Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 vs Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45
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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).
| Spec | Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 | Mystery Ranch Sawtooth 45 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $575 | $550 |
| Rating | 4.7★ (382) | 4.9★ (331) |
| 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 | 80+ lbs (no official rating) | No official rating (reviewers report 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 lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects | Mystery Ranch lifetime guarantee against manufacturing defects |
Pros & cons
Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75
- ✓The Overload meat shelf is the feature Rokslide 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; forum consensus is 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 Hunt Talk threads repeatedly frame as the Metcalf's trump card.
- ✓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 lifetime repair reputation draw consistent praise on Rokslide even from hunters 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.
- ✗Frame squeak under 50+ lb loads is the most common Rokslide complaint — 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 still runs about a pound and a half heavier than a Stone Glacier Sky 5900 system of similar capacity.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets come stock — Mystery Ranch sells them as add-on accessories, a nickel-and-dime move competitors like Exo avoid.
- ✗The redesigned single-piece hipbelt uses softer foam that divides opinion; several forum reports 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 versus Exo's full side zip.
- ✗Mystery Ranch publishes no official max-load rating, so buyers comparing against Stone Glacier's 150 lb spec are left with forum anecdotes of 70–80 lb comfort.
- ✗The foam back panel has zero ventilation, and early-season hunters consistently report a soaked shirt on warm-weather pack-ins.
- ✗Post-YETI-acquisition QC worries are live on Rokslide, with recent threads about 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 the 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 3.5 lbs and a Kifaru Minikeg 2.9 lbs, and the weight penalty rides along on every hunt that doesn't end in a packout.
- ✗As of mid-2026 it is out of stock direct at mysteryranch.com with only a waitlist/backorder option, so buyers may have to hunt retailers for their size and color.
- ✗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; Rokslide users note that adding Mystery Ranch's accessory lid pushes the combo price into bigger-standalone-pack territory.
- ✗No hipbelt pockets come stock — rangefinder and calls go elsewhere while Exo and Stone Glacier include belt storage.
- ✗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.