Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 vs Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45
Quick take: The Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45 costs $25 less; the Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 carries more (75 vs 43 liters); the Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45 is lighter (5.1 vs 5.3 lbs).
Which one to buy
The Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 costs $25 more and weighs 0.2 lb more than the Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45, yet holds 32 L more. That gap is small enough that the real question is whether you need a day pack that can haul or a multi-day pack that can shrink. Both use the Overload shelf for elk quarters, and Mystery Ranch publishes no load rating for either. Several Metcalf owners say it carries better the heavier you pack it, and a long-term Sawtooth reviewer put comfortable loads at 75-85 lb.
The Sawtooth is the newer design. It rides on the 2025 MYSTERIUM frame with carbon stays and a five-piece segmented belt, which one tester said made a loaded pack barely feel worn. Its U-shaped 270-degree zipper opens the bag flat and works from the side while you're wearing it. It has 11 pockets. Its weak points are a frame squeak at the shoulders and hips that one tester called a possible deal breaker on a stalk, fabric that let water in during sustained rain, no lid, and a 43 L bag that's 2 L under its name.
The Metcalf's lid and roll-top let it compress into a clean day pack, which is why many owners use it as their only hunting pack. Four sizes and a telescoping yoke cover roughly 15.5-23 in torsos, and there's a women's version. Several owners report frame squeak above 50 lb on it too, and its softer belt slips under heavy meat for some. Its foam back has no ventilation. Unless your hunts are mostly day hunts and you want the Sawtooth's zipper and newer frame, the Metcalf gives you much more pack for nearly the same money and weight.
Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75
The better value for elk and mule deer hunters who want one pack for overnights and longer trips that still cinches down for day hunts.
Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45
Best for hunters who mostly hunt by the day and want wide-open zipper access and a newer carbon-stay frame that still hauls a quarter on the Overload shelf.
| Spec | Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 | Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $575 | $550 |
| Rating | — | — |
| Type | Hunting Pack | Hunting Pack |
| Frame Type | Internal Frame | Internal Frame |
| Capacity | 75 L | 43 L |
| Weight | 5.3 lbs | 5.1 lbs |
| Max Load | Not published by the manufacturer | Not published by the manufacturer (one long-term reviewer estimated 75-85 lbs on the Overload shelf) |
| Torso Fit | S–XL sizes with telescoping yoke (~15.5–23 in), plus dedicated women's version | S–XL frame sizes with adjustable yoke (S/M ~15–20 in, L/XL ~17–24 in torsos); women's sizing available |
| Material | 330D LP CORDURA with YKK zippers | 330 HT CORDURA 5PM and 330D Robic Kodra ripstop with YKK zippers and SJ Autolock buckles |
| Back Panel | Ultra Light MT frame with telescoping shoulder yoke and single-piece foam hipbelt | MYSTERIUM frame with carbon-fiber vertical stays, adjustable yoke and segmented five-piece hipbelt |
| Adjustable torso | Yes | Yes |
| Ventilated back | No | No |
| Raincover included | No | No |
| Hipbelt pockets | No | No |
| Removable lid | Yes | No |
| Hydration sleeve | Yes | Yes |
| Fits BV500 bear can | Yes | Yes |
| 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 | 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
Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75
- ✓The Overload meat shelf is the feature owners rave about most — quarters ride between frame and bag, tight to your back, without bloodying the pack interior.
- ✓The 2024 Ultra Light MT frame cut roughly three-quarters of a pound versus the old Guide Light while keeping the load-hauling feel; several owners say the Metcalf actually 'carries better the heavier you pack it'.
- ✓At $575 complete it's meaningfully cheaper than a comparable Stone Glacier Sky 5900 or Kifaru system, which several owners name as the Metcalf's main advantage.
- ✓330D CORDURA construction wins the durability argument in nearly every Metcalf-vs-Stone Glacier thread — owners describe dragging it through deadfall for seasons without a blowout.
- ✓The telescoping yoke dials torso length in seconds, and four sizes plus a women's-specific version cover a wider fit range than most bag-and-frame systems.
- ✓Detachable lid and roll-top let it compress from 75 L multi-day rig to a clean day pack, so many owners run it as their only hunting pack.
- ✓Mystery Ranch customer service and repair reputation draw praise from owners, including some who moved on to other packs.
- ✓Blaze-orange internal ribbon loops and frame tabs plus a side-zip into the main bag make gear staging faster than single-opening roll-top rivals.
- ✗Several owners report frame squeak under 50+ lb loads: the frame stays rub the covering fabric, and owners resort to graphite powder or literally washing the pack to silence it for stalks.
- ✗At 5.3 lbs the complete pack weighs about the same as a Stone Glacier Sky 5900 system that holds 96 L to its 75 L.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets come stock; Mystery Ranch sells them as add-on accessories, as Exo and Stone Glacier also do.
- ✗The redesigned single-piece hipbelt uses softer foam that divides opinion; several owners describe the belt slipping down under heavy meat loads.
- ✗No full-length front zipper means reaching gear at the bottom of the bag goes through the roll-top or single side zip, a frequent access gripe; Exo's K4 opens the main bag with a horseshoe zip.
- ✗Mystery Ranch publishes no official max-load rating, so buyers comparing against Stone Glacier's 150 lb spec are left with owner anecdotes, which vary.
- ✗The foam back panel has zero ventilation, and early-season hunters consistently report a soaked shirt on warm-weather pack-ins.
- ✗Some owners raise post-YETI-acquisition QC worries, with recent reports of noisy frames and stitching on new units fueling 'they aren't what they used to be' sentiment.
Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45
- ✓Man Makes Fire scored it 4.9/5 and called it 'near perfect' after 120+ miles — a roomy daypack, a capable overnighter, and an excellent load-hauling hunting backpack in one.
- ✓The Overload shelf genuinely hauls elk quarters between frame and bag, with one long-term reviewer estimating 75-85 lb loads carry comfortably — huge capability for a 5 lb day pack.
- ✓The U-shaped 270-degree zipper gives wide-open, suitcase-style access and can even be worked from the side while wearing the pack — a repeated advantage over top-loading rivals.
- ✓The 2025 MYSTERIUM refresh swapped to lighter 330D Robic Kodra with a CORDURA 5PM weatherproof coating; Outdoor Life's testing found the coating kept contents dry and the fabric shrugged off abuse.
- ✓Outdoor Life praised the five-piece segmented hipbelt and flexible carbon-stay frame, writing that a loaded pack 'barely felt like wearing' — weight distribution is a class strength.
- ✓One of the highest-rated packs on Mystery Ranch's own site at 4.9 stars across 331 owner reviews.
- ✓Organization beats minimalist day haulers: 11 pockets including internal mesh, front organizational pockets, and MOLLE webbing on the hipbelt.
- ✓Built-in compression straps carry a bow or rifle cleanly for hands-free hiking, and the adjustable yoke across four frame sizes dials in fit that one-size whitetail packs can't match.
- ✗Frame squeak near the shoulders and hips was Outdoor Life's headline complaint — noise they warned 'could be a deal breaker' on a final stalk.
- ✗At 5.1 lbs it is heavy for a day pack — a Stone Glacier Avail 2200 weighs 3 lb 1 oz and a Kifaru Minikeg 3.4 lbs with its belt, and the weight penalty rides along on every hunt that doesn't end in a packout.
- ✗The fabric is water-resistant, not waterproof — the Man Makes Fire reviewer got soaked contents in sustained rain and recommends budgeting for the separate Pack Fly raincover.
- ✗No lid is included; owners note that adding Mystery Ranch's accessory lid pushes the combo price into bigger-standalone-pack territory.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets come stock, so rangefinder and calls go elsewhere; Exo and Stone Glacier also sell belt pockets separately.
- ✗The price has crept from $519 at the Mysterium launch to $550 ($600 in OPTIFADE), which is serious money for a day pack when full bag-and-frame systems start around $650.
- ✗Despite the name, Mystery Ranch's own spec sheet lists 43 L (2,625 cu in) — slightly under both the '45' badge and the outgoing version's 2,745 cu in.
Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 vs Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45: common questions
Why buy the Sawtooth 45 when the Metcalf 75 costs only $25 more?▾
Mostly for access and the newer frame. The Sawtooth's 270-degree zipper opens the bag flat and works while you're wearing it, and its MYSTERIUM frame with carbon stays and a segmented belt drew strong tester praise. If you need room for overnights, the Metcalf's extra 32 L is the better buy.
Do both Mystery Ranch packs squeak?▾
It has been reported on both, by owners on the Metcalf and a tester on the Sawtooth. Several Metcalf owners report frame squeak above 50 lb and quiet it with graphite powder. A tester flagged squeaking at the Sawtooth's shoulders and hips as a possible deal breaker on a close stalk.
Can the Metcalf 75 work as a day pack like the Sawtooth?▾
Yes. Owners say its detachable lid and roll-top let it compress from a 75 L multi-day pack to a clean day pack, and many use it as their only hunting pack. The Sawtooth is a day-to-overnight pack and has no lid to remove.