Mystery Ranch Gunfighter/Crest Mountain Pack Review!

Tactical backpacks offer the everyday adventurer a very attractive alternative to standard hiking or trekking backpacks.

Not only are these packs rugged, heavy-duty workhorses, they offer a far more convenient design that makes them wonders of versatility and suitable for a wide variety of backcountry pursuits — fishing, hunting, hiking, kayaking, geocaching, landscape photography — and also the usage in more “civilized” environments.

A quick Amazon search will reveal that there are literally tens of thousands of tactical backpacks on the market, each with their own benefits and drawbacks and a multitude of specs, features, and design features that either increase or decrease their suitability for each would-be user. As such, choosing the best one for your needs isn’t easy. In fact, just creating a shortlist can turn into a bit of a marathon.

When that time comes, however, any list is sure to be incomplete without at least one item from the wonderfully badass-backpack-maker brand Mystery Ranch, a little-known company with big ambitions and a range of high-performing, incredibly well-made packs that put most of their EDC competitors to shame.

In this article, we’re going to be taking a casting an eye over the Mystery Ranch Gunfighter to see just how it compares to these competitors in the field of Everyday-Carry tactical backpacks.

We’ll start off with a look at all the various specs, features, and other factors that go into the makeup of a great tactical backpack before then getting down to a review of the Gunfighter itself.

Why Choose a Tactical Backpack?

There are a number of benefits to be had by choosing a tactical or military-style backpack over a standard hiking backpack. The most obvious of these are a compartmentalized design, MOLLE compatibility, versatility, and — in most cases — an upgrade in both ruggedness and durability.

Maybe the most important of these “special features” is the sophisticated organizational options that are comprised in a tactical pack’s wealth of interior compartments and pockets, and exterior storage options in the form of further pockets, gear loops, and MOLLE webbing.

While regular hiking packs usually feature a single, large central storage compartment, tactical packs split their overall capacity between a number of “zones”, pockets, or compartments that allow you to organize your kit a lot more effectively, thus saving you a lot of rummaging around for gear items you need to access quickly.

How to Choose a Tactical Backpack

The most relevant factors that go into the making of a great tactical backpack include the following:

Capacity

The storage capacity you need from your backpack will vary depending on the season and what you plan on using it for. As a rough guide, however, a pack with anything between 15 and 30 liters should be big enough to carry all the gear you need for a day trip year-round.

If you’re planning on an overnighter, however, we’d recommend choosing a pack with a minimum of 25 liters of storage and close to the 40 marks if you’re carrying camping gear to boot.

When deciding what capacity of the pack you need, bear in mind all those external storage possibilities mentioned above — some tactical packs offer enough to let you carry almost as much on the outside of the pack as you do inside, meaning the interior can be kept for clothes and other items you want to keep clean and dry.

Material and Construction

Many cheaper models of tactical pack scrimp on the quality of their materials and other finer details like double stitching and robust, durable zippers and clips in order to keep costs down.

If you plan on having your pack for a long time, however, or foresee putting it through a little bit of rough treatment while out on hikes or other outdoor pursuits, we’d highly recommend opting for a pack with tough Cordura, ripstop fabrics between 300 and 500 deniers, a reinforced bottom/base, YKK zippers, and double-stitching.

Weather Resistance

While most trekking or hiking backpacks either use waterproof fabrics in their construction or are treated with a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish to help them fend off the elements, many tactical pacts forego waterproofing in an effort to concentrate their weight and performance on other features.

While this potential issue can be remedied with the purchase of a cheap backpack rain cover, if you’re spending a large whack of $ on your pack then waterproofing is one feature you have a right to expect — if any pack you’re considering doesn’t have it, ask exactly what you’re paying for before making the purchase.

Comfort

None of the other features mentioned above and below count for very much if a pack doesn’t score high in the comfort stakes.

The factors that contribute most to a pack’s comfort are ample cushioning on the shoulder straps, the back panel, and the hipbelt, solid breathability and ventilation, and frame or torso length.

The absence of any one of these factors alone is unlikely to be a dealbreaker or cause too much discomfort on short hikes with light loads.

If more than one is missing or you’re likely to be carrying heavier loads over longer distances, however, then your pack could easily become an instrument of torture that will have you back online or in the store searching for something more suitable.

When buying, therefore, take care to read user reviews and look for adequate cushioning in the key areas where the pack is in contact with the body — the base of the back, the hipbelt, and the shoulders.

With regard to ventilation, look for a suspended mesh and/or molded foam back panel that creates air-flow channels between your clothing and the frame of the pack, otherwise, you’ll be in for a fairly sticky stroll.

Compartmentalization

One of the key advantages in choosing a tactical backpack over a “civvy” or hiking backpack lies in the formatting of the pack’s storage capacity.

While standard hiking packs tend to consolidate the vast majority of available volume in a large central well or compartment, tactical packs usually divide their overall capacity into a number of smaller compartments, sleeves, and pockets.

This not only allows you to keep different items of your gear separate — wet and dry, sharp and rip-prone, breakable and non-breakable, etc — but also increases efficiency by allowing you to improve organization and, as such, locate things quickly and/or without having to remove the rest of the contents of your pack.

Other Features

External pockets

A couple of external pockets will allow you to make certain gear items more readily accessible and save you time over the course of a trip if they are things you need to access frequently.

This storage option also means you have the choice of keeping items like water bottles or potentially smelly sandwiches separate from your pack’s main (and dry and odor-free) contents.

Laptop sleeve

If you happen to plan on using your pack around town as well as out in the backcountry, this handy little feature will help keep your (probably) most prized pack contents safe and dry when moving from A to B.

When buying, check the sleeve has adequate padding and the base starts an inch or two above the bottom of the pack so as to provide an added buffer against bangs and bumps when setting the pack down.

Chest Strap

Negligible as it may seem, a chest strap can have a big impact on a pack’s comfort levels and stability. Without a chest strap, a heavier load will shift around on your back, possibly leading to chafing, or, at the very least, will become the source of quite serious discomfort and no small amount of exasperation.

In essence, a chest strap helps to centralize your load and keep the weight fixed over your center of gravity, thus improving not only comfort but also balance and stability.

Hydration Bladder Compatibility

While not everyone is endeared by the idea of using a hydration bladder, there’s no doubting their utility and the benefit of at least having the option at your disposal in a backpack.

Not only will a hydration sleeve help you keep your H20 separate from the gear you’d prefer to keep dry, using it will free up space in exterior water-bottle pockets and allow you to hydrate without having to stop, off your pack, and then fish out your water bottles. For hikers, in particular, this one’s highly recommended.

Front Loading

A front-loading pack has one significant advantage over a top-loader: easy access. We all know how frustrating it can be to dig through all our squished-up gear while hunting for that one item that seems to have vanished entirely but inevitably turns up right at the bottom of the pack.

With a front-loading pack, these frustrations are pleasingly side-stepped due to both the size of the opening and the fact that more light can enter while you’re getting your rummage on. Additionally, loading and unloading a front-loader is much easier and will likely save you at least a few precious minutes should you have to do either in a hurry.

MOLLE Compatibility

MOLLE-compatible packs use webbing or mesh strips that allow you to attach compatible gear items to your pack’s exterior. This not only means you can increase the amount of gear you can carry but also allows you to place items you use more frequently where they can be easily accessed.

Appearance – Civvy-Style or Camo-Style?

While most potential backpack buyers aren’t expecting to win any awards for fashion, the appearance of your pack is another point worth considering.

Some tactical packs use canvas and leather inserts to offer a more classy, old-school look; some more neutral models wouldn’t look out of place in the average corporate office; others look like they’ve just returned from or are preparing for a military tour.

While your own personal tastes will naturally prove to be the deciding factor, it’s worth considering where and when you’d like to use the backpack. If you want one bag to take everywhere, then a more neutral-colored pack is more likely to do the job and save you scaring the living daylights out of your colleagues at work or neighbors.

If you see yourself doing more in the way of hiking, fishing, hunting, war games, or paintball, then going down the camouflage route might be a better bet (and, of course, make you look distinctly more badass!).

Value for Money

As with any gear item, when buying a tactical or EDC backpack you want to know you are getting adequate bang for your buck. In addition to gauging a pack’s overall quality and functionality, the best way to gauge a pack’s value for money is to do a little digging on the competition and then ask a few questions:

What am I getting in return for my additional outlay?

Or…

What am I missing out on by making these savings?
Am I compromising on any, key-must-have features?
Am I paying for features that aren’t essential to my needs?