Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85 vs Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack
Quick take: The Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack costs $20 less; the Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85 carries more (85 vs 70 liters).
Which one to buy
With the lid on, both weigh 6.2 lbs, and they're $20 apart. The Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack wins on paper, with a 150 lb rating against no published rating for the Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85. It also includes a rain fly. Even so, the Beartooth is the safer buy for most hunters, because of its fit range, its warranty and its access.
Fit is the first reason. The Beartooth comes in four frame sizes, roughly 15-24 in torsos across the range, plus an adjustable yoke and a women's version. The Cheat Code's sliding harness also sets torso length well, but its hipbelt is one size with no swaps, and it's sold only direct, so you can't try it on. Mystery Ranch guarantees its pack against defects for the practical lifetime of the product. Muley Freak's covers manufacturing defects for one year on a first-generation pack with little independent feedback.
Access and organization are the second reason. The Beartooth's 270-degree zipper opens the 85 L bag like a suitcase, and owners prefer it to digging through a roll-top. The catch is that you have to unclip several compression buckles before the zipper opens. It adds internal mesh pockets, front pockets, MOLLE and a split lid. The Cheat Code holds 70 L, its rifle carry and belt pouches are extras, while the Beartooth has weapon carry built in.
The Beartooth's limits are known. An early reviewer had 70 lb riding comfortably, but testing of the previous version found comfort fading past 80 lb, with loads sliding down. The old version's shelf also sat low with lighter loads. If you regularly carry 100 lb, neither pack has proven it can.
Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85
Best for multi-day Western and Alaska hunters who want suitcase-style access, a frame size and yoke matched to their torso, and a lifetime guarantee, with loads mostly under 80 lb.
Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack
For hunters who like the idea of one frame that adjusts to any torso, want a rain fly included and a 150 lb rating on paper, and accept a one-size belt from a new maker.
| Spec | Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85 | Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $650 | $630 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | External Frame |
| Capacity | 85 L | 70 L (4,250 ci) |
| Weight | 6.2 lbs | 5.6 lb (6.2 lb with lid) |
| Max Load | Not published by the manufacturer | 150 lb load rating |
| Torso Fit | S–XL frame sizes with adjustable yoke (S/M ~15–20 in, L/XL ~17–24 in torsos); women's version available | Adjustable - shoulder harness slides up/down the carbon frame via two locking mechanisms |
| Material | 330 HT CORDURA 5PM and 330D Robic Kodra ripstop with YKK zippers and SJ Autolock buckles | 4-way stretch nylon and Cordura on a carbon fiber frame |
| Back Panel | MYSTERIUM frame (2025 successor to the Guide Light MT) with breathable harnessing and adjustable yoke | Harness on patented adjustable carbon fiber frame |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | Yes |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | Yes |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | Yes | Yes |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | No |
| 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 | 1-Year Limited Warranty covering manufacturer defects |
Pros & cons
Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85
- ✓The 270-degree duffel-style zipper is the pack's calling card — owners and reviewers alike say loading and finding gear beats digging through the roll-top-only Metcalf, Stone Glacier, or Kifaru bags from the top, side, or bottom.
- ✓The patented Overload shelf captures quarters between frame and bag with quick-attach autolock straps, keeping meat tight to your back without bloodying the pack interior.
- ✓The new MYSTERIUM frame carries forward the Guide Light lineage Mystery Ranch built its load-hauling reputation on; an early GOHUNT reviewer reported 70 lb loads riding comfortably.
- ✓The split dual-compartment removable lid draws specific praise — the center split stops the lid from compressing your quick-access items and makes headlamps and water filters easy to grab.
- ✓Several owners favor the Beartooth over the Metcalf for versatility — it compresses down to a legitimate day pack, and one GOHUNT owner said it 'compresses to a sleeker profile than smaller Mystery Ranch packs'.
- ✓Organization is a step above bag-and-frame rivals: internal mesh pockets, front organizational pockets, and MOLLE webbing for customization out of the box.
- ✓Four frame sizes plus an adjustable yoke and a dedicated women's version cover a wider fit range than most one-frame competitors, backed by Mystery Ranch's lifetime guarantee.
- ✓Early Mysterium-line reception has been strong — the Beartooth 85 took Hunt Alaska's Editor's Choice 2026 for hunting packs, and prototype testers in 2024 reported positive results.
- ✗The most repeated gripe carried over from the Beartooth 80: you have to unclip several compression buckles before the 270-degree zipper will actually open, which gets old for quick gear grabs.
- ✗At 6.2 lbs it is one of the heaviest packs in its class — roughly a pound more than a Stone Glacier Sky 5900 system and nearly a pound over Mystery Ranch's own Metcalf 75.
- ✗At $650 ($700 in OPTIFADE Subalpine) it costs $75-125 more than the Metcalf, and forum value threads have long questioned the Beartooth premium over the simpler pack.
- ✗Reviewers of the outgoing Beartooth 80 found the load shelf sits too low on the frame, letting lighter meat loads ride below the ideal carry position — an area to watch on the new frame.
- ✗The same long-term testing found comfort degrading around 80+ lbs with loads sliding down the back — hunters routinely packing 100 lb loads still gravitate to Kifaru or Stone Glacier frames.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets come stock; Mystery Ranch sells them as add-on accessories, as Exo and Stone Glacier also do.
- ✗Mystery Ranch publishes no official load rating, so buyers comparing against Stone Glacier's 150 lb spec are left with forum anecdotes.
- ✗The 2025 MYSTERIUM platform is brand new with a thin long-term track record — forum discussion is still mostly first looks and classifieds, and post-YETI-acquisition QC chatter on owner forums hasn't died down.
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
Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85 vs Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack: common questions
Does the Cheat Code's 150 lb rating mean it carries more than the Beartooth 85?▾
Not necessarily. Mystery Ranch gives no rating; an early reviewer had 70 lb riding comfortably on the Beartooth, with comfort fading past 80 lb on the previous version. The Cheat Code's 150 lb rating hasn't been tested much by independent owners yet.
Which pack fits a hunter with an unusual torso or waist?▾
The Beartooth covers more bodies, with four frame sizes, an adjustable yoke and a women's version. The Cheat Code's sliding harness handles torso length well, but its hipbelt is one size with no swappable belts, which can leave hunters at either end of the waist range short.
Is the Beartooth's 270-degree zipper worth giving up the Cheat Code's included rain fly?▾
Owners prefer the zipper for finding gear, since it opens the bag from top, side or bottom. You have to unclip several compression buckles first, and the Beartooth comes without a rain cover, so add a fly or dry bags to the cost.