I’ve been drawn to backpack hunting since I could walk. Living out of a backpack was a way of life that led me to explore deeper into the backcountry, a place where I could live completely free to do my own thing. In order to live in the backcountry like this, one needs a backpack that will be up to the task.
Enter the Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 pack. It will carry everything you need for a 10+ day adventure as long as you pack it well. Using a backpack like this takes me back to the days when, as a kid, I set out into the backcountry with just an old frame pack, a sleeping bag, a tarp, and a teapot for cooking and warming up water. Technology and the quality of gear have come a long way since then.
For me, it’s always been about being outdoors, spending time with friends, and exploring new, amazing country. I constantly look for ways to improve my equipment and lighten my load as I gain more experience and knowledge about backpacking and hunting.
Throughout the course of a year, I tested the Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 on several trips, ranging from September and October in the Eagle Cap Wilderness to late October in the high alpine mountains of Utah, and finally to the Sawtooth Peaks in Idaho in November. I needed a lightweight backpack that provided quick and easy access to the interior of the bag and could offer enough space for a hunt lasting 10+ days.
Mystery Ranch metcalf 75 backpack Review: How It Was Tested
Initially, I tested the Metcalf 75 pack in various conditions with 50 lbs of sand during training hikes throughout the summer, as well as the gear I’d be bringing with me to simulate the hunting trips throughout the year and to get a feel for the full weight of the load. It handles loads very well up to roughly 70–80 lbs, and the load is distributed evenly. The frame is surprisingly flexible laterally while maintaining the vertical rigidity needed for heavy loads. It can bend and contour in ways that I didn’t think were possible while still being able to keep its vertical rigidity.
My first backcountry trip with this Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 pack was spending ten days in the Eagle Cap Wilderness at an elevation of 9,000 feet in late September and the first week of October. For this hunt, I packed all my gear for a 10-day mountain goat hunt into the Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 backpack and still had room after adding food, optics, tripods, a tipi tent, extra layers, and more. You can fit more in this pack than is necessary for most hunts if you are packing to save weight and optimizing space in the backpack.
Make sure to check out our other hunting backpack reviews as well!
My next trip with the Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 came during another week in the last week of October in Utah. This trip was a high alpine mule deer hunt at elevations ranging from 9,000 to 10,000 feet.
Specs/Features: Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75
| Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 Specs | |
|---|---|
| Weight | 5.3 lbs |
| Volume | 4575 ci |
| Frame | Ultralight MT Frame |
| Fabric | 330D LP CORDURA® |
| Lid | Yes – removable, 2 pockets |
| Hydration Compatable | Yes |
| Breakaway Frame | Yes |
| Dimensions | 31″x13″x12.25″ |
| Adjustable Harness | Yes |
| Built in meat shelf | Yes |
FRAME: The ultralight frame is built to minimize weight while maximizing load-bearing capacity and offers a flexible contour to your body depending on how large your body frame is and the load you are carrying (sandbag vs. actual game).
BAG & LID: The detachable lid has a unique design that allows your bow to sit nicely on top of the pack, and the straps on the back of the pack can secure your bow or gun with a handy locking buckle feature that prevents slipping of the straps. It can hold gloves, lights, snacks, and other items needed for the day. The bag features multiple MOLLE-style attachment points for those MacGyver-type loads you need to attach to your pack.
Attachments for the belt are endless due to the MOLLE webbing, and you can use a Nalgene bottle holder on either side of the hip belt or an extra Forager side pocket pouch for things needed ASAP, like game calls, bullets, or dog treats.
You can run the bag without the lid strapped down or completely remove it when hauling meat after you’ve been successful and just need to pack out meat.
Load Hauling: When it’s time to haul a heavy load from your successful hunt, the bag splits in two, allowing you to separate all your gear in the bag itself while keeping the meat secured nice and tight to your body.
Pack Sizing: Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75
The Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 backpack is available in multiple sizes so you can customize the pack to your body size and type. With sizes ranging from Small to Extra Large, you’ll be able to get just the right fit for you.
Volume/Weight: Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 Review
The Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 backpack is well-suited as an all-around lightweight hunting backpack and has a price point that won’t break your bank account. The Metcalf 75 has a full 75 liters of volume to carry everything you need for an extended hunting or backpacking trip.
This pack features an upgraded ULTRALIGHT MT frame that can hold 75 liters of heavy gear in the backpack while allowing you to attach your game quarters as close to your body as possible, all while keeping your gear separated from the load. The straps and buckles are sturdy allowing you to cinch down the pack tight with extra locking buckles in place that are no-slip buckles on the ends of the straps.
With a detachable lid, dual side pockets, and full-length zip access, it’s an ideal choice for hunters seeking a versatile utility pack and wanting to add a few things of their own and put a MacGyver-style twist on it.
What I Liked: Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 Review
There are a number of things that I really liked about this Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 pack:
- Weighs just over 5 lbs
- Roll-top closure and side zip provide easy access to larger items
- Ultralight frame designed to minimize weight while maximizing load-bearing capacity
- New adjustable load lifters
- Optimized higher load shelf position
What I Didn’t Like: Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 Review
STRAP LENGTH: One of the things that I didn’t love was that there are a lot of straps on the external pack. If you don’t have anything in the pack, they can catch on debris when navigating through scrub brush or in areas with jack pines or juniper trees in Utah.
BELT TIGHTENING: Another thing I didn’t love was the belt-tightening system of the hip belt. It was okay, but not the cleanest design, and I think it could be improved, particularly when it comes to the length of the straps and how much extra material is unnecessary unless you are on a long trip.
SUPER HEAVY LOADS: Finally, when the loads tipped the scales over the 80 lb mark, I found the pack began to lose comfort. Now, I realize carrying over 80 lbs is never going to be “comfortable,” but relative to other packs I’ve tested and used, it did not perform quite as well with ultra-heavy loads.
Conclusion: Mystery Ranch Metcalf 75 Review
This pack is a true powerhouse. You can practically fit the kitchen sink in it and hardly notice all the gear you’re carrying. This can be both good and bad for folks who like to backpack hunt. Its lightweight, packable design and flexibility provide a comfortable fit, especially when you’re preparing for long-distance treks.
The frame naturally contours to your body based on the load, and it hit a nice sweet spot around the 65–80 lb mark where it performed well. Strapping a load down to the frame between the pack and frame is straightforward and takes no longer than a few minutes if you’ve familiarized yourself with the setup and breakdown ahead of time.
I feel that this backpack hauls gear exceptionally well. Long hunts ranging from 7–14 days, with weights between 60–85 lbs, are no problem for it to handle day in and day out. The bag layout is extremely easy to manage in the dark as you can access the entire backpack with the roll top or side zipper with ease.
I enjoyed using this pack throughout the mountains, down around Lucky Peak Lake with weighted sand hikes, and throughout the foothills in Boise. It never let me down during the trips I tested it on, whether that was in the lowland foothills of Boise or the high alpine peaks of the Eagle Cap Wilderness.
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