Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack vs Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0
Quick take: The Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0 costs $5 less; the Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0 carries more (79 vs 70 liters); the Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0 is lighter (4.13 vs 6.2 lbs).
Which one to buy
Warranty and track record set these two apart before you ever load them. The Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0 is backed by a lifetime workmanship warranty and a 30-day return policy. Owners have tested it hard: one Alaska hunter said it carried better than his Stone Glacier with 100 pounds. In a side-by-side 60 lb rucking test it also beat a Kifaru T2 for comfort and belt grip. The Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack is the company's first real backpack. Its warranty covers manufacturing defects for one year, and its reviews come mostly from its own site and ambassadors.
The Cheat Code makes fit simpler. Its shoulder harness slides along the carbon frame on two locks, so you set torso length without choosing a frame size. It includes a rain fly, routes a bladder hose through the frame, and its removable lid lets one 70 L bag cover day hunts to week-long trips. Its belt is one size with no swaps, and rifle carry, belt pouches and a bottle holder all cost extra. It's sold only direct, so you can't try it on.
Several owners name the hipbelt as the Goshawk's weak point, and some who love the frame say Exo's belt is better padded, and without the paid-add-on lumbar pad they report upper-glute pain once loads pass about 60 lb. It's also very strappy, with a learning curve, no organization to speak of, and laminate that crinkles loudly in the cold. Its strengths are the breakaway shelf, which keeps meat out of your gear and also carries stands or packrafts, and a bag that owners say packs closer to 6,500 ci than its label. It also offers three frame heights and belts from S to XXL. Buy the lumbar pad with it, and the Goshawk is the safer purchase. The Cheat Code is a bet on a new maker's first design.
Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack
Appeals to hunters who want torso fit set by sliding the harness, a rain fly and bladder routing in the box, and are willing to back a first-generation pack with a one-year warranty.
Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0
The proven choice for hunters hauling heavy meat or bulky loads on a breakaway shelf, as long as they budget for the lumbar pad and learn the strap system.
| Spec | Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack | Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $630 | $625 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | External Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 70 L (4,250 ci) | 79 L |
| Weight | 5.6 lb (6.2 lb with lid) | 4.13 lbs |
| Max Load | 150 lb load rating | 200+ lbs |
| Torso Fit | Adjustable - shoulder harness slides up/down the carbon frame via two locking mechanisms | Field-adjustable frame height 24 / 26 / 28 in; hipbelts S-XXL (27-48 in) |
| Material | 4-way stretch nylon and Cordura on a carbon fiber frame | Ultra 200X or UltraGrid |
| Back Panel | Harness on patented adjustable carbon fiber frame | Revolution external frame with breakaway load shelf between bag and frame |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | Yes |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | Yes | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | Yes | Yes |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | No |
| Fits BV500 bear can | No | No |
| Warranty | 1-Year Limited Warranty covering manufacturer defects | Seek Outside lifetime warranty on workmanship; 30-day return policy |
Pros & cons
Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack
- ✓Patented adjustable carbon fiber frame - the sliding harness dials in torso fit without buying multiple frame sizes or a complicated ladder system
- ✓150 lb load rating built for boned-out elk quarters and heavy backcountry pack-outs
- ✓Built-in meat shelf: the bag peels away from the frame to sandwich a load against your back
- ✓4,250 ci with a removable lid scales from stripped-down day hunts to 5-7 day trips, per the manufacturer
- ✓Competitive weight for a load hauler at 5.6 lb without lid / 6.2 lb with lid
- ✓Rain fly included and stored in a dedicated bottom pocket - many competitors sell theirs separately
- ✓Integrated water bladder holder with hose routing through the frame and down the shoulder strap
- ✓4-way stretch nylon and Cordura construction; early owner reviews on the manufacturer site average 5.0
- ✗At $629.99 it's priced against established haulers from Exo, Stone Glacier, and Mystery Ranch that have years of field track record
- ✗Thin review base: just 19 reviews on muleyfreak.com and almost no independent forum discussion - most coverage comes from Muley Freak's own YouTube channel and ambassadors
- ✗Sold direct-only through muleyfreak.com, so you can't try the fit in a store first
- ✗Rifle carry is not built in - it requires the separately-sold Pack-Konnect Rifle Cover
- ✗Hip belt pouches and a water bottle holder are also paid add-on accessories
- ✗One-size-fits-most hip belt with no swappable belt sizes
- ✗Warranty covers manufacturing defects only - no unconditional lifetime coverage like Badlands offers
- ✗First-generation pack from a brand new to pack-making, in a single 70 L size with no smaller bag options
Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0
- ✓Owners repeatedly say it out-carries heavier rivals at extreme loads — one Alaska hunter reported it 'carried better than my Stone Glacier with 100 pounds.'
- ✓The breakaway shelf keeps blood out of your gear, and owners note dried blood wipes off the Ultra fabric with wet paper towels rather than needing a wash.
- ✓It packs far bigger than its 4800 ci label — multiple owners say it swallows closer to 6500 ci and comfortably covers 5-7 day hunts.
- ✓A side-by-side rucking test at 60 lbs had it beating a Kifaru T2 on both comfort and hipbelt grip, despite weighing substantially less.
- ✓The load shelf carries bulky non-meat loads too — owners haul treestands, wood stoves, packrafts, and even kid carriers between bag and frame.
- ✓It compresses down convincingly for day hunts; owners report barely noticing it when cinched into daypack mode.
- ✓Gatekeeper strap ends let you tighten from both directions, halving the loose strap tails that plague other load-shelf packs.
- ✗The hipbelt and lumbar pad are the weak point several owners name — some who otherwise love the frame say Exo's K4 belt is clearly better padded.
- ✗The lumbar pad is a paid add-on, which owners find hard to justify when Kifaru, Stone Glacier, and Exo all include one.
- ✗Without that lumbar pad, owners report upper-glute pain once loads pass about 60 lbs.
- ✗It is famously strappy — the compression, lid, and Talon straps interconnect, so loosening one loosens the others.
- ✗There is essentially no organization; it is one big bag, and owners coming from Mystery Ranch or Exo miss having pockets.
- ✗The laminate fabric crinkles audibly in the cold — one owner described rummaging in it at 25 degrees as 'about as bad as it gets' for noise.
- ✗Setup has a real learning curve; owners consistently describe the strap system as overwhelming until they work out their own configuration.
- ✗Seek Outside is direct-to-consumer with no retail presence, so you cannot try one on, and its on-site rating currently rests on a single review.
Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack vs Seek Outside Goshawk 4800 2.0: common questions
Is the Muley Freak Cheat Code too new to trust over the Goshawk 4800?▾
It's the bigger gamble. The Cheat Code is Muley Freak's first true backpack, has little independent discussion, and carries a one-year defects warranty. The Goshawk has owner reports at 100 lb loads, a lifetime workmanship warranty and a 30-day return policy.
Do I need to buy extras with the Seek Outside Goshawk?▾
Owners say to plan on the lumbar pad. Without it they report upper-glute pain once loads pass about 60 lb, and several name the hipbelt as the pack's weak point. The Cheat Code's paid extras are different: rifle carry, belt pouches and a bottle holder.
Which pack is easier to fit without trying it on?▾
The Cheat Code's harness slides on the frame so you set torso length yourself, but its belt is one size. The Goshawk has three frame heights (24, 26 and 28 in) and belts from S to XXL. Both sell direct only, and the Goshawk's 30-day return policy makes a wrong guess easier to undo.