Mystery Ranch Men's Scree 32 Backpack

Brilliant product as always. Best backpack I've ever owned. Fantastic quality, copped a beating so far and held up perfectly.

I bought this to replace a day pack that I walked to work, shopped, and travelled around the world with for over a decade. I've only had the Scree for a few days, but I'm finding the Mystery Ranch Scree 32 an excellent replacement. Like my previous pack, it has a padded waist belt (a show stopper without one) with pouches, chest strap, externally accessible top pockets (TWO! a mesh one that shares air with the main compartment and a smaller sealed one), several attachment points, two internal pockets plus pouch for holding a hydration pack, two external pockets (for water bottle, umbrella etc, another show stopper). I haven't been in a downpour, so I don't know how the weather resistant zippers, and fabric in general, will fare, but it shouldn't be any worse than my previous pack which had no weatherstripping. There hasn't been any chafing from the shoulder straps (which are adjustable at top and bottom).What set the Scree apart were the 3 main zippers and the "frame" (for lack of better word). I was curious about the "Y" zipper arrangement and then I got my hands on them. Unlike my previous packs where I either had to dig down or open wide enough to spill the contents, the single zipper down the front gives good access to stuff in the bottom of the pack without risking a dump of everything. It's kind of a compromise between a duffel bag and a top loading backpack. I've pulled stuff out from the bottom with the bag vertical while walking with a simple zip and yank (no digging); I long ago abandoned fully opening my old pack even when at home or at my office, so this has been a welcomed change and I've done this so often in just a few days.The frame was what sold me on the Scree, though. So many day packs these days have a rigid built-in frame, and many of them arch the pack so they waste space. I needed something I can cram into small space of an airliner compartment but be comfortable on my hip and back. I removed the frame from my previous pack for this reason. The Scree uses a hard plastic curved plate on the upper back that is meant to be vertically adjustable AND easily removable (it's actually the tool for releasing the velcro for height adjustment) so in a pinch I can find a way to shrink its profile. It takes a little work, but A LOT LESS so than removing the wire frame of my previous pack). Also, the pack tends to keep its shape when half-empty and "plateless" thanks to a stiff foam backing, which is also removable and stowable if necessary (again, in a pinch). That semi-rigidity makes a difference on my shoulders while still keeping the bag very flexible.On the other hand, I wish the belt strap and buckle were a bit wider, I wish the hip pouches were just 1 cm longer (15 cm, curved at one end), I wish the mesh top pocket used material other than mesh, and I have some doubts about the hip padding. I expect that in the winter the buckle will be a bit bothersome to work with while wearing heavy mittens or gloves (I mean at -30C), and I wonder if the narrow strap will start to chafe in the summer. On the other hand, the belt assembly is FULLY removable (as advertised) because the straps have a latch, so I could in principle replace the straps with something to my liking (I shouldn't have had to, but at least I don't have to buy yet another pack). As for the hip pouches, they barely squeeze in some 75 ml spray bottles and 100 ml cream tubes (i.e. travel sized stuff), and those are integrated into the pad. I also prefer a straight zip on the pouches rather than have the zipper curve downward toward the front (I like my pockets and pouches to have 3 sides). I generally avoid mesh pockets (as in one of the top pockets) because stuff can get hooked into the mesh more readily and consequently the mesh tears more often (keys!) but there's always the (smaller) sealed top pocket(!). As for the hip padding, its base is a somewhat stiff material with light (crinkly sounding) padding, and I wonder if the padding material will degrade leaving this stiff base material to cut into my hips (it might be dense foam and it's nice and wide, so maybe it won't be a problem?), and how the base material will fare at -40C. I'm probably going to buy some velcro and buckle straps for the attachment points, maybe some small attachable pouches (I've found 30 cm attachable pouches a bit too bulky).

The frame is adjustable, I got a large/x-large and I’m 6 feet. Really comfortable!! Used for a day hike and used for a short overnighter with a friend that packed in the tent so far and I’ll never buy another brand again. Only Mystery Ranch. 10 for 10 recommend!

I am a big fan of Mystery Ranch packs. I own two of them. When looking for a bugout bag, the Scree got my attention. Now that I have had it for more than a year it has proven worthy. Mystery Ranch packs are made of very durable material that is not only tough, but highly water resistant. The harness is well padded, adjustable and comfortable. The zippers demand a little extra tug. The trade off for the tug is that they are tough and rugged and highly water resistant. Both of my Mystery Ranch packs feature the unique three zipper main compartment which I learned to love. The top 2 zips access the main compartment from the top. Unzip the 3rd zipper and the entire main compartment is laid open. The top hood compartment is perfect for flashlights, battery chargers, and the like. Stuffed full, thoughtful compression straps squeeze the load down to a very manageable size. External water bottle pockets handle my 32 oz Camelbak just fine. What I love about the Scree is it doesn't draw attention. It just looks like an ordinary black back pack, yet it can carry a lot of weight and ride comfortably. I highly recommend it and would buy it again.

Mid size pack good for lightweight multi-day hike or just a day hike. Enough pockets to separate gear but so many you loose all your stuff.

This pack is outstanding and does exactly what it was designed to do. Is it a 2 or 3 day assault pack designed for "Operators"? No. Therefore, people should consider their intended use for this type of pack.The fit is amazing. As someone who needs a larger than normal sized pack (6'4", 250 lbs.) I really appreciate Dana's team of designers making items that can be dialed in for amazing and efficient comfort and carrying ability. If you're on the fence about whether to pull the trigger on the Scree Lg/XL, go for it...you will be glad you did!