Eberlestock X2 vs Mystery Ranch Treehouse 38
Quick take: The Mystery Ranch Treehouse 38 costs $4 less; the Eberlestock X2 carries more (40 vs 38.8 liters); the Mystery Ranch Treehouse 38 is lighter (4.5 vs 5.5 lbs).
Which one to buy
Sit or walk? Both packs wear brushed, quiet fabric and cost about $325, so how you hunt is what splits them. The Treehouse 38 is built for sitting: removable tree straps and a haul loop hang it beside the stand, and side compression with pass-through loops carries a bow or a climbing stand. The X2 is built for walking and packing out, with an aluminum frame, oversized compression straps that owners say will move an elk quarter, and MOLLE for Eberlestock's Bolt Action Scabbard.
That frame is the deciding difference. The Treehouse is frameless with no load rating or meat-hauling provision, so once an animal is down it's just a bag, and that makes the X2 the better pack for spot-and-stalk or any hunt with a pack-out. Some owners do note the X2's shoulders take nearly all the weight because it has no load lifters. Both are one size with no torso adjustment, and several owners say the X2 suits short-to-average torsos.
The X2 adds a hydration sleeve, a fold-down seat for glassing and room for a bear canister, none of which the Treehouse offers, and it weighs a pound more. For a whitetail hunter who climbs into a stand and stays there, the Treehouse's hanging setup is the more useful design. Neither face fabric is free of chores: the X2's microsuede absorbs water and dries slowly, and the Treehouse's fuzzy polyester picks up burrs and seeds.
Eberlestock X2
For hunters who cover ground and may need to carry out a quarter, since its frame and compression straps do work the frameless Treehouse can't.
Mystery Ranch Treehouse 38
Best if you hunt whitetail from a treestand and want a silent pack that hangs beside you on tree straps rather than sitting on the platform.
| Spec | Eberlestock X2 | Mystery Ranch Treehouse 38 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $329 | $325 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | Frameless |
| Capacity | 40 L | 38.8 L |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs | 4.5 lbs |
| Max Load | Not published by the manufacturer | Not specified by the manufacturer |
| Torso Fit | One size with adjustable shoulder harness; fits short-to-average torsos best | One size, fixed harness |
| Material | DWR-treated microsuede (Military Green); Multicam version in IR-compliant 500D CORDURA nylon | Custom fuzzy polyester face backed with 210D nylon laminate, YKK zippers |
| Back Panel | Integrated Intex aluminum frame with FlexChassis fold-down seat and padded foam back panel | Fixed harness with padded contact back panel |
| Adjustable torso | No | No |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | No | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | No |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | No |
| Warranty | Eberlestock Lifetime Warranty | Mystery Ranch Guarantee: defects in materials and craftsmanship for the practical lifetime of the product; wear-and-tear and misuse repairs at a reasonable charge |
Pros & cons
Eberlestock X2
- ✓Owners call it 'bomber' and a fantastic pack for the money — one owner packed out 12 animals over 3 seasons and reported the bag itself never faltered.
- ✓The brushed microsuede exterior is genuinely brush-quiet, a hallmark Eberlestock trait that still-hunters prefer over the crinkly laminate fabrics on modern ultralight packs.
- ✓MOLLE on the body, sides and bottom accepts Eberlestock's Bolt Action Scabbard for fully enclosed rifle carry — a system no mainstream competitor (Kuiu, Exo, Mystery Ranch) offers.
- ✓The integrated Intex aluminum frame plus oversized compression straps will genuinely move an elk quarter — several owners count it among the few real meat-hauling day packs.
- ✓The V2 adds a FlexChassis fold-down seat, so glassing sits on wet or snowy ground no longer require a separate pad.
- ✓It holds a 4.84-star average across 82 verified owner reviews on Eberlestock's site — 90% of them five-star.
- ✓Owners consistently praise the organization: dedicated compartments, zippered stretch pockets, elastic side pockets and interior MOLLE keep day gear sorted without pouches.
- ✓At $329 with a lifetime warranty and 15% military/LEO discount, it costs roughly half of a Kuiu ICON 6 setup and about $150 less than a Mystery Ranch Pop Up 40.
- ✗No load lifters — some owners report the shoulders bear nearly all the weight once meat goes on, unlike hip-loading frames from Exo or Stone Glacier.
- ✗The waist belt is widely called 'marginal'; one owner said the frame 'needs to be about 6 inches longer so you can actually use the waist belt for its intended purpose.'
- ✗One-size suspension with no torso-length adjustment means taller hunters routinely report a poor fit, and several owners say it suits shorter torsos best.
- ✗At 5.5 lbs for 40 liters it's heavier per liter than nearly everything in its class — Kuiu's complete 98 L ICON 6 6000 frame kit weighs only 10 oz more.
- ✗The frame bar is known to squeak under load; the accepted owner fix is wrapping it in moleskin.
- ✗Owners who pushed 100 lbs of elk meat through it say it 'gets the job done' but is genuinely uncomfortable versus a dedicated external frame hauler.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets, no rain cover and no removable lid — the feature set trails similarly priced modern day packs.
- ✗The microsuede face fabric absorbs water in sustained rain and dries slowly, adding carry weight on multi-day wet-weather hunts.
Mystery Ranch Treehouse 38
- ✓The brushed face fabric is built to stay silent when it rubs a tree or a jacket.
- ✓Removable tree straps and a haul loop hang it beside the stand instead of on the platform.
- ✓Side compression and pass-through loops hold a bow or a climbing treestand.
- ✓Three sizes from 16 L to 38.8 L share the design, starting at $200.
- ✓A fixed lid with an organiser keeps calls and small kit sorted.
- ✗4.5 lb with no frame is heavy for a pack that only carries a day's kit.
- ✗Fuzzy polyester will pick up burrs and seeds.
- ✗One size on a fixed harness, with no torso adjustment.
- ✗No hydration sleeve is stated on the 38's page.
- ✗No load rating and no meat-hauling provision.
- ✗$325 is Mystery Ranch money for a whitetail day pack.
Eberlestock X2 vs Mystery Ranch Treehouse 38: common questions
Can the Treehouse 38 haul meat like the X2?▾
No. The Treehouse is frameless and has no meat-hauling provision or load rating. The X2's aluminum frame and oversized compression straps will move an elk quarter according to owners, though the shoulders carry most of the weight.
Which is better for sitting in a treestand all day?▾
The Treehouse 38. Its removable tree straps and top haul loop let it hang beside the stand, and its brushed polyester face stays quiet against bark. The X2 counters with a fold-down seat, which is more useful on the ground than in a stand.
Does either of these packs adjust for torso length?▾
Neither does. Both use a one-size harness, and several owners say the X2 suits short-to-average torsos best. If you're tall, try both on before buying, since neither has a torso setting to fall back on.