Mystery Ranch Metcalf review: the 75 and the 100 on the ULTRA LIGHT MT frame

By the OpticVerdict Editorial Team.
Research-based review · Updated 2026-10-03

How we reviewed it: a research-based review built from Mystery Ranch's own Metcalf 75 and Metcalf 100 product pages (specs, features and FAQ), its fitting and sizing page, the two OpticsPlanet listings and the only owner review on each of them. We have not carried this pack ourselves. Two retailer reviews are a very thin record, so we say where a point rests on one person, and we show Mystery Ranch's own site ratings attributed to Mystery Ranch, not as ours. Claims we could not confirm on Mystery Ranch's site are left out. See how we evaluate.

What the Metcalf is

Mystery Ranch calls the Metcalf 75 "The perfect all-around hunting backpack" and says it gives you "a full 75 liters of volume" for hunts that run past opening day. The roomy, detachable lid takes snacks, extra gloves, tags and extra rounds, and the main bag closes with a roll-top. Mystery Ranch says the pack is built on the ULTRA LIGHT MT frame "to minimize weight while maximizing the load bearing capacity" it is known for. Its spec block lists 5.3 lb, 4575 cu-ins and 31" x 13" x 12.25" for the 75, and 6.1 lb, 6100 cu-ins and 35.25" x 17" x 14.5" for the 100. The product pages do not say which frame size the weights are measured on.

The current pack is a newer version of the Metcalf. Mystery Ranch's FAQ, printed on its Metcalf 100 page and largely about the ULTRA LIGHT MT frame that both sizes are built on, separates the ULTRA LIGHT Metcalf from the 2020 to 2023 Metcalf: the new bag uses 330 Lite Plus material where the older bag used 500 Lite Plus, and the frame uses Plain Air Mesh on the inside of the harnessing with 500 Light Plus CORDURA. Mystery Ranch pitches the new version at "the backcountry hunter who is weight-conscious and prefers a minimalistic design but does not want to sacrifice comfort and durability."

Both OpticsPlanet listings carry the same feature list: blaze orange frame tabs for accessories such as the Stick-It or Gravelly 18, zippered lid pockets, multiple compression straps, attachment points so you can secure the lid however much you pack, side attachment points for running the bag without the lid, and interior blaze orange ribbon loops for Mystery Ranch's small and medium Quick Attach bags.

A Mystery Ranch video in which a presenter walks through the Metcalf pack, named on screen as "METCALF", on a display table, opening and handling it. The video does not show which capacity is on the table.

What the two OpticsPlanet owners say

Each listing has exactly one review, and both reviewers carry OpticsPlanet's Verified Owner tag. That is enough to hear two voices, not to see a pattern.

On the Metcalf 75 listing, a five-star reviewer who opens with "As a former USMC Sniper" (their own description, which we cannot verify) praises comfort under heavy load and durability, fills in Pros as "durable Comfort & stability", and lists Cons as None.

“This pack is THE MOST comfortable pack I've worn under heavy load (100lbs +)”

Patrick (FL), verified owner, Metcalf 75 listing, via OpticsPlanet

“This thing is tough.”

Patrick (FL), verified owner, Metcalf 75 listing, via OpticsPlanet

On the Metcalf 100 listing, a four-star reviewer titles their review "Great pack for elk hunting", lists five Pros including Quality, Comfort and Strap points, names Squeak as the only con, and gives one reason for the missing star.

“The main reason I went 4 not 5 stars is the slight noise it makes under load.”

Micah Grim (OH), verified owner, Metcalf 100 listing, via OpticsPlanet

The same owner writes that the small squeak is a bummer when trying to hunt quietly, and that at "155 pounds and pretty tall" they find the padding comfortable.

Mystery Ranch's own product pages carry their own customer ratings, but the reviews shown on the Metcalf 75 page are dated as early as 2017, and one describes a hunt in September 2022, a year Mystery Ranch's FAQ assigns to the older 2020 to 2023 Metcalf. Those ratings cover more than the current version, so we do not repeat them as a score for today's pack.

OpticsPlanet also still lists discontinued Metcalf packs with more reviews, the Metcalf Bivy and an earlier 4335 cubic inch Metcalf, both marked "Product Discontinued by Manufacturer." Their reviews describe different packs, so we do not use them here.

Hauling meat and heavy loads

The Metcalf is sold as a hunting pack that brings the animal out, not just the camp. Mystery Ranch says its compression straps keep "gear and meat secure", and its Metcalf 100 copy talks about getting your "hard-won bull, buck or ram to the trailhead or bush plane." Its FAQ refers to an OVERLOAD shelf on the ULTRA LIGHT MT frame, which is Mystery Ranch's own term; the product pages we read do not explain how the shelf is used, so we do not describe it further.

How much weight is too much? Neither Metcalf product page gives a load rating in pounds. The closest Mystery Ranch statement is in its FAQ: the ULTRA LIGHT MT frame "is rated to handle the same amount of weight as the GUIDE LIGHT MT." The one Metcalf 75 owner on OpticsPlanet reports comfort at 100 lb and more, which is one person's experience, not a rating.

Metcalf 75 or Metcalf 100?

Both share the frame, fabric, lid and feature list. The differences are capacity, size, weight, side access and price. Mystery Ranch describes the 100 as "the pack you need for your longest hunts in the most remote areas", from late-season elk hunts where every layer is needed to high mountain sheep hunts with big optics, tripods and more than a week of food. In our view the 75 is the default choice, and the 100 earns its extra size and weight only if you regularly run long hunts with bulky gear.

Key specifications

Specifications are Mystery Ranch's, from its two product pages; the rows, ratings and prices are the retailer's. The weights are the figures Mystery Ranch lists without naming a frame size. Mystery Ranch lists four colors, but not every color and size is orderable on each OpticsPlanet listing, so confirm the color and size in your cart. Mystery Ranch also sells a Metcalf 50 and women's Metcalf models, which this page does not cover.

Fit and sizing

Both listings come in S, M, L and XL. Mystery Ranch's fitting page says to have a friend measure "between the bony bump at the base of your neck (C7 vertebra) to the spot on your spine that is just behind your belly button." Its Metcalf FAQ adds that the ULTRA LIGHT MT frame can adjust load lifter height from 22 to 26 inches, that the waist belt size tag sits on the waistbelt behind the lumbar region, and that only the small FORAGER POCKET fits the updated waist belt. The fitting page we read gives no size chart tied to the Metcalf, so we print none.

Trade-offs, plainly

• A premium-priced pack, and the OPTIFADE Subalpine color costs more than Buckskin or Ponderosa on both listings.
• No load rating in pounds on either product page; Mystery Ranch only says the frame is rated for the same weight as its GUIDE LIGHT MT.
• A squeak under load, reported by the one Metcalf 100 reviewer on OpticsPlanet. One review is not a pattern, but it is the only complaint on record there.
• A very thin retailer record: one review per listing, so most of what we know comes from Mystery Ranch itself.
• 2020 to 2023 Metcalf bags and harnesses do not fit the ULTRA LIGHT MT frame, per Mystery Ranch, so an older bag or yoke cannot be moved onto the new frame.
• The 100 is the bigger, heavier pack: worth it for long hunts, extra bulk and weight for short ones.

Should you buy it, and what else to consider

• Buy the Metcalf 75 if you want one framed pack for hunts of a few days that can also bring meat out, and you value a roll-top bag with side access.
• Buy the Metcalf 100 if your hunts are long and remote and your kit is bulky, such as late-season layers or big optics and a tripod.
• Skip both if you need a published load rating in pounds before you buy, or if you hunt mostly from the truck and need a daypack rather than a framed pack.

What else to consider for the same hunt:

• Boots for the pack-out: our Kenetrek Mountain Extreme review covers a 10-inch boot built for steep ground and heavy packs.
• The big optics the 100 is meant to carry: our best spotting scope for hunting and best binoculars for hunting guides.

FAQ

More gear for the hunt: Kenetrek Mountain Extreme review · best binoculars for hunting · best binocular harness · best spotting scope for hunting.