Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85 vs Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack
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Quick take: The Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack costs $20 less; the Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85 carries more (85 vs 70 liters).
| Spec | Mystery Ranch Beartooth 85 | Muley Freak Cheat Code Hunting Pack |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $650 | $630 |
| Rating | 5★ (4) | 5★ (19) |
| 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 | No official rating (owners report 70–80 lbs carried comfortably) | 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 | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | No |
| Warranty | Mystery Ranch lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects | Manufacturer defect warranty (materials and workmanship) |
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.
- ✓Hunt Talk users consistently 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 1.5 lbs 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 Rokslide 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 while Exo and Stone Glacier include belt storage.
- ✗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 Rokslide 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