Ranger 35+ Litre Pack by Stoney Creek Ltd.

The Editor takes a close look at the latest day pack to come from the new management and design team at Stoney Creek…

Introduction

Long gone are the days of the potato-sack pikau with the bailing-twine straps that cut into your shoulders and looked like the fat side of a deer. Hunting packs have been developing at a rapid rate with all the “bells and whistles” you could imagine and the first impression of this new release certainly is no exception, the Ranger is a smart looking piece. Stoney Creek has been designing and making backpacks for more than 15 years, ever since the release of it’s well known 2-in-1 Daypack (which has been copied by almost every clothing company in the country), and is still in production today after over a dozen or more minor upgrades. Will this new Ranger pack stand the test of time as well…?

Features and Benefits

The Ranger is rated as 35+ litres but the true size is really from 35-50 litres and that’s a whopping variation. The reason for this is in the cleverly designed front pouch and the expandable height. This large front pouch has another flat outside pocket and a detailed organiser inside, but that’s not it’s main feature. Beneath this pocket is a large space cavity that would hold a pair of sand shoes, a handy Silky saw or a light-weight jacket or similar. It’s a secure place for gear with a simple tuck-in and clip-shut closure with a drain hole included.

The first thing I was thinking was, this front-loading cavity would be great for wet gear like a tent-fly or coat to tuck away safely. But take care here as the nylon layer inside that separates the contents of the front pocket is unfortunately uncoated and therefore not waterproof. I can see why it’s made this way as every piece of fabric, elastic, webbing, buckle and so on adds a little bit of weight.

As long as you are aware of this and keep your water sensitive items in a suitable container it should cause no problems.

The Realtree® printed fabric used throughout is reasonably quiet, waterproof and strong. It’s a 2-layer urethane coated fabric, with some breathable qualities as well, so damp gear like a camera should not condensate inside.

It’s a good fabric choice as it’s been well tested for several years by Stoney Creek, including for leg gaiters, and has shown to be very tough and durable. The fabric also (mostly) covers the lengthened snap-off side buckles to further help keep noise down when travelling through bush. A nice feature. However the harness and hip belt are what really makes this pack stand out from the crowd. It’s really a scaled-down version of their 80 litre model and it’s a beauty system. The strengthened and supportive hip belt is extremely comfortable under load and freely pivots as you twist and step over and around objects so you can keep most of the load on your hips. There is a clever internal strap adjustment for different back lengths and the waist, with its reversed-pull tensioning buckles, fits a wide waist size range from 72-140cm.

Construction appears very strong with heat-sealed webbing double stitched and bar-tacked. Personally, I’d like the front closure straps to run the full length of the front and down into the 1000D Cordura base, as I know hunters will load the pack to its max and swing it by the front straps.

Zip pullers are all quiet and neat but the zip runners are not locking which is a negative for me. A tight bulging pack has a nasty habit of forcing zips open. Luckily the top and main front pocket has two zip runners that can be tied together if necessary.

There is an internal water-bladder pocket but it’s too deep for my bladder. I prefer to use the lid anyway as it’s easier to get at it when you need it.
There are plenty of antler tying attachment points on the lid and the extended side straps are much longer than the old 50 litre Bivy (now discontinued) to add further size or compression potential.

Conclusion

This is a strong pack that will carry a good load. It’s versatile enough to be used as an overnight pack yet small enough to reduce down and hunt with as a day-pack. As a day-pack this gives you huge meat carrying potential with extra padding on the shoulders and great hip support.
If you pack the top lid full it can be a bit tall for ducking under fallen trees but there are plenty of other options for gear storage.
It’s adjustable back and strap length means the Ranger Pack will fit almost anyone from a slim 72cm waist right up to a 7 foot tall giant! The fabric itself is waterproof but no doubt seams will leak in torrential rain and it’s not claimed to be totally waterproof anyway.
Despite a few improvements this is a very useful pack and a lot of thought has gone into it. It should have a good place in the market in between the usual 30 litre daypacks and the full size 80 litre ones.

This is one pack I’ll be buying and will replace my old Bivy. I am looking forward to using the Ranger again on a few days fly camping during the roar. I’ll tuck my rolled up day pack down the side for short evening hunts and should have all the bases covered.

Available from all good outdoor stores. RRP $229.90