bear almost all of the weight and the shoulder straps loose. As yet, I'm still much faster at packing/unpacking the ULA.

No front pack yet?

No, I think that a front pack is much more suited to the Peregrine model (at least for my purposes). I'm going to keep my Model 10 AS as simple as possible.

I missed this thread last night somehow! :eek:

You remind me of the interview advice that says in answer to "What's your weakness?" you should say something positive in a negative fashion, such as, "I am too organized,", or "I expect too much of myself." :lol:

The pack looks like it is as short as it could be on you. If you did carry a front pack, it would essentially hang from the shoulder straps. For the load lifters to work, the pack has to rise above your shoulders.

You did not say much about the belt. It is minimal, at 4" wide. I would not make it any narrower. It is just long enough to give you three PALS columns on each side. The rest of the length is 2" webbing with the large buckle. I'm glad the water bottle carriers on the belt worked for you!

Those OR sacks are the only ones I have seen that come with the webbing loops... very convenient! I have not seen that model, but I suspect they are much larger than 10L. Probably more like 20 L, maybe more. CapitalBill also uses relatively large stuff sacks, and fewer of them than I have been using. Your pack looks a lot like his.

You've repositioned the shoulder straps, haven't you? Looks like you moved them up so that there is nothing through which to weave the top row of the shoulder strap tail.

IMHO, you should move the strap attachments down one row, and lengthen the adjustment on the other end of the shoulder straps. That will put the straps in the same position as they are now, but using all three instead of just two PALS attachments.

What do you think?

EDIT: I added a second picture that shows there is another PALS row through which to weave the third loop on the shoulder strap, but it has pulled loose. Gotta noodle on that, and figure out how to keep that from happening. For now, the solution is the same... move the shoulder straps down one row, to ease the angle and keep them all weaved into the PALS array.

See that nice gap between the pack and Sam's back? :cool:

To keep that third loop from pulling away like that you need to hard bury the end of that tail. Run it up over the next loop on the back panel and then tuck it in behind the loop; you will proly need something like a tent stake to get it stuffed in there good. I try to bury a length equal to two PALS rows, but it looks like you don't have that much left over. I think if you just bury that remaining part of the tail it will hold. Of course, if it's comfortable why mess with it?

Like This: See how I wrapped the tails back around and then tucked up under the webbing.
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=192&pictureid=1673

Of course, if it's comfortable why mess with it?
In the shower, I decided that he shouldn't mess with it. He's not carrying enough weight to worry about whether two or three PALS loops are used.

In future, I will provide four PALS loops on shoulder straps, so that the tail can be tucked just as Sam has done, on the top loop on the shoulder strap. I might put that loop up on the end of the pad.

The belt has no such need for extra length tails. They just sit there, with no pull away from the pack.

Thanks, Hogn8tr!

- MacEntyre

The pack looks like it is as short as it could be on you.

The flip side of that is that it's not bigger than it needs to be! I'm satisfied with the panel size.


You did not say much about the belt. It is minimal, at 4" wide. I would not make it any narrower. It is just long enough to give you three PALS columns on each side. The rest of the length is 2" webbing with the large buckle. I'm glad the water bottle carriers on the belt worked for you!

The belt was comfortable, and carried not only the pack but the water holders well. If I had to nitpick it, though, I don't like that it is unstructured when you unfasten the buckle. The weight of the bottles dangles the pouches horizontally. That's not a deal breaker, though.


You've repositioned the shoulder straps, haven't you?

Actually no. I thought about moving them down a row, but didn't. I see what you mean about the loop pulling free, but I honestly didn't notice it in the field.

I'll try moving the shoulder strap down, but I'm not sure I need to. It carried comfortably. And I don't see myself adding a front pack anyway, especially in the weight ranges this pack is designed for.

To keep that third loop from pulling away like that you need to hard bury the end of that tail.

I'll give that a shot tonight.

...unstructured when you unfasten the buckle. The weight of the bottles dangles the pouches horizontally.
That's why I wanted you to keep the PALS portion of the belt short, to make the pendulum as short as possible.
I'll give that a shot tonight.
You can extend the tails easily... I've done it several times. Cut the rolled end stitches, add a four to eight inch length, then roll and sew the end.

- MacEntyre

Based on AS's report, I just pulled the trigger on an MMP 12 with front pack. I'll either make my own custom sized bags or order some S2S roll top bags.

Based on AS's report, I just pulled the trigger on an MMP 12 with front pack. I'll either make my own custom sized bags or order some S2S roll top bags.

You won't be sorry!

Based on AS's report, I just pulled the trigger on an MMP 12 with front pack. I'll either make my own custom sized bags or order some S2S roll top bags.
John is getting an Ultralight Model 12 Angrysparrow, which is what Sam has, but with 12 rows of PALS webbing on the Molly Panel instead of 10. The pack will be tall enough to use the load lifters, which support the Front Pack without putting weight on the shoulder straps.

Thank you, John!

- MacEntyre

John is getting an Ultralight Model 12 Angrysparrow, which is what Sam has, but with 12 rows of PALS webbing on the Molly Panel instead of 10. The pack will be tall enough to use the load lifters, which support the Front Pack without putting weight on the shoulder straps.

Thank you, John!

- MacEntyre

Yep, an MMP 12 UL! Can't wait....:D

Sorry to use you as a model again but I have a question about the fit of the pack. I was looking at the picture below and I realized it just didn't seem right the way the top of the pack was sticking straight up. Is there a way to pull the top of the "pack" toward your shoulders?

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=197&pictureid=1698

If you look at that picture can you attach the straps to the very top so that it pulls tighter to your shoulders and doesn't stick up or even pull away from your back?

Is there a way to pull the top of the "pack" toward your shoulders?

I wear my pack that way very much by design. In fact, every other pack that I carry is worn in exactly the same fashion. Having a gap there causes the weight of the pack to ride firmly on the hips instead of the shoulders, which alleviates shoulder strain and puts the weight where you can carry it more effectively for a longer period of time.

I'm certain that MacEntyre agrees with that as well.

I'm certain that MacEntyre agrees with that as well.
You are correct, I do agree!

If you have a bigger load, it will induce a curve on the pack, but you still should wear it loose in the shoulders, with all the weight on the hips, as much as possible.

Keep in mind that Angrysparrow's load in that picture is only 16 pounds! If it fell off, he wouldn't know it unless someone behind him tripped over it! :lol:

10% of the weight is in that water bottle...

- MacEntyre

Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking of selling a kidney and picking one of these packs up. Not having one I was trying to imagine how the fit would be on my pear shaped figure. It makes sense now I think about it why you would want it looser.

I'm thinking of selling a kidney and picking one of these packs up.
Not necessary...

$130 for any Angrysparrow or Peregrine pack
$-15 HF discount
$20 for any belt upgrade to PALS style (18" plain pad is standard)
$25 for any Front Pack, UL or Cordura
$35 for a pair of Molly Pouches or a pair of water bottle carriers
$15 for a water bladder carrier
$5 for each extra pair of cinch straps (four pair come with the pack)
$15 shipping

- MacEntyre

Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking of selling a kidney and picking one of these packs up.

I wouldn't go that far, a toe maybe, possibly as far as a finger; but you could get enough Peregrines from a kidney to start a retail outlet!

My brother's heavy Peregrine was $155 I think, worth every penny!

Looks nice,,, thanks for the update AngrySparrow

I'm thinking of selling a kidney and picking one of these packs up. Not having one I was trying to imagine how the fit would be on my pear shaped figure.

Hey, the MMP fits my pear-shaped figure - very adaptable pack (no rigid frame thing messing things up).

I wouldn't go that far, a toe maybe, possibly as far as a finger; but you could get enough Peregrines from a kidney to start a retail outlet!

My brother's heavy Peregrine was $155 I think, worth every penny!

The issue is more convincing my wife to let me save for 6 months on my limited budget to afford that sucker, there is no doubt I want one and will some day own one, I just hope I can get a Molly Mac when they go full scale production after all they will probably bee $500 at that point.

Those OR sacks are the only ones I have seen that come with the webbing loops... very convenient! I have not seen that model, but I suspect they are much larger than 10L. Probably more like 20 L, maybe more.

I finally went back and checked the volume of the bags. The two pictured OR bags were definitely 10L, and the green non-OR bag was 8L.

The two pictured OR bags were definitely 10L, and the green non-OR bag was 8L.
They look larger to me, for some reason... anyway, wow! You got everything except a pad into 28 litres! That's pretty good...

- MacEntyre