Imlay 2023 Mystery Pack (new)
Last time I made packs was in 2018, in Shanghai. A lot of flow has flushed through the canyons since then… I was ready to order again in 2020, MARCH 2020 as it was, however the uncertainty of the moment got in the way. March 2021, I tried again, but my factory in Shanghai was not interested in my decidedly complex and not really very big order. So here we have sat without packs for quite some time.
I have been mustering sewing resources here in southern Utah, and have finally gotten to the point where we are more or less “caught up”. Not entirely, but within sight.
The business plan for Imlay Canyon Gear said we should have every product in stock all the time… uh, well, that fell out quite some time ago. The plan focused on using competent contractors, helped by some of the connections I had maintained from Black Diamond days. Given the modest size of canyoneering and my purchases, my contracts were generally fulfilled as a favor, rather than as ‘normal business’. Disruption makes favors unavailable.
Yada yada yada… okay. Let’s make some packs here in Kanab (area) using those mustered sewing resources. We tried this in 2020, and I learned that I did not really know how to do this, and that some of the steps making the Mystery Pack were exceedingly difficult to make, such that only my Walking Foot machine (on a good day) could sew these, and my hands could only finish 4 packs at one time… who designed this thing???!@#!?
This year, I applied what I had learned, reworked the Mystery Pack patterns, improved the product and its sewability… and ruthlessly organized the process. Including making 4 packs myself and timing both cutting and sewing… so that I now know exactly how much it costs to make the new Mystery Pack here in S Utah, cottage industry style. It costs a lot; roughly twice what it would cost (Landed Duty Paid) if I made them in Shanghai.
My original plan included making packs and rope bags “like the Big Boyz” and being able to offer them at a ‘reasonable price’ as if they were made by Black Diamond or The North Face. We did that for awhile. I like offering stuff at a ‘reasonable price’.
But I noticed the packs people were buying out there, for canyoning, are quite expensive. With the disruption all across everything, and sewing packs in the USA - the 2022 Plan is to stop worrying about the ‘reasonable price’ part which is now archaic; and to let the cost of production determine the final price to the consumer. So they are “quite expensive”. The Mystery will be twice what it was in 2018. $250 Retail.
I was able to fine-tune the design, both for sewability, and for function, and this is a significantly better pack than previous versions. Making them here allows me to control all details, and the RnD process has given me time to sort everything out. I am proud to offer these now, Sewn in the USA.
COLORS: we will see a variety of color combos over the next couple of months, according to my WHIMS. Red w Orange - doing a few like this. Blue Electric Blue - next up. Green Lime Green. Next in line. Batch size is 10 pcs, maybe going to 20 pcs… They will be released when they are finished and ready to ship.
Red w Orange trim, 2023 Mystery Pack
Mystery 2023 - Features and Details
The Mystery 2023 is 2” taller than prior versions, making it more of a ‘real pack’, only 1” shorter than the Kolob. The three-point shoulder straps fit and carry better, and are easier to sew. They allow a wide fit range, from 5’4” to 6’2” (ish). The hipbelt is the traditional Wing Style as before, but adjusted for better function and easier sewing. The back frame is lighter and better at providing vertical structure. Otherwise, the standard Mystery features apply - small enough to bring through narrow canyons, large enough to bring… well, stuff. On the approach. Not so much IN-Canyon. No lid. Armored sides with moderate drainage. Padded bottom for durability, with the Swoop styling that works well for downclimbing. Quick-release shoulder straps. Water tube exits for those foolish enough to bring tanks into canyons. Inside Rack to hold your gear. Stout handle on the outside. Over-the-top strap to pull the whole thing together. Sidewinder handle on one side, for when it really gets skinny. Helmet pocket outside. And a non-pocket on the lower part of each side.
Total Weight = 2 lbs 10 oz. Volume is 28 liters for the body, plus 5 liters for the Helmet Pocket on the approach.
How much stuff does it hold? Here is what I got in it for the photo shoot: 1 x 4/3 wetsuit size Large; elbow and knee pads, and 5mm neo socks; a not-very-warm puff jacket; A sandtrap and two Pot Shots; 3 liters of water; one Harness w/ Shufflebutt n stuff; slings, gloves, helmet; Hardware - knife, rap device, carabiners, ascending tools; and a lid from another pack with my small stuff - snacks, headlamp, beacon, drybag, Restop2. And a Sam-split, which I have only every used once, in a canyon. Knock on wood.
And yes, I enjoy having a lovely slickrock place nearby to take pictures.
