Mystery Ranch

Bridger 45L Backpack

Too heavy for such a small volume pack

Familiarity:

I returned this product before using it

Size Bought:

Small

Very heavy for what it is/capacity

My search for a photography bag is finally over

I bought this a while back but wanted to give it a few runs before reviewing. I bought this primarily as a photography/camera backpack. I have tried many dedicated photography bags over the years that claim to be a hiking bag. None of them can really carry the weight comfortably. This includes many of the Youtube influencer bags that they get paid to say that they are great. (I have fallen for them). This bag is actually great. I stuff a V1 Medium cube from a design company into this bag rather easily. That carries most of my gear. There is then room on top of that to carry some tech bags filled with the photography stuff. Then there is the sleeping bag compartment that is spacious enough to stuff some size 14 water shoes in for the waterfall photo days. I also manage to stuff in a towel for the hot hikes when I want to cold plunge into the waterfall rivers and pools, and then you have the brain. The brain is large enough that I have used it, with its dedicated long fanny pack strap, to carry my full size camera body and a lens or 2 along with my phone keys etc. This is the first bag I have used that has actual usable hip belt storage. Big enough for what you need in hip belt storage. Most importantly........I can actually Zip and Unzip the pockets with the pack attached to my body........what a concept. I say this because I have used many packs (at least 10) from the brand named after a bird, and not one of them has a usable hip belt zipper. There is so much adjustment available in this bag that it would be hard for it not to fit someone. I am 6'3" and not in shape 270 lbs. Yup I have the old dad bod spare tire and I'm not even a dad. I have large shoulders. I have adjusted this bag to actually fit me. This has been difficult to find. Because of the ol spare tire every hip belt bag has to go under the gut. If I try to get it on the hips, every bag I've ever tried is uncomfortable. Just about every bag I've tried is uncomfortable under the gut. This Bridger 45 can be worn under the gut without the normal associated pain, and is actually comfortable. I think I like the runners vest style straps they are mostly comfortable but can get a little hot. I like the storage they provide. I carry 1 liter soft squeezable water bottles in them and I can drink from them without having to take them out. The access for the main compartment is what really drew me to this bag. the zippers on both sides that go almost all the way down provides all the access I need to get to my camera cube and other gear. There aren't too many bags that can do this. The side pockets easily carriy a tripod The only complaints I have before I start to sound like an influencer. The chest straps could use 2 more inches as they are a little tight. I wish the load lifters were easier to access (gotta fix myself and get more flexible). Speaking of the load lifters, if I pull on them too much the backpack stops get too tight and they compress too much. This could be related to the chest straps being a little tight. I still need to tweak the fit a little so maybe that will help TBD. I wish there were better explanations of all the features on the bag. dedicated videos for each specific bag would be great. example the load lifters have adjusters on them on the backpack strap side, I still have no idea how to properly adjust them. I would also like to see the back stretchy pocket be a little more stretchy to fit maybe a compact full size towel and a rain jacket, this may just need to be broken in more. This pack easily carries my 25-30lb load out I would love Mystery Ranch to design an actual photo bag as this is a fantastic place to start, or a camera cube that is designed for this bag and some of the others

Does All that It is Advertised to Do!!!!

I bought this bag to use for short overnight trips. This bag has meet and exceeded my expectations. Large enough for two nights of winter backpacking trips and not too large for winter day trips. I am excited to use this bag this summer when I don't need to carry winter gear. I believe that this will work for extended trips this spring and summer when cold weather is not an issue. Extremely pleased with the comfort of the pack and the external straps that allow me to attach things that need easy access.

What an Amazing Pack

Having experimented with many packs, I've never come across one that is so well thought out and well-made. This pack excels at rucking, which is what my company, Ruck Evolution uses the Bridger 45 for. We load packs with between 10 and 20 percent of a person's body weight and go for group and team-building hikes. The comfort and fit is exceptional.

First MR bag

I bought this about a month ago because I got back into rucking. I needed something with some good support on both shoulders and hips. I use it for a multitude of other things as well. I served in the US army and thought tha standard issue rucks where good, but boy was i wrong. I love this pack and have rucked with 45lbs in it and could hardly feel the weight. I will forever use MR.

Great 1-3 day pack with cheap buckles

I’ve taken this pack on multiple trips into the eastern sierras. One trip up Mt. Whitney with many more into the surrounding area. On my most recent trip hiked into the Cottenwood Lake area up New Army pass, within the first half mile one of the teeth on the waist belt buckle snapped. I figured this would render the pack useless for heavy loads, I was carrying roughly 45 pounds, but I was wrong the belt was actually still able to buckle and function. This leads to the 1 star review for poor quality of the buckle. My next complaint is the design for the bottom side compression straps. They’ve been designed it to go through the cup holder mounted on the side and with a Nalgene sized bottle can make it difficult to compress. That being said, everything else about the pack is stellar. One feature I find incredibly helpful is the shoulder strips, they have taken out the padding in favor of large surface area to distribute the weight. What this means for you is less heat build up under your straps and more airflow to reduce sweat. It also distributes weight exceptionally well. Weight distribution is nearly perfect. They’ve added a detachable top pouch which allows you to leave your pack at camp in favor of a light fanny/sling to carry necessities. The final feature I like are the nicely sized pockets on the shoulder straps. These are large enough to fit an iPhone, small 500ml silicone bladder or what ever you need readily accessible.

Awesome fit and comfort

I got my mystery ranch pack about a month ago to replace a very old backpack that I had. I was first exposed to mystery Ranch on the fire service where we used the wild line pack, and the medic pack on wildland fire incident, the comfort and awesome features of this pack are second to none. I would highly recommend this For any type of hiking or backpacking application

Almost perfect midsize backpack

I've been using the Bridger 45 for several months now, and it has proven to be an excellent choice for bridging the gap between 30-35L daypacks and larger 60-70L backpacks. As a Search and Rescue (SAR) team member, the Bridger serves me well as a 24-hour backpack, replacing my old Rush when I need more volume or want to ease the strain on my back. I've taken it on road trips, used it on long hikes in cold weather to carry some extra stuff or to unload some gear from my family members. In summary, I absolutely love this backpack, especially for its incredibly comfortable harness, amount of space and features. Pros: - The harness is amazing. It’s very comfortable. 25 lbs load is almost unnoticeable, my back and shoulders are not tired even after 8 hours of SAR operational day (I’m in a good shape though). 35-40 lbs load also feels good as the weight is perfectly spread across hips and back. The backpack sits well on your back no matter how much you move. You can climb on a hill, crawl through the mezzanine or run, and the backpack stays perfectly in place. - MR Quality is outstanding, as with other backpacks. I have no concerns in any piece of the backpack - each zipper, each buckle looks and feels like you can rely on it. I’m pretty sure the backpack will last even with my heavy usage and constant abuse - spending hours under the rain, crawling in the mud, dragging over the rocks and etc. - The Bridger maintains its comfort and stability, whether underfilled or overloaded. - Numerous features and attachment points accommodate accessories and tools, allowing for external carry and efficient weight distribution. - The 3-zipper opening system is super convenient, making it easy to find items without rummaging through everything. Cons: - Chest bottle pockets aren't ideal for my usage. I use hydration pack (I assume that's a case for most of potential Bridger buyers) and would prefer regular pockets or the option to detach them and use MOLLE pouches instead. - Waist belt pockets are relatively small. I think it is probably not a problem for most of the users, but I personally would prefer just MOLLE straps like on Terraform so I could attach my own pouches. - Comparing to tactical backpacks, it has lack of organizing features. Again, you probably don’t need it for hiking, but I’m trying to keep my SAR stuff organized in a way that allows me to find anything in complete darkness using only one hand. I’m missing some small pockets. I use Zoid Bag, but there is an attachment point for only one small size. - The chest straps, along with bottle pockets, make it challenging to use additional chest harnesses common in SAR teams. Ideas for Improvement: - Attachment points for medium-sized Zoid Bags inside the backpack along its length. - A sunshades pocket with a bit of protective padding could be a valuable addition. - Loops or keychain hooks inside the waist pockets would be useful. - The option to remove the bottle pockets on the chest harness. Overall, the Bridger 45 is an impressive backpack. It's spacious, feature-rich, well-built, and boasts an outstanding harness for comfortable long-distance wear. While I've identified some cons, they are specific to my SAR use, and the only debatable feature is the chest water bottle sacks

Love the access to contents.

having two zippers on the front is genius. I also enjoy the hydration storage. Nice fit. Finally, the two pockets in the front straps is amazing and leaves plenty of room for my sat phone and snacks. I’d like to recommend moving the hip strap pockets more forward for easy access.

Very Minimalistic

I got this pack to use as an overnight (1-2days) camping/backpacking pack. This pack has its limitations. Alot smaller than expected. Great for summer backpacking trips. I don’t recommend this pack for rugged terrain like military or for hunters. General use only.